Knowing the Heartache, Congregation Pays It Forward

In summer 2013, dreams of a new church by Thanksgiving were dashed for members of Risen Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church in Manteno, Illinois. But just as members of St. John in Geneseo knew, blessings would–and did–emerge.

Progress had been going along well for members as they used Laborers For Christ to build a church they had been planning for more than 18 years. But then a June 12 tornado tore down the nearly completed framing for the new facility, and came perilously close to the Laborers RVs parked on the site.

"It's been really overwhelming," the Rev. Kevin Werner, Risen Savior's pastor, said shortly after the storm. "Ever since the church blew down, people have been so very generous."

That generosity included a monetary gift from members of St. John Lutheran, Geneseo, Illinois, to Risen Savior. St. John's pastor, the Rev. Christopher Bushre, said the check was "a pay-it-forward" gift.

"After the fire [at St. John], so many churches and people we'd never heard of sent donations to help us, that we had a surplus in our building fund," Pastor Bushre said.

St. John members donated some of that surplus along with a special offering to Risen Savior. "We wanted to help the Manteno congregation like other churches helped us," Bushre said.

The Risen Savior project got back on track quickly and Laborers finished the church for its inaugural worship service by Thanksgiving.