Topeka ? Donations from Topeka-area residents apparently will help a small church avoid closing over a dispute with the city about its parking lot.

The city had ordered Christian Lord Ministries to pave its small parking lot by June 30 or close.

The church gives away food, clothing and furniture from its small building. The cost of paving the lot to city specifications was estimated at $7,000.

The church’s pastor, Teddy Van Vale, says he’s wept tears of joys as the donations started arriving after The Topeka Capitol-Journal wrote a story about the dispute on April 18. So far, about $2,000 has been raised and some companies have offered to pave the lot.