Some interesting letters are showing up in mailboxes across KELOLAND.

They are addressed to "friend," and come with spiritual messages and quotes from the Bible. But the group sending the letter has also caught the attention of the Better Business Bureau. 

Ellen Hebert of Sioux Falls got the letter two months ago, "You're supposed to see, if you look at it long enough, you're supposed to see Jesus eyes open, but I don't think I really did."

The mailing says its a prayer rug sent by a Saint Matthew's Churches. A paper print out with a picture of Jesus on it, and specific instructions:

"Look into Jesus' eyes and you will see they are closed. But as you continue to look, you will see his eyes opening and looking back into your eyes. Then go and be alone and kneel on this rug of Faith.  Please return this rug, do not keep it." 

Saint Matthew's Churches lists its address as a PO Box in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Cindy Potz of Porter, Minnesota received a letter from Saint Matthews churches in February. "It gave me chills, just like it does now. I want a close relationship with God and if this was to be my connection with God, then I cannot ignore this."

Potz's literature instructed her to list all of the things that were troubling her; or things that needed prayers. 
Potz says, "I had a daughter who soon to have a surgery, and other who has two sets of twins, and another daughter who is also pregnant and has a lot of complications."
 
Potz followed the instructions and having placed her prayers in her Bible, slept overnight with it under her pillow. 
"Then I mailed it off, with a ten dollar check, which isn't much, but its plenty with times as they are. I'm glad I didn't send more," said Potz.

Potz now says after the first letter they kept coming, two or three mailings per week. But sheisn't the only one sending dollars to St Matthews churches. 

A review of their IRS forms for Non profit organizations shows that in 1993 they received 9 million dollars in contributions, 10.1 in 1994, 10.9 in 1995, 11.9 in 1996, 15.9 in 1997, 21.7 in 1998, and 26.9 in 1999. That is the last year that St. Matthews filed a 990 form. It may not be required to file such a document. 

The Better Business Bureau of South Dakota says people should research a charity or church before giving money. Give.org, the BBB's charity website, says St. Matthews churches has refused to be evaluated for its charitable accountability. 

Jim David works in The Sioux Falls BBB office. "They have not disclosed the structure of the governing body and how they spend their money. "

"The bureau believes the failure to participate may demonstrate a lack of transparency on the part of ST. Matthews churches. We ask those who feel it necessary to donate to do the necessary background checks. "

St. Matthews did submit a statement to the BBB saying it is a church, not a charity. It says weekly sermons are held through the mail. 

Their statement reads in part, "The church at no time makes any charitable outreach in any of its literature that it sends out.  The church does provide its members an opportunity to worship through tithes and offerings.  Any person who asks that their name be removed from the church's mailing list will have their name immediately removed." 

Still, Potz says she will not be sending any more money to this church by mail.  "I'm confused, I'm not sure if this was real or not real. We're always looking for something real, concrete, something to hold onto. I'm not sure. "

And others, like Hebert, may just use the mailings for novelty. 

"I kinda do see eyes in here, its probably just my imagination, but it does kinda look like eyes in there now that I'm looking in that kind of light."

St. Matthews does have non-profit classification by the IRS and does have a church building in Houston, Texas. It's Web site says the majority of its thousands of members are through mailings.

Better Business Bureau's Web site 

Give.org

Saint Matthew's churches Web site