Join us for worship every Sunday 9:30 AM
Join us for worship every Sunday 9:30 AM
If you would like to add a name to our prayer list please send us an email using our contact page.
Our combined Fiscal-Annual meeting date has been set for May 5, 2024. As we have done in previous years, the meeting will begin immediately following worship service. Please make every effort to attend to learn about what we accomplished in 2023 as well as hearing about what's up and coming for 2024.
Additionally the Ministry Team is looking for new folks. Please consider volunteering for a position and be a part of the work that continues to keep our church thriving.
We will hold a Church Spring cleaning event on May 18th starting at 9 AM until early afternoon. All are welcome to come help clean up the grounds and gardens around the Church and East St. buildings. We ask all volunteers to please bring yard gloves, rakes, pruning sheers and other yard tools. In case of bad weather, we set June 1st as the rain date.
RCC along with members of our partner church's congregation will partner to clean up and beautify our space. Some indoor cleaning activities will also be available for anyone who prefers.
May 5th we will welcome new members into our Church Family. If you or someone you know is interested in or considering becoming a member of RCC please contact us using the button below.
We look forward to growing our family!
You can now send your weekly, monthly, annual commitments with the convenience of PayPal. One-time and recurring donations can be made using a Debit or Credit card. No PayPal account necessary to use this service.
To help us minimize the cost of processing online donations, please consider adding $3 to your total donation amount.
Rev. Bob will be in the office each week on Wednesday from 8:30 AM - 2 PM. He will be available for appointments and other Congregational needs. Please contact the office by phone or email if you are in need of an appointment or spiritual support.
We are blessed! The donations continue to come into the Lighthouse Shops in amazing quantities and our dedicated volunteers are able to meet the needs of our community and beyond. If you or someone you know is dealing with food insecurity please reach out or simply show up during open shop hours.
We are here for all!
Seasons change and so does the inventory at the Cobweb!! Spring has sprung here. Come by and see all of the fabulous Spring and Summer items being put out each week.
Your Ministry Team holds meetings each month, typically on the Fourth Tuesday. If you have items in need of discussion or would like to attend a meeting to see what is happening in your church please call the office or email riversidechurch.ucc@gmail.com to alert us to a need or for the current meeting schedule.
WE ARE HIRING!
Riverside Congregational Church is seeking to hire a part-time steward. This position is 10 hours/week, requires the ability to lift 50 lbs. and experience cleaning public use facilities. Additional responsibilities include taking, retrieving, distributing phone messages, and other light or seasonal duties as they arise. This position pays $15.00/hour. Preferred days Monday, Wednesday & Friday, flexibility is available. Please contact the church office riversidechurch.ucc@gmail.com or rcc-office@cox.net with your resume and references to apply. All qualified candidates are required to submit a BCI check dated less than 1 year from date of application.
SPRING CLEAN-UP
Riverside and our partner church Iglesia Aqua de Vida have set a date for our all church clean up! Please join us on Saturday May 18th starting at 9 AM. In case it rains we set a rain date of June 1st also to start at 9 AM. We ask all volunteers to bring work gloves, rakes, pruners and other helpful outdoor yard tools. We will serve lunch and have water available for all volunteers.
MINISTRY BOARD TEAM LEAD NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN
Your ministry team is looking for Team Lead nominations to be installed at the Fiscal-Annual Meeting. Any active member wishing to affect policy or serve in leadership position is welcome to be nominated or nominate themselves. All active Board members are expected to be active in the worship and fellowship life of the church.
Finding Jesus, the Christ
"One man who was there had been ill for thirty-eight years." - John 5:5
Have you ever watched the show, “Dancing with the Stars”? Sometimes the most surprising people come on this show to try their skills at ballroom dancing. One person on the 2014 season’s show was Amy Purdy, who lost her legs to meningitis at the age of nineteen and managed to win a bronze medal in the recent Paralympics. And she was only 34 years old…and has two prosthetic legs!
This individual was given only a 2% survival chance. Much like the man who is the subject of John’s scripture, she had the option to be made well. Yes, imagine someone asking you if you want to be made well! Jesus saw this man and had the respect for his dignity to ask him and not assume he wanted to be made well.
In our world, we have homeless people whose sense of dignity needs to be honored in the same way, even though we might feel the altruistic sense that simply jumping in and saving them is the right approach. Knowing the plight of the homeless and the injured in a personal sense, I ask you if it is okay so simply jump in and “save” someone or should you respect their dignity to ask them for permission?
Knowing the person, their background, and what they want in life is a great step in ministering to others. Jesus sought out those who desired the healing influence of God’s Love in their lives. Are you truly a seeker for God’s Love? If you are, know that healing and blessings are soon to be realized in your life!
With you on the journey,
Bob
No, not on Sunday! On every other day of the week. Our building is bustling Monday through Friday and sometimes on Saturday too! Our two largest missions, The Lighthouse Shops and The Cobweb Thrift Shop, keep people coming and going 5 days a week and then some!
The Lighthouse Shops have grown so much over the last few years we are blessed to be able to invest in an electric forklift to ensure our tireless volunteers are able to safely move heavy pallets of food from the truck to the building. All user and safety training is being provided by the Forklift company so we have everything we need to operate in a safe and controlled environment. The Lighthouse Shops provide much needed food to hundreds of local families every week and thanks to several of our volunteers who have some amazing contacts and the generosity of those businesses, donations to our mission continue to increase. The Lighthouse Shops gives "your cup runneth over" a wonderful additional meaning!
The Cobweb, well if you haven't been in you really need to check it out!! Our dedicated volunteers have turned our little basement operation into a first class thrift store where you can find the coolest stuff! They still have all the essentials, clothing in every size imaginable, housewares and other home goods. BUT you will not believe how amazing it looks and how welcoming, to all in the community, they have made the atmosphere. I might be a bit biased; I volunteer my time at the Cobweb when they are open the second Saturday of the month, and though it is very fulfilling, I admit I also enjoying spending those hours with my Aunt and Mom! We all love the Cobweb and this church and I think it shows!
Another great happening at our church is our partnership with Iglesia Aqua de Vida (if you don't speak Spanish, they are Water of Life Church). This Congregation led by Pastor Oscar has been a wonderful addition to our space. Where once our building had many quiet nights where it sat dark, it now has Bible Studies, Music, Services and Fellowship! If you haven't heard them sing, you really should... they sound quite Heavenly!
One other thing before you go... Have you met our Ministry Team? If not, or you're not sure who is who... check out our bio page by clicking the "Your Ministry Team" button below and remember we are always looking and welcoming any member of the church who is interested in sitting on the team and helping us do God's work in the community.
Thanks for checking out this month's eNewsletter! If you haven't been by on a Sunday in a while, we'd love to see you! (don't forget service now starts at 9:30). If you happened across our site and would like to see more, welcome, we would love to have you!
God's Blessings and a joyous happy Spring to all!
Tammy Lavin
RCC Moderator
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