Bridge 45 is Still Happening!

So while it may not look like it, we are working on our new curriculum for fourth & fifth graders. In fact, things have taken some incredible turns!!! Just to back up a little bit...

After attending Conspire and deciding that a new ministry for our fourth & fifth graders could happen, we realized that it was going to take some money! We planned to turn an upstairs multi purpose room into Bridge 45. It would just take some work to make it look cool--dividers to hide the extra stacks of chairs and storage for other ministries, an improved sound system so we could have live worship, and new activity stations just to name a few. On top of that we'd need to do a lot of work to make our old auditorium feel less-big for our kindergarten-third graders.

We also wanted to give our overall ministry a new name (or an actual name for that matter... "Children's Ministries" doesn't seem to cut it). With a new name we'd want to do new branding--logos, signs, etc. Once again, this would take money.

Conspire was at the end of April. At the beginning of May our church announced large budget cuts, and cut some staff positions as well. The possibility of money being available became slim. We began to pray, thinking that God would need to provide through VBS. Maybe we'd have 100 more kids than we expected sign up... maybe we'd actually profit... Maybe VBS would make Bridge 45 financially possible!

At staff meeting on June 4 our senior pastor mentioned that a team of men in our church was trying to figure out options for bringing our youth on campus (since we built our building in 1996 our youth have had to meet at local schools on Sunday mornings). He suggested sprung structures, large module units, etc. I thought all of them sounded expensive. Especially since we had an auditorium with a light board that we don't use to its fullest, band equipment sitting unused, and a sound system that was used only to play CDs. Not to mention space beyond what you'd desire for kindergarten-third graders. But that's what children's ministries uses (which I'm thankful for, since I wouldn't want to have to use local schools each week). But wouldn't it make more sense if we just got a modular unit for Bridge 45? Then put K-3rd in the multi-purpose room, and let the youth have the old auditorium (which they use mid-week anyways)? I mentioned it to my executive pastor and he liked the idea.

VBS was the last week of June and registration was down by 40 and more kids needed scholarships than normal. Through some great budget cuts and donations, we were able to pull the event off under budget and come out in the black (as well as raise 1600 for missionaries in Hong Kong!). Clearly, VBS would not back Bridge 45.

Some time just after VBS, my executive pastor mentioned my modular unit idea to our senior pastor. I guess he loved the idea because at staff meeting on July 2 we were all told that a modular unit would be purchased for Bridge 45. And money would be raised to outfit it.

Two weeks ago the entire church was told about the modular unit. They were told that for the first time in 12 years our entire church would be able to meet on campus. They were told we're starting a new ministry designed just for our fourth and fifth graders. The announcement was met with cheers and shouts of "praise God!"

I turned in a list of everything we want--flat screen TVs, folding chairs, video game systems, foos ball table, laptops for computerized check-in (for our entire ministry), a sound system, etc. And it's all going to happen. It won't be until October, but we're getting a new facility just for our fourth and fifth graders, our kindergarten-third graders get a class that reflects their size and ability. Our youth will be on campus.... oh, and we have a name, and a graphic designer in our church is donating his time to create logos.

GOD IS GOOD!