Rise Up! A message from our Finance Chair, Larry Pope

Dear Chamblee First UMC Family,

Last fall, we began Rise Up with a quiet phase of fundraising. Through the generosity of nine donors, our church raised $139,000 — 63% of the total needed for important capital improvements. These early gifts allowed us to begin several critical, time-sensitive projects that support the life and ministry of our church.

Those projects include:

• Installation of our new elevator
• Exterior infrastructure repairs, painting, and carpentry
• Plumbing repairs in the Fellowship Hall
• Upcoming repairs to the Adult Education Hall HVAC system

The total investment in these improvements is $220,000.

To complete the work while maintaining responsible stewardship, the church secured a Share Certificate Secured Loan through Faith Connections Federal Credit Union. This loan carries a very low interest rate and no closing costs, and uses a portion of Rail Trail funds as collateral—allowing us to move forward with these needed improvements while keeping those funds protected and separate.

Now we are launching Rise Up, Phase 2 — a focused effort to retire the remaining $85,000 on this loan and free our church from debt as quickly as possible.

Our Rise Up, Phase 2 campaign will run for one month only — March 27 through April 30. During this time, we will share regular progress updates in the weekly bulletin and during worship as we work together to eliminate this remaining balance.

If you are able to make an immediate Rise Up gift, we invite you to do so by clicking here.

If it is more helpful to give over time, you may enter a Rise Up pledge — separate from and in addition to your 2026 annual pledge — and fulfill it in installments between now and the end of the calendar year. Click here to record you Rise Up pledge.

Either way, your choice to participate will help us finish what we started. With the strength of our congregation working together, we believe this goal is within reach.

We invite you to prayerfully consider how you might contribute to Rise Up, Phase 2, and help free our church from this remaining debt.

With gratitude,

Larry Pope
Chair, Finance Committee

P.S. Watch the weekly bulletin for progress updates and a special campaign update during worship in the coming weeks.