SumUp: First U.S. Launch of Digital Collection Plate Occurs Easter Sunday at Episcopal Churches Nationwide

BOULDER, Colo., April 18, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- SumUp Inc., a leading Fortune 5000 mPOS / credit card reader company originally from Europe, today announced the launch of SumUp, its digital collection plate technology that lets church congregants make digital donations and tithes at mass in place of cash. SumUp replaces the traditional collection plate with an innovative device for church treasurers and other leaders to better manage monies collected during service. It will roll out at 9 Episcopal Church locations across the country on Easter Sunday during mass.

SumUp is the first, cashless technology solution used in any U.S. church environment for the collection of donations during mass. The nationwide launch is a test implementation project to determine congregants desire to use the system each week. The overall project is in partnership with TryTank, an experimentation unit of the Episcopalian Church focused on growth and innovation.

"There is no doubt technology has transformed most people's day to day lives," said Reverend Lorenzo Lebrija, who is the founding director of TryTank Experimental Lab. "One of those transformations is happening as we transition to a cashless society. We discovered this new method of giving from an initial test done by the Church of England in the UK earlier this year and decided to try this technology too. We believe this will be an easier way for church members to give each Sunday without them having to bring or use cash."

SumUp's physical mobile card reader works in conjunction with the free SumUp app for smartphones and tablets, allowing churches to take card payments after the fully digital sign-up (which takes only minutes), with no recurring fees or contractual obligations.

Initially, the SumUp technology will roll out at 9 Episcopal churches during Easter Sunday mass. Participating churches are:

• St. Clare's Episcopal Church, California
• St. Luke's Episcopal Church, New Jersey
• St. Paul's Episcopal, Mississippi
• Clarke Parish, Virginia
• Saint Stephen and the Incarnation, Washington DC
• Epiphany Seattle, Washington
• Holy Trinity Church, California
• Church of the Holy Comforter Charlotte, North Carolina
• Trinity Cathedral, Arizona

Congregants of the twelve Episcopal churches will begin making donations on Easter Sunday using SumUp by accessing a custom made "digital collection plate". Transactions require the use of their mobile devices and the SumUp application as the user interface to make donations into the plate, a 3D-printed casing for the reader. SumUp makes for an effortless and cashless method of giving donations without disturbing the flow of worshipping during mass.

"I am truly excited that the Episcopal Church here in the U.S. is at the forefront of using our mobile card reader solution for such an innovative use-case," said Jan Hoffmann, Managing Director in the U.S., from SumUp. "More than anything, the church will be able to improve its operations by becoming cashless and helping their members and congregants to give to the church in a more streamlined process, with the ultimate goal being increased donations."

SOURCE SumUp