The Portico sits on the land of what once was The First United Methodist Church of Tampa, which was the oldest church in Tampa (July 26, 1846).
As we discerned what to do with what we called the “Downtown Initiative,” we developed guardrails that kept the team focused on what was most important. We had the whole city block, 4 structures that were in disrepair, and a budding residential and workforce. Three things emerged. We felt called to: 1. Activate the block all week long for downtown residents and workers (rather than only for church people on Sundays); 2. Bless the city and community in tangible ways; And finally, 3. Impact the Poor. Why did we feel called to do this?--The love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.