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Refund Policy
1. About this Policy
Thank you for supporting St John Moraia Fijian Methodist Parish.
Donations enable the Parish to support its worship, ministries, community outreach, pastoral work and other church purposes.
This Refund Policy explains when a donation made through our website may be refunded, how to request a refund, and how recurring donations may be cancelled.
This policy applies primarily to voluntary donations. If the Parish later accepts payments for goods, event registrations, services or other transactions, different cancellation or refund terms may apply. Nothing in this policy limits any rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be excluded under New Zealand law.
2. Voluntary donations
A donation is a voluntary gift made to support the Parish or a particular Parish ministry, appeal or charitable purpose.
Because donations may be committed or applied to Parish activities soon after they are received, donations are generally treated as final once successfully processed.
However, we recognise that mistakes and exceptional circumstances can occur. We will consider refund requests fairly and reasonably in accordance with this policy.
3. When a refund may be provided
The Parish may provide a full or partial refund where:
the donation was made accidentally;
an incorrect donation amount was entered;
the same donation was processed more than once;
a technical or payment-processing error occurred;
a payment was made without the account or cardholder's authorisation;
a recurring donation continued after a valid cancellation should reasonably have taken effect;
the Parish is unable to use a specifically designated donation consistently with the purpose represented to the donor;
the Parish determines that returning the donation is appropriate because of exceptional circumstances; or
a refund is otherwise required by applicable law.
A change of mind does not automatically create a right to a refund, but the Parish may consider such a request in good faith.
4. Requesting a refund
If you believe a donation was made in error, please contact us as soon as reasonably possible, preferably within 14 days of the donation.
Please provide:
your full name;
the email address used when donating;
the date of the donation;
the amount donated;
the payment method, where relevant;
the transaction or receipt reference, if available; and
a brief explanation of why you are requesting a refund.
Send requests to:
St John Moraia Fijian Methodist Parish
49 Bryndwr Road
Fendalton
Christchurch 8052
New Zealand
Email: moraiamedia@gmail.com
We may ask for additional information where reasonably necessary to identify the transaction or prevent fraud.
5. Unauthorised payments
If you believe a card, bank account or other payment method was used without your permission, please contact us promptly.
You should also contact your bank, card issuer or payment provider where appropriate.
We will reasonably investigate the transaction and cooperate with the relevant payment provider in dealing with an unauthorised payment claim.
6. Duplicate or incorrect donations
Where we confirm that a donation was accidentally processed more than once, or that a technical problem caused an incorrect amount to be charged, we will normally refund the duplicated or incorrect amount.
7. Donations for a specific purpose
Where a donation is expressly made to a named Parish campaign, ministry, community project or other specified purpose, we intend to use that donation consistently with the purpose communicated to donors.
This is particularly important if Wix Payments is ultimately used: Wix states that donations accepted through Wix Payments must be linked to a specific charitable purpose and used for the charitable purpose described to donors.
If circumstances arise that make the original purpose impossible, impracticable or no longer appropriate, the Parish will consider the applicable law, the terms of the appeal and the donor's reasonable expectations before deciding how the funds should be handled.
Where appropriate, this may include contacting the donor, applying the donation to a closely related charitable purpose, or offering a refund.
8. General donations
Donations made to the Parish generally, without being designated for a specific campaign, may be applied to the Parish's lawful church, ministry, pastoral, administrative and community purposes according to the Parish's governance and financial arrangements.
A donor cannot ordinarily require a general donation to be redirected to a different purpose after it has been accepted.
9. Recurring donations
Where recurring donations are offered, donors may cancel future recurring payments.
Cancellation of a recurring donation stops future scheduled donations but does not automatically refund donations already processed.
A donor may request cancellation by contacting:
Where the website provides a donor account or subscription-management function, donors may also be able to manage or cancel their recurring donation through that facility.
Wix Donations allows recurring donations to be cancelled, and Wix recommends that organisations accepting recurring donations clearly explain cancellation arrangements to donors.
We recommend submitting cancellation requests sufficiently before the next scheduled payment to allow the request to be processed.
10. How refunds are processed
Approved refunds will normally be returned through the same payment method used for the original donation, where reasonably possible.
Depending on the payment provider, refunds may be processed through Wix or directly through the relevant payment provider. Wix notes that some third-party providers require refunds to be handled through the provider's own platform.
If Wix Payments is used, Wix currently states that an issued refund may take approximately 3–5 business days to reach the donor's card or bank account, depending on the financial institution.
Banking, currency-conversion or other third-party charges outside the Parish's control may affect when or how a refund appears.
11. Processing fees
Payment processors may charge transaction fees when donations are received.
Some providers do not return the original processing fee to the organisation when a payment is refunded. Wix Payments, for example, states that its standard payment-processing fees may remain payable when a refund is issued.
Unless exceptional circumstances apply, an approved refund to the donor will be based on the donation amount approved for refund rather than passing the Parish's own payment-processing cost on to the donor.
12. Donation receipts and New Zealand donation tax credits
St John Moraia Fijian Methodist Parish receives donations under the Methodist Church of New Zealand, which is an approved donee organisation for Inland Revenue purposes.
Eligible monetary donations of $5 or more may qualify an individual donor for a New Zealand donation tax credit, subject to Inland Revenue requirements.
Where applicable, the Parish will provide a donation receipt containing the information required by Inland Revenue. Donors are responsible for retaining and submitting their receipts when claiming a donation tax credit. Inland Revenue currently allows qualifying receipts to be submitted within four years.
Non-monetary gifts, donations that provide a direct benefit to the donor or their family, and certain other payments may not qualify for a donation tax credit.
If a donation is later refunded or returned, the donor may need to notify Inland Revenue and repay any donation tax credit already received in relation to that donation.
For tax advice specific to your circumstances, please contact Inland Revenue or an appropriately qualified tax adviser.
13. Chargebacks and payment disputes
If you do not recognise a transaction, we encourage you to contact the Parish first where practicable so we can investigate it promptly.
Nothing in this policy prevents you from exercising any legitimate rights available through your bank, card issuer, payment provider or applicable law.
Submitting a fraudulent or knowingly false payment dispute is prohibited.
14. Fraud, misuse and suspicious transactions
The Parish may decline, reverse or return a donation where reasonably necessary to:
prevent fraud or financial crime;
comply with legal or regulatory obligations;
address a payment made using stolen or unauthorised payment credentials;
correct a payment-processing error; or
protect the Parish, donor or payment system from misuse.
15. Donations from outside New Zealand
People outside New Zealand may be able to donate where supported by the website's payment provider.
International donors are responsible for any foreign exchange, bank or payment-provider charges imposed by their financial institution.
A New Zealand donation receipt does not necessarily provide a tax benefit in another country. International donors should obtain advice in their own jurisdiction if tax treatment is important to them.
16. Exceptional circumstances
The Parish may consider circumstances not specifically covered by this policy.
Any discretionary decision will be made reasonably, taking into account:
the circumstances of the donation;
whether the funds have already been committed or applied;
the donor's explanation;
the purpose for which the donation was sought;
applicable law;
payment-provider requirements; and
the Parish's responsibilities as a church organisation.
17. Changes to this Policy
We may update this Refund Policy when our donation facilities, payment providers, Parish practices or applicable laws change.
The latest version will be published on this website with the date of the most recent update.
18. Contact us
For donation, refund or recurring-payment enquiries, contact:
St John Moraia Fijian Methodist Parish
49 Bryndwr Road
Fendalton
Christchurch 8052
New Zealand
Email: moraiamedia@gmail.com