Foundations Church Helps Drivers

By Dan Bewley, News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Foundations Church, a new Tulsa church, discounted gas on Saturday by 50 cents a gallon at the Kum & Go at 51st and Mingo. The event lasted from 10:00 Saturday morning until noon.

The gas was just $1.09 a gallon. The line to get gas was backed up to close to half a mile.

"It's truly a blessing from above. As times are hard like it is now, people are laid off, the church is doing good for Tulsa," said Robert Buyckes, Tulsa resident.

The event was called a Gas Buy Down. It came courtesy of Foundations Church.

"We just know people are hurting financially right now," said Pastor Justin Graves with Foundations Church.

Pastor Graves says the four-month-old church was looking for a way to get its name out. So, the church bought $2,000 worth of gas, allowing drivers to fill up their tank with a 50 cent discount.

"I'm excited to get to meet the people and to be able to say, 'Man we can help you in any way that we can -- in everyday life, in your spiritual life and just practically even if it's just giving gas at 50 cents off," said Pastor Graves.

Drivers didn't seem to mind the long wait and some say the timing of the discount was perfect.

"I just paid the rent today, so it couldn't have been a better day for me personally," said Hannah Brackett, Tulsa resident.

Others say the church's decision to help with such an everyday part of life was truly touching.

"It means that I won't have to go without something that I need like food for my sons," said Buyckes.

Tulsa's newest church made a big hit and touched dozens of lives.

The church did limit each fill up to 20 gallons or $22.

Gas prices in the Tulsa area are holding around $1.59 a gallon for regular unleaded. That's up just a little from earlier this week.

Even though gas prices have jumped a little, oil prices this week dropped 11 %. The price of oil is now resting at a little more than $40 dollars per barrel.

Analysts say that's partly due to a jump in U.S. crude stockpiles.