A joy to serve
This past week we had the opportunity to serve families in our community with Linkhorne Middle School. Not only is it a joy to meet at LMS but it is an honor to be a part of the LMS family. We were able to provide doughnuts, muffins, juice and milk for their Doughnuts with Dad and Muffins with Mom events before school. It was a blessing to create a few minutes for parents and kids to sit across from one another and talk before they began their day. Check out the thank you video below from some of the teachers, parents and students at Linkhorne.
A culture of Cheerful Givers
How exciting to see what God has done over the 3rd quarter of the year! This past Sunday we celebrated giving and God’s faithfulness as we enter the last few months of 2018. We can never “out-give” Him! To see the Body understanding that, and becoming more and more aligned with the generous heart of Jesus is absolutely incredible.
Fall Festival at parkview
We had a wonderful time celebrating Fall alongside Parkview Community Mission this past Saturday! We were able to serve hotdogs and popcorn, pass out candy, “man” bounce houses, and generally be a presence in our community. Thanks to all who were able to help setup, teardown, and provide goodies for the event. We are here to create a culture of grace and hope in our community and this was a very practical way to do just that.
Partnership with parkview
This past Sunday we highlighted our relationship with Parkview Community Mission. Parkview exists to offer healing and hope to families in our community who may be lacking the resources that many of us enjoy everyday. To be able to serve our neighbors alongside this organization is a real blessing to everyone involved.
This Saturday, Oct. 27th, they are hosting a Fall festival/trunk-or-treat event. There are many opportunities to be involved by serving or just attending and building relationships with some of the people in our community. If you would like to be a part, all of the information to volunteer or attend is on their facebook page. Click here
The privilege of serving
Last week we heard from Dan and Karen Berkenkemper about the joy they have in serving in our Kidsrock ministry and a new volunteer structure being implemented. Kidsrock is more than childcare. It’s not “babysitting”. These guys view their ministry to the kids as a privilege and an opportunity to impact the next generation of followers of Jesus. And to get to do it together is icing on the cake!
Kidsrock is specifically asking couples to serve together. 20 couples, once a month, would smooth out our Kidsrock serving structure and allow more people the opportunity to be a part of what God is doing in the lives of our children at Bedrock. If you would like to hear more about Kidsrock or how to be involved, email Karen@bedrockchurch.com
Creating a culture of the gospel within marriage
This past Sunday we heard from Trevor and Hollie-Anne Royall about their participation in last year’s marriage retreat. “Refreshed, relaxed, and more passionate about loving each other well” is the way the Hollie-Anne described she and Trevor after the retreat. From the speakers, to the night out, to the guided prayer room, everything about it pointed the marriages of Bedrock to Jesus and each other.
Next year’s retreat at the Hotel Roanoke will be here before we know it! Whether you are in your 20s or 60s, have been married for 3 weeks or 30 years, need triage or a check-up, every marriage would definitely benefit from attending in 2019. Reserve your spot now. All details and registration are here
Creating a culture in Nicaragua
We are honored to partner with the Gillettes and Because we Care Ministries in Somotillo, Nicaragua. Check out the video below to hear from Donald and Pam about what is going on there.
If you have any questions about our upcoming trips to Nicaragua or Mozambique/South Africa, email missions@bedrockchurch.com
Core Value – Service
What we believe, determines what we value; what we value, determines what we actually do. Bedrock Lynchburg has four core values: The Word, Team, Community, and Service. Check out the video below to hear why “Service” is a core value for us.
Core Value – Community
What we believe, determines what we value; what we value, determines what we actually do. Bedrock Lynchburg has four core values: The Word, Team, Community, and Service. Check out the video below to hear why “Community” is a core value for us.
Core Value – TEAM
What we believe, determines what we value; what we value, determines what we actually do. Bedrock Lynchburg has four core values: The Word, Team, Community, and Service. Check out the video below to hear why “Team” is a core value for us.
Core Value – The Word
What we believe, determines what we value; what we value, determines what we actually do. Bedrock Lynchburg has four core values: The Word, Team, Community, and Service. Check out the video below to hear why The Word is a core value for us.
Creating a culture in tanzania
We share “create a culture” moments as part of our worship time to inform and inspire, with stories of people living out our core values. Last Sunday we learned more about the Sharpes, serving with Ethnos 360 (formerly New Tribes Mission) in Tanzania. Check out their video below.
Serving is something everyone can do anywhere — believers are saved to serve — and as fall begins we look forward to everyone finding new ways to serve our community.
A Culture of Going
Being an ambassador of Jesus is a 24/7 responsibility. Whether you are traveling for a job after graduation, to be a part of a church plant, a week’s family vacation, or a summer break, we see Bedrock Lynchburg as a launching pad for the gospel. Check out this video of three of our students who have been creating a culture within the communities God has placed them for the summer.
