A New Chapter of Ministry: Marine Drive Childcare Opens in Bremerton
This November, Bremerton United Methodist Church celebrated the grand opening of Marine Drive Childcare, a new ministry dedicated to serving local families through quality, affordable early childhood education and care. Marine Drive Childcare offers a part-time preschool program on weekday mornings, along with before- and after-school care for students from nearby Crownhill Elementary School. They plan to expand to full-time care in February, extending their support for local families year-round.
What began as a bold dream has become a joyful reality. This was made possible through the vision of the congregation, their commitment to their community, and a loan from Faith Foundation Northwest that helped get renovations over the finish line.
Faith Foundation Northwest’s church loan program was created to remove barriers that often stand between congregations and the capital improvements that make ministry possible. The Foundation's low-interest financing is backed by a deep sense of partnership and faith.
“When a congregation is facing a major project, a below-market-rate loan can be a critical part of the funding stack,” says Julia Frisbie, Executive Director of Faith Foundation Northwest. “The Foundation’s loan program helps people adapt their church buildings to respond to the changing needs of their communities.”
When congregations like Bremerton UMC borrow through the Foundation, the interest they pay doesn’t go to the Foundation; it goes to every congregation that has invested their “rainy day” funds in the Stable Value Portfolio. This cycle of generosity allows every dollar to work twice: once for the borrowing congregation, and again for others who benefit through shared returns.
Marine Drive Childcare now stands as a vibrant reminder of what’s possible when churches think creatively about how their buildings and resources can serve their communities. The laughter of children filling the halls of Bremerton UMC is both a joyful sound and a living expression of faith in action.
To learn more about Marine Drive Childcare, visit marinedrivechildcare.org. To explore how a Faith Foundation loan can help your congregation grow its ministry, visit our loan page or call us at (800) 488-4179.