What the Lord giveth to a south suburban church, the congregation is giving away.
St. Mark Lutheran Church in Worth is conducting its "Stewardship Giveaway." The pastor came up with his so-called "financial experiment" a few years ago, the Southtown Star reports.
Rev. Jay Trygstad said he told his parishioners nearly three months ago to take $50 out of the collection basket that was filled with $7,000 from an anonymous donor. The pastor laid down some rules before the congregation left, including don't spend the money on yourself; spend it to help your community; and be creative.
"I was hoping if your church gave you $50, you might tell your hairdresser and whoever else would listen," Trygstad said. "We wanted to convey to people, as loud as we could, that we were not after their money. The best way to do that was to say, "Here, have some."
According to the Southtown Star, several parishioners either donated the money to charity, bought food for the hungry or used it to raise even more money for a good cause.
On Aug. 29, the entire church will share stories about how they helped those in need.
