Under the Jefferson Street Bridge

Volunteers unload a truck & set up a make-shift food pantry.

Every Tuesday at 5:30, a group of volunteers assembles beneath the Jefferson Street Bridge.

As volunteers arrive, they check in and receive colored arm bands telling them where they'll be serving for the next two hours.

Trucks wait, jammed with chairs, food, clothes... And within 30 minutes what once was the space beneath an overpass is transformed into a place of worship, The Bridge Ministry.

At 6 pm, live gospel music echoes against the concrete as somewhere between 500 & 600 homeless men, women and children line up to receive a hot meal & something to drink. People serving on the hospitality team carry plates of food and help the guests get settled in their seats. Most carry everything they own with them and it is the only hot meal they'll eat all week.

500+ homeless & volunteers worshiping together

Once everyone is served and seated, the music subsides & worship begins. The pastor delivers a message of hope, acceptance & love... prayers for safety, jobs & a warm place to sleep. A team of volunteers line up along the makeshift worship area to help people pray. Many of the homeless make their way to them and pray with them. There are no words to really describe this experience. It's moving to say the least.

As the service ends, attendees file to the back of the worship area and form lines to receive food for the week from the makeshift "food pantry". From there, they pick up blankets, socks, underwear & toiletries.

In a little more than two hours, they've worshiped, eaten and gotten sustenance / necessities many of us take for granted.

And, what they may not realize, is getting to serve them is just as much of a blessing to those serving them as it is to those being served.

Consider Volunteering:
The cold of winter is not far away from these crisp fall nights.

And, winter is usually when these friends need us most. It's also a more challenging time to find volunteers.

Please consider giving your time, once a month, twice a month, weekly... To those who desperately need it. It's their opportunity, if even for a couple hours, to feel somewhat normal. And, in serving, you'll receive more than you can comprehend.

Find out more: The Bridge Ministry
If you're not sure you want to go it alone, join a group of Cross Point Nashville Campus volunteers who assemble every Tuesday at 5 at the church gym to caravan over and serve together.