What’s the point?? The churches in Europe are government-sponsored. The churches in America aren’t. The churches in Europe are, reportedly, moribund. The churches in America have done better than presently, but still . . .In a respectable church, the people who know what you give only know because you want a tax deduction. The pastor and congregation do not have a need to know.
Nowadays you can contribute to your church from your IRA, and get the same benefit as if you were itemizing - you just don’t have to report that money as income, even tho it came from pre-tax IRA money. Knowing that, you know that you do not in fact have any idea whether or not a retired person is or is not contributing. Let alone how much.
The case is similar to that of contributions of appreciated stock, which is perhaps even better because you avoid Cap Gains taxation and you still get the full tax deduction. Which, of course, only matters if you itemize, and would have in any event. If your other deductions don’t amount to break-even on itemizing, or near it, then you aren’t getting full value out of your deduction for charitable contributions.
People who give cash give far, far less than those who write checks, or give online. It isn’t even close.
I have never once in my life put my name on money that I give to the collection plate on Sunday. I take Matthew chapter 6 seriously.