Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland distributed $20,000 to 16 charitable agencies on the local, regional, national and international level during its annual autumn “Donation Sunday” services Oct. 2.

“God has blessed us in order to be a blessing to our community and the world,” said Pastor Jim Lindus as he invited congregants to hold up checks totaling just under one-seventh of the approximately $150,000 total distributed to charities throughout the year. This year’s total is expected to duplicate the same record-breaking amount in 2010.

Local checks went to Good Cheer Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, Helping Hand of South Whidbey, Gifts From The Heart Food Bank in Coupeville, Hearts & Hammers and Young Life.

Other checks were distributed to a Lutheran college, a children’s camp, a retreat center and two nursing homes. On the international level, donations were sent to a chicken hatchery project in Ethiopia and the efforts of Lutheran World Relief.

Charitable funds become available through church offerings and disaster appeals, as earmarked pass-through donations by congregants, and from special fundraising projects such as Trinity’s Holiday Bazaar, which will be Saturday, Nov. 5.