Across from the Chesapeake Central Library on Cedar Road, Great Bridge Presbyterian Church has gathered for worship and served the Great Bridge area of Chesapeake, Virginia since the early 1960s. The congregation is a member church of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), rooted in the Reformed tradition, and is known locally for two very different Sunday services held in the same sanctuary, a long-running preschool, and a wide network of mission work that ranges from a vegetable garden in its own backyard to a sister camp in Nicaragua.
Roots in Great Bridge: Six Decades on Cedar Road
The Norfolk Presbytery recognized the need for a Presbyterian presence in the growing Great Bridge area in 1960 and purchased six and a half acres at the corner of Cedar Road and Briarfield Drive. The Rev. Ira B. Watson, Jr. began his ministry in 1962, and for two years the small group met in what was then Great Bridge Elementary School. Great Bridge Presbyterian Church was officially chartered on February 23, 1964. The first sanctuary was built in 1967, a preschool wing was added in the 1980s, and a new sanctuary was completed in 1999.
Pastor Watson was succeeded by the Rev. Dr. Conrad Crow (1982 to 1996), then the Rev. Dr. Ralph Herbert (1996 to 2019), followed by the Reverends Kelly and Mike Nieto (2019 to 2021). When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted in-person gatherings, the congregation invested in livestream equipment that expanded its reach well beyond Chesapeake. The Rev. Dr. Lou Ventura served as transitional pastor from September 2022 to November 2024, followed by the Rev. Dr. Donna DeSarro-Raynal beginning in January 2025. A Pastoral Nominating Committee was commissioned during worship on January 28, 2024 and, after two years of work, the congregation installed its new permanent Head of Staff, the Rev. Kim Priddy, on January 4, 2026.
Two Sunday Services, One Sanctuary
Each Sunday, Great Bridge Presbyterian gathers twice for worship in the sanctuary. The 9:30 AM Traditional Worship is led by the Chancel Choir with the Allen Quantum organ and Steinway piano, set within classic Reformed liturgy that includes ancient confessions and current affirmations of faith. The KIDS SING choristers and instrumental ensembles such as the Harmonious Flutes and Alleluia Ringers enhance the service regularly.
At 11:00 AM, the Contemporary Worship offers the same Scripture and message in a more relaxed format led by a praise band, with guitars, bass, drums, and vocals. Both services are livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube, with bulletins posted online for each gathering.
The Lord's Supper, celebrated in the Reformed tradition, is observed on the first Sunday of each month, and all are invited to participate. Coffee and conversation follow each service, with the Fellowship Hall hosting the gathering after the 9:30 AM service and the Narthex serving as the meeting spot after 11:00 AM.
Children are welcomed into both services. On Family Worship Sundays, the first Sunday of each month, all children remain in the sanctuary with their families and there is no Sunday school. On the other Sundays, children begin in worship and are dismissed after the Words to the Children for age-appropriate Sunday school in the preschool wing. Nursery care for infants through age four is always available, and Communion preparation is offered each February for children in second grade and older.
The Music Ministry: A Steinway, Five Octaves of Handbells, and a Praise Band
Music has long been central to the life of Great Bridge Presbyterian. The Chancel Choir, open to high school age and up, rehearses on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM and leads the traditional service each week. The Harmonious Flutes rehearse on Tuesdays at 6:30 PM, the Alleluia Ringers (who ring five octaves of Schulmerich handbells and chimes) rehearse at 7:15 PM that same evening, and a seasonal Sign Language group offers worshipful interpretations of music and Scripture.
For younger singers, KIDS SING rehearses on Sundays from 10:30 to 11:00 AM in Room 200 for preschoolers through third grade, and the Junior Choir, for grades four through eight, meets at the same time in the Choir Suite. The Contemporary Worship Team rehearses on Thursdays at 5:30 PM, and the Youth Worship Team rehearses on Sundays at noon. All musicians serve under the leadership of Billye Brown Youmans, Director of Worship and Music, and Cathy Sturgeon, Contemporary Worship Leader. Organist Cheryl Madison rounds out the music staff.
Since September 24, 2000, Great Bridge Presbyterian has also hosted its Candlelight Concert Series, inaugurated after the church received a grant from the Edwin K. Sloane Fund (now part of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation) to purchase a Steinway Model B grand piano. The series opens the doors of the sanctuary to Hampton Roads musicians for recitals and choral and instrumental concerts throughout the year.
Children, Youth, and the Great Bridge Preschool
The Great Bridge Presbyterian Preschool has been a vibrant ministry of the church since 1972 and serves both church families and the wider community. Directed by Becky Miles, the preschool shares the church's preschool wing.
Children's ministry, led by Director of Children's Ministry Joy Rowe, runs Sunday school classes during both services for ages five through fifth grade. Family Connect Night meets once a month on Sundays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM, September through May, offering families with children ages five through fifth grade a chance to share a meal, hear guest speakers, and connect with God and one another. Seasonal traditions include an Easter Egg Hunt, Vacation Bible School in July, a Fall Kickoff in September, Trunk or Treat, a Gingerbread House Night at Christmas, and a Family Christmas Eve Service. Children's Sunday School classes sponsor Kristel, a 12-year-old girl in Ecuador, through Compassion International. The KidCheck check-in system in the Narthex supports safety on Sunday mornings.
Youth ministry is led by Director of Youth Ministry Hollie Writtenberry, who brings thirteen years of youth ministry experience in PEVA presbytery churches and the Outer Banks, along with twenty-six years of teaching music in public and private schools. IMPACT Youth Group gathers on Sundays at 11:00 AM in Kari's Cove, a space named after Kari Stringer, who dedicated more than thirty years of service to GBPC youth ministry before passing. The Youth Worship Team rehearses at noon, and youth regularly participate in small group Bible studies, retreats, recreational outings, mission projects, camps, and conferences such as Montreat and Massanetta Springs.
