By MICHAEL J. BROOKS

Special to the Reporter

MT LAUREL – Members of the Double Oak Community Church supported 31 local charitable agencies in September by contributing more than $166,000 over and above their regular church budget.

“I was amazed at this response!” said pastor Adam Robinson. “Last year we gave $85,000, but our people doubled their commitment this year. This is huge for us!”

Robinson said local agencies were invited to apply for assistance, with a cap not to exceed $5,000. The agencies included United Way, Angel Tree, The King’s Home, Blankets Fort Hope and several addiction recovery ministries.

“About 60 different nonprofits registered with us last spring, and we made our selections,” he said. “Our church leadership prayed earnestly for God’s wisdom as we made choices.”

Robinson, in his fifth year as senior pastor, is a graduate of Beeson Divinity School.

He said the idea to invest in the local community grew out of the church’s “Pray United” campaign one January.

“We invited local officials to come to our church, to educate us about needs in our county and to allow us to pray for them,” he said. “Then we began to think about how we could help tangibly in our local area.”

Robinson said he challenged members to commit to their church budget first, and then excess funds would be given to the charities.

“We did this in September, and we had five Sundays, so I think that helped!” he said with a laugh.

Robinson said he exhorts his church members to be faithful to give every week to their church and to be generous to others, and this campaign was a natural outgrowth of his teaching.

“We had a couple of large gifts this year, but for the most part people of modest means gave sacrificially,” he said.

Robinson said the church set a goal to raise $100,000 this year, but soon surpassed their goal.

“Our people got involved and excited and we praise God for such generosity,” he said.

Robinson said this year’s campaign “raised the bar” for next year.

“We want to be involved and to help Shelby County,” he said. “We’re fired up for next year!”

Double Oak Community Church, affiliated with the Shelby Baptist Association, is in the Mt Laurel community, north of Chelsea. The church has two locations and is currently renting Chelsea Park Elementary School as their second campus.

A full listing of the agencies who were helped is on the web at Doubleoakcc.org/giveunited.