A Message From George...
Dear friends,
Our mission at First United Methodist Church is to be more like Jesus Christ for our community and beyond. This campaign will help us live into our mission as we:
- Prepare ourselves to welcome others as Jesus did by creating a new, inviting, easily recognizable entrance into our church and the life of our congregation. It will be a space to welcome and build relationships with one another.
- Improve our sanctuary, making it a safe, inspiring space for worship, motivating us to give God the very best that we have and the very best that we are in life.
- Stretch and grow in our relationships with God and with one another, always seeking to know God and love God more and more.
At the heart of our proposals are 1) extensive renovations to our sanctuary, updating its aesthetics and making it safer and more versatile as we expand our worship opportunities; and 2) the construction of a new narthex that will include accessible restrooms, meeting rooms and ample space for gathering. Based on current projections, the estimate for the completion of the project is $1.8 million.
One of our core values here at FUMC is generosity, and generous, “above and beyond” commitments will be crucial to the success of this project. Every person and every gift is of vital importance if we are to see these dreams become a reality.
My hopes and dreams for this campaign extend well beyond a renovation and construction project. My hope is that as we participate in this campaign we will find our faith stretched so that our spiritual life in Christ is deeper and richer than ever before. This will not require each of us to give equal gifts, but rather equal sacrifice and investment. I trust that as each of us engages in prayerful discernment about our commitments, God’s grace will be at work so that none of us is ever the same again.
I invite you to join me in this journey. Pray for First United Methodist Church of Belmont. Pray about your three-year financial commitment that is “above and beyond” your regular giving. Together with God, we can do anything.
God has great things in store for us as a church. Get ready!
In Christ,
George Ragsdale, Senior Pastor