Kirk members, attendees or not, should be stumping up to help out

ONE reads that the Church of Scotland is to follow the Church of England in offering those attending church the facility of donating “contactlessly”, using their bank card or mobile phone (“Heavens above, the Kirk may take your offering by contactless card”, The Herald, March 21). I find the likely availability of such payments symbolic of the Church of Scotland today and its relationship with so many of the residents in the parishes within which it operates.

There are so many in Scotland today (other than Catholics and those of different or no faiths), who are “contactless” with the Church of Scotland and provide no support, financial or otherwise, and yet expect to make use of its services when they deem that a need arises. They seem content to overlook the fact that the Kirk, while being a spiritual organisation, also has temporal needs requiring continuous attention. Membership of our national church has decreased from more than one million to under 400,000 in the last 60 years or so. With that background, it would be beneficial if those currently in such a “contactless” situation occasionally made a monetary contribution to their local congregations, thus easing the financial obligations of operating and keeping the doors open.

Ian W Thomson,

38 Kirkintilloch Road, Lenzie.

I WAS intrigued by the report on the Church of Scotland’s latest initiative. It does appear this is just the latest gimmick by the Kirk to deflect attention from the real problem of diminishing attendances. It is not contactless cards but contactless absent members which will alleviate the current problem. Recent figures suggest a membership of 380,000 (and declining) whilst actual average attendees do not exceed 90,000. Until this reality is recognised the introduction of “pay as you go” technology will not resolve matters .

Allan C Steele,

22 Forres Avenue,

Giffnock.