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Bridgeway Community CRC
Haledon
NJ
07508
- Christian Reformed Churches in Haledon, NJ
- Christian Reformed Churches in New Jersey
- Christian Reformed Churches in United States
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Who we are
Mission: Go into Haledon, Prospect Park, and North Paterson in love to find and rescue those who are perishing.
Perishing means the suffering of destruction in every form: spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and physically.
Find means that we are seeking those who are not seeking us.
In love means that we are motivated from our hearts by the sacrifical love of Jesus to lay down our lives.
VisioN: Bridgeway is a discipleship center that RESTORES the hearts of men, women, and children and RELEASES them into the community as missionaries of the Gospel.
Discipleship center means that the church has one goal- to raise up disciples and deploy them into the community.
Restores means that we relentlessly capture people’s hearts and minds with the truth of the Gospel bringing spiritual (salvation), emotional (healing), relational (reconciliation), and physical (wholeness) restoration.
Releases means that we continually deploy disciples in the power of the Spirit to use their gifts and advance the Gospel in their homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces.
Community means Haledon, Prospect Park, and Northside of Paterson.
Missionaries means that Bridgeway is intentional with every member that they are sent by God to find and rescue the perishing.
Gospel means the rescue, restoration, and rule of God toward all who trust him for the free gift of salvation.
We are sons and daughters of God living in response to the Gospel.
Perishing means the suffering of destruction in every form: spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and physically.
Find means that we are seeking those who are not seeking us.
In love means that we are motivated from our hearts by the sacrifical love of Jesus to lay down our lives.
VisioN: Bridgeway is a discipleship center that RESTORES the hearts of men, women, and children and RELEASES them into the community as missionaries of the Gospel.
Discipleship center means that the church has one goal- to raise up disciples and deploy them into the community.
Restores means that we relentlessly capture people’s hearts and minds with the truth of the Gospel bringing spiritual (salvation), emotional (healing), relational (reconciliation), and physical (wholeness) restoration.
Releases means that we continually deploy disciples in the power of the Spirit to use their gifts and advance the Gospel in their homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces.
Community means Haledon, Prospect Park, and Northside of Paterson.
Missionaries means that Bridgeway is intentional with every member that they are sent by God to find and rescue the perishing.
Gospel means the rescue, restoration, and rule of God toward all who trust him for the free gift of salvation.
We are sons and daughters of God living in response to the Gospel.
Church Address
Church Pastor
Richard A. Jones, Sr.
Minister
381 Haledon Ave
Haledon,
NJ
07508
United States
Phone: (973) 595-6235
Download Minister Richard A. Jones, Sr. vCard with Bio
Quote of the Day
Psalms 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Denomination
Christian Reformed Church
Christian Reformed Churches in Haledon, New Jersey, United States
Christian Reformed Churches in New Jersey, United States
Christian Reformed Churches in United States
All churches in Haledon, NJ
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Leadership
Leader Name:
Richard A. Jones, Sr.
Leader Position:
Minister
Formal Title:
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Leader Bio:
The Rev. Richard Anthony Jones, Sr, was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He was spiritually influenced by his maternal grandmother, Ruth, who recently celebrated her 98th birthday. He was raised at Hope Community Reformed Church, also located in Los Angeles. He came to faith in Christ as a teenager. While at Hope, he was involved in various aspects of ministry including serving in the music ministry as a pianist and organist for 16 years and a deacon for 3 years.
Pastor Richard obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Azusa Pacific University in 1998 and a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2003.
He recently served as the pastor of Los Angeles Community CRC for seven years (2008 - 2016). While there, he served in various denominational functions: on the Committees of Race Relations and Candidacy, a delegate to Synod, & the Multi-ethnic Conference, which highlighted the necessity of diversity. He built relationships and partnerships with the local community, developed outreach opportunities (including working local law enforcement), and collaborated with churches through musicals, worship services, and sharing the Word the God.
He is married to Pastor Alison Jones (15 years) and they are the proud parents of five children: Rhea, who was recently married in December to Rob Leach, Richard Jr. (14), Elizabeth Grace (12), and fraternal twins Ryan and Victoria (10).
In his “spare time” he likes to read, play the piano/keyboard, and enjoy watching television (especially the old classic shows).
