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By EMILY REED | Special to the Reporter

HELENA – Since the beginning of Christ Community Church, which started in 2010, church leadership has desired to encourage and strengthen the families in Helena.

One of the ways the church hopes to continue that vision is the opening of The Bridge Preschool at Christ Community this fall.

“Being a parent is rewarding, but it is not easy,” said Christ Community Church Pastor Phil Chambers. “What if a parent could find a community with other parents going through the same joys and challenges? What if a little boy or girl could find new friends and experiences? Our vision for the Bridge Preschool is that it would be a community of relationships for parents and for children. We want our children to be excited about going, and for parents to be relaxed knowing that their children will be known and loved.”

The preschool will be open to children ages 2-4 with classes available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week, beginning Aug. 30.

There will be a class for 2-year-olds, a class for 3-year-old class and two classes for 4-year-olds. All classes will be limited to 10 students in each class.

An open house has been planned for April 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. where those interested in learning more about the preschool can meet new Preschool Director Emily Jackson, some of the teachers and tour the facilities.

Chambers said the name for the preschool was chosen for many reasons, one of the reasons being it helps to identify the location of the church.

“The practical and obvious reason for the name is that we want people to know our location, which is next to the improved Cahaba River bridge,” Chambers said. “The secondary reasons include the imagery of how The Bridge Preschool will serve as a bridge for children to grow into their God-ordained awesomeness. We see ourselves as a bridge between preschool years and preparing their children for the elementary school years.”

Chambers recognizes there are already some wonderful preschools and Mother’s Day Out programs in Helena, but said there is also a need for more options for families within the community.

“We keep hearing from families that there are not enough spaces and they are having to register outside of Helena,” Chambers said. “Our aim is to serve them by coming alongside the other preschools in the city and accomplish our goal of instructing and developing our children.”

Jackson has spent more than 20 years as an educator, and current teachers at the preschool have early education degrees with experience teaching at other preschools in the area.

“Our church is growing and we are in the middle of capital improvements at our facility,” Chambers said. “In coordination with the new Cahaba River bridge on Highway 52, we will be paving our parking lot. We have been waiting on the bridge completion to start this project. Because we have many children at Christ Community Church and many expected children at The Bridge Preschool, we are investing more than $40,000 on new playground equipment and play areas. All of these improvements will be completed this summer and ready for the launch of The Bridge in the fall.”

Chambers said the core mission statement for the newly launched preschool is for children to “experience God’s joy through fun, learning and making friends,” with the mission statement for moms and dads being “to experience God’s rest knowing your child is known, loved, safe and growing.”

“Our staff is determined to pursue your child’s heart, mind and hands, but we equally will commit to praying for the parents and families. We don’t want to simply start another school, but to see a community begin where moms meet other moms, dads find new friendships with other dads, and our kids have warm memories of their time at The Bridge.”

For more information about the preschool, or the upcoming Open House, visit christcommunity.net/helena-al-preschool-mdo, visit The Bridge Preschool on Facebook or email Ejackson@christcommunity.net.