Mississippi Church Provides Free Gas to Drivers

Anderson United Methodist Church volunteers pump fuel for community members during high gas prices.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 1:33am

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A bold, abstract silkscreen illustration of a gas pump icon repeated in a grid, using bright neon colors to conceptually represent the church's act of providing free fuel to the community.A community-driven church's act of generosity provides much-needed relief to drivers struggling with high gas prices.Jackson Today

A Mississippi church, Anderson United Methodist Church, held a gas giveaway event to help ease the burden of high gas prices for local drivers. The church's senior pastor, Stephen Tyrone Cook, said around 20-25 volunteers pumped gas for about an hour and 15 minutes, aiming to fill up around 100 vehicles. This was part of the church's Lenten outreach efforts, and they plan to do similar events in the future.

Why it matters

With gas prices remaining high, this act of generosity from the church provides much-needed relief to community members struggling with the financial strain. The church's focus on "extravagant generosity" and making a "positive difference" resonates during challenging economic times.

The details

On Thursday morning, volunteers from Anderson United Methodist Church in Jackson, Mississippi set up at a local Circle K gas station to provide free gas to drivers. The church's senior pastor, Stephen Tyrone Cook, said the goal was to "pump kindness, compassion and hope into our community" by giving away gas for over an hour.

  • The gas giveaway took place on Thursday morning.
  • The church held a similar event last year during the Lenten season.
  • They plan to do another gas giveaway next year.

The players

Anderson United Methodist Church

A church in Jackson, Mississippi that organized the free gas giveaway event for the community.

Stephen Tyrone Cook

The senior pastor of Anderson United Methodist Church who oversaw the gas giveaway event.

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What they’re saying

“We are doing a gas-giveaway from the standpoint of extravagant generosity.”

— Stephen Tyrone Cook, Senior Pastor, Anderson United Methodist Church

“We want to pump kindness, compassion and hope into our community by giving gas away for about an hour and 15 minutes, or so.”

— Stephen Tyrone Cook, Senior Pastor, Anderson United Methodist Church

What’s next

The church plans to hold another gas giveaway event next year as part of their ongoing Lenten outreach efforts.

The takeaway

This act of generosity from Anderson United Methodist Church demonstrates the positive impact faith-based organizations can have on their local communities, especially during times of economic hardship.