Special Offering: Bridge Street Ministries
WEST SIDE RESURGENCE
At the heart of our ministry, is this Christ-centered, high quality, after-school programming to support the academic, spiritual, social/emotional, and community development of urban youth. At the start of the school year, we had a goal of having 30 students registered for the program. Currently, we have around 60 registered with 30+ in regular attendance! Each day kids find a beautiful, safe place in our drop in center, and then have the opportunity to engage in a variety of learning labs. This past semester, kids got to learn at the zoo, play baseball with the Grace Christian University baseball team, study the Bible, and learn about money management with Young Money Finances. Oh, and we opened up a youth café as a drop in center for kids after school.
Recently, while dropping off the kids after Resurgence, one of the girls looked back as she walked away and said “you guys are like my real family!” Bless God for the opportunity to invest in these future leaders. We are currently looking for volunteers that can help with driving and tutoring. Email sharalle@bsmgr.org if you are interested in helping out.
Each year Grand Rapids Immersion proves to be a transformational experience as we work to connect local youth with local mission. This year we are hosting upwards of 75 students from 6 local churches and ministries for one week this summer. On Immersion we spend two nights camping in the wilderness, helping students connect with God and connect with each other. Then we come into the city to learn, serve, and celebrate what God is doing in our city. We are excited about what God is going to do this summer through Immersion!
While we have a smaller cohort of students this year, there has been a deep community that has formed, and our Bridge Year students have grown in their understanding of God’s character and his kingdom. It has been so fun watching our Grand Rapids Bridge Year (GRBY) students help lead in our Resurgence program every day. Every day our GRBY students help our kids know that they are loved, welcomed, and valued.
We are currently accepting applications for the 2022-2023 Grand Rapids Bridge Year cohort. If you or a young person that you know would benefit from devoting a year to seeking God and engaging in his mission in the city, e-mail adam@bsmgr.org for more information. We would love to have you come for a visit.
