To RSVP or to learn more, please click here.
Hello River-ites! We wanted to share some helpful information about our Sunday services, upcoming events, and other church programming/initiatives!
LINKS/RESOURCES
THIS SUNDAY (10/11)
UPCOMING SUNDAY PLANS
UPCOMING GROUPS/GATHERINGS:
The River has many groups/gatherings that meet on a regular basis! Joining a group is a great way to feel more connected to the River community and to build meaningful relationships. Below we've listed some upcoming meeting dates. For more information on group descriptions and meeting times/locations, please check out our website. To connect with group leaders or to RSVP, please fill out the Connection Card.
RIVER CARES INITIATIVES
River Cares Steering Committee
Are you interested in helping to shape the direction of River Cares? If so, we'd love for you to join the soon-to-be-launched Steering Committee. Our first monthly meeting will take place at the church on Thursday, 10/22 at 6:30pm. Subsequent meetings will meet virtually. To learn more, please express interest through the Connection Card or reach out to Maddie ([email protected]).
Volunteering with New Alternatives NYC (Sunday, 10/25)
Join other River-ites as we serve dinner to LGBTQ+ homeless youth with New Alternatives NYC. New Alternatives is a resource center that works with LGBTQ+ and HIV+ homeless youth in New York City to transition them out of the shelter system and into stable adult lives. They provide long-term support, case management, educational services, and other programming. We'll be volunteering with their weekly community dinner from 4:30-7pm. Space is limited, so please RSVP via the Connection Card as soon as you know you can attend!
Volunteering with the Brooklyn Quakers (Sunday, 11/29)
Join other River-ites as we serve a free Thanksgiving meal with the Brooklyn Quakers! As part of their community outreach, the Brooklyn Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends serves a free community meal on select Fridays and Sundays. On Sunday 11/29, we'll be helping them to serve their annual Thanksgiving dinner. We'll head out from the River after church together at 12:30pm, or folks can plan to meet us at the Brooklyn Quaker Meeting House at 1pm. We should be done with clean-up by 4:30pm. Please RSVP by Monday, 10/5 through the Connection Card so that we can give the Quakers a sense for how many folks will be volunteering.
Observances/Celebrations Calendar
This year we're planning to recognize Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month, Indigenous People’s Day, Black History Month, Lunar New Year, Women's History Month, Earth Day, Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Juneteenth, and Disability Pride Month. If you'd like to help us plan, or to share a reading during a service, please let Maddie ([email protected]) know! Additionally, if there's a cultural heritage or awareness month/day that's important to you that we're missing, let Maddie know and we'd be happy to find a way to honor it.
LINKS/RESOURCES
- Last Sunday, guest speaker Christian ethicist Dr. David Gushee preached on the topic, "What Job Teaches About Authentic Community," connected to his new book Job in Exile: A Guide for Spiritual Refugees.
- To see a list of the songs we sang during our time of worship please check out our website!
- Parents of kids/youth in our RiverKids/Youth programs may be interested in checking out recent lesson plans on our website! Please email Amelia or Maddie for the password.
- For resources aggregated by topic, check out the Faith Topics & Questions page on our website.
- Please make a plan to participate in the 2026 River Census! Responses should be submitted by November 15.
THIS SUNDAY (10/11)
- Time & Location:
- You are invited to our service THIS Sunday (10/11), at 10:30am in Midtown Manhattan (15 W. 39th Street, 9th Floor)!
- We'd love for you to join us in-person or online!
- Service:
- This Sunday, Alison Noll will preach on the topic "The River Cares About Practicing Agape."
- RiverKids/Youth:
- RiverKids and RiverYouth programming will take place during the service.
- RiverYouth will join the service for opening worship using the reserved seating at the back of the Sanctuary. Then they will head back to one of the classrooms for RiverYouth programming.
- Please email Maddie ([email protected]) and/or Amelia ([email protected]) if you have any questions.
- After the Service:
- Join us for an info session with Safe Families for Children. Learn about the work Safe Families does to support parents by connecting them to caring relationships and resources before child welfare involvement becomes necessary. We'll talk about ways that you can get involved in and support this important work.
UPCOMING SUNDAY PLANS
- 10/18: Fall Sermon Series
- 10/25: Fall Sermon Series | All-Church Fall Festival
- Stick around after the service for games, treats, and Fall-themed activities! Feel free to come in costume (please nothing too scary or gory).
- 11/01: Fall Sermon Series | New to the River?
- Join Pastor Alison after the service to learn more about the River's history, governance, values, and programming! Whether you've come to the River once or twice or have been here for months or years, we hope you'll attend and bring your questions. Pizza lunch will be provided, contact [email protected] if you need childcare to attend.
UPCOMING GROUPS/GATHERINGS:
The River has many groups/gatherings that meet on a regular basis! Joining a group is a great way to feel more connected to the River community and to build meaningful relationships. Below we've listed some upcoming meeting dates. For more information on group descriptions and meeting times/locations, please check out our website. To connect with group leaders or to RSVP, please fill out the Connection Card.
- Book Club (with Anton) | October Selection: John Proctor is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower
- Downtown LifeGroup! | Tuesday, 10/13 at 6:30pm
- Wednesday Virtual Lunch Group | Wednesday, 10/14 at 12:15pm
- River Crafts with Traci! | Monday, 10/19 at 7pm
- Upper West Side Group | Tuesday, 10/20 at 7pm
- Queens Community Gathering | Friday, 10/23 at 6pm
- Women's Group | Friday, 10/23 at 6:30pm
- LGBTQ+ & Friends Fellowship | Friday, 10/30 at 7pm
RIVER CARES INITIATIVES
River Cares Steering Committee
Are you interested in helping to shape the direction of River Cares? If so, we'd love for you to join the soon-to-be-launched Steering Committee. Our first monthly meeting will take place at the church on Thursday, 10/22 at 6:30pm. Subsequent meetings will meet virtually. To learn more, please express interest through the Connection Card or reach out to Maddie ([email protected]).
Volunteering with New Alternatives NYC (Sunday, 10/25)
Join other River-ites as we serve dinner to LGBTQ+ homeless youth with New Alternatives NYC. New Alternatives is a resource center that works with LGBTQ+ and HIV+ homeless youth in New York City to transition them out of the shelter system and into stable adult lives. They provide long-term support, case management, educational services, and other programming. We'll be volunteering with their weekly community dinner from 4:30-7pm. Space is limited, so please RSVP via the Connection Card as soon as you know you can attend!
Volunteering with the Brooklyn Quakers (Sunday, 11/29)
Join other River-ites as we serve a free Thanksgiving meal with the Brooklyn Quakers! As part of their community outreach, the Brooklyn Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends serves a free community meal on select Fridays and Sundays. On Sunday 11/29, we'll be helping them to serve their annual Thanksgiving dinner. We'll head out from the River after church together at 12:30pm, or folks can plan to meet us at the Brooklyn Quaker Meeting House at 1pm. We should be done with clean-up by 4:30pm. Please RSVP by Monday, 10/5 through the Connection Card so that we can give the Quakers a sense for how many folks will be volunteering.
Observances/Celebrations Calendar
This year we're planning to recognize Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month, Indigenous People’s Day, Black History Month, Lunar New Year, Women's History Month, Earth Day, Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Juneteenth, and Disability Pride Month. If you'd like to help us plan, or to share a reading during a service, please let Maddie ([email protected]) know! Additionally, if there's a cultural heritage or awareness month/day that's important to you that we're missing, let Maddie know and we'd be happy to find a way to honor it.
