Tough times for the world are good times for the church, according to Curt Demoff, lead pastor of Bridgewood Church.
With Easter this weekend, Demoff and staff at Bridgewood offer services to help.
‘We’re going to be talking about how right now there are a lot of people in a situation in their life that have lost their job already, they’re losing their 401k, they’re losing all of their stuff, and they feel a sense of hopelessness,? he said. ‘We really want to bring hope to people right now in their situations.?
Demoff said members of the congregation are giving out invitations to people they know who are out of work or going through tough times. The church also mailed out more than 500 invitations to local businesses.
‘We want our community to succeed. We want community businesses to succeed. We don’t want to see businesses close up, we don’t want to see people lose their homes,? he said. ‘Just because we’re a church doesn’t meant that we’re exempt from that.?
He said several families in the church are jobless and losing their homes due to foreclosure, or single moms ‘feeling the financial pressure of feeding their family.?
‘It’s (the service) going to be really upbeat and give people the chance to get out of the doom and gloom message that they’re a part of right now in the world. For them to just break out of that and just spend 75 minutes just soaking in hope and with people that are with you in the same struggle,? Demoff said. ‘There is just a lot of synergy that comes with it when you get with people and you’re all in the same boat and you’re encouraging each other.?
At the end of the service will be a special prayer for people’s businesses, he noted.
Demoff said they have other classes and events coming up after this weekend tying into their Easter message of hope.
‘We’re not just going to pump them full of hope and pat them on the back on the way out and say ‘good luck and we’ll be thinking about you,? he said. ‘We got some follow up things that we’re going to be doing.?
Starting April 8, a special class is set for on Wednesdays, 6:45-8 p.m., based on the bestseller book ‘Love and Respect? by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs.
Demoff said the reason they’re doing the book is because many arguments between husbands and wives are about money.
‘Whether it’s financial, family, children, or just life,? he said. ‘It’s learning how to deal with tough issues with love and respect with your spouse.?
Also on April 23 at 8 p.m., the church sponsors a nationwide ‘Town Hall for Hope? featurng author and talk show host Dave Ramsey.
‘He is doing it in the same format like the president does,? said Demoff. ‘He is speaking to the nation at 8 p.m. There will be people who will be in the studio audience and then also questions that will be coming to him from venue sites and different things like that.?
He said the church is hosting the free event for the public.
‘Dave Ramsey is going to approach it from the standpoint of maybe telling you some of the other side of the story that maybe people don’t know about. Not to panic and start going into ‘this is the end of the world,?” Demoff said. “But he will offer a lot of financial advice and again a lot of hope that we’ve been through these times before as a nation and we’ll get through them again.?
The church also has a financial counselor who’s trained through Dave Ramsey’s program on staff, offering free financial counseling.
‘We would love to provide that as a resource in this community,? said Demoff. ‘If we can help them or if they need that, they can contact the church and we would love to schedule something with them.?
The church is also starting a support group soon for people who have lost their jobs. The group would offer encouragement and relationships, and also networking, helping fill out resumes, and sharing information about jobs.
A date has not been set yet, but this summer the church will be hosting ‘One Day to Feed the World,? a day to raise money for hungry people in the United States.
‘We’re working with a non-profit organization called Convoy of Hope, which is one of the disaster relief agencies that responds to crisis in our country, whether it’s hurricanes, natural disasters, or whatever,? Demoff said.
They also want to collect food and items for local shelters and food banks as well, he noted.
‘It will be a multi-faceted event where we will be raising money for people in the United States who we may never get to see our touch, others of it will be directing our community right here,? he sad. ‘We’re thankful for all the shelters and food banks that are here.?
Demoff said the premise behind ‘One Day to Feed the World? is letting go of self absorption and learning how to give of yourself and be a blessing to neighbors, friends, and the people in your community, even in tough times.
That’s why he wants Bridgewood church to be a place where people can feel a freedom to come when they’re hurting.
‘Whether they’re ‘churched? or not, it doesn’t matter to us,? he said. ‘We are here to help people. That is the mission of our church.?
The Good Friday Services begin at noon and 7 p.m. Easter Sunday services will be at 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.
For more information, call 248-625-1344 or visit www.bridgewoodchurch.com.