Church has been hard lately.

But here’s some of what I know:

I’ve been on church staffs for many years, and as such, I have a unique perspective on giving.
And here it is: no matter how you feel about the state of the world or the church, it matters.
Maybe now more than ever.
Your pledges keep ministries alive, hope growing for the day our church finds our own sacred space, and the coffee warm enough to fuel another Sunday–and another generation–of grace and connection.

But more importantly, your giving keeps the mission moving.
It’s what allows us to live out who we are: a community rooted in love, service, and grace for all.

Who We Are

At Pike Road United Methodist Church, we have a clear sense of who we’re called to be:

We are not here to gatekeep God.
We are here to fling wide the doors.

We believe in holy ground —
and it might look like a living room,
a borrowed chapel,
or moving chairs around in a community hall.

We are the misfits, the seekers, the scarred and the sacred.
We are queer and straight, doubting and devoted, loud and quiet.
We are family by choice and grace.

We don’t ask people to shrink to fit.
We ask how we can grow to make room.

We preach love that doesn’t come with conditions.
We sing songs that stretch beyond the hymnbook.
We listen more than we lecture.
We forgive, we fumble, we try again.

We say:
You belong.
You are beloved.
And nothing — nothing — can separate you from that love.

This is not the church of “them and us.”
This is the church of all of us.

Why Your Giving Matters

When you give, you make space for holy moments to happen — in borrowed spaces and busy lives.
You make it possible for children to laugh, learn, and have a safe place to explore and ask questions; for neighbors to be fed; for music to lift hearts, and for someone who’s hurting to find peace.

Let’s be honest: the world feels heavy right now.
Churches everywhere are struggling. Budgets are tight. Hope can feel like it’s running on fumes.

And yet—this is exactly when the church matters most.
When the world is noisy, we offer stillness.
When people feel unseen, we offer belonging.
When hatred wins headlines, we stubbornly keep lighting candles.

Tithing isn’t about guilt or gold stars. It’s about investing in a place that still dares to believe love changes things.

If you’ve ever found peace in our pews, laughter in our halls, or grace in our community, then you’ve already seen your gifts at work.

I believe in this church. A place where everyone belongs.
Everyone is beloved.
And God’s love has no walls.

Emily Howard, Writer