Author Archive
Our Response to the Tragedy in Haiti
This week, we’ve heard the news and seen the images from the devastation caused by a 7.0 earthquake in Haiti. It destroyed Port-au-Prince, the capital city. According to news reports, the death toll may top 100,000. The hospitals are gone, and medical supplies are desperately needed. About 3 million people – one-third of Haiti’s population – were impacted by the quake.
This Sunday in our worship gathering, we will have an opportunity to respond as a community. Compassion and Mercy Associates, or CAMA Services, will provide immediate assistance, including clean water, emergency shelter, medical aid, and other necessities, as well as long-term help in rebuilding efforts, integrating Jesus’ message of redemption with practical acts of compassion. We will be collecting a monetary offering and sending it to CAMA immediately on Monday.
CAMA Services is the relief arm of our denomination, the C&MA. If you’d like to read more about the relief efforts, visit www.cmalliance.org/give/relief/ or call 719-265-2039.
Please pray about what you can give. May God bless our collective offering this Sunday.
Missionaries to Belize Visiting This Sunday
This Sunday, Jervis and Melissa Fisher and their children will be joining us. They are part of a life-changing mission in Belize, Central America. They will introduce LOL Ministry briefly on Sunday morning, and then, they will be sharing in depth in the evening at a Community Group.
LOL Ministry is an international organization that exists to love and nurture orphans, neglected and disadvantaged children and young adults.
Here’s a video that gives a glimpse into the mission:
We’re honored to be hosting them and look forward to finding out ways we can partner with their kingdom-work!
Announcements: Week of October 5
This Week:
- Worship Gathering -This Sunday, 10am at New Highland Elementary School. Click here for directions.
- Community Groups -You can connect with one of these small, home-based groups. For more information, including group times and host home locations, you can go to the Community Groups Information Page.
- Ladies Bible Study -Wednesday at 7 pm in the Ministry Center. Contact Kim, 304-5689 for information.
Youth News:
- Youth Community Group -a weekly time of discussion, Bible-study, and community for students in middle and high school. We will meet for chili at the Henwood’s, 1055 Blackjack Road, 272-1128.
- Email Josh Josh, or call him or Devon at 859 481-3483.
Building Transition News:
- Financial Oversight Team -will meet October 6, 6 pm at 6746 S Wilson.
- Planing and Design Team -will meet October 15, 6:30 pm at 6746 S. Wilson.
For more information about these and all other events click on the Community Life Calendar. If you have any questions or need any further information please email Mary.
Announcements: Week of September 27
This Week:
- Worship Gathering – This Sunday, 10amat New Highland Elementary School. Click here for directions.
- Community Groups – You can connect with one of these small, home-based groups. For more information, including group times and host home locations, you can go to the Community Groups Information Page.
- Ladies Bible Study – Wednesday at 7 pm in the Ministry Center. Contact Kim, 304-5689 for information.
Youth News:
- Youth Community Group – a weekly time of discussion, Bible-study, and community for students in middle and high school. This Tuesday at 6:00 pm, dinner at the Hamilton home. 1117 Crowne Point Apt X.
- Email Josh & Devon Hamilton or call them at 859 481-3483.
Building Transition News:
- Financial Oversight Team – will meet September 29, 6 pm at 6746 S Wilson.
- Construction Management Team – will meet September 30, 7 pm at 6746 S Wilson.
- Planing and Design Team – will meet October 15, 6:30 pm at 6746 S. Wilson.
For more information about these and all other events click on the Community Life Calendar. If you have any questions or need any further information please email Mary.
Work Projects at the Building
With a two-hour demolition party Wednesday night, we have begun a season of community work projects. Check out the pictures and video below and you’ll see that these will be good times of working together and getting the renovation goals accomplished.
I want to ask everyone to consider jumping in on projects when you can. If everyone gives a couple of hours here and there, we’ll be able to get the work done without the need to pay contract labor. We’ll also enjoy some time together and create great memories!
The next project is Saturday, September 26 at 1:00 pm. No special skills needed – just willingness to do some demolition of existing walls and load up the scrap to haul away.
All future work-days will be on the the Community Life Calendar – check in there to see when the next projects are scheduled and find out the details of the work being done.
Getting to Know The Bridge Community: What is C.O.S.M.O.S.?
This is Part 2 of a series of blog posts, “Getting to Know The Bridge.” The COSMOS acronym is an important summary of our values and vision. To read all posts in this series, click here.
In John 3:16, we learn that God loved the whole “cosmos.” The Bridge believes that followers of Jesus are called to take their place in the ongoing story of God’s love for the world. We receive God’s love through his son, Jesus, and by the power of his Spirit we extend it to the world. By using the acronym, COSMOS, we acknowledge that this task is bigger than us!
COSMOS stands for:
C – Compassion O – Outward Focus: Local S – Serving M – Multiplication O – Outward Focus: Global S – Spiritual Formation[You can read more details about all of the elements of COSMOS here]
COSMOS describes biblical functions of the Jesus-community. These are not programs or departments within the church that people pick and choose.
