What do you all do for tithing settlement?

[Red Ryder]

Our overly ambitious ward clerk decided to skip sign up sheets and just start making appointments via text and emails.

The Ryder family was assigned to attend last night. Sister Ryder failed to mention it until 30 minutes before. Apparently the overly ambitious clerk set it up with her only. I'm happy to keep my phone number sacred and a secret.

We walked in and sat with the settlement man for a few minutes making small talk. He didn't look over any papers, statements, or accounts receivable balances but merely talked with the kids about school and life. Then he mentioned the church was true because no paid clergy, but did mutter something about a stipend. In the end he asked if we were FT payers and congratulated the "Yes's" and encouraged the lonely "No".

I left there smiling and wondering how the hell I've ended up in this weird place where my lack of contributions will most likely prevent me from attending the future weddings of my own children! Simply because I don't pay the entrance fees to a Billion Dollar Corporation!

Ironically, I noticed the air conditioning unit in the Bishop's office was labeled "Mr. Slim". Even the air conditioning equipment follows the spoken rules of patriarchy in the Mormon Church!

On a positive note, Sister Ryder wasn't in her usual pre/post tithing settlement funk. Perhaps because the assigned appointment took the responsibility to sign up out of her hands or perhaps because it's still October and tithing settlement and the holidays didn't collide.

Either way, it's still a weird ritual to have to declare your status!

[Kishkumen]

In my attempts to put my religious history in my past, I kinda forgot that it's that time of year again - tithing settlement.

https://youtu.be/C2cMG33mWVY?t=39

[IT_Veteran]

Did it get earlier this year, or is it just that I have been in smaller wards the last several years so they don't start until after Thanksgiving?

Unrelated note - none of us are full tithe payers this year. I half wonder if bishop will try to pull DD and DW into tithing settlement to ask.

[No Tof]

I figure I way over paid for many years so if an appointment catches me I can say full TP with a clear conscience.

Bizarre in deed.

[DPRoberts]

Did it get earlier this year, or is it just that I have been in smaller wards the last several years so they don't start until after Thanksgiving?

Unrelated note - none of us are full tithe payers this year. I half wonder if bishop will try to pull DD and DW into tithing settlement to ask.

Heard from member of bishopric that they could have started two weeks before yesterday per TSCC guidelines. Got to make sure there's time to shakedown everybody.

I haven't been in years, but DW goes alone. There have been years when I knew her time and allowed her to forget to go.

[alas]

DH goes by himself, even though he pays both our tithing, so I am a full tithe paying member. My status as full tithe payer means something to him, but not to me or the bishop.

[Just This Guy]

DW and I are both out, so no TS for us. We have told both our parents that we have resigned, but I'm a bit nervous for our parents to do TS and see us off the rolls. I'm expecting some fallout.

[Deepthinker]

Yeah, the Bishop gave his "hoorah" for tithing settlement yesterday in Sacrament. He's starting early this year.

For me, I think it will be fine. I pay on surplus, and have for years now, wife knows. Wife is actually "behind" on paying her tithing. If it goes like last year, Bishop will just ask me in the hallway if we're full tithe payers, I'll say yes and that will be the end of it.

[Mormorrisey]

I just email it in. I haven't been to tithing settlement in a couple of years - I finally used the "when they show me their financials, I'll show you mine" line last year, and it elicited a chuckle from the bishop. So I think he expects another email this year. But then again, I've won leadership roulette in this area, and he's not a manipulative jerk. Some might not be so lucky.

[wtfluff]

Easy...

[Corsair]

I had a stroke of luck last year and I hope it continues this year. I simply never went to tithing settlement and neither did any of my family. My wife does not enjoy going since I enjoy saying "Yes" to the question of my tithing status. This is a massive lie and I have no great interest in coming clean. I completely sympathize with Red Ryder and the semi-public shaming that is taking place.

I am hoping that this policy of negligence continues this year. My wife and I simply never signed up. This is not some ordinance of salvation and it's not like the bishop doesn't know who we are. We've known this bishop for many years and are serving in ward callings that definitely make his job easier. I will have to report back in the new year how this ongoing experiment worked out for 2018.

[lostinmiddlemormonism]

They assigned you a time...


Isn't that just mormonism in a nutshell?

[dogbite]

Wait for the phone call. They call those who don't attend settlement. Say "yes" and go on with things.

[MerrieMiss]

I suppose my husband will set up a time and we'll go. I'm a stay at home mom, so nothing to report anyway. The bishop announced sign ups on Sunday and then went on a long-winded ramble about how important it was to go and how he had made up a two-page flyer in the program that should answer any reasons why tithing settlement is important. He must be getting pressure from the Stake President.

[lostinmiddlemormonism]

I suppose my husband will set up a time and we'll go. I'm a stay at home mom, so nothing to report anyway. The bishop announced sign ups on Sunday and then went on a long-winded ramble about how important it was to go and how he had made up a two-page flyer in the program that should answer any reasons why tithing settlement is important. He must be getting pressure from the Stake President.

I KNOW our bishops are getting pressure from our stake leadership. The scuttlebutt is that revenues are down more than 40% over two years ago.

-lost

[Thoughtful]

With the new tax law doubling the standard deduction, I'm betting the church loses a ton of revenue.

Last year we declared by text. This year, I refuse to pay a dime to the organization that protects abusers and gaslights victims.

[MerrieMiss]

My husband loves me - I was out of town last weekend, so he went and took the kids without me. I think it's my first time never going.

[2bizE]

Well, wife and I went. I had received an envelope previously with our pre-statement, which I didn’t bother to look at. Bishop showed us out payments, which are 50% or more less than usual. We both declared Yes. I’m not sure if we pay on surplus or what, but it is full, not gross, not net. Still a lot more than I want to pay. I see it dwindling lower next year. We do pay online, and the church still can print out the amount.

[Hagoth]

Now that I'm a full time student I just stay, "I have a negative income, so let's figure out how much the church owes me." Mrs. Hagoth now gives more money to help friends in need than she gives to the church and reports herself a full tithe payer.