Church tries to 'pump' good will into community
Price of gas discounted by 25 cents at N.B. gas station last Saturday
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer
Nowadays, it seems like only a miracle will lower the price of gasoline. The Brunswick Church of Christ tried to provide its own little miracle this past weekend.

Members of the Brunswick Church of Christ bought down the price of gas by 25 cents on Saturday as a means to help the community.

The North Brunswick-based church "bought down" the price of gas 25 cents per gallon, for up to 20 gallons per customer, effectively giving patrons of the Gulf gas station on Route 130 north a discount on Saturday.

From 2 to 4 p.m., Minister Carl Williamson said that overall, the church paid down the price of gas for 1,706 gallons, with drivers waiting up to 15 minutes for their chance at the pump. Patrons paid only $3.62 for the price of regular gas.

"We made a big buzz in North Brunswick. [We're] not sure if it takes a higher power to lower gas prices, but the Brunswick Church of Christ made a big impact," he said. "The owners of the Gulf station were happy to take part in serving the community and they were a delight to work with."

The funds came from the church's regular budget for benevolence in the community, Williamson said.

"This is a way for us to serve the community around us, and to give back," he said. "We hope that from this, others will also be inspired to give back to the community. … The Bible describes it as 'Loving your neighbor.'" The church members also gave out free air fresheners and washed car windows.

"During the days of Jesus, He would use farming illustrations to convey his message of love to the world, but times are different today and the Brunswick Church of Christ … wanted to convey that message through serving people by lowering the price of gas," Williamson said. "We would love to see people in North Brunswick and the surrounding area serve each other more. We believe that being a better neighbor for each other is key to making a great city to live in."

The Brunswick Church of Christ meets 11 a.m. on Sundays at Livingston Park Elementary School on Livingston Avenue in North Brunswick. For more information, visit www.njmissions.com.