Pastor’s Update

Welcome to the Spring/Summer Board E-Letter! I shared this quote in a previous update, and it’s still resonating as we move into summer: “I believe in process. I believe in four seasons. I believe that winter’s tough, but spring’s coming. I believe that there’s a growing season. And I think that you realize that in life, you grow. You get better.” I like the quote and the rhythm it suggests. There are times and seasons in life, but ultimately, we grow and get better. This continues to be our reality as a church. 

In this update, you will gain an understanding of where we are at and what season we are in. We have so much to be thankful for. All glory to God. He has been so good. 

As part of our process, the church Board presides over and partners with us in the management of our finances, our facilities, and for the most part, our hiring of staff—three essential resources. I appreciate our Board and their partnership in all matters that affect our future. 

My task here is to update you on where we are at in some critical areas of stewardship. Chase Bethel, the lead on our Finance Committee, shares a concise review of our present financial position. The news is good. Again, God is good. Kevin Aide, the lead of our Building Committee, shares some excitement about how close we are to the completion of this building project. Again, the news is good. Praise be to God. Neil, the lead for our Building Hope Campaign (our $1.5M fundraising project), shares some great information and the ongoing challenge to meet our goal. While the news is good, the Board and I, following Neil’s lead, are prayerful towards completing our building project and fulfilling our financial challenge. Together, we can raise the $1.5M; I know we can. So many lives will be blessed as a result. To God be the glory. 

My objective here is to inform you of where we are at with staffing. In the past year, we experienced the departure of Pastors Sam Mills, Karen Heppner, and, most recently, Shauna Weir (Saker). For a church that has enjoyed long-tenured staff relationships, it’s tough to experience change. We are a family, and we no doubt feel the loss when God leads our leaders into new places of leadership and blessing. This is real for all of us, and I am aware of some of the adjustments that we as a family are experiencing.  

At present, we continue to diligently pray for God’s provision of a new Children’s Ministry Pastor, and we will keep you posted when this takes place. Pastor Sam and Pastor Rod, two members of our Family Ministry Team (Children, Youth and Young Adults), have been and will continue to step up to assist and be with our volunteer Children’s Ministry Team. This is a time for those involved in Children’s Ministry and for those who God may lay it on their hearts to be involved to step up and endure with us prayerfully and helpfully. We invite you to join us in a Zoom prayer meeting for Kidzone and our search for a leader. Please see the link here for more information.

Lastly, there are other hires or changes to come regarding our adult ministry objectives. Our discipleship pathway (LifeGroups, Seasonal Groups, Care, and OnMission) is of utmost importance to us, and we are excited about what is coming together for this fall. Let’s all pray through the summer months for the staff and volunteer teams that God is putting together for the fall. He has been so faithful to send us or develop within us the right person, at the right time, with the right skills and the right heart.  

Great and new days ahead. Much love. 

Brian Childs
Lead Pastor

Building hope campaign update

Dear Bridge Family,

It has been exciting seeing all the construction has been happening. Construction is progressing well and within budget with your prayers and financial support. Thank you for partnering with us to reach the halfway point towards our $1.5M building campaign goal. 

Our building committee continues to work closely with our construction management company to bring this project across the finish line. Soon, all our ministries will have optimized and intentionally designed spaces from which to operate and thrive. These are the ministries which build hope and impact people’s lives each day. 

As we near the completion of construction, the leadership team and finance committee need to make decisions about how best to structure financial arrangements. These decisions impact future budgets and how we resource our ministries. For example, every dollar spent on interest payments is a dollar no longer available to be spent on ministry.

We are asking you to:

Pray about our building project, our new facility’s impact, and the lives into which hope will be built.

Give to the project by June 5 using any of the giving options on the BuildingHope.ca website. While the building campaign ends December 31, giving by June 5 helps us determine the size of our loan and financing arrangements.

Pledge your future donation. This is a commitment to what you plan to give before the campaign ends. Pledges received by June 5 also help determine financing arrangements. Pledge online or fill out a pledge card at the Connection Centre on Sunday. 

Participate. the bridge has been impacting people’s lives for decades. Our facility is a resource from which we build hope into a future shared by each of us. We invite you to participate in every way, belong to it, and own your role in shaping it.

Pray, Give, Pledge & Participate in Building Hope. 

With thanks and faith,

Neil Maskery
Board Member and Building Campaign Director

Bridge Property Update

I can see the finish line, can you? The finish line always creates a sense of excitement because it means the successful completion of an important endeavour. In this case, it’s the realization of our new facility at 5440 16th Avenue and the renewed use of this space to meet our mission of sharing God’s love with our community in tangible ways.
We’re past the 2/3rds mark for construction and on the final 6 months of what has been a 6+ year project for the church.
I am excited about what is soon to come, and I hope you share this same feeling. Each of you is a crucial member of this team, and your commitment of time, finances and prayer toward this project will see us finish strong.

Over the next couple of months, the building will become completely closed-in, allowing for the exterior decorative brick and exterior siding installation to begin. With the building becoming weather-tight, interior work will start to accelerate. As we move toward September and October, we expect the remaining outside work to be completed, including the parking lot and new landscaping. The interior design team has been hard at work looking at furniture and accessory requirements for each space. This is a considerable effort and is being led by Karen Heppner. A huge Thank You to Karen for volunteering her time and talents to lead this team. A big thanks to the rest of the team as well. They are doing their work with intentionality while being mindful of the budget.

We continue to track within our original budget on the finance side and believe that by raising the $1.5M in capital campaign funds, we will complete the project debt-free.

Let’s all #Buildhope together and finish strong!

Kevin Aide
Chair of the Building Committee

Bridge FINANCE Update

Introduction: Loving & Giving

Dear Bridge family,

As a young boy growing up, it was a staple at our Sunday School that we had to know a memory verse. Like many kids at that age, in the absence of learning a new verse, I defaulted to John 3:16, “For God so loved the World, that He gave His one and only Son, so that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life.” I was captivated by everlasting life as a child and dreamed of heaven. As an adult, my focus has shifted to the fact that the outworking of God’s love was that He gave. Even beyond finances, I wish to broaden the lens in saying that as we look to emulate God’s love, let’s be encouraged to give from every facet of our lives (holding nothing back). As C.S. Lewis so inspiringly stated, “I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.” Indeed, loving and giving are interwoven words and actions that are foundational to our faith!

Financial Update (Fiscal Year-To-Date through to April 30, 2022)

The bridge’s financial picture is developing mostly as forecasted last summer from an operational perspective. The YTD surplus of $168,000 is almost precisely as expected, driven by below-budget expenses that more than offset lower giving. General fund giving, which accounts for > 90% of total revenue, totalled $1.097M and was ~7.7% below budget. (Stock donations to the general fund accounted for ~$13,000.) Operational expenses of $1.016M have been well-managed and are 19% below budget. Lower expenses are mainly driven by timing (e.g. building project, COVID-19 restrictions, and hiring).

Since August, the church’s operational cash balance has remained strong and has not changed materially. As noted during the recent update given at Sunday services on May 15, the Board and Finance committee will be engaging with our bank regarding a term loan to finance the needed funds not raised by the Building Hope campaign. We covet your prayers as these discussions occur and ask you to consider making an additional donation.

In April, through our Good Friday offering, we raised over $20K to support Ukraine through Operation Mobilization. Together, as a church, we continue to impact lives both locally and globally.

On behalf of the Board, I wish to thank you for your faithful giving. May God continue to bless you, and may He help all of us to action love that gives the way only He does.

Faithfully,

Chase Bethel
Board Member & Chair of the Finance Committee