Our Vision for Church
At the River, we believe that church should be a place where people of all ages and backgrounds are:
- Truly and deeply welcomed
- Invited to be their authentic selves
- Seen, known, accepted, and celebrated as beloved
- Free from shame, fear, pressure, and manipulation
- Unafraid to ask questions or to voice doubts/disagreements
- Encouraged to engage their hearts/minds and express their thoughts/feelings
- Inspired to spread kindness, pursue justice, and deepen connections (to God, self, others, creation, and the world around us)
Our vision for a life-giving faith community is shaped by our convictions that:
- God is unconditional love (1 John 4:8)
- The practice of unconditional love is central to following the way of Jesus (John 13:34-35)
- Embracing unconditional love means recognizing the unearned, inherent dignity and worth of every person (Genesis 1:26-31)
- "All flourishing is mutual" (Robin Wall Kimmerer).
Practically speaking, this means that (among other things) we place no limitations on women in leadership, that we fully affirm LGBTQ+ individuals and relationships, and that we are committed to the work of antiracism and creation care.
When you come to the River, we hope that you will feel refreshed, affirmed, and excited to be part of a community that is pursuing abundant life together. We'd love for you to join us in person or online!
When you come to the River, we hope that you will feel refreshed, affirmed, and excited to be part of a community that is pursuing abundant life together. We'd love for you to join us in person or online!
Kids & Youth Programs
We love kids and youth and want to promote their flourishing! In our classrooms, belonging and belovedness are affirmed and young people are encouraged to play, wonder, explore, and encounter God together! We strive to support children and teens in developing a positive spiritual foundation, and to empower parents as they seek to raise healthy, connected people.
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lgbtq+ Affirmation
We are an inclusive church and fully affirm LGBTQ+ individuals and relationships. Practically speaking, this means that there are no restrictions placed on LGBTQ+ individuals when it comes to church participation, membership, volunteering, leading, getting married, being baptized, etc. We also have programming specifically aimed at supporting members of the LGBTQ+ community.
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