emily's story

​Emily grew up Catholic, leading to a firm foundation of faith built on the structure and traditions of her church. She described it as structured and rules-based, which gave her ideas of what "correct" ways of interacting with God looked like. Emily was getting postcards from The River for a long time before she decided to go one Sunday and see what the church was all about.

A Safe and Welcoming Space
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When she got to The River, Emily found an open and safe space with a community that welcomed her with open arms. She soon found that she was able to build upon her original faith foundation and explore new avenues of faith that made her relationship with God all the more meaningful.

"They really let people interact in the way that's best for them, and it felt really spiritual and connected to The Bible and God," Emily said about The River.

Emily also found that The River pastors' sermons resonated with her everyday life. And she was encouraged by the community of welcoming New Yorkers simply trying to live their lives well by faith.

More About Our Church

The River was born from a unique vision of a beautifully diverse and vibrant Jesus-centered church in Lower Manhattan. In 2004, 10 people moved to New York to make the vision become a reality. Today, The River is an inclusive and diverse church in NYC that's LGTBQ-friendly.  The River welcomes everyone - from single people, to minorities inter-faith couples and families. We believe Jesus is Good News for everyone! No matter what your background is, we believe God wants to help you pursue life-giving relationships with him and the people around you.

We recognize that faith is always growing, changing and questioning, which is why you'll hear thought-provoking sermons every Sunday that truly make you think about God and spiritual development. Our connection doesn't begin and end on Sundays, either. We have programs such as RiverKids, classes and life groups that will help you build your faith piece by piece with a loving community supporting you along the way.

Visit The River Today
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If you're looking for an experience like Emily's, you can find it at The River. We'd love to welcome you into our community. Stop by our church for a visit, or come to a Sunday service today.