The work of suspected thieves recently turned into something positive for a church congregation in St. Louis, Missouri.
The church was targeted Thursday by suspects who cut the building’s power, however, now its members are feeling overwhelmed with support, Fox 2 Now reported.
Pastor Richard Ashley of St. Philip’s Evangelical Lutheran Church said, “It was like a gut punch” recalling how he felt when he learned the power line was cut and stolen by alleged copper thieves.
“We’re just thankful that someone in the community who’s able to help is willing to help,” he noted.
He recently got a call from the Urban League that a person, who asked to remain anonymous, asked to help the church pay for the needed repairs.
Ashley explained, “The Lutheran church, we don’t get emotionally excited like some denominations but we’re about ready to shout,” he said, laughing.
The anonymous donor wanted to know if the church was one of the 82 others involved in Grill to Glory, a program in which congregations serve lunch to locals on Saturdays.
According to Urban League Vice President James Clark, “It’s really harkening back to the late 70s and early 80s where the church was an anchor. Where families would walk to the neighborhood church to get food, where the church was a meeting place and people came to the neighborhood church to solve problems.”
St. Philip’s does participate and that pleased the donor. The repairs are expected to cost between $5,000 and $10,000, according to the Fox article.
Ashley told the outlet, “We’re a small congregation and we have limited resources, so that would be a hit. With whatever help we receive that will soften the blow. God always uses human beings. In our denomination, we say it’s God’s work in our hands.”
In a recent Facebook post, the church expressed its gratitude to the anonymous benefactor.
“What someone meant for evil God meant for good. We thank you for your generosity and kind support,” the post read:
Church services will return to Zoom until the repairs are finished.