There is something quietly profound about standing in the middle of a bridge. You are not quite on one shore or the other. You belong, in that moment, to the space between — suspended above the water, connecting two worlds that would otherwise remain apart.

I have been thinking about that image a great deal lately as I reflect on where we are as a church and where God seems to be leading us.

Our vision — Bridging the Gap — is not simply a catchy phrase. It is a calling rooted in the Great Commission itself. Before Jesus ascended, He sent His church outward: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20). That command has never been rescinded. It simply looks different in every generation — and in ours, it looks like crossing divides of age and technology to bring the timeless Gospel to our neighbors.

But here is what I want us to pause and notice this May: the bridge is already being built — and God is building it through you, right where He has placed you.

This is the beauty of vocation. Luther understood that God does not work in the world through dramatic signs alone, but through ordinary people faithfully serving in their everyday callings. You do not have to be a theologian or a missionary to be a bridge-builder. You already are one. Every time a teenager patiently helps a retiree navigate a new device so they can stay connected with family, God is at work. Every time a longtime member sits with a young family and shares decades of stories about His faithfulness, God is at work. These are not small things. They are the very means by which God is advancing His kingdom in our community. 

Technology is often framed as something that pulls us apart — and it can. But in the hands of a church intentional about relationships, it becomes a tool of the Great Commission.    

A text message that says I am praying for you. A shared video that opens a spiritual conversation. A simple post that reminds a drifting neighbor that a community of grace still sees them and welcomes them.

These are seeds of the Gospel — the same Gospel we receive together each week in Word and Sacrament. The same Word that sustains us at the font and the table is the Word we carry into our neighborhoods, our workplaces, and our relationships across generational lines.

And the harvest? That belongs to God. Paul reminds us: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:6). We are freed from the pressure of manufacturing results. Our calling is faithful, obedient presence — trusting that the Holy Spirit works through the Gospel we plant.

So as May unfolds, I invite you to look around and notice where God has stationed you. Notice the relationships forming across generations. Notice your vocation as a bridge-builder.

Then take the next faithful step. The bridge is being built. And God, who began this good work, will see it through.

                                                                                      In Christ,

                                                                           Pastor Tom Vanderbilt