Church hands out $100 bills

Taken from Church Around the World, March 2009

A church in central Illinois used an innovative method to raise money for the poor. It's the power of multiplication. The Rev Ric Schneider of St. Mary's Church in Bloomington passed out $100 bills during a Sunday service last summer. The 180 parishioners ($18000) who accepted the cash promised to multiply it and return with more. They used the seed money to put on fundraisers that included a euchre tournament, a motorcycle run, a bake sale, and a car wash. More than $60,000 was raised for an Appalachian mission. To encourage effort, Schneider preached about teh Parable of the Talents.