Pastor Richard obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Azusa Pacific University in 1998 and a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2003.
He recently served as the pastor of Los Angeles Community CRC for seven years (2008 - 2016). While there, he served in various denominational functions: on the Committees of Race Relations and Candidacy, a delegate to Synod, & the Multi-ethnic Conference, which highlighted the necessity of diversity. He built relationships and partnerships with the local community, developed outreach opportunities (including working local law enforcement), and collaborated with churches through musicals, worship services, and sharing the Word the God.
He is married to Pastor Alison Jones (15 years) and they are the proud parents of five children: Rhea, who was recently married in December to Rob Leach, Richard Jr. (14), Elizabeth Grace (12), and fraternal twins Ryan and Victoria (10).
In his “spare time” he likes to read, play the piano/keyboard, and enjoy watching television (especially the old classic shows).
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Richard A. Jones, Sr. on Social Media:
Bridgeway Community CRC Leadership Photos
Administration
Admin Name:
Aly Steigerwalt
Admin Position:
Administrative Secretary
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Mailing Address
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Bridgeway Community CRC Haledon Service Times
Every Sunday at 10am we gather together to worship and celebrate what God has been doing in our lives. We hope you join us!
If you enter our parking lot from Haledon Avenue, immediately to your left you will see spaces reserved for first time visitors. Handicapped parking spaces are available behind our building and are well marked. Follow the signs to the handicapped accessible entrance.
We have nursery services and Discipleland - our children's ministry- open every Sunday.
We hope you visit! You're always welcome here.
Service Times last updated on the 5th of October, 2018
If you enter our parking lot from Haledon Avenue, immediately to your left you will see spaces reserved for first time visitors. Handicapped parking spaces are available behind our building and are well marked. Follow the signs to the handicapped accessible entrance.
We have nursery services and Discipleland - our children's ministry- open every Sunday.
We hope you visit! You're always welcome here.
Service Times last updated on the 5th of October, 2018
Worship Languages
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Children and Youth Activities
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Under 18s:
Local outreach & community activities:
Other activities & ministries
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Average Adult Congregation:
Average Youth Congregation:
Additional Info:
Bridgeway Community CRC Photo Gallery
Bridgeway Community CRC History
In April of 2001, a local newspaper ran a 3-part series entitled “A Church Reborn,” telling the unique story of the beginning of Bridgeway Community Church ... a story of faithfulness, and new life.
Thus, First Christian Reformed Church became one of the first churches to undergo a “rebirth” transformation, a process which began with a formal closing ceremony in August, 1998. Approximately 40 individuals, along with a newly-called church-planting pastor (Andy Sytsma), formed the core group to plan the new church. This group met informally on Sunday mornings for the next 8-9 months for “training sessions” focused primarily on reinforcing the personal faith walks of the members. The new entity of “Bridgeway Community Church” was officially launched on Easter Sunday, 1999, characterized by a more casual worship environment and contemporary praise music. Membership has increased slowly but steadily over the years, with a high percentage of new members being new converts, not transfers from other churches. The BCC church body has also grown to reflect the wonderful ethnic diversity of our northern New Jersey region.
As its name emphasizes, a primary mission of BCC is to be the body of Christ in our own neighborhood. In 1991, a food pantry was set up and operated directly out of the church building, offering prayer and friendship along with bags of groceries. This program became so successful that it soon outgrew the capacity of the BCC building, and it became apparent that there were many other unmet needs in the community. This prompted the creation of a separate entity, New Hope Community Ministries, in 2003. This organization now has a full-time director, a dedicated facility and staff, a board of directors representing 4 local CRC and RCA churches, and is supported by financial gifts and volunteers from approximately 20 congregations. In addition to the food pantry, New Hope offers additional resources such as financial counseling, family counseling, job training, a mother’s network, and mentoring relationships.
In 1999, BCC began hosting the ALPHA program several times throughout the year, and this remains an ongoing and successful ministry. As a result of going through ALPHA, a number of individuals have committed themselves to Christ, professed their faith publicly, and became members of BCC. Lives have been changed! The weekly ALPHA sessions have been expanded recently to include “next step” studies in areas such as prayer and discipleship.
