OUR STORY
The River began in October 2004 with a group of 10 people who moved to New York City with an exciting vision to build a vibrant church in Lower Manhattan. Today, we are a community of approximately 150 members and have moved to a beautiful new location in Midtown Manhattan. In-person attendees of the River come from all five boroughs of New York City, New Jersey, and Westchester County, though people from around the country (and the world!) regularly tune into our services on YouTube Live.
The River began in October 2004 with a group of 10 people who moved to New York City with an exciting vision to build a vibrant church in Lower Manhattan. Today, we are a community of approximately 150 members and have moved to a beautiful new location in Midtown Manhattan. In-person attendees of the River come from all five boroughs of New York City, New Jersey, and Westchester County, though people from around the country (and the world!) regularly tune into our services on YouTube Live.
OUR MISSION
River NYC exists to help people strengthen their connections (to God, self, others, creation, and the world around us), more deeply embody unconditional love (Agape), and become more fully alive (John 10:10).
River NYC exists to help people strengthen their connections (to God, self, others, creation, and the world around us), more deeply embody unconditional love (Agape), and become more fully alive (John 10:10).
OUR CORE VALUES
Our pursuit of vibrant, inclusive, life-giving faith is guided by these five core values:
Our pursuit of vibrant, inclusive, life-giving faith is guided by these five core values:
- Diversity:
- At the River, you'll find a diverse congregation made up of individuals from many different nationalities, races/ethnicities, professions, socioeconomic backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, abilities, spiritual/religious backgrounds (varied expressions of Christianity, other faith traditions, agnosticism, and atheism), stages of life (ranging from infants to those in their sixties), and more. We believe that this diversity makes our church unique, helps to broaden our perspectives, and enables us to experience God more fully.
- Unconditionality:
- 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); and "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.
- Good Fruit:
- We believe that engaging with spirituality and participating in a faith community should be life-giving experiences and, so, we seek to embrace theology that bears good fruit. Key aspects of this approach include emphases on freedom and joy (rather than shame, fear, pressure and manipulation) and on emotional health. We are strong supporters of mental health treatment and have many therapists and social workers in our congregation.
- Positive Difference:
- We are convinced that following Jesus is meant to make an actual, positive difference in our lives — not just in what we believe, but also in how we experience and move through the world. We believe that faith is meant to inspire us to deepen connections, spread kindness, and pursue justice. And so, at the River, we try to offer suggestions and tools that can easily be implemented in daily life; and we endeavor to create spaces where members can freely encounter God in their own, personal ways.
- Humility:
- At the River, we believe that the spiritual journey is meant to positively engage all aspects of our selves (hearts, souls, bodies, etc.), including our minds. As such, we value science, scholarship, and common sense, and believe that questions, doubts, and disagreements are normal, healthy aspects of a life of faith — and ones that are often necessary portals to learning and growth. We take the posture of learners, recognizing that our understanding of Godʼs truth continues to unfold.
OUR APPROACH TO THE BIBLE
At the River we take the Bible seriously! For us, this means understanding how it was compiled; considering its various genres, contexts, authors, and audiences; and always interpreting through the overarching principle of unconditional love. Rather than approaching the Bible as a clear-cut guidebook for how to live, we view it as a spiritual conversation or dialogue that we are invited to join. Like the people of faith who came before us, we too can wrestle (both individually and collectively) with our understanding of who God is and with life's biggest questions — and the Bible can be a helpful tool for this kind of wrestling.
At the River we take the Bible seriously! For us, this means understanding how it was compiled; considering its various genres, contexts, authors, and audiences; and always interpreting through the overarching principle of unconditional love. Rather than approaching the Bible as a clear-cut guidebook for how to live, we view it as a spiritual conversation or dialogue that we are invited to join. Like the people of faith who came before us, we too can wrestle (both individually and collectively) with our understanding of who God is and with life's biggest questions — and the Bible can be a helpful tool for this kind of wrestling.
What Are Real River Members Saying?
“It is so refreshing to witness a spirituality that truly embraces ALL.” —Lynda
“The River is a place you can ask difficult questions without being afraid of getting judged or reprimanded. You don’t have to hide your authentic self.” —Sooji
"The River was how I felt I could keep following Jesus but still find somewhere that will hold space for the way I was growing and hurting as a person.” —Meggie
"This church community feels very safe and loving even through a computer screen.” —Vanessa
“If you want a place where you can both think and laugh, it’s the place to be. My kids love it, too.” —Danielle
Why We Are Called The River
The vision, and the name of our church, was inspired by something that Jesus said in the Gospel of John: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:37-38)
Here at the River, we seek to be a community that drinks deeply of God's living water and that shares this refreshing, revitalizing water with those around us.
Here at the River, we seek to be a community that drinks deeply of God's living water and that shares this refreshing, revitalizing water with those around us.