Church gives donations back to members

MORRISTOWN, N.J., Sept. 27 (UPI) -- A New Jersey church reversed the cash flow of its collection plate by giving members envelopes filled with money -- meant to be passed on to charities.

The Liquid Church, a Morristown-based, non-denominational Christian church with about 2,000 members in three congregations that meet in hotels and a middle school, said the envelopes of cash, totaling $30,000, were distributed during Sunday's service and congregants were encouraged to put the money to charitable use, CNN reported Monday.

"People are cynical about religion and expect to come to church and be shaken down, but really, it's all God's money," Pastor Tim Lucas said. "Every bill in the U.S. economy says 'In God we trust,' and we're going to put that to the test."

Lucas said he and the pastors of the church branches in New Brunswick and Nutley hope congregants donate the money to charities or invest it for later donation. He said they hope some of the money will go toward New Jersey residents recovering from recent flooding.

"We're not a rich church. We don't own a building. We don't hold a mortgage, but we're trying to teach our people to be rich in good deeds," Lucas said.