In my November article, I introduced the topic of a “bridge event.” This is an event that is intended to build a bridge with the community. They are designed to be easy to invite others and to give them a chance to meet people in our congregations. These events easily align with missional approaches to church, encouraging church members to listen to the needs and interests of those in their community and then design an appealing event that would speak to those subjects. At the College Church of Christ in Searcy, Arkansas, the women’s ministry also decided to use some of these events as we were coming out of Covid restrictions in order to encourage community building among our members that had been separated far too long. The bridge events were successful and provided opportunities for newer members that had joined our congregation during the pandemic to get to know others in our congregation. The events also provided fun activities we could invite visitors to attend.

At the beginning of the year, many are thinking about New Year’s resolutions and health. Inviting people who have special expertise in the area of health and wellness to come speak, whether it be for a single hour or for a seminar, appeals to a broad audience. Some possible themes could be nutrition, healthy cooking, flexibility, exercise, or healthy aging. If food or cooking is the topic of your bridge event, consider having a cooking demonstration and providing samples, recipes, and information for the attendees to take home. Some churches have also successfully offered fitness classes or programs centered on walking or running.

The spring season also has built-in holiday themes that could be tied into your bridge event. For a recent Valentine’s Day, our women’s ministry decided to do a cooking class designed by a local restaurant owner who demonstrated how to make an elegant, easy Italian meal. For this particular event, we also livestreamed it to allow some of our members to participate who were still having to be careful from COVID-19. In-person participants got to taste the food, and they went home with recipes and instructions. To add a little extra touch, you could also provide some easy table-scaping ideas. As you are thinking through what to name the event, be sure to make it inclusive and to avoid the temptation of labeling it in a way that would exclude people, such as “How to make a romantic meal for two.” This could potentially isolate members and visitors alike if they are not in a relationship.

There are other potential audiences for a Valentine’s Day event. Think through some groups that could use a little extra affirmation: widows, widowers, teachers, foster care parents, or people in service-oriented positions in the community. Valentine’s Day could be a good time to provide a special event or service to show love towards them, which is especially impactful when someone may not be celebrated. Another option could be a dinner or party for younger people who might invite a parent, grandparent, or friend to attend with them. If this is the case, be careful not to imply that it is limited to a parent/child relationship, as this could exclude those who do not have a parent in their lives that could attend.

Spring is also a time when many in the community begin thinking about their gardens. A fun activity that can generate a lot of interest could center around gardening. When we tried this event at College Church of Christ, we invited someone from our local garden club to give a presentation on container gardening. She spoke on “spiller, thriller, and filler” and showed everyone how to design a pleasing arrangement. We felt like this was a type of gardening that would be accessible even to those that did not have their own yard. Then we took the group behind the church building where we had set up big plastic containers of dirt, pots, and a selection of plants. Each person was able to put what they learned into practice and take home their own arrangement.

Mother’s Day also provides an opportunity for women to celebrate together. A mother-daughter tea or brunch is an appealing activity that gives girls both young and old a chance to show their mothers what they mean to them. This is also an easy event for inviting neighbors and friends. An event like this does not have to be held on Mother’s Day, but it could be held the day before. Consider having door prizes for those in attendance to increase appeal to the community. Because of the appeal of the event, inexpensive tickets of just a few dollars could be sold to help cover the cost if needed. To make sure that the event is inclusive, efforts could be made to invite mother-figures to the event, not only birth or adopted mothers.  

As you are planning events for the spring, general seasonal-themed events or ones focusing on local interests or holidays are good to consider. Bridge events create community on multiple levels:  within our own churches by giving an opportunity for new members to get to know people as well as building bridges between our congregation and the community. Bridge events meet people where they are and appeal to people’s interests and desires to be a part of a community. View events like these as an experiment. Listen to the types of things that might be appealing, do your best to plan a quality event, then assess and adjust later. Both you and your congregation will be blessed by these.