The Bridge will host a grand opening service Oct. 20. Photo Credit: St. Paul's Lutheran Church
Throughout its 156-year history, St. Paul's Lutheran Church has never hesitated to offer new services it feels the community needs.
Forty years ago, it was an elementary school. Twenty years ago, pre-kindergarten. Child care followed next.
About eight years ago, St. Paul's began offering a contemporary service, with a band leading congregation members in a casual setting, to go along with its traditional service.
Now St. Paul's begins a new church altogether: The Bridge, which aims to reach those who may be unfamiliar with Christian churches.
The Bridge will extend what St. Paul offers in its contemporary services, with a band performing on a stage in the gymnasium. Services will be held Sundays at 10:15 a.m., beginning with a grand opening celebration Oct. 20.
The church wants to share "the good things we have in a way that's familiar and accessible to people who didn't grow up in either the local church or the church world in general," Pastor John Backus said.
"We want to be considerate of where (people) are coming from, if they're new to the community or maybe even new to the concept of church."
In addition to the uplifting music, which will simulate a concert-like atmosphere, the order of service will better serve the intended audience, Pastor Pete Panitzke said. Instead of leading off the service with the confession of sins, for example, the Bridge will put that at the end and focus on broader messages of Christian faith, he said.
Instead of stained-glass windows to convey imagery, the Bridge will use digital means, with video screens set up in the gymnasium. Teachers and pastors will be in jeans, reflecting the church's casual environment.
The Bridge will also offer coffee and a nursery, as well as parking lot attendants who will help people find the correct building.
"We talked a lot about ... what could we do to put (people) at ease, to let them know we're a friendly place where they're not going to get beat up on or judged and sent home with their tail between their legs," Backus said. [GJ - Eighth Commandment!]
St. Paul officials began mulling creating a new church after noting how much the community has changed over the past 30 years, transforming from a rural community to a suburban one, and realizing that many new residents wouldn't have long roots in a local church.
They got serious enough about the idea to form a task force in April, community outreach coordinator Sally Wallner said. [GJ - Assuming Sally is a girl - another lady pastor.]
Five months later, St. Paul is getting ready to host a whole new church on its campus.
"I'm really looking forward to the opportunity, as a Christian, to share good things about discovering God that can help other people," Backus said. "I'm looking forward to being able to speak honestly and authentically, in a pair of jeans. I'm really going to enjoy the atmosphere."
Forty years ago, it was an elementary school. Twenty years ago, pre-kindergarten. Child care followed next.
About eight years ago, St. Paul's began offering a contemporary service, with a band leading congregation members in a casual setting, to go along with its traditional service.
Now St. Paul's begins a new church altogether: The Bridge, which aims to reach those who may be unfamiliar with Christian churches.
The Bridge will extend what St. Paul offers in its contemporary services, with a band performing on a stage in the gymnasium. Services will be held Sundays at 10:15 a.m., beginning with a grand opening celebration Oct. 20.
The church wants to share "the good things we have in a way that's familiar and accessible to people who didn't grow up in either the local church or the church world in general," Pastor John Backus said.
"We want to be considerate of where (people) are coming from, if they're new to the community or maybe even new to the concept of church."
In addition to the uplifting music, which will simulate a concert-like atmosphere, the order of service will better serve the intended audience, Pastor Pete Panitzke said. Instead of leading off the service with the confession of sins, for example, the Bridge will put that at the end and focus on broader messages of Christian faith, he said.
Instead of stained-glass windows to convey imagery, the Bridge will use digital means, with video screens set up in the gymnasium. Teachers and pastors will be in jeans, reflecting the church's casual environment.
The Bridge will also offer coffee and a nursery, as well as parking lot attendants who will help people find the correct building.
"We talked a lot about ... what could we do to put (people) at ease, to let them know we're a friendly place where they're not going to get beat up on or judged and sent home with their tail between their legs," Backus said. [GJ - Eighth Commandment!]
St. Paul officials began mulling creating a new church after noting how much the community has changed over the past 30 years, transforming from a rural community to a suburban one, and realizing that many new residents wouldn't have long roots in a local church.
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| St. Paul Muskegon - putting the "con" in confessional. |
They got serious enough about the idea to form a task force in April, community outreach coordinator Sally Wallner said. [GJ - Assuming Sally is a girl - another lady pastor.]
Five months later, St. Paul is getting ready to host a whole new church on its campus.
"I'm really looking forward to the opportunity, as a Christian, to share good things about discovering God that can help other people," Backus said. "I'm looking forward to being able to speak honestly and authentically, in a pair of jeans. I'm really going to enjoy the atmosphere."
