October Announcements

Salvation Army Lunches- We’re serving lunch at the Salvation Army food pantry every 1st and 3rd Thursday from 1:00–2:15 PM—and you can help! This is a great way to connect with our community and show God’s love in action. Sign up to bring food or volunteer through the Meal Trains below.

October 2- Soup and Sandwiches: https://mealtrain.com/8n9wo1

October 16- Chick-Fil-A: https://mealtrain.com/w415z1

Mountain T.O.P. Fall Adults in Ministry Mission Trip- Adults, if you’ve ever wanted to serve at Mountain T.O.P. now is your chance! A team from The Bridge will be going to help with major home repairs and the annual fall festival. Register at the link below of see Jean Campbell for more details. https://www.mountain-top.org/camp-registration/p/2025-fall-aim-october-2-5-x7p6p-8yn7x

Youth Fall Retreat- Our annual Youth Fall Retreat is November 7-9. Last year’s retreat was amazing — we had so much fun with games and late-night laughs, but the best part was worship and seeing God move in such a big way. Students received information about the retreat at Youth Group this past week. If your student would like to attend, and needs details, please talk to Eddie. 

🌳 Youth Retreat Envelope Tree & College Student Encouragement 🌳

Our Envelope Tree Fundraiser is up and ready! It’s super simple—just grab an envelope, place the amount written on the front inside (cash or check), and drop it in the offering. Every gift helps send our youth to an incredible retreat where they’ll grow in faith and community. Thank you for investing in the next generation!

Also, be sure to stop by the College Student Board in the foyer. You’ll find the addresses of our students who are away at school. Take a moment to send them a note of encouragement or even a small care package. Your words and support mean so much as they navigate college life.

Intro to The Bridge Lunch- Whether you are brand new or have been attending for a while, if you would like to learn more about The Bridge, this meeting is for you. On Sunday, November 2, immediately following worship, Pastor Steven will share more about our mission, vision, and core values as well as ways to connect in community and plug in to serve. Lunch will be provided. Reservations are required, and the meeting is limited to 15 adults. Register on Church Center or at https://thebridgealton.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3165210

Men’s Bible Study- Men of the Bridge, Thursday October 9, at 6 pm, we are going to start a Bible study. We will start in the book of Colossians and see where He leads us from there. This will be a time of not just reading the word but a time of learning from each other and hopefully getting to know one another a little better. There will be no homework or required reading ahead of time, unless you choose to do so. Always know that if you miss a week or two, that’s okay, just come and pick back up wherever we are that week. There will be no certificate for perfect attendance. I always say come give it a shot, if you don’t enjoy it you don’t have to come back. Hope you can make it. 

Psalm 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Group meets on Thursday nights in the K/1st classroom. Talk to Mike Varner for more details. 

Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools- Join us for this book study, led by Mike Solomon and Lindsay Meydam, exploring prayer as a vital, sustaining, powerful connection with God. This book will help you to:

•Express your doubts and disappointment about prayer. 

•Practice multiple postures of prayer, including silence, persistence, confession, and more. 

•Open or reopen the line of communication with your Creator. 

•Understand and embrace the wonder and mystery of prayer in everyday life. 

Participants will need a copy of the book “Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools”, which is available at https://a.co/d/48MIR8x Group meets weekly on Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:00 PM in the Adult Education Room. Register at https://thebridgealton.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3126103

Malachi Sermon Series- Join us for our next sermon series on Malachi as we explore God’s covenant love and our committed response. Series begins October 5.

Text Message Opt-In - We'd love to (occasionally) send you text messages. If you'd like to receive them, we need you to opt in at the link below. https://thebridgealton.churchcenter.com/people/forms/482881?fbclid=IwRlRTSAM2ii5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHk5MYwuGX5zltfly9sFTh_QXIcaVTTkszKW5KATANaN8BTO9tWSEeUwOAHlm_aem_6wpyQwTMe-0x4GM11xulig

As a church that is for our city, we want to encourage those who call The Bridge their home to check out and support local events and live missionally in our community.

October 3, 5pm-8pm: First Fridays Art + Shopping Experience in Downtown Alton

October 4, 12pm: Alton Area Landmarks Historic House Tour

October 19, 12pm-3pm at Flock Food Truck Park: Downtown Alton Chili Cook-Off

Ways to Serve

Serve with Bridge Kids!

We’re looking for passionate, caring volunteers to join our Children’s Ministry team! Bridge Kids serves children from Pre-K through 5th Grade, and we need teachers and helpers to serve just once a month on a rotating team.

This is more than childcare—it’s an opportunity to help shape young hearts and grow in your own faith as you prepare to teach. Volunteers commit to one year at a time, making it a manageable and meaningful way to invest in the next generation.

To ensure a safe and welcoming environment for our kids, all volunteers must complete The Bridge’s “Five Safety Steps” before serving.

Ready to make a difference? Talk to Natalie Runyon. 

The Way of Wisdom- Women’s Bible Study is moving to a new day! Join us on Wednesdays at 9:30 am or an 8 week study on the book of Proverbs. Every day we face the choice between the true riches of God’s instruction or the fool’s gold of earthly pleasures and pursuits. How often do we call to mind the wisdom found in the sayings of Proverbs to shed light on the path before us? How relevant do we even believe these ancient words are to our modern world? The wisdom of Proverbs is an invitation to steadily walk God’s way in God’s world. Childcare is provided for this study. If you plan to attend, please register at https://thebridgealton.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3060695

Men's Bible Study-Tuesday mornings from 7-8, the men of The Bridge meet to study and discuss the upcoming week's sermon text. Coffee and donuts are provided.

Women’s Community Group- Each week we study the upcoming sermon text together with women from The Bridge and the community. On Thursday, September 11, we kick off a new season and we’d love for you to join us! We meet from 6-8 pm at local homes. For details, contact Brenda Wooff or register on Church Center. https://thebridgealton.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2061598

Community Groups- There are a variety of Community Groups that meet throughout the year. To find a Community Group that’s right for you, or to learn more about leading or hosting a group, see Pastor Jon.