Adults and Small Groups: A Church Full of Bible Studies
Adult ministry at Great Bridge Presbyterian is built around a robust calendar of small groups and Bible studies that meet in homes, at the church, and online. Adult Sunday School meets at 11:00 AM in Room 240. Among the weekday offerings, the Men's Brown Bag Bible Study meets on Mondays at noon, Soul Sisters I and the Empty Nesters Group meet on Monday mornings, and the Kyrios Group gathers on Tuesday afternoons. Wednesdays bring Soul Sisters II, the Rebekah Circle (Presbyterian Women), the Prayer Shawl Ministry, and a Military Fellowship Group. Thursdays host a Mom's Bible Study with free childcare, the Prayer Warriors, the Ruth Circle, and the Cherith Circle. The Finding the Time Small Group meets on the second and fourth Mondays for adults 18 to 35 using Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline. Friday mornings start early with the Friday Morning Men's Group, and the Men's Life Group gathers on Saturday mornings. The Seasoned Saints senior adult ministry meets for luncheons, speakers, and outings, and the Wisdom Well Bookstore is open on Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 AM, carrying books for current small groups, Bibles, fair-trade items, coffee, greeting cards, knitted items, and pottery.
Congregational Care: Prayer, Deacons, and Counseling
Congregational care is a central expression of life together at GBPC. A weekly Prayer Covenant with current prayer concerns is emailed each Friday, prayer requests can be submitted anonymously online at any time, and deacons gather regularly to pray. The Prayer Shawl Ministry creates handmade shawls, throws, and baby blankets for those facing illness or celebrating milestones. Pastor Kim is available for pre-surgery visits, hospitalizations, support following a loss, funerals and memorial services, counseling and prayer, weddings, and premarital counseling.
The Board of Deacons, moderated by Mike Kloskin, includes fifteen members who serve as spiritual shepherds, each responsible for a flock of fifteen to twenty households. The church partners with Tidewater Pastoral Counseling Services to offer faith-based, on-site counseling for individuals, couples, children, and families at GBPC twice a week; most insurance is accepted and no one is turned away for inability to pay. GBPC also hosts two thirteen-week support groups: GriefShare on Sundays from 1:00 to 3:00 PM in Room 240 and DivorceCare at the same time in Room 230, both of which are open to the wider community. The Second Mile Fund allows the pastor to privately assist individuals in crisis situations.
Community Outreach: Food, Shelter, and the Garden Ministry
Outreach at Great Bridge Presbyterian is woven into the rhythm of the congregation. Food assistance is a major focus: the GBPC Food Pantry Ministry collects non-perishable items on the first Sunday of each month, the GBPC Garden Ministry grows vegetables that are donated to neighbors facing food insecurity, Thanksgiving Food Bags are assembled and distributed to local Chesapeake public schools, and ongoing Food for All and Operation Tons of Love food drives have collected more than 60,000 pounds of food for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia since 2008. Once a month the congregation prepares AIDS Meals for those living with HIV/AIDS, and the Service and Mission Committee offers gift cards and provisions to members in need.
Each winter GBPC hosts one week of C.A.S.T. (Chesapeake Area Shelter Team), opening its doors to provide overnight shelter, meals, and services such as haircuts, blood sugar screenings, eye exams, and prayer to guests experiencing homelessness. FaithWorks Coalition sends work teams to repair unsafe conditions for elderly, disabled, and low-income homeowners in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. Church members volunteer with AARP Tax Aide in the spring, host two American Red Cross Blood Drives each year, support the Chesapeake Care Clinic, collect clothing and baby gear through P.I.N. (Parents In Need), and partner with ForKids, Inc. on family homelessness. Presbyterian Women's Sock and Mitten Tree collects warm clothing at Christmas. GBPC also supports Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and Disaster Relief efforts.
Global Mission: From a Norfolk Church to Nicaragua and Honduras
Great Bridge Presbyterian's mission extends well beyond Chesapeake. In 2002 the church built a relationship with missionaries Jim and Sarah Hornsby and the Young Life Nicaragua (Vida Joven) camp. Work teams travel to the camp, usually in August, to assist with camp improvements, Vacation Bible School, and community projects, and the church provides scholarship stipends for Nicaraguan staff leaders. The Jingle Jog 5K, held on the second Saturday of December, raises money for Young Life of Chesapeake, a non-denominational ministry that began on the steps of GBPC in 1997 and now reaches every middle and high school in the area.
Through its global mission partners, GBPC supports Katlyn McConnell's Finding Hope Ministry in El Porvenir, Honduras, a women and children's center that provides childcare, a feeding program, trade classes, and foster care. The church also partners with Living Waters International in Africa, South America, and parts of Asia, and participates in Operation Christmas Child through Samaritan's Purse.
Visiting Great Bridge Presbyterian
Great Bridge Presbyterian Church is located at 333 Cedar Road in Chesapeake, Virginia, across from the Chesapeake Central Library. Parking is available in front of and behind the building, with accessible spaces near every entrance. Both Sunday services follow the same Scripture and message. Dress ranges from casual to traditional, and visitors are not asked to stand or introduce themselves. Nursery care is provided during both worship hours, and the church is wheelchair accessible. Those wishing to attend online can join the livestream on Facebook or YouTube at 9:30 or 11:00 AM. Inquirers who wish to learn more about joining the church are invited to contact the church office about the next Inquirers' Class; membership is offered by transfer of letter, reaffirmation of faith, or profession of faith and baptism.