Paying It Forward On Christmas, Church Members Blessed In Return

PALOS HEIGHTS, IL — A few Sundays ago during worship services, every adult member and Sunday school child at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Palos Heights received $100 and a letter asking that the money be used to share God’s love in whatever way the recipient chose. What church members didn’t count on were the unexpected gifts they received in return.

“We were all super surprised and grateful,” church member Marsha Rauch said. “I sat there and thought of 10 people off the top of my head.”

In all, $24,500 was distributed during the Dec. 12 worship service. With mission projects playing a key role in Good Shepherd’s identity, the church allocates one-third of its operating expenses — $180,000 annually — to its missions. In addition, the church and its members build a Habitat for Humanity home, buy Christmas gifts for foster children, and support local nonprofit organizations such as Together We Cope and BEDS Plus.

The money came from a gift the church received from St. Philip in Blue Island prior to its closure. Several unexpected in-kind gifts were also received from families and estates with strong ties to Good Shepherd. Pastor Chris Buresh thought it would be a creative way to get church members involved in having a meaningful impact on someone’s life.

“With these special gifts, we felt it offered us a way to invite everyone to realize their call to be generous with what God has given,” Buresh said. “So we wanted to involve everyone, as we all see need in this world.”

Calling the project a collaborative effort between the church council, himself and staff members, Buresh felt it was important to involve the children in the congregation as well, because they are often the most imaginative and creative. One young boy combined the church's money with his own to make six bags of necessities and comforts for a local homeless shelter his class visited.

“We wanted to make sure we could inspire their involvement in sharing God’s love,” the pastor said.

It didn’t take long for Rauch and her husband, John, both lifelong Blue Islanders, to decide how they would use their $200 to do good. A 15-year-old Eisenhower High School student had been hit by a car in October while walking her younger siblings home after school. She remains hospitalized.

“We only knew the block where her house was located,” Rauch said. “We knocked on doors until we found them.”

The teen’s grandmother answered the door as Rauch and her husband were writing the family a note. The girl’s younger sister and brother, whom their big sister had pushed out of the vehicle’s way, joined their grandmother at the door.

“The grandma told us the rest of the story,” Rauch continued. “She said it was a great day because the girl had her trach tube taken out. She showed us a video of the girl sitting on her hospital bed saying how great it was to be able to communicate without the trach.”

Even better than talking, the teen was happy because she could sing again.

“She started singing, ‘hallelujah,’” Rauch said. “This gesture had surpassed anything we had given them.”

Oak Lawn Community High School math teacher Sara Nicholson also leaped at the chance to pay it forward.

“I immediately 100 percent knew how I was going to use the money,” said Nicholson, whose family received $300.

Nicholson gave it to the high school’s annual Operation Santa program, a schoolwide initiative created by fellow math teacher Ellen Kruger, which buys gifts for families in need.

“This year we had 14 families, all who had a student currently attending Oak Lawn Community High School,” Nicholson said. “I went online for the registry and bought 14 gifts, including dinnerware, clothing, socks, bedding and wireless earbuds, which were obviously for a teen. I was able to wipe out a lot of gifts the family needed.”

The Oak Lawn students ended up buying 321 gifts and $3,715 in gift cards.

Crestwood resident Carol Wynn and her husband, Brad, befriended a homeless man who had been living on the streets of their neighborhood since the summer. Whenever they see the man, the Wynns give him money, so he can buy something to eat.

“He doesn’t look you in the eye,” Carol Wynn said. “I believe he has mental health issues. He’s not drunk or on drugs.”

Although not mandatory, church members were given the option of sharing with others how the person receiving the $100 reacted.

“He looked at it, his eyes widened,” she said. “He thanked me, but he wouldn’t look at me. I hope I made a little dent in whatever he’s going through. I just pray that it did help. I had him in my mind as soon as I read the letter they gave us.”

The Wynns used the other $100 to tip a server at a restaurant popular among church members after Sunday services.

“I handed it to our waitress and saw tears in her eyes,” Carol said. “I told her it was no big deal. She could have had a kid or three kids. You don’t know a person’s situation.”

Many of the ways church members chose to distribute the money had a personal connection, while others gave to national and international missions, or to survivors of the Kentucky tornadoes. Reaction to the mission has been positive, offering a respite from the continuing pandemic.

“Given our circumstances today, a lot of people who are down or hurting appreciate the opportunity to be inspired to respond,” the pastor said. “I’m hearing back from parents about the conversations they’re having with their 7- and 8-year-olds. It’s heartwarming.”

Buresh doesn’t know if the pay-it-forward initiative is something the church will do next year.

“The church was just responding to the generosity shown to us that is faithful to the Gospel,” he said.

For the members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Christmas 2021 is not one they’re likely to forget.

“Pastor Chris is very inspiring,” Nicholson said. “We appreciated his trust in the congregation to spread joy this Christmas.”