Pony Express Testimonials

 

PONY EXPRESS USER CHURCH
TESTIMONIAL STATEMENTS

 

"Our church's run of the Pony Express has now been completed. The spirit of teamwork generated by our combined efforts helped to make this exciting event a major success. We have received estimates of giving for next year of $226,381, exceeding our goal of $225,202. This represents an increase of 20.3% over last year's pledges of $188,200. This will enable our church to accomplish next year's goals in serving its members and the world."
Donald Boldt, Finance Chairperson
First Church
Kinston, NC

 

"Giving estimates for the coming year total $180,000, an increase from $130,000 for last year. Two things I like best are the privacy feature of the Pony Express and the fact that every member was contacted."
Rev. John William Potts
St. Paul's Church
Mt. Juliet, TN

 

"We are delighted with the Pony Express. It is well planned out and our members' comments have been very positive. The campaign resulted in a 13% increase in adult pledging units responding with a 10% increase amounts pledged. It was in our youth response that we saw our most dramatic increase - 38% increase in the number of pledges and a 39% increase in the amount pledged. We are planning to use year two of the Pony Express for our next stewardship campaign."
Lewis M. Smith, PX General Manager
First Presbyterian Church
Fond du Lac, WI

 

"We found the PX approach worked very well increasing the number of persons returning giving estimates and the number of dollars earmarked for the church. Our budget, underwritten by the gifts of our people through giving estimates, increased from $503,000 to $560,000 and households responding from 504 to 550. The spirit among both congregation and finance committee is strong... a big benefit. We finished the whole project ahead of schedule. We're going with the PX again!
Rev. Frank Johnke
First Church
Bloomington, MN

 

"A big problem from last year was 40 units that chose not to pledge, even though they did give during the year. One of my main goals this year was to reach this group with the estimate of giving concept. This number is now down to 9, which is fantastic improvement. Your principles are very sound from both a biblical and a management point of view. Stewardship doesn't just happen in a church. It is learned and preached and practiced and promoted and managed. Your system makes it easy to organize and control all the facets and points to maximize success. We have no hesitation recommending it to other churches, nor continuing to use it ourselves."
Jack S. Hissong, PX General Manager
Faith Church
Indianapolis, IN

 

"The results of our Pony Express are great. We have a very depressed economy in this part of Oklahoma at this time, but our people estimated their giving will be $128,682. That is very good with the kind of economy we have, and with an unemployment rate that's in the double digits."
Rev. Ron Weathers
First UMC
Marlow, OK

 

"I have used the Pony Express program at three churches I have served: Mt. Calvary, Harrisburg; St. Paul, Chambersburg; and now here at Bethany Church in York. In all three churches, all with very different backgrounds, the program has increased congregational giving and strengthened the stewardship program significantly. Harrisburg was a mission church with less than 300 members; Chambersburg was a church with over 1,000 members; and York is a mid-size church with 500 members. Thank you for your concern, your innovative approach to church giving, and your gift to three congregations and this pastor."
Rev. Robert J. Miller
Bethany UMC
York, PA

 

"This is a good introductory approach to stewardship. It is a low-key approach to fund-raising and yet gives all members an opportunity to be supportive of their church."
Rev. Ray Kotwicki
Fountain Park UMC
Sheboygan, WI

 

"We were very pleased with the Pony Express. Everyone spoke well of it and we had a lot of fun - you can't say that about very many stewardship programs. Our pledges increased 8% over last year and getting the pledges returned went much more smoothly and quickly. It's a good program."
Rev. Bruce Boyce
Christ the King Church
White Bear Lake, MN