All across our country we have seen an exodus of congregations leaving downtown to go to the suburbs. Downtown churches have struggled, as the city has grown farther and farther away from its central core. Yet the city center still is a place where people live, work, and play. It is also a place where decisions are made that affect the lives of many people. First United Methodist Church of Colorado Springs years ago made a decision to stay downtown. We chose to be a witness to God’s love from the heart of the city, a witness that reaches the ends of the earth. We are Downtown for Good! But more than that, we are here to be in ministry to the people who live in the shadows of our church. We are here to be a witness to God’s love to the people who work, live, and drive to the downtown area each week. We are here to make a difference in the lives of people whom God has placed in our midst. We are here to do the works that God has prepared for us. We are downtown for good! It’s not easy to be in ministry downtown, the challenges are great. But we are convinced that God has given us the resources to accomplish the work
He has given us to do. A part of those resources is your pledge to the church. Your gift, every dime, every dollar, helps us be faithful to the calling God has given us. If we are to continue reaching out in God’s name, we need to grow in our giving. Giving the same each year means less ministry is done each year. Costs go up. Large and beautiful buildings are expensive. Security is always an issue downtown. The need is great. Consider how much you give on a weekly basis. Look at our giving as a percentage of your income. Are you growing towards a tithe, ten percent of your income as a gift to God? Together, we have all the resources we need to accomplish God’s work through us. Let us grow in our giving, so that God’s work might be done through us! You will receive a pledge card in the mail near the end of October. Pray over it. Fill it out with a sense of gratitude. Bring it to worship with you on November 1. If you can’t be in worship on that day, mail it in early or call your pledge into the church. Consider direct withdrawals from your bank as a way to make sure that our income stream is steady and regular. Remember that you can give online! But no matter how you give, your gift ensures that we will be Downtown for Good!