The town of Americus, Georgia is rich with cultural history and significance. Dubbed the “Metropolis of Southwest Georgia,” it was founded as a small courthouse town in the mid 1800s but soon grew to prominence with the arrival of the railroad in 1854 and later as the birthplace and permanent headquarters of Habitat for Humanity.
Americus First Methodist Church has been part of this storied community from the very beginning. Their first church building was erected in 1845 with additional structures added in 1856 and 1905. After a fire in 1922 burned their brick sanctuary to the ground, the congregation was forced to start anew. By 1925, thanks to strong financial planning and forward-looking church leadership, they opened their newly constructed sanctuary that would serve as the heart of worship services for the next 100+ years. And with nearly 190 total years of history, the church and its congregation have remained a vital part of the Americus community.Sam Hunter, Cheryl Bailey, Anne and Bill Harris have been members of the church for over 75 years. Each of their earliest memories were full of church activities and special moments that simply made the church “feel like home.”From childhood memories of live nativity scenes to familiar Sunday School rooms full of lifelong friends, it is the presence of the people that make this church complete.
Their commitment to legacy building and future planning has helped Americus to thrive for the last century and will allow it to continue its mission far into the future. One crucial way the congregation is prepared to sustain itself through the next one hundred years is through their multiple endowment funds, which were established to bolster their children’s ministry, grant scholarships and ensure continued building maintenance. The Foundation is honored to work with Americus First Methodist on their endowment program and to be a part of the continued growth and financial stability.
How might the Foundation work with your congregation? We are ready to meet with your leadership to discuss stewardship, financial planning, and, possibly, creating an endowment that will help support the church’s future ministry! Our purpose is your mission and we look forward to serving the Kingdom of God with you.
If you’d like to learn more about how to establish an endowment to sustain the legacy of your church, please reach out to us at info@gumf.org or give us a call at 770-449-6726.
