Philadelphia Church Pays Layaway Bills For 800
A Philadelphia Baptist church helped 800 people get Christmas gifts this year, and the community is not forgetting it.
The Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church donated $68,000 to pay off the layaway bills at the local Burlington Coat Factory for 800 people. Although Fox Philadelphia reports that the act was supposed to be anonymous, the word got out about Enon orchestrating the donation.
Pastor Alyn Waller, senior pastor of the church, explained the reason behind the donation in a Fox report.
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"We believe what this will do for people, and what then people can do for other people because they've been freed up by this, is worth it," Pastor Alyn Waller said.
Nicole Lee, one of the recipients of the donation, told Fox that she was overwhelmed with the contribution.
"I can't stop crying," Lee said. "I've been crying since 1:30 p.m. I went to work and was telling people at work about it. I still can't stop crying and thanking the Lord, 'cause he's been so good to me."
Pennsylvania Congressman, Chaka Fattah, released a statement to recognize the church for their contribution to the community.
“Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church has done it again! The big church with the big heart has once again demonstrated its generosity and community awareness with this amazing gesture of guaranteeing winter coats for more than 800 people,” Fattah said. “It is a gift of the highest order, directly assisting those who struggle to pay their bills but neither seeking nor expecting such generosity.”
Fattah spoke about the impact of the church’s contribution on a national scale.
"All across our nation, in this difficult economy, religious organizations, nonprofits, businesses and individuals are stepping up by sharing, like Enon Tabernacle, to demonstrate the true 'reason for the season,” Fattah said. “One example is the Burlington Coat Factory's response to Enon, donating 1,000 new coats to the church's network of community organizations.”
