FAQ

1. Why are you called The Bridge?

   We are a Bridge between the community and the church and also between people and God.

2. Why don't you meet in a church?

   Do you mean why don’t we meet in a church building? For too long the word ‘church ‘ has been taken to mean a building. Sorry to say but we don’t think or believe church is about a building. We rather think it is a people. Sometimes those people meet together to specifically worship God, at others times they are doing God’s mission in the world, at other times they just meet together because we love to. We also did a survey before the Bridge started and many people said they would prefer to meet in a neutral venue and not in a church building. A school seemed the ideal place.

3. What is the most valued thing at The Bridge?

   We are not sure we value things that highly. We try to place a higher value on people than things, we don’t always get it right but that’s what we aim for.

4. What is the "Weekly Presentation"?

   Well, it happens every Sunday, starting about 5.10pm, and lasts about an hour. We try to help people of all ages encounter God through Jesus Christ. I suppose some might call it a ‘service’. It is a time of worship with singing, praying, community news, some thoughts on a particular issue, a time of reflection, . We try to share the gospel in a language that is accessible, jargon free and easy to understand. We make use of drama, contemporary Christian and non-Christian live music, video/DVD clips, meditations, PowerPoint presentations. When the presentation has finished we always have some food and a drink. Some will sit and chat whilst others will go and play games in the school gym.

5. What are your values?

   We are a church for people who are not really into church. We are more into Kingdom than denominations, more into people than programmes, more into building community and hospitality than meetings, more into mission than maintenance, more into discipleship than conversion, more into belonging than doctrine.

6. If you don't have a collection, where does your money come from?

   We are supported financially by the Hinckley Methodist Circuit and by individuals who are committed to what the Bridge is doing.

7. Is The Bridge just for the unchurched, or can anyone come along?

   Anyone can come along to The Bridge. We have welcomed the lost, the prodigals, the unchurched, dechurched and especially those who are sick of being labelled.

8. You don't seem to have much in common with Methodist churches - why are you part of a Methodist circuit?

   Well, you are right - we might not seem to have a lot in common with some Methodist churches. One of the reasons The Bridge was born was because a Methodist minister didn’t think that the way ‘church’ was happening was hitting the right spot for a lot of people. The Bridge has to be something different otherwise we would be back to square one! We do have a lot in common with the founder of Methodism, John Wesley.

9. Do you believe in the same things as ordinary churches? If so, why don't you just go to an ordinary church?

   Why don’t you come and find out what we believe and why - and see if it is like ‘ordinary church’.

10. What do I do when I get to The Bridge?

    You will be given a warm welcome and shown where to go- and then it is up to you. There is no pressure to do anything you are uncomfortable with, so if you would prefer to sit and sing, or not sing at all, that is fine. We have activities for children and young people and a creche. After the presentation, we have some tea with a chance to chat, but if you want to leave straight away then that is fine too.

11. I've got young children and I'm concerned they will disturb the worship - is it OK to bring them?

    Yes, it is fine. We have a lot of children and young people and they have always been welcome at The Bridge. We are not bothered if they run around and get involved with things – in fact that’s what we aim to do. If you think they disturb worship it is probably because we are not doing the worship right!

12. I am disabled. Will I be able to get in to The Bridge? How?

    The school has disabled access throughout. There is a lift and disabled toilet. All of the main presentation activities take place on the ground floor.

13. Can I have my child baptised at The Bridge?

    Yes, we have baptised children and adults.

14. Can we get married at The Bridge?

    Unfortunately not, because the school is not licensed for weddings.

15. You haven't got a pointy roof on your church. Does this mean your church is pointless?

    We do not have a pointy roof on the building we meet in but there is a very definite point to The Bridge. Come and find out!

16. When and where is The Bridge happiest?

    When we are talking, having fun and sharing food together.