Church Pays for Drivers' Gas

With gas prices going up every time you fill up, everyone's trying to save a few bucks at the pump. Saturday in Walker County, you could fifty cents off on every gallon of gas. Which adds up to big savings, all for a big purpose. Hope Fellowship decided to help cool off the hot cost of gas, at least for a few hours. Pastor Michael Thomas says, "Because it's on people's minds, gas prices always rise in the summer and people are always wondering what it's going to be one day to the next, so we thought offering fifty cents off rebates, giving people a little cheaper, timing is real good on that." From noon until two, anyone who pulled up to the pump here at the Midnight Oil on Highway 27, was greeted with a much needed discount: 50 cents off every gallon, which adds up to fuller tanks and fuller wallets.

Denny Barrett welcomed the savings. "Eight fifty, eight dollars and fifty cents, I think it's great, save a little money on gas with the gas so high, it's crazy."

But these church members are giving out more than cash, their rebate comes with a reason. Thomas says, "We're out here to get the word out about Hope Fellowship, a church we're starting a week from Sunday actually and to have fun doing it, get some positive vibes out, give people something that they enjoy."

Members give out a service schedule along with the cheap gas, hoping people will fill up on their message while filling their tanks. Thomas says, "Our biggest goal today is to have people leave here with a smile, because we're going to have fun doing it and hope they do as well on the receiving end."

Hope Fellowship meets for the first time next weekend at the Walker County Civic Center's Agriculture Building. They hope to have their building up by September.