Another important “mission field” in the greater Haledon neighborhood is that of the youth population, many of whom are troubled, underprivileged, and/or lacking good role models in their own families. BCC has struggled for years with how best to meet the needs of these kids. To address this challenge/opportunity, a full- time youth pastor (Aaron Metthe) was called in the Fall of 2008. Aaron is very passionate about youth, and he spent two years working hard on creating an environment that is relevant to urban teens and which might effect authentic, tangible life change and create a real sense of community.
BCC has also been instrumental in the establishment of new ministries outside of our immediate community. In 2002, one of the original members, Caroline Mugai, felt called to return to her native country of Kenya and initiate a ministry to children orphaned by HIV/AIDS or living with HIV/AIDS-affected family members. This ministry, called Bridgeway Centre Trust, has been supported by BCC through prayers and financial gifts since its beginning, and a contingency of BCC members even traveled to Kenya during May of 2009 to observe firsthand and encourage the important work being done there.
During 2006-2007, BCC hosted a young seminarian as an intern pastor (Benjamin Spalink), whose vision was to be a church planter. While serving at BCC, he teamed up with another young pastor in New York City, and began making plans to launch an outreach church in lower Manhattan. BCC views this new church plant (City Grace) as a daughter church, and continues to provide financial support. A number of BCC members attend City Grace services on a rotating basis as a gesture of fellowship and personal support. In 2011, Bridgeway partnered with Dwell Church, a second plant in Manhattan's Bowery.
While itself a relatively young organization, Bridgeway Community Church (BCC) represents the fruit of many decades of God’s faithfulness to His kingdom work in the Haledon, NJ area. The predecessor of BCC was First Christian Reformed Church, a traditional, heavily Dutch CRCNA congregation with a 100+ year history. First Christian Reformed Church was originally located in Paterson, NJ, but following a fire in 1949, relocated to the current site in Haledon, NJ where it thrived for several more decades.
Over time however, the demographics of this once mostly Dutch neighborhood began to change, and the church’s health began to decline during the 1980s and 1990s as more and more members moved away. It became increasingly evident that, in its current state, First Christian Reformed Church was not going to be able to survive, much less have any meaningful impact on the surrounding community. This realization prompted vigorous debate regarding the fate of the church body, as well as the building/grounds and other assets. While there was consideration given to conventional options such as merging with another local Christian Reformed Church or simply closing down, there remained a strong conviction among a portion of the congregation that God was calling for a renewed ministry that would better serve the local community.
In 2010, we called Pastor Anton to pastor BCC who has begun to lay the foundation for bringing the next stage of life for BCC as it continues its rich history of catalyzing relationships and resources to advance God's Kingdom. In 2011, Bridgeway, in partnership with several other churches and organizations, called Pete Armstrong to plant a second church in Manhattan. Dwell Church reaches the people of the Bowery with the Gospel. In 2012, Bridgeway laid the groundwork for the Matthew28 Network, a movement of churches working cooperatively with one another and the Holy Spirit to reach our region with the gospel through disciple-making.
In August 2017, Pastor Richard Jones was called to Bridgeway. He and his family, Pastor Alison, Richard Jr., Grace, Ryan, and Victoria traveled across the country from Los Angeles, CA to join the Bridgeway family in ministry to the community. A new chapter in the Bridgeway story has begun.
We here at Bridgeway are excited to see what God has in store for our church and community in the coming years.
Thus, First Christian Reformed Church became one of the first churches to undergo a “rebirth” transformation, a process which began with a formal closing ceremony in August, 1998. Approximately 40 individuals, along with a newly-called church-planting pastor (Andy Sytsma), formed the core group to plan the new church. This group met informally on Sunday mornings for the next 8-9 months for “training sessions” focused primarily on reinforcing the personal faith walks of the members. The new entity of “Bridgeway Community Church” was officially launched on Easter Sunday, 1999, characterized by a more casual worship environment and contemporary praise music. Membership has increased slowly but steadily over the years, with a high percentage of new members being new converts, not transfers from other churches. The BCC church body has also grown to reflect the wonderful ethnic diversity of our northern New Jersey region.
