A Symptomatic Asymptote

I learned (well, I'm not sure that I have learned) a new word today - asymptotically. As you probably know, that means: "(of a function) approaching a given value as an expression containing a variable tends to infinity."

Hmm...so I look up asymptote, which is much easier to understand:
"a straight line that is closely approached by a plane curve so that the perpendicular distance between them decreases to zero as the distance from the origin increases to infinity."

There is a reason I did not go into mathematics or physics. What leads to this discussion is a graph I was sent that shows the cumulative giving chart of for the Capital Campaign. "The total approaches the final number asymptotically." To put it in simple DMC terms, it means that the giving is slowing down as people who have pledged are completing their pledges. It's like the feeling you get climbing a mountain. With perseverance you have made it almost to the top, but you've expended most of your energy so that the final steps are the hardest to complete.


I could ask those who have given to dig deeper in your pockets, but I'd rather ask those of you (church members) who have yet to give to make a donation. Your brothers and sisters have taken us near the peak of the mountain. Join with us to get us to the top. Don't worry about pledges and forms. Just send in by check or whatever means and indicate that it is for the Capital Campaign.

I don't know the exact numbers, but we have crossed the $4,000,000 threshold and have less than $400,000 to go. That might seem a lot, but you'd be surprised at how quickly small donations add up.