SDA Church automates collection of offertory

The Seventh Day Adventist Church has launched a financial management system, which will enable its members to send their tithe and offertory directly to the Church bank account.

Speaking at the official launch on Friday, Dr Daniel Matte, the president of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Uganda, said the church developed the automated system for effective accountability and to guard against abuse of Church funds.

“The Church Financial Management System is employing technology and banking at the same time to bring efficiency in reporting and handling Church money, and we are rolling it out to all churches countrywide,” he said.

Asked why they opted to automate cash collections, Dr Matte said the traditional methods of collecting the money had exposed the handlers to many dangers, where some collections could not be accounted for.

He said there are 3,000 Seventh Day Adventist churches across the country, which collect between Shs10m and Shs50m every Sabbath day.

Mr Jimmy Ucanda, the manager-in-charge of integrated merchants solutions at Stanbic Bank, said the system is saving many institutions that have challenges with moving cash.

“The solution is called Flexipay and it is available on Apple Store. The key requirement is having a fully registered mobile money phone and when using the app, you use the NIN to register,” he said.  Mr Hagai Aguta, the IT director in the SDA Church, confirmed that sometimes they would lose the money in the traditional way of collecting and distributing it because it is tedious.

 But with the system, he said, the Christians can give in their money at leisure.

“This process of giving is easy, secure, flexible and reliable. The giver can tithe on any day and choose what to give for,” he said.

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