Building Faith, One Brick at a Time
Details submitted by Stacie Pauley, Bethany Lutheran Church, West Reading
On Friday evenings at Bethany Lutheran Church in West Reading, children and adults gather around tables covered with LEGO bricks. As they build, they explore Bible stories, share questions, and discover connections between faith and everyday life.
Bethany’s Faith Builders is a new ministry that brings together Scripture, creativity, music, prayer, and fellowship. Its guiding verse, 1 Corinthians 3:11, points to the foundation beneath it all: “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
The ministry began with a conversation between its coordinator, Stacie, and Pastor Drew Neidig about their interest in LEGO. Afterward, Stacie began wondering whether something she had enjoyed since childhood could become a way to teach the Bible and the lessons of Jesus.
When she shared the idea, Pastor Drew encouraged her to research the possibilities. His support helped give her the confidence to turn a personal interest into a ministry for the congregation.
Faith Builders meets Friday evenings from 6–9 p.m. Each gathering includes a Bible lesson, discussion, a building challenge, music, prayer, food, and time together. The ministry is developing a 52-week journey through Scripture, beginning with Jesus’ teaching about the wise and foolish builders.
The building challenges help participants explore each lesson. A story about trusting God might involve building without receiving all the instructions at once. A lesson about humility might invite participants to create something that helps another person. Other projects encourage cooperation, patience, generosity, and service.
Some of the most meaningful moments happen when the conversation moves beyond the planned lesson.
A question about a Bible story can lead to a discussion about friendship, family, school, or something that happened during the week. Faith Builders makes room for those conversations, recognizing that listening to someone’s questions can be as valuable as completing the activity.
Children and adults contribute what they know, wonder aloud, and learn from one another. The gatherings offer a place to explore faith while being heard and taken seriously. That sense of belonging also takes shape in the ministry’s Foundation Cross.
When someone attends for the first time, they choose a colorful brick, write their first name on the front and the date on the back, and add it to the cross. Built on a base representing Jesus, the cross grows with each new participant.
Every added brick offers a visible reminder that each person matters and contributes to the community.
Faith Builders also encourages participants to carry their learning into the week. Pages for a developing Faith Builders Passport include the Bible story, memory verse, prayer, and a challenge to practice at home. A lesson about generosity, for example, might invite participants to find one small way to help someone else.
In its first three weeks, the ministry drew approximately five to six adults and six to nine children on a typical Friday, with someone new joining each week.
The ministry is still taking shape, but its beginnings show what can happen when a congregation encourages someone to share an interest and try something new. Around Bethany’s tables, a familiar toy is helping generations connect with Scripture and with one another, one conversation and one brick at a time.
Thank you, Stacie Pauley, for allowing us to share your congregation's story
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