MPI donates nearly $200K in cash, services to church

The Bridge of Faith Community Church, currently meeting at the old Rockaway Beach Union Church building, will soon have a building of its own due to a donation by Missouri Partners Inc. of Branson. MPI has donated five acres, plus development services from several of its construction divisions, to provide a new church and ministry campus for the group led by founding pastor Vince Blubaugh.

Rick Billington, MPI’s vice president of sales and marketing, said excavation will begin right away on the Highway 176 property near Merriam Woods. In addition to the $130,000 land donation, MPI will also donate $25,000 in architectural and engineering services and $25,000 for site preparation from its excavation division. Also included in the donation package is the construction of a new playground and outdoor basketball court, and $10,000 in cash to initially stock a food pantry.

Billington said that Blubaugh has envisioned some other future projects for the acreage.

“(Blubaugh) wants to bring in some other needed services that orbit around the church,” Billington said. “He’s looking at maybe a day care at some point and maybe partnering with the county for even a health clinic.”

The donation to the Bridge of Faith Community Church is one several that MPI owners Steve and Gae Redford have pledged recently. The Redfords also plan to donate the profits from the sale of a low-income housing project called Academy Commons, located just east of Branson, to a local 501(c)3 organization. Steve Redford also just returned from a trip to Ferrier, Haiti, to dedicate a project that MPI funded there to build a church, school and mission.