Dear neighbors in Bladen County and beyond, I am saddened to share news of a potential scam. I recently received two phone calls alerting me that the name of the congregation I serve, Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church, had been used in a potential scam.
According to the two different callers from Bladenboro, a woman had approached them allegedly selling chicken plates to raise money for Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church’s youth ministry. Because of their generous hearts and the promise of a good meal delivered to their door, these good people of Bladenboro gave money to the woman.
They called the church to alert me to the situation; they had already determined they had been taken. Unfortunately Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church is not selling chicken plates.
As a congregation with a long history in our community, the good people of Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church seek to reach out and make a positive difference in the lives of others — visiting in the county jail, serving others through Bladen Crisis Assistance, Habitat for Humanity, and Bladen We Care, praying regularly for the sick, and doing small acts of kindness and generosity daily.
I am grateful for the callers and their generous hearts. The reality of sin in the world reminds us that people do make poor choices and hurt others.
That is what makes the message of Easter, the message of the Crucified and Risen Christ, so important. We need forgiveness. We need compassion. We need accountability. We need challenge. We need saving.
I write to challenge us all to watch for opportunities to be gracious and generous and for times to hold one another accountable.
God bless you,
Rev. Dr. Chris Denny
Pastor
Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church