Let’s pray for one another as we wrap up summer a look forward to the fall!
A Culture of giving
It was incredibly exciting this past Sunday for pastor James to brief us on our 2nd quarter giving. He highlighted the partnership that we have with Linkhorne Middle School. Of course, our desire was never to just have “a place to meet”, but to establish relationships with the school, the students, and the families in the surrounding community for the sake of the Gospel.
A unique opportunity we have this week is to serve at Linkhorne’s back to school block party. If you still need to register for an area of service, go to https://bedrocklynchburg.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/148074 What a joy to be able to invest financially and relationally in the expansion of the Kingdom! If you have any questions about the financial report, what it means to tithe, how funds are being invested, etc., pastor James would love to chat.
Creating Culture in Mozambique
At the beginning of the year we heard from Pastor Jeremy about his trip to scout out opportunities for further partnership with the Schmidts on Mozambique Island. Check out the video below to hear from Rodger Schmidt about how things are going. Pray for the persecuted believers there as they desire to be a light to their families and community.
The global missions team is excited about the opportunity for Bedrock to minister in South Africa and Mozambique in April, 2019! If you would like details about that trip, contact aschmidt19@liberty.edu.
Creating Culture in Birmingham
Last Sunday we heard from Eric and Amber Blais about how God is calling them to Birmingham, England, to minister with the local church in that city. They are particularly excited about serving the large millennial and Muslim populations there and engaging their community through music . Check out the video below of Andy, one of their partnering pastors, as he shares about the need for the Gospel in Birmingham.
If you would like more information about the ministry there, or to learn how you can pray or give to this mission, contact Amberjoyblais@gmail.com
Creating Culture in Colombia
How do the song lyrics “I am yours and you are mine” play out for a recent mechanical engineering graduate from Virginia Tech? For David Richards it means answering a call back to campus… not to his campus but to colleges in the country of Colombia. David has witnessed the impact of college ministries during his time as a student, so he’s currently raising funds to go help with 16 university ministries. There’s an obvious need: over 400 campuses in Columbia have no such ministry, and with a population of over 2.2 million, less than ten percent claim to be evangelical Christians. Would you pray for David as he answers God’s call?
Some are called to go and some to send, so David is seeking the financial support needed to send him as well. If you would like to invest in this minitry, please email david.richards@ma.agmd.org.
Creating Culture in London
Serve Sunday 2018
TIES FOR GUYS
After weeks of collecting suits, dress shirts, and other dress attire from Bedrock Church and Thomas Road Baptist Church, we received two car loads full of dress clothes for the local community. The generosity of both churches was amazing to witness and it really demonstrates the church’s vision to serve those around us. It is truly a blessing to attend a church that understands how to show God’s love by living out the gospel.
A few weeks ago we were able to deliver the suits and dress clothes to the community. During this time, we had many young and middle-aged men receive suits, dress shirts, ties, and dress shoes. The community was truly grateful for the donations. Along with handing out dress clothes, we had very intentional conversations regarding our willingness to serve them and we shared that we are doing it for God’s glory. We were able to hand out some Bibles to individuals in the community as well, including a few new followers of Christ.
We have extra dress clothes that we will be saving until next fall when we can continue to serve our community in Jesus name. Thank you for your vision for our community and your willingness to create a culture of hope here.
Continuing a Legacy in New England
As a church that desires to not only create a culture, here and now, but continue a legacy in the future, church planting is part of the heartbeat of Bedrock. We are excited to be planting City Light Church in Worchester, MA, and individuals and families have been praying about their role and involvement in this plant.
One of those families is the Shoges. We heard from them on Sunday about how God has led them to be a part of this plant and how He has confirmed their decision to move their family to Worchester this summer. Pray for them in the midst of this transition. A new house, new relationships, new job, unknowns, etc., create the potential for both stress and excitement.
It is sad to see them and the rest of the team go, but it is incredibly exciting to see how God is working in peoples’ hearts as they follow Him in obedience. Listen to Stephen and Kevin(lead church planter) share some of the City Light story and some prayer requests as they move forward.
Serve Sunday, 2018, is June 10th!!!
The Tedder’s Testimony
When the end game is not to build a megachurch but to “send out”, the result is that members of our body will move, as the Lord leads, to minister in other locations. “Sending out” was an appropriate theme Sunday, as we prayed for recent graduates who are leaving to begin new careers in new places of service. We also prayed for Brandon and Kristen Tedder who will be joining the Bedrock church in Bozeman, Montana. In this video they explain their calling and covet your prayers as they serve the Lord alongside the team in Montana.
Park View Ladies Night
Bedrock is a partnering church with Park View Community Mission, an organization offering a variety of resources for people facing financial insecurity or who are trapped in a cycle of generational poverty. They’re located on Memorial Avenue, serving a neighborhood in the fourth poorest zip code in all of Virginia. (It’s also the location of Bedrock’s office space.)
