What Has Transpired

Supporters,

Some of you have noticed that you have not received your November newsletter. This is because right when we were going to write it, some things transpired. We are writing a letter early next week. Many of you already know the events that have transpired. For those of you who don't,

What has transpired:

For the past 2-3 months, our other youth pastor, Gabe, has been getting ready to leave for a new position at a camp 2 hours North of us. As far as we knew, The Bridge was going to hire his position and I was going to remain doing what I do: stay involved with the youth ministry, pastoring youth; along with some new direction of telling the story of The Bridge via videos, blogs, etc... During this time, we have been planning how and when we were going to break the news about Gabe to the students. Well, the date was set that he was going to work it into his message and tell the kids on Thursday, November 17.

After Gabe gave his message to the students on the 17th about leaving, it was all very sad and all, but everyone was joyful for him and felt like God had something good planned for him. That night after youth, I was approached by one of our board members who invited Kylee and me to join them at their board meeting that next morning, November 18th, at 9 am. We didn't really know what we were going into and prayed for God to have His way, that we would be quick to listen and slow to speak, that we would not react on emotion. We entered the back office to be told that they were in over their head financially, they wanted to rework the structure of The Bridge, and at the beginning of the year they were going to cut our positions. They wanted us to stay until the end of the year but would understand if we felt we had to leave.

Thursday, December 1st, I spoke to the youth ministry with a message that incorporated the events that have transpired, the fact that we need to leave The Bridge, and that we love them dearly, and that we want to stay in Anderson, so it's not necessarily goodbye. It was heartbreaking to give and there were a lot of tears. We are staying on with the youth ministry for what we have scheduled out for the rest of the year.

December 4th was our last Sunday at The Bridge and it was announced to the church our current situation financially and the changes that are being made. They played a picture video as a tribute to us, prayed for us and then had cheesecake. There were a lot of tears and hugs to go around. 

What has been so hard is that we have to leave this beautiful family that we've been so fortunate to be a part of for so many years in order for there to be some healing to occur. The Bridge has been a wonderful place of employment and calling and ministry. It just hurts that this situation we got stuck in got so bad so quickly. It has really been a good situation we've been in for over 4 years now. We've done and gained experience in things that we would not have gotten anywhere else. We don't regret any of it!

Kylee and I have been so so so so grateful of ALL the support we've had over the years at The Bridge. God has blessed us so much by you and by all the hundreds of people we've come in contact with. This is a time of our lives we will cherish very dearly for the rest of our lives. Please keep us in your prayers, as we move forward, for God to clearly reveal what's next for us. We love this town and don't want to leave it if at all possible. We have a great community of love and support around us here in Anderson and would hate to see that go.

I've been dreading writing this email because our supporters have been so much to us over the years, we don't want you to think that it was all for nothing. The Bridge has really been incredible and what hasn't been incredible has really only transpired over the past couple of months. This is a ministry that we pray will continue to grow and change lives. It's a beautiful church with beautiful people with beautiful hearts. It has an incredible vision and a desire for openness that many churches fail to have. And we may be back. But for now, we will begin church-hopping and begin the healing process and pray for God to provide a clear direction of what's next. With each new day, our spirits slightly rise to a new level of excitement for what's next. This is progress and a process.

If you have ANY questions at all, feel free to contact us about anything! We plan on sending out one more letter for this year (next week) and perhaps one more once God reveals what we do next, so that everyone can be informed and praying! He'll provide for us. He always has. We were in this position right after we got married and He provided for us then: He provided you guys. Thank you.

Much inexplicable love,

Phil & Kylee