My family and I relocated from Texas in 2012 after suffering a series of losses. At the time, I was the mother of a two-year-old and pregnant. Life had beaten us up and we wanted a fresh start; it was time to emotionally and spiritually catch our breath and recover. The first order of business was to find a church home, but it took us almost a year of Goldilocks-style searching to find our “just right.” We came to Bridgeway in the spring of 2013.
As a late-in-life new mother, I was one of those “not-just-anyone-is-going-to-watch-my-kids” kind of parent. Each Sunday, my husband and I brought our then three-year-old and fussy newborn into service. We politely but firmly declined the suggestions of the ushers to try out the children’s ministry. For two years we followed the same routine in our little family bubble. We didn’t make attempts to become part of the community, but we sat, we took in the Word of God, and we healed.
One of the best things about children is their openness and boundless curiosity about the world around them. One Sunday, we attempted to attend service as usual, but our daughter had other plans. She tugged on our hands and told us she wanted to go where all the other kids in church were going. Remember, not just anyone is going to watch my child. I wanted time to vet the volunteers and their qualifications; I needed to make sure everything was safe – but apparently, my daughter was done with our self-imposed exile. She looked up at us with big, excited eyes; we couldn’t refuse.
BridgeKids wasn’t what I expected. With Bridgeway being a church of its size, security at the BridgeKids doors helped to put my mind at ease. Volunteers greeted the students by name and welcomed them into their classrooms. I expected a daycare-style free-for-all, but when we picked her up at the end of service, our daughter excitedly told us how the students led worship in the classrooms. She was even able to make connections to things we’d been teaching her at home about what it means to have a relationship with Jesus.
I would love to tell you it was the depth of the Word and the rich worship experience delivered in the main theater that drew my family into the community at Bridgeway. It wasn’t. While both of those things can undoubtedly be found here, what drew us most was the BridgeKids children’s ministry. Through it, I watched my daughter flourish and thrive as part of the BridgeKids Creative Arts dance team as she formed friendships that have remained constant to this day. I watched my son break out of his introverted shell and gain the confidence to stand in front of his peers to lead classroom worship. I formed relationships with volunteers who poured into and personally invested in my children. When I found out BridgeKids functions through volunteer support, I committed to serve as the co-lead of the children’s choir while my husband committed to doing classroom set-up in the mornings as well as teaching the toddler classroom. It was imperative to us that we give back even a fraction of what we received here.
God has an interesting sense of humor and timing. From 2016 to 2023, He took me – a spiritually wounded former teacher turned graphic designer and fiercely (some might say over-) protective mother of two – from choir co-lead to leader of the children’s choir, to a part-time then full-time employee team member at Bridgeway in the role of Creative Arts Coordinator.
Today I’m the director of the BridgeKids children’s ministry. I know the “why” of my being here and the impact of what I do. However, don’t just take my word for it. When I asked the adult and student volunteer team I serve and have the privilege to serve alongside what I should say here, they shared these words:
- We are a community of purpose. We’re like-minded individuals who volunteer because we know the importance of what we do.
- We play a part in teaching and preparing this next generation.
- If you’re a parent of a child here, or a volunteer here, you don’t have to do it alone.
- I found community here. Each week, I get to serve with and meet so many different people from all different walks of life.
- Jesus told us to do this. We have a responsibility to be here for these kids.
- Volunteer just one Sunday a month; it makes a huge impact.
- I love all of the new experiences I have here. (Student Volunteer)
- It’s fun. (Student Volunteer)
- You show up where there’s a need. It’s as simple as that.
- This isn’t about watching other people’s kids. There are so many different ways to serve in BridgeKids and have an impact on kids’ lives.
We ARE a community of purpose.
Proverbs 22:6—Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
If you need help or support, please contact Care.
If you are looking for activities where you can meet others, check out our Events.
If you are looking for people to do life with, connect with our Groups.