December 2025 Update

Even through the busy holiday month of December, our design and renovation teams kept meeting steadily and they have made solid progress. We are getting super excited to see more of this place and ideas are churning throughout our congregation (Pinterest boards are multiplying faster than ever)! We were glad to slow down and rest in Him during a worshipful Advent season, reminded of Jesus as our true home amid our labor here in Oreland. We've also welcomed some new faces on Sundays: visitors who have discovered us while we continue meeting for now at Trinity Lutheran in Fort Washington. If you are interested in visiting us, you are more than welcome!

December Progress in Oreland - Joy in the Journey

God has been kind to us in a lot of practical ways on this renovation journey, and we’re excited to share some good news (with a few prayer requests mixed in).

Building Project Update

  • Mold & asbestos:
    We brought in a professional company to test both mold and asbestos in the fellowship hall. The air samples for mold came back normal, which is a big encouragement for anyone with sensitivities. We’re not taking a “victory lap,” but it’s an important sign that the ongoing remediation work is helping. We want to build confidence that the fellowship hall is safe for those with mold sensitivity.
    They also tested the pipe insulation that looked suspicious. The great news: everything in the fellowship hall, kitchen, and bathrooms turned out to be regular fiberglass. Thank you, Lord! Only a small section in the boiler room was asbestos, and that has since been removed. 

  • Preventing future mold:
    After the walls are sealed, we plan to apply a mold inhibitor to help prevent new growth if any moisture does get in. It’s a basement, and basements are never 100% dry, so this feels like a wise, proactive step.

  • Fellowship hall walls:
    The walls are almost ready for sealing. Our next work day will focus on brushing on the first coat of masonry sealer—a slow but important job. Stay tuned for a Saturday work day (coffee provided; bring your own inner Bob Ross)!

  • Heat for the sanctuary:
    We have found a much more economical blower solution, which should keep the sanctuary heated for the next 7–10 years. This is a huge answer to prayer and is so helpful both financially and practically.

  • Gutters & downspouts:
    A crew of eight brave souls cleaned all the sanctuary gutters and downspouts and extended them with PVC to move water farther away from the building. It may sound simple, but it’s a major piece of our basement water puzzle. Now we wait for a good rain to see what happens—please pray it helps.

  • Stage progress:
    Our teams agreed on a final stage height for the sanctuary (after much discussion!), and the remaining old stage has been disassembled. Thanks especially to Loren and Paul for that behind-the-scenes work. Who knew Bridge would ever have a stage crew?

Praises & Progress

  • Classroom building sewer line:
    The classroom building has a 4-foot crack in the vertical waste line (“the stack”), which means two things: faint sewer gases can come back into the building, and the upstairs plumbing can’t be used until it’s fixed. We’re getting an estimate for replacement. This wasn’t in the budget for this phase, so please pray for wisdom as we juggle costs and timing.

Prayer Need

Giving God all glory and praise, we are thankful to share that we have met and surpassed our Capital Campaign goal of $500,000!! WOW! God has truly heard our prayers and has provided abundantly for our needs through His faithful and generous love. We have seen that love at work in the sacrificial generosity of our church family and community.  We have many more details we're working on - including what comes next and how to fund the future needs before us.  Even as this work continues, we pause in deep gratitude for God’s provision and faithfulness.

Capital Campaign Update

You may be asking, “well, when do you plan to begin meeting on Sundays for services at this new building??” That is a great question. We are curious about this, too! We all know how delays can be unpredictable, so we are trying to be wise with a definite answer. But, we are aiming and praying for anywhere between three to six months from now.

The Road Ahead

We do want to take this opportunity to especially give a HUGE shout out and a word of thanks for our friends at Trinity Lutheran Church of Fort Washington. They have hosted us for the past year and a half. They have been flexible, kind, and so generous with their building, and not just with us but with many people in their community. Thank you, thank you to Trinity!!! We are so grateful for you and we pray for you and your congregation.

There is so much to be encouraged about, and a few key things to keep bringing to the Lord. The journey might feel like a long and winding road, but we do this together for the Lord and his love for our community. We know God cares about all these details and we bring them to him as he leads us. Thank you for praying and walking through this season with us.