Frequently Asked Questions

Son Valley Fellowship, as part of the Seventh-day Adventist church, offers a few ways of giving that easily fits into your life through in person donations by cheque or cash, through e-transfers (etransfer@sonvalleyadventist.ca), and online through adventistgiving.ca.

AdventistGiving is a secure, state-of-the-art giving option that allows you to return tithes and give offerings anywhere, anytime with an Internet connection.

General Questions

Do my tithes and offerings still go through my local church?

Yes. 100% of the funds are routed through the local church.

What payment types do you accept?

In Canada, only credit cards with the Visa® and MasterCard® logos can be used at this time through AdventistGiving. Through in person giving we accept cheque and cash. We also accept e-transfers through the email “etransfer@sonvalleyadventist.ca”.

My bank asks me to set up a password for e-transfers, what should I make it?

If your bank asks you to set a password or security question and answer for e-transfers please make the security answer “svftithe”.

If I do e-transfer how do I give to specific areas?

In most e-transfers, you have the option to write comments for the transfer. In the comments, you can make notes as to how much money you want to go where.

Is my credit card information secure?

As privacy and security are top priorities in this program, state-of-the-art security measures are in place. For more information, read our Privacy Policy.

Who will know what I am giving?

Your password, login and state-of-the-art security measures protect your privacy online. Only your church treasurer will have knowledge of your giving, as is the case with regular cash and cheque and AdventistGiving donations.

What do I do if I don’t see the fund that I want to donate to?

AdventistGiving has more than 900 offering categories from which to select, and you will likely find the category you want. However, if you do not see an offering category listed, you can still give at your local church. You may also contact your local treasurer if you wish to request a category be added to AdventistGiving.

How long will it take for my church to receive the money I give online?

The funds are sent to the church chequing account electronically on a monthly cycle.

How do the local church treasurers keep track of this method of giving?

After receiving a monthly electronic report of all AdventistGiving transactions, the local church treasurer incorporates this group of givers into the monthly report to the church and conference. The local church treasurer then disburses the contributions in harmony with the givers’ intentions.

Who issues my donation receipt?

After a successful transaction, AdventistGiving generates a confirmation for your records. Official tax receipts will be issued by the receiving church or conference by the end of the year.

Who pays the credit card transaction fees and other banking fees?

For AdventistGiving the overall cost is shared by the local conference, the union, the North American Division, and the General Conference to ensure you get full credit for your contributions.

Can I still use the old familiar cash and check method of giving?

Yes.

Once I establish an AdventistGiving account, am I always required to give online?

No. You can use all available methods at anytime.

What is your refund policy for online giving?

If you have made a duplicate donation or the amount you have given is in error, please contact us at help@adventistgiving.ca for a refund. In some cases we may need to wait to verify that your payment was successful before issuing a refund. If your donation has already been transferred to your church, you will need to speak directly with your church treasurer.

Does this system give more money to the conference?

No. All percentages and destinations remain the same as the regular system.

Can I make tuition payments to my child’s Adventist school through AdventistGiving?

No. AdventistGiving accepts only tax-deductible contributions. School tuition is not tax-deductible.

Stewardship Questions

Why is giving necessary?

Part of the Adventist Doctrine of Christian Living asserts that we have a responsibility to give back to God in response to what He's done for us. Deuteronomy 6:4 calls us to "love the Lord with all our heart, all our soul and all our strength." We give back to God in many different ways, through our time, our praise, our efforts and our tithes. Every bit of our giving is equally important and part of our worship of God. We give in joyous response to the God who gave all for us. 

Where does my money go?

When you give to the "tithes" category (either online or in person) the money is sent to the British Columbia Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. That money is then primarily distributed to support administrative salaries, and to support global mission efforts in various different countries. When you give to "Church Budget" 100% of what is received is kept at the local church level and supports local ministries and local staff salaries (where applicable). 

Is it acceptable to go into credit card debt when making a contribution?

We believe that a part of good stewardship is sound financial planning. While it may take faith and trust to give back to God financially we do not encourage incurring Credit Card debt in order to give. The AdventistGiving  option is for the convenience of those who prefer to do their banking and financial transactions online and through methods other than cash or cheque.

Is asking for donations through e-transfers, and AdventistGiving a strategy to get more money from church members?

No. Many church members are expressing an interest in methods of giving that are not cheque or cash and technology offers the means to do so conveniently and securely.