As its name emphasizes, a primary mission of BCC is to be the body of Christ in our own neighborhood. In 1991, a food pantry was set up and operated directly out of the church building, offering prayer and friendship along with bags of groceries. This program became so successful that it soon outgrew the capacity of the BCC building, and it became apparent that there were many other unmet needs in the community. This prompted the creation of a separate entity, New Hope Community Ministries, in 2003. This organization now has a full-time director, a dedicated facility and staff, a board of directors representing 4 local CRC and RCA churches, and is supported by financial gifts and volunteers from approximately 20 congregations. In addition to the food pantry, New Hope offers additional resources such as financial counseling, family counseling, job training, a mother’s network, and mentoring relationships.
In 1999, BCC began hosting the ALPHA program several times throughout the year, and this remains an ongoing and successful ministry. As a result of going through ALPHA, a number of individuals have committed themselves to Christ, professed their faith publicly, and became members of BCC. Lives have been changed! The weekly ALPHA sessions have been expanded recently to include “next step” studies in areas such as prayer and discipleship.
Another important “mission field” in the greater Haledon neighborhood is that of the youth population, many of whom are troubled, underprivileged, and/or lacking good role models in their own families. BCC has struggled for years with how best to meet the needs of these kids. To address this challenge/opportunity, a full- time youth pastor (Aaron Metthe) was called in the Fall of 2008. Aaron is very passionate about youth, and he spent two years working hard on creating an environment that is relevant to urban teens and which might effect authentic, tangible life change and create a real sense of community.
BCC has also been instrumental in the establishment of new ministries outside of our immediate community. In 2002, one of the original members, Caroline Mugai, felt called to return to her native country of Kenya and initiate a ministry to children orphaned by HIV/AIDS or living with HIV/AIDS-affected family members. This ministry, called Bridgeway Centre Trust, has been supported by BCC through prayers and financial gifts since its beginning, and a contingency of BCC members even traveled to Kenya during May of 2009 to observe firsthand and encourage the important work being done there.
During 2006-2007, BCC hosted a young seminarian as an intern pastor (Benjamin Spalink), whose vision was to be a church planter. While serving at BCC, he teamed up with another young pastor in New York City, and began making plans to launch an outreach church in lower Manhattan. BCC views this new church plant (City Grace) as a daughter church, and continues to provide financial support. A number of BCC members attend City Grace services on a rotating basis as a gesture of fellowship and personal support. In 2011, Bridgeway partnered with Dwell Church, a second plant in Manhattan's Bowery.
While itself a relatively young organization, Bridgeway Community Church (BCC) represents the fruit of many decades of God’s faithfulness to His kingdom work in the Haledon, NJ area. The predecessor of BCC was First Christian Reformed Church, a traditional, heavily Dutch CRCNA congregation with a 100+ year history. First Christian Reformed Church was originally located in Paterson, NJ, but following a fire in 1949, relocated to the current site in Haledon, NJ where it thrived for several more decades.
Over time however, the demographics of this once mostly Dutch neighborhood began to change, and the church’s health began to decline during the 1980s and 1990s as more and more members moved away. It became increasingly evident that, in its current state, First Christian Reformed Church was not going to be able to survive, much less have any meaningful impact on the surrounding community. This realization prompted vigorous debate regarding the fate of the church body, as well as the building/grounds and other assets. While there was consideration given to conventional options such as merging with another local Christian Reformed Church or simply closing down, there remained a strong conviction among a portion of the congregation that God was calling for a renewed ministry that would better serve the local community.
In 2010, we called Pastor Anton to pastor BCC who has begun to lay the foundation for bringing the next stage of life for BCC as it continues its rich history of catalyzing relationships and resources to advance God's Kingdom. In 2011, Bridgeway, in partnership with several other churches and organizations, called Pete Armstrong to plant a second church in Manhattan. Dwell Church reaches the people of the Bowery with the Gospel. In 2012, Bridgeway laid the groundwork for the Matthew28 Network, a movement of churches working cooperatively with one another and the Holy Spirit to reach our region with the gospel through disciple-making.
In August 2017, Pastor Richard Jones was called to Bridgeway. He and his family, Pastor Alison, Richard Jr., Grace, Ryan, and Victoria traveled across the country from Los Angeles, CA to join the Bridgeway family in ministry to the community. A new chapter in the Bridgeway story has begun.
We here at Bridgeway are excited to see what God has in store for our church and community in the coming years.
Bridgeway Community CRC Historical Photos
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