The Rev. Peter Lane, pastor of St. David’s on the Hill Episcopal Church in Cranston, may quite literally be the coolest priest ever.

Following his Sunday morning sermon, Lane made some of his usual announcements, but added in one not-so-usual tidbit – he’d been challenged last week by a parishioner to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, and after the service he would be accepting that challenge on the front lawn of the church surrounded by his parishioners.

The challenge is the latest social media event to “go viral,” raising awareness and funds for the ALS Association, all in the hopes of finding a cure for the disease. Lane was one of the many local residents challenged to participate.

The fun, summertime challenge asks people to dump an icy cold bucket of water on their heads, and then donate a suggested $10 to the ALS Association. Those who participate are asked to challenge three more people. Those who don’t are asked to donate a suggested $100 to the cause. As crazy as such a challenge sounds, it seems to be having an impact.

In a press release posted on the ALS Association’s website, www.alsa.org, on Monday, the association stated that it “has received $15.6 million in donations compared to $1.8 million during the same time period last year (July 29 to August 18). These donations have come from existing donors and 307,598 new donors to the Association.”

Barbara Newhouse, president and CEO of the ALS Association, attributes the increased funds and new donors to an outpouring of support from those participating in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

According to the ALS website, “Beverly, Mass., resident Pete Frates, along with his family, helped to make the ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ go viral on the social sites Facebook and Twitter. Frates, 29, has lived with ALS since 2012, and he has worked with The ALS Associations Massachusetts Chapter. A former Division 1 college athlete with Boston College Baseball, Frates tirelessly spreads awareness of Lou Gehrig’s Disease.”

On Sunday, Lane became one of many helping Frates and others to spread awareness of the disease as he was doused in a bucket of ice-cold water. He proceeded to challenge three other St. David’s parishioners to do the same during the next week, all in the name of a good cause.