Anonymous donor gives Tremont Church members a $ 100 bill to create a “ripple effect” during Lent

CLEVELAND – In the church in Tremont on Sunday, an anonymous donor wanted to spread friendliness throughout the city during Lent. So the donor gave enough money to give a $ 100 bill to all members of the congregation the Pilgrim Congregation United Church of Christ hopes to create a ripple of good during Lent.

On certain Sundays, especially before Carnival, things can get a little strange in the Tremont Church. This year there was a Dixie Land Band, pearls, boas, a Cajun lunch and a special surprise on Sunday.

During her sermon, Pastor Kelly Burd asked the ward to imagine the ripple effect that occurs when a pebble is thrown into a still pond. She compared this effect to when someone does good in their community, which creates a ripple effect of kindness.

At the end of the sermon, she asked everyone to take the opportunity during Lent to create their own ripple effect.

What happened next surprised everyone in the ward, and even brought some members to tears.

She called everyone, about 137 parishioners, to come forward and get an envelope.

“There are many ways to do good and create a ripple effect of generosity,” said Burd. “One of those options is with money. What you are holding is a gift from an anonymous donor. It comes with an invitation to prayerfully and mindfully look for someone who might need a blessing right now. Just listen to where the Holy Spirit is leading you. You may be in the right place at the right time to bless someone because you have that money. Notice what happens in your heart when you give it away. Pay attention to the ripple effect that you can see and imagine the ripple effect that you are creating and that you will not see. ”

Pastor Burd said the anonymous donor, who is a member of the ward, came to her a few months before the service and talked about wanting to do something good. The donor read about a similar project in Cincinnati and was inspired to do the same.

She asked each member to think long and hard about what to do with the money.

“It could be someone you see at the grocery store, someone waiting for a bus, an employee or an organization,” said Burd. “It could be someone from our church, someone in your family. It could be strangers or our neighbors. Just listen to where the Holy Spirit is leading you. Really find yourself. You may be in the right place at the right time. Bless someone because you have this money. And notice what happens in your heart when you give it away. “

Burd said her church’s members come from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, from judges to teachers to some struggling with homelessness. When some got the $ 100, they found themselves in a dilemma.

“Some were really torn because others had financial problems. They didn’t know what to do and they wanted to use it to pay bills,” said Burd, who said getting a $ 100 bill urged everyone on any one Way out.

“I have told many members to prayerfully use it and make their own choice. No one will judge you. It is up to you how you see fit,” she added.

During Lent, the ward plans to share their wave stories with each other.