This past Sunday at The Bridge church in Maryville, the pastor reminded us that our church had been around for exactly two years and he asked that whoever had been there at the first service to stand up. It was incredible to be one of the few to stand. I never thought I would be part of such a church community but here I am and I am so thankful.
Although I wasn't raised in a home where we went to church every Sunday and youth groups and stuff, my curiosity had always been piqued at Christianity. My freshman year here in Maryville, I joined a Christian sorority and one of the requirements was that you had to regularly attend a church. I had no idea how to find one of those so I just went with people to their different churches every weekend. I eventually began going to a church called Community of Faith (COF) with a good friend of mine, Haylee. On the first weekend that Haylee and I went together, we talked to a woman who told us all about National Missions day and we got to talking with her about the mission trips we were going on during the upcoming summer and then we went on into the service. When the service ended, this same woman, Nancy, came up to us and said that she felt called to help us fundraise and she wanted to hold a lunch for us to help us out! I was blown away. If ever God was telling me where I needed to be, this was it. I fell in love with the people at this place who just poured into everyone they could so relentlessly. Everywhere I looked, I saw Jesus shining so blindingly from the hearts of the congregation. The first service I attended was also one of the first ones that Jason Hawk preached at COF. Jason went on to take over the role of lead pastor and transform COF into The Bridge Church in just about a year with the help of the congregation and God, of course. I don't think I realized at that first service just how much this church would go on to mean to me. I knew it meant a lot but I never imagined how big my capacity to love would be for this place. I still remember the first service we had at the new building; it was snowy and cold and dreary outside but nothing was going to bring my spirits down. I was being continually blown away by this place all the time.
That was December 2013. Flash forward to just a few days ago to The Bridge's two year anniversary. Since I began going to COF, I have been a part of the church transitioning to the Bridge, I have gotten to know and adore many of those in the congregation, and I have been baptized. It was in the sanctuary after spending time in prayer and reading His word that I realized I was meant to go to Philly this past summer and everyone knows how much that changed my life. Those are just the major highlights, there is so much more I could mention but to sum it up, The Bridge is where I found my faith, my beliefs, and where I have learned to trust God. Every time I am in that building, I feel so at peace because I am constantly reminded of the amazing God we serve. Recently, I have begun helping out with the kids ministry so every week, I go to the Bridge and set up all the supplies and get everything ready for the upcoming Sunday. Today, as I was leaving, I was just struck by the differences between the COF building and this one. It just shows the amazing work God can do through people who are striving after His heart and want to spread His love.
Now that I know exactly when I am graduating, I realize how short the time is that I have left here in Maryville and at the Bridge. I have been trying to find a church at home but I have yet to find one that I feel so comfortable and welcomed at as I have at COF-the Bridge. My faith has been grown and strengthened at this church and I don't want to leave. So for the next year, I will cherish every service that I get to attend at this church and I know that beyond that, it will forever have a special place in my heart, especially because that place and those people have helped to shape who I am today.
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." -1 Corinthians 15:57
Although I wasn't raised in a home where we went to church every Sunday and youth groups and stuff, my curiosity had always been piqued at Christianity. My freshman year here in Maryville, I joined a Christian sorority and one of the requirements was that you had to regularly attend a church. I had no idea how to find one of those so I just went with people to their different churches every weekend. I eventually began going to a church called Community of Faith (COF) with a good friend of mine, Haylee. On the first weekend that Haylee and I went together, we talked to a woman who told us all about National Missions day and we got to talking with her about the mission trips we were going on during the upcoming summer and then we went on into the service. When the service ended, this same woman, Nancy, came up to us and said that she felt called to help us fundraise and she wanted to hold a lunch for us to help us out! I was blown away. If ever God was telling me where I needed to be, this was it. I fell in love with the people at this place who just poured into everyone they could so relentlessly. Everywhere I looked, I saw Jesus shining so blindingly from the hearts of the congregation. The first service I attended was also one of the first ones that Jason Hawk preached at COF. Jason went on to take over the role of lead pastor and transform COF into The Bridge Church in just about a year with the help of the congregation and God, of course. I don't think I realized at that first service just how much this church would go on to mean to me. I knew it meant a lot but I never imagined how big my capacity to love would be for this place. I still remember the first service we had at the new building; it was snowy and cold and dreary outside but nothing was going to bring my spirits down. I was being continually blown away by this place all the time.
That was December 2013. Flash forward to just a few days ago to The Bridge's two year anniversary. Since I began going to COF, I have been a part of the church transitioning to the Bridge, I have gotten to know and adore many of those in the congregation, and I have been baptized. It was in the sanctuary after spending time in prayer and reading His word that I realized I was meant to go to Philly this past summer and everyone knows how much that changed my life. Those are just the major highlights, there is so much more I could mention but to sum it up, The Bridge is where I found my faith, my beliefs, and where I have learned to trust God. Every time I am in that building, I feel so at peace because I am constantly reminded of the amazing God we serve. Recently, I have begun helping out with the kids ministry so every week, I go to the Bridge and set up all the supplies and get everything ready for the upcoming Sunday. Today, as I was leaving, I was just struck by the differences between the COF building and this one. It just shows the amazing work God can do through people who are striving after His heart and want to spread His love.
Now that I know exactly when I am graduating, I realize how short the time is that I have left here in Maryville and at the Bridge. I have been trying to find a church at home but I have yet to find one that I feel so comfortable and welcomed at as I have at COF-the Bridge. My faith has been grown and strengthened at this church and I don't want to leave. So for the next year, I will cherish every service that I get to attend at this church and I know that beyond that, it will forever have a special place in my heart, especially because that place and those people have helped to shape who I am today.
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." -1 Corinthians 15:57