It is our goal to be a relational place where we can pursue all of these six functions together. This means that the church won’t act like an institution, developing competing activities at the church; instead we will act like a family, encouraging everyone to embrace these functions in the course of their natural flow of life.
What are your thoughts? Do you have any questions about COSMOS and how it plays out in our community life? Please leave a comment below with your thoughts, ideas, or questions.
Announcements: Week of September 21
This Week:
- Worship Gathering -This Sunday, 10am at New Highland Elementary School at 110 WA Jenkins Road. Click here for a map.
- Community Groups -Group times and host home locations are on the Community Groups Info Page.
- Babysitting Co-op- has been rescheduled for this Tuesday evening, 6:30 pm at Panera Bread. If you are interested or have any questions contact Wren at 360-3193.
- Ladies Bible Study -Wednesday at 7 pm in the Ministry Center. ”The Frazzled Female” led by Kim Deaton. Cost is $10. ContactKim, 304-5689 for information.
Youth News:
- Youth Community Group -a weekly time of discussion, Bible-study, and community for students in middle and high school. Tuesday 6 pm we will have dinner at the Hamilton home. 1117 Crowne Point Apt X.
- Email Josh & Devon Hamilton or call them at 859 481-3483.
Building Transition News:
- Construction Team – will meet September 21, 7 pm in the Ministry Center.
- Planing and Design Team -will meet September 22, 6:30 pm at 6746 S. Wilson.
- Financial Team -will meet September 22, 6 pm at 6746 S Wilson.
For more information about these and all other events click on the Community Life Calendar.If you have any questions or need any further information please email Mary Henwood.
Getting To Know The Bridge Community: History and Mission
This is Part 1 of a series of blog posts, “Getting to Know The Bridge.” In this entry, we talk about the background of the church and our mission. To read all posts in this series, click here.
The Bridge Community began from a desire to glorify God by loving Him and others in ways that extend beyond the walls of a building. In the Spring of 2003, Wayne and Christy Cox moved to Hardin County with the vision of planting a church in between Radcliff and Elizabethtown. Having grown up in the area, they knew about the social, economic, and racial disconnect that existed between these two neighboring communities. So, a “bridge” between the two became the metaphor for their calling.
A bridge connects what is otherwise separated. And so, it’s our desire to be a bridge between our neighboring cities and also a bridge to God. We desire to be an authentic community – the kind of space where people can have a life-changing encounter with the God of the Bible. The Bridge Community has been, from the start, intent on creating a place to belong, and then, when you’re ready, opening the way to become a new creation!
As you get to know us, you find there’s not a lot of insider lingo, kum-ba-ya, or bad coffee! But there are real people like you, on a journey, searching for what it means to be truly alive, living for something bigger than themselves.
- We are a community that gathers – on Sundays for public worship in order to be formed in the image of Jesus, and throughout the week in homes to develop caring community.
- We are also a community that scatters – embedded in various work-places, neighborhoods, and families, we are being equipped to serve the Elizabethtown-Radcliff area and introduce people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus.
Simply stated, our mission is to be and develop disciples of Jesus in authentic community for the good of the world.
How we take this mission and make it part of our life is clarified in the acronym, C.O.S.M.O.S. If you’re interested in what we believe, you can click here.
Is there something about The Bridge you’d like to know? Any questions? Feel free to contact us or leave a comment below.
Announcements: Week of September 14
This Week:
- Worship Gathering -This Sunday, 10amat New Highland Elementary School at 110 WA Jenkins Road. Click here for a map.
- Community Groups -Group times and host home locations are on the Community Groups Info page.
- Babysitting Co-op –If you are interested in being involved in a babysitting co-op please come to a short meeting at Panara Bread on September 15 at 6 pm. For more details contact Wren at 360-9139.
- Ladies Bible Study -Starting Wednesday, September 16 at 7 pm in the Ministry Center. ”The Frazzled Female” led by Kim Deaton. Cost is $10. Contact Kim, 304-5689 for information.
- Sisterhood Night -All ladies are invited to a Tea Party! September 18, 6 pm in the Ministry Center. Bring your favorite tea to share, your fancy hat (optional) and a snack to share. All ladies invited!! Email Wren or call 360-9139.
Youth News:
- Youth Community Group -a weekly time of discussion, Bible-study, and community for students in middle and high school. Tuesday 6 pm at the Ministry Center.
- Email Josh & Devon Hamiltonor call them at 859 481-3483.
Building Transition News:
- Planing and Design Team – will meet September 14, 6 pm at our new location.
- Financial Team Meeting – will meet September 15, 6 pm at our new location.
For more information about these and all other events click on the Community Life Calendar. If you have any questions or need any further information please email Mary Henwood.
Missionaries to Ecuador Visiting this Weekend
I hope your week has gotten off to a great start! This Sunday, we have some special guests joining us for worship and I want to take a minute and introduce you to them.
Dustan and Rebecka King live in St. Louis and are preparing to go to Loja, Ecuador. They will be involved in ministry to university students at a small cafe in Loja. I hope you’ll come to the worship gathering this Sunday to find out more about them and ways The Bridge can support them in their journey. They will also be hanging out at the Cox House Community Group Sunday evening from 5:00 to 7:30.
Check out their video: