The Bridge Expands to serve Sunday Lunch

Fox 2 News did a great story on The Bridge expanding to serve Sunday lunch.

 

Food Drive - July 17-31st!

More of our neighbors are experiencing something many never thought possible in our plentiful area...hunger. Over 120,000 people in greater St. Louis region need the help of food pantries and feeding programs for their families. Many are coming for the first time, and almost half that receive food are children.

Operation Food Search is sponsoring food drives throughout the month of July. On July 17-31, Lafayette Park UMC will hold a food drive to benefit The Bridge, which provides meals and support to the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless.

Please take this shopping list with you on your next trip to the grocery store, and pick up a few items for The Bridge (large-sized cans are appreciated). Baskets for your donations will be placed inside both church entrances. Have you ever regretted an act of generosity? Your donations will make a difference--thank you!

Shopping List:

• Canned Meats
• Soups/Chili
• Rice & Beans
• Canned Vegetables
• Cereals (Hot/Cold)
• Peanut Butter
• Canned Fruit
• Pasta Products
• Canned Juice
• Baby Formula
• Baby Food
• Personal Care Items

*No Glass Items*

Walking Home Event - Nov. 13th

On Saturday, November 13, The Bridge will host the 3rd annual Walking Home Event to raise awareness of the existence of homelessness in St. Louis and to further understanding of the challenges faced by sojourners each day. The Walk will begin at Centenary United Methodist Church, home of The Bridge, at 1610 Olive St. downtown.

Doors will open at 9:00 a.m. Breakfast will be served, and on-site registration will be from 9:30 to 10:00. Participants may also register by going to The Bridge website, www.bridgestl.org, and are encouraged to do so. At 10:00, Executive Director Reverend Kathleen Wilder will welcome walkers, followed by a few words from Mayor Slay and a brief statement from one of the guests of The Bridge. The first group of walkers will leave the church at approximately 10:20. At each of five stops along the trail, participants will be greeted by a Walk host who will tell a little about the services of a particular agency, or talk about the significance of the point at which the group is stopped. The entire route will take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours to cover. For those who are unable to complete the entire distance, there will be a point mid-way, or sooner, at which people may return to the church. Back at Centenary UMC, walkers will have the chance to discuss what they heard--and learned--while they have lunch and enjoy music by Not for a Billion--the Ron Daugherty Party Band.

Please join staff and guests of The Bridge for this very important event. Reading or hearing about homelessness is one thing. Walking the path that hundreds of people travel every day, just to get their basic needs met; talking with a veteran who has no place to call home; looking into the face of a young mother raising her children alone; these can take a person from knowing that homelessness exists in our city to, just maybe, being able to understand a little bit of what that means. Walking Home is a no-fee event; however, we will gladly accept free-will donations on site.

Vacation Bible School July 19-22, at The Bridge

Through the generosity of Living Word United Methodist Church in Wildwood, MO, SportsLife Camps will be bringing an evening Vacation Bible School program to The Bridge for kids to enjoy. On Monday, July 19, through Thursday, July 22, from 6:30 - 8 p.m. each evening, all children in 1st through 6th grades (what they'll be entering in fall 2010) will be welcomed to join the fun at Cententary for this program.

Sara Cleary, Director of Children's Ministries at Living Word says, "This will be our 3rd summer offering SportsLife Camp at Living Word. It has been an awesome experience for all involved." They wanted to offer the same program to children of our guests at The Bridge, those that reside in area homeless shelters with their parents and for children who live in the downtown area who may not otherwise have the availability for VBS this summer. Living Word arranged for SportsLife to come to Centenary as part of their Community Outreach program.

As Sara goes on to say, "The SportsLife Team Counselors simply show up with a trailer full of supplies and lead the camp - much different than a 'traditional' VBS". This year's theme is "REACH". The time at VBS will be spent with upbeat song and dance, arts & crafts, a Bible lesson with a DVD component, and then actual "sport instruction" in various areas. And of course, a snack!

It is desired that all campers pre-register, but walk-ins will be welcomed as well. There is no cost to any children who attend the VBS at Centenary. Open registration begins each night at 6:15 pm right inside the door off the parking lot at Centenary UMC. For more information or to register your child for VBS, please contact The Bridge.

Hands In Mission - May 15th

Pencil in Saturday morning, May 15th, to lend your hands in mission. We'll be cleaning, planting, and possibly painting, at The Bridge, a UM Ministry based at Centenary UMC.

We will meet at 8:00am in the parking lot to carpool.

If you missed the event, her are some great photos . . .

Hands In Mission-The Bridge May 2010

Walking Home . . . A Walk in Solidarity to End Homelessness - Nov 14th

Gather with those yearning to end homelessness in St. Louis.

When: Saturday, November 14 at 10am
Where: The Bridge, located at Centenary United Methodist Church
What: A Walk in Solidarity so wear your walking shoes…

The annual Walking Home event to be held this year on Saturday, November 14. If you walked last year, you may have had the opportunity to talk with a guest of The Bridge (then Centenary CARES) and have your eyes--and your heart--opened to the reality of homelessness in a way that no news story or compilation of statistics can do. There is no reservation required. Please bring as many friends and family members as are interested. There is no fee; we merely ask for a goodwill donation that will be used to fund The Bridge ministry.

Please join others in helping to increase awareness of the situation of those who are trying to find their way home.

Hands in Mission - Summer 2009!

Something new is coming . . .

WHAT? Hands in Mission (H.I.M.) will provide teams of workers to be sent into our local mission field to serve local projects and further develop relationships with existing Methodist agencies. The purpose of these opportunities is to nurture personal relationships with staff, volunteers and clients, and to make a difference in our community by assisting with unbudgeted maintenance tasks.

Typically, we will form workgroups within our multi-aged project team and work side-by-side with other volunteers/staff to perform the tasks at hand. During our time at the worksite, we will tour the facility and learn about the services that our host provides.

WHEN? Hands In Mission will usually take place one Saturday morning a month from 8:00 until noon, or whatever part of the morning works into your schedule. We will do three H.I.M.’s this summer, from June through August.

WHY? Because as part of the body of Christ, we are invited to be Christ’s hands in our community, to do his work of building, healing, and loving.

Dates for upcoming H.I.M. Opportunities
Saturday, June 13th Centenary Cares
Saturday, July 25th Shalom House
Saturday, August 22nd TBA

Questions? Contact Jason Stokes, Chris Kinder, or Pastor Sharon

Coat Drive!

We are again collecting clean and repaired coats (for all ages) for those who are in need of a warm coat to wear during the winter months. If you have a coat to share, drop it in the box in Fellowship Hall downstairs. They will be shared with the guests at Cares Outreach, our United Methodist outreach to the homeless in our urban community.

Stories from Walking Home - Nov. 8 2008

by Debra Crowe

When I was in college, a group of friends convinced me to go camping. I agreed, as much as anything, so they would stop asking. I’m not the camping type. I don’t like dirt. I don’t like bugs. I don’t like summer without air conditioning. And I don’t like starting the day without my morning shower. They were so sure that, once I tried it, I’d come to appreciate the great outdoors. I didn’t think so, but I did figure that, once I’d tried it, they would see that it wasn’t for me and they would leave me alone. So I went camping.

Saturday night, it rained. Sunday morning, what had the night before been six people squeezed sardine-like into one tent was a mad tangle of arms, legs and other people’s blankets. The closest bathroom was enough distant that, unless we were desperate, even the girls looked for a suitable dense stand of bushes. It was quite an experience; one that, in the many years since, I’ve never felt the desire to revisit. I prefer the comfort of my sofa and my bed; the coziness of my kitchen; and the freshness of my tiled bathroom. And I am so very lucky to have the choice.

For the 1322 homeless in Saint Louis, living on the street, or in a park, or beneath a bridge offers little to no comfort. Their beds consist of a cardboard box and whatever blanket they may have been able to acquire. Food comes from neighborhood churches or shelters. Showers are a little harder to come by. The cold and wet of winter and the suffocating heat and humidity of Midwest summers are realities they have no choice but to endure.

For most of us, the plight of the homeless is beyond our true understanding. It’s like so many other things that, not having experienced it first-hand, we can’t comprehend. On Saturday, November 8, I got just a little taste of it.

Walking Home was an event sponsored by, and for the benefit of, Centenary CARES, an outreach ministry of Centenary United Methodist Church. Located at 1610 Olive Street, CARES is a daily drop-in center for individuals and families who are homeless and hungry. The first in what is planned to be an annual event, the purpose of the walk was to raise awareness of the issue of homelessness and to increase understanding of what it really means to be without a home—without clothing appropriate for the season—without money for medical care—without food.

On the morning of the walk, I stood in front of my hall closet trying to decide which pair of gloves to wear. On Saturday’s walk, I met a couple who were sharing one pair of gloves. During the current economic crisis in our country, there are many who have curtailed their spending by dining out less frequently or cutting back on vacations. On the walk, I met those who depend on the kindness of others for food and have no jobs from which to take a vacation. Many of us have complained that “I have nothing to wear!” when what we really mean is that we’d like something new. For members of St. Louis’ homeless population, their wardrobe consists of the clothes they’re wearing at the time.

The walk commenced at Centenary UMC, covered several city blocks, and ended back at the church. The participants were a mix of those who support the efforts of CARES and those who benefit from its services. I happened to fall into step beside a man named Lamonte. Lamonte was pleasant and friendly, and we ended up talking our way through the streets of downtown. I learned that he was relatively new to his situation, four months homeless. A veteran, Lamonte has worked mainly in warehouses, shipping and receiving. While grateful for the services offered by CARES and other programs, he wishes desperately for work and combs through all available information looking for a job. When I asked if he had family, he told me that he does have relatives living in the area, and that they help when they can, but that their own circumstances are such that they have very little extra that can be shared. He recently learned that one of his brothers is also living on the street. Lamonte shared willingly with me, hoping that it might help those who are unaware of situations like his to better understand; to realize that there are people living on the street who would desperately like to change their situation, if only they could. If only they could get a job. If only someone would offer them an opportunity to make a change.

When we returned to the church at the end of the walk, I sat at a table in the dining room where, since opening their doors in November, 2005, CARES has served over 213,000 meals to over 177,000 people. There I met Lamonte’s partner, Bobbie. Bobbie has a unique work history; experienced in auto repair and cooking! Like Lamonte, she is looking hard for a job. Currently, she’s registered with a temp agency and is hoping that the upcoming holiday season will bring greater opportunity in the culinary field. When we spoke, however, she had been called for only one job in the previous two weeks. I asked Bobbie what she would like people to know about being homeless. “Respect,” she answered. “I’d like people to know that, just because I don’t have a home right now, that doesn’t mean I don’t deserve the respect they’d give anyone else.” She then told me that, immediately following one job interview, she remembered a question she’d forgotten to ask. When she reentered the office she had just left, she saw her job application being torn up. “If they weren’t going to even consider me, why did they interview me? It’s insulting—and it’s very bad for self-esteem.”

I’m sure that my one afternoon’s foray into the world of the homeless living in St. Louis doesn’t give me a real taste of what it’s like to be a member of that community. Unless a person has lived it, I don’t see how it’s possible to really know how it feels to be without a home. When I decided to participate in the walk, I didn’t have any expectations. As someone who is blessed in many ways, I just felt that I should join the event; should, as the literature promoting it stated: Walk in their shoes. Share their story. Change our world. What I found, talking to Lamonte and Bobbie, were a couple who are both valiantly dealing with their current circumstances and desperately trying to change them; who gratefully accept the help offered them while hoping for the opportunity to help themselves; who hope that sharing their story with others will help people to understand that, though currently out of work, they’re working hard to reclaim their independence.

The mission statement of Centenary CARES reads: “Centenary CARES Outreach provides sanctuary for homeless and at-risk persons in St. Louis. Meals and support services for basic human needs are offered by a staff intent on eradicating homelessness by guiding guests on a path to self-sufficiency.” If you would like more information on the program, please contact Lu Oros at 314-238-4056