Frugal farmer leaves $2M to his tiny Pa. church

[December 08, 2008]  BLAIRSVILLE, Pa. (AP) -- It's like a gift from God. A tiny church in western Pennsylvania inherited more than $2 million from a farmer who lived in a mobile home.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Sunday that John Ferguson left his entire estate to Hopewell United Methodist Church near the town of Black Lick.

The 71-year-old farmer attended the church before dying in January 2007. The gift has been in probate since then.

The church has just 80 members. Hopewell pastor Jason McQueen says a panel of congregation members will choose projects to be funded annually from the income generated by Ferguson's estate.

___

Information from: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, http://pghtrib.com/

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.