Worshipers attending Newcastle-Alna Baptist Church Sunday morning were both stunned and overjoyed by news their steeple fund campaign was over.
In a flashback to the hit mid-1950s television show, “The Millionaire,” they learned an anonymous donor had made a $3000 donation, a gesture that capped the congregation’s nine-month steeple repair fund campaign.
Church member Virginia Ezzell, in a quasi-executive secretary Michael Anthony role, presented the check to Pastor Rick Newell and treasurer Richard Nason before worship June 27. She said the individual showed up on her doorstep last week and presented her the generous donation for the $12,000 repair. She said he wished to remain anonymous.
Since last November, the church has regularly held hymn sings, public suppers and, most recently, a petition to local businesses and a walkathon. Before the culminating contribution, the campaign was about $2500 short of the goal.
Clearly moved by the surprise gift, Pastor Newell said, “Thanks to God’s blessings, hard work, much prayer and cheerful giving from a wonderful community, we’ve been able to reach our goal and repair our steeple.”
Mary Hallowell, walkathon organizer and sparkplug for other fundraisers, commented, “May God bless the person who made the donation.”
Ezzell said that despite the campaign’s conclusion another public supper will be scheduled. There have been three fundraising suppers since January, all well attended and well received. “People have been asking when our next one will be,” she said, adding she doesn’t want to disappoint that expectation.
