May 2022 Announcements
/May Mission Partner: Riverbend Family Ministries is a local non-profit that concentrates their collaborative, holistic efforts on children, youth and families who’ve experienced trauma, most often due to violence, addiction, poverty and homelessness. They provide resources for smaller non-profit organizations to work together under one roof, providing families and individuals the tools they need to be self-sufficient. On Sunday, May 1, Tammy Iskarous, Executive Director will be us to share more about the impact Riverbend Family Ministries has right in our own community.
Communion: 5/1 & 5/29
Baby Dedication: Baby dedications are a special time at The Bridge. Parents commit to raising their little ones according to God’s Word, and we as a church family commit to supporting these families as they endeavor to do so. If you would like to have your baby dedicated, please see Pastor Steven.
May Memory Verse: Psalm 145:8-10
8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The Lord is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your saints shall bless you!
Fliers with the monthly memory verse are now available at child check-in. Each week our Bridge Kids will work on the verse in class, but memorizing scripture isn't just for kids! The best way to commit the verse to memory is practicing throughout the month. You can find a song to help in The Bridge Kids Amazon and Spotify playlists or on YouTube.
Graduate Sunday: We want to celebrate with our high school and college graduates as they reach this milestone in their lives! We will recognize graduates and present them with a gift on Sunday, June 5. If you are a 2022 graduate, please contact Natalie Runyon by May 15.
Women’s Summer Bible Study: Join us for our summer study as Kristi McLelland, bible culturalist, unpacks the life of the early church in the book of Acts and reveals that the kingdom of God is always on the move, always looking outward to bring meaning and joy to a world searching for true fulfillment and hope. Explore the call of Jesus to His disciples then and to us today. Witness how God's Word can sustain us even in the most difficult of times and embrace the transformative grace we experience as children of God in His kingdom of celebration. Study meets on Monday mornings, beginning June 6, from 9:30-11:00 at The Bridge. Childcare is available.
Drama Club at The Bridge: Learn the fundamentals of theater; building a scene, bringing a character to life, acting, props, costumes, lighting and more. We will learn how to read the Bible out loud, and practice cold readings for theater and create every component of a one act performance to be given at the end of the six weeks. All ages are welcome! This summer club will be held on Tuesday nights from 6:30-8:00 PM beginning June 21. For more info, see Nikki Fiedler. Register here: https://thebridgealton.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1277917
The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference: What’s better than a road trip with 30 or so of your favorite Bridge women?! We would love for you to come with us to Indianapolis on June 16-18. For more details on the conference, check out https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/tgcw22/ If you’d like to join with our group, please contact Natalie Runyon.
Church Center: There's an app for that! Download the Church Center app, make Bridge to Grace your church and stay connected. This app will house our calendar, directory, enable you to register for classes, pre-check your kids in for Children's Ministry, send you push notifications for events, and so much more! Need help navigating this app? See Natalie Runyon.
As a church that is for our city, we want to encourage those who call The Bridge their home to check out and support local events and live missionally in our community.
May 1: Pop-Up Clothes Swap @ Mineral Springs Mall
May 6: Mustard Seed Peace Project Trivia Night @ The Lovejoy
May 7: Alton Farmers' & Artisans' Market 2022 Season begins!
Ministry Opportunities: God has given each of us gifts to use to build up the church. Whether you are new to The Bridge, or have been around for a bit, we have a place for you! If you’re wondering how you can serve at The Bridge, email us at connect@bridgetograce.org
Youth Group: Everyone loves a good story and, as Christians, we have been gifted with the greatest story ever told: God's story. OUR story. Beginning Sunday, March 6th, the Middle School and High School Youth will begin to explore the Bible as a continuous, chronological story. We'll begin at 6:00 with a time of interacting with scripture in a way that helps us fully engage with God's story and our place in it. Echo the Story will take place 6-8 on Sundays for 12 weeks (excluding Easter Sunday & Mother’s Day) March 6th-June 5th. We hope you'll plan to join us for this special storytime!
Women's Bible Study: Interested in studying the Bible with other women? Now is a great time to join us as we begin our study of Exodus, using Jen Wilkin's book God of Deliverance. Study begins on Monday, March 14 at 10 AM. Talk to Martha Pfister or Jennifer Brown for more info.
Men's Bible Study: Tuesday mornings from 7-8, the men of The Bridge meet to study and discuss the upcoming week's sermon text. Coffee and donuts are provided.
Community Groups: Interested in connecting with a Community Group? Email jon.davis@bridgetograce.org for more information about community group opportunities.