Church removes online donation options for 2 funds

[acmeist]

http://www.ldsliving.com/Church-Removes ... dium=email

According to the link, "sufficient levels of donated funds to the Perpetual Education Fund and Temple Patron Assistance Fund" have been met. So, members are asked to pick other stuff to donate to online. I am confused though, because the article goes on to say that members can donate to the funds via tithing slip in person. "The funds were removed 'because many members donate online," according to the message on lds.org.

So, members donate online more, but they removed being able to donate to those funds online so they don't get donations? That's what it sounds like to me, but I haven't paid attention to church donations in years. Are they trying to let these funds quietly die?

[Not Buying It]

Well that doesn’t make any sense - “we are removing this option online because so many people donate online. But we still want you to donate to these things in person”.

Like it ever mattered anyway. The donations slip has a legal disclaimer that the Church can use donated money however the hell they want regardless of what you donated it for. I’m surprised they aren’t just keeping those online options and then using the money donated to those causes to buy more real estate in Florida.

And no one needs these funds anymore? Really? The need has been completely met then?

[FoundMyOwnWay]

I agree, it doesn't add up. Sounds to me like they are beginning to phase those two things out for whatever reason. I mean I haven't heard that the perpetual education fund is a success in any way, so I wouldn't be surprised if they try to bury that failure quietly.

[Red Ryder]

It makes perfect sense.

They don't want to have to toss out the old forms and send new ones until all ward units have used all of them. I'd bet that any ward that orders new slips will be getting revised ones.

In regards to the discontinued funds, there must be some internal process or function that is getting revised and these "programs" are getting reorganized; you know like HT getting the Minister reorg? Name only, same function!

Discontinuing the Temple Patron Assistance fund makes sense too. Why not just have ward or branch fast offerings cover the cost of first time temple goers who can't afford it? Maybe they just over emphasized self reliance and poor temple patrons saved their nickels.

The church is run like a business so there has to be a good business decision behind this change.

As NBI said, it doesn't matter because they can shuffle the money wherever they want with the disclaimer on the slip.

[Hagoth]

Are they trying to let these funds quietly die?

It's just the opposite. These things are so heavily overfunded and are making such a massive return on investments that it makes sense to redirect money to other funds in hopes of turning them into similar gold mines. There's a fascinating podcast out there about it somewhere, but I can't remember which one.

[wtfluff]

Are they trying to let these funds quietly die?

It's just the opposite. These things are so heavily overfunded and are making such a massive return on investments that it makes sense to redirect money to other funds in hopes of turning them into similar gold mines. There's a fascinating podcast out there about it somewhere, but I can't remember which one.

Yep. There's so damn much money in those two "funds" that they make enough interest to cover any "expenses" that the funds incur, and more...

#notagiantrealestateinvestmentcompany