A church based in North Carolina decided to spread early Christmas cheer by giving away more than $50,000 to its parishioners and community this past Sunday, December 12, an amount that includes paying off student loans and even purchasing a car.
Christian News Now reported that Greensboro-based Mount Zion Baptist Church has given off $18,000 to pay for the student loans of its congregants, as well as, purchase more than 60 bikes and three cars as part of its annual celebration of Christmas. While widows amongst its members were given checks worth $500. This excludes giving $25,000 to the Children's Home Society in its community.
Fox 13 said Mount Zion Baptist Church gave a total of $300,000, which also included helping a church in Louisiana that was damaged by Hurricane Ida, among others. Mount Zion Baptist Church Bishop Bryan Pierce disclosed in an interview with WLTX that the Louisiana church received $50,000 for their roof repairs.
"We were able to bless three churches that are committed to serving their communities with $50,000. A church impacted by Hurricane Ida, had its roof compromised. They started to take in water and mold, and they needed $50,000 for their deductible. So, we were able to help them," Pierce said.
On Monday, Mount Zion Baptist Church expressed amazement for being able to similarly bless others in the course of the year. The church announced that in this year alone they were able to give out a total of $1,000,000 to the needy.
"Today was an amazing day to be able to give over $300,000 in gifts, car blessings and donations to families, churches, community partners and in missions. Today's giving brings our total to over $1Million of giving in a single year. Thank you Mount Zion for being a generous church that loves to give and GIVE BACK!" Mount Zion said.
Mount Zion's post included photos of the actual gift giving they held with congregants and the recipients of their financial giveaways. Other beneficiaries include The Purpose Place who received $50,000 and Equation Church who received a similar amount. The church explained in a succeeding post that the gift giving was all part of the "responsibility" of testifying to the goodness of God.
"We as the church have the responsibility of telling about the goodness of God and how He blesses his people. We give Him thanks for using Mount Zion to be a blessing to the community!" Mount Zion disclosed.
One of the widows who received from the giveaway, Lorie Murchison, commented on the post and expressed gratitude for what she experienced.
"I'm so thankful to God for Bishop Pierce and Mt Zion church of Greensboro & RDU... I was one of the widows that he blessed tremendously! Love and blessings to you all. Merry Christmas," Murchison said.
Mount Zion, whose mission is to "reconcile the world to God through Jesus Christ" with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, was organized in 1900 under the New Light Baptist Church and formally erected in 1905. Pierce currently heads the church as Senior Pastor with his wife, Debra.