Rachel Koenig attends Bedrock and also works at the Mission. She wanted to make a connection between the women she sees on Sunday and the women she sees during the week.
The result was a party for both groups to get to know each other, called “Park View Ladies Night.” About 15 women from the neighborhood attended, along with 25 women from the five Bedrock women’s groups that were held this semester.
“Our primary goal was building relationships,” said Ashley Boussier, one of the organiziers. A group meeting room was decorated to create a party atmosphere that many women in the area don’t often experience. “We had gift bags, t-shirts, icebreaker games, and then four stations for the women to relax and spend time with one another. The stations were painting, card making, making a sugar scrub and nails/mask.”
Simply connecting and relating with other women in the community made the night a memorable experience; one the women’s ministry will consider repeating in the future. If you would like more information about Park View, visit https://www.parkviewcommunitymission.org
Creating a culture with the Kids!
Last Sunday, we looked at another part of our church culture–the ministry to children we call Kids Rock. As a child, Brian Taylor benefited from children’s ministry as he grew in his faith, and now he loves having the opportunity to continue a legacy of the Gospel with the next generation of kids. Not only is he much better at “Simon Says”, but Brian also states that, “it has really helped me as I prepare — to think about how to share the Gospel in simple terms. I learn something every time I’m with those kids”.
We asked Brian what kind of commitment is involved in volunteering. “You’re only asked to serve one Sunday each month, and we meet 30 minutes prior to the start time, for prayer.” Of course if you have a passion for creating a culture of grace and hope among babies and children you can join the team as many Sundays as you’d like!
Contact our Kids Rock Director, Karen, if you’d like to be a part. Karen@bedrockchurch.com, Instagram @yarenkates or Twitter @Ms_CoachK_Yates.
Creating a Culture of Giving
Sharing in the responsibility to create a culture in our community involves financially investing in the Kingdom, as well as rejoicing in how those funds are being utilized.
Here are just a few highlights from the first three months of this year:
– God moved in the lives of men who participated in the United Basketball League.
– A first-of-its-kind motocross team trekked into unreached villages in Nicaragua with the Gospel.
– Couples grew strong at our marriage retreat.
– Three followers of Christ made their professions of faith public through baptism.
The chart below shows how God has provided, and the disbursement of His supply. Thank you for participating in the mission of Bedrock Lynchburg!
On Mission in Nicaragua
Followers of Christ often go on short-term mission trips to help with specific projects, like construction, in addition to sharing the Good News with others. Most are first-timers. Isaac Griswold went on his fourth trip in February but is never sure what each day will bring. One day he helps bring a hot meal to a village, another day he plays ball with children.
Serving with Donald and Pam Gillette, Bedrock missionaries living in Nicaragua, Isaac is familiar enough with the routine to know there is no routine. He knows he can be asked to share the Gospel at a moment’s notice, and of course it’s the main reason why he’s there. And it’s why he’ll be going again next year.
Most “trippers” return with the realization that they received so much more than they gave, and Isaac’s reasons for going back are even deeper.
“In this country it’s so easy to get distracted with things to do or all the things we have, all the materialism. There, it’s just the Bible and people and me. It refocuses me on what’s essential, what my purpose is in life, to make disciples. I never stop learning and growing.”
If that sounds like something you want to do — or need to do — a Bedrock team will be serving in Nicaragua in August. Let us know if you want more information.
Please pray for the people of Nicaragua because of the recent civil unrest. Pray for safety for the Gillettes. Above all, pray, not just for an absence of violence, but that the peace that comes from knowing Jesus will capture the hearts of Nicaraguans.
Creating a Culture of Hope in India
Bedrock’s vision is to create a culture that is rooted in the truths found in the Word of God and continue a legacy of lives changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One example of that is sharing your story with others. All of us can do that right where we live. Others share the gospel with those of other cultures. Teresa is one who did that last month in India.
This was her second trip with a group from World Help, based here in Lynchburg. On her first trip they met a young man, a follower of Christ, who asked the team to speak with his sister. A long-held family tradition in his village is to prepare their girls to become prostitutes. Teresa spoke to Uma, who is 14 and had contracted AIDS. She shared the gospel, and this year she was able to follow up. Uma is now saved and has been rescued from a life of sex-trafficking! She lives with 129 others in a rehab center called House of Palms, a ministry that helps restore lives, spiritually, physically, and emotionally.
Teresa’s takeaway: Don’t be ashamed of opening your mouth. Too often we think it’s best to just live a Christian life and hope others will notice the difference. But if you talk, people will listen.
If you would like to see more photos or hear more about what God is doing at House of Palms, contact Teresa at mamaliga1@hotmail.com or 434.238.2770.
