We have been serving/volunteering at Browns Bridge Church for over 15 years. I grew up Catholic but not super involved (alcoholic father, divorced parents, a father who got into a drunk driving accident with my younger brother, and my dad died when I was young as a result of his alcoholism). Scott grew up Methodist and very involved (two happily married parents and a family involved in the church).
When Scott and I began dating, he brought me to a service at Browns Bridge—I immediately felt the Lord working through me (we are talking goosebumps and holding back tears) during worship. I had solidified my feelings and wanted to learn more during service.
Scott and I married and [I was] quickly pregnant. I say this because almost nothing will bring you to your knees in prayer more than becoming a parent.
We were already serving in Waumba Land at Browns Bridge before having our kids. We have served in virtually every role—Greeter, Guest Services, Bible Storyteller, Host, Small Group Leader Fill-Ins, Baby Holder, and we are horrible singers but have been coerced on stage with the Worship teams.
Our kids grew up and transitioned from Waumba to UpStreet. As a kindergartener, my son had his first small group that he grew close with; he is now 14 years old and attended that small group leader’s wedding over the summer.
My daughter also had a small group leader as a kindergartener who she became extremely close with. As my daughter transitioned to Transit, her small group leader moved to Paris. My daughter (now 13) was baptized this year, and her small group leader came back from Paris and baptized her.
Scott and I, along with Owen and Ella, all currently serve in UpStreet. Scott and I are Hosts, sometimes Production, sometimes Storytellers, and sometimes crowd-worship-hype people.
We have kids ask us questions about their relationship with Jesus; they tell us their parents are fighting; they tell us about exciting news; they tell us about bullies at school; they tell us they don’t live with their mom or dad; they ask us if Jesus is real and where God came from; they ask us if they can win the Squishmallow on stage.
Our kids, Owen (14) and Ella (13), both lead small groups in UpStreet. They attend [the kids’] birthday parties, they talk to the kids’ parents, they have hard conversations, and do big celebrations.
When you choose to serve at Browns Bridge, you get to live out your faith and contribute to something bigger than yourselves. Watching our kids grow in their faith through teaching other kids about Jesus impacts our lives too—but THEY learned to serve because they watched us serve for over 15 years.
We have worked hard to make an environment where our kids have continued to be excited to wake up on Sunday mornings—to see the groups they are a part of in both Transit and InsideOut as well as, and possibly more importantly, to see and SERVE the kids they CHOOSE to serve in UpStreet.
We can only continue to impact your kids’ futures in growing their faith with Jesus if we have people who are willing to put themselves out there in order to make this community and this world a better place.
Choose to serve. Choose to make an impression of faith on a student. Choose to change your community for the better. Choose to make a better faith-based future for all of us. Choose to serve, because when you do, YOUR impact will change lives.
You are Made For More, too. Volunteering in our church is one way you can discover the more you are made for. Ready to find out what you were made for?
