Riverwood Presbyterian Church is part of a rich heritage which can be traced back to the 16th and 17th century reformation when ordinary men, used by God in His grace, led the church in recovering Biblical Christianity. The passion of those ordinary men was a faith that emphasized the motto: “From Scripture Alone…By Grace Alone… Through Faith Alone… In Christ Alone… To God Alone Be The Glory.” Our vision here at Riverwood Presbyterian Church is to be a church where the gospel message of the freedom found in Christ Jesus is preached, taught, grasped, and lived out in whatever walk of life God has called us to. We wish to be confident in our standing before the Father and completely accepted in Christ Jesus, apart from any supposed goodness of our own. In our reliance on His Grace, we seek to be a warm, genuine, and transparent body of believers.
We want to do all things in a Godly and Christian manner. Particularly, we wish to be as creative and as hospitable as possible in reaching people from all walks of life. We desire to grow numerically as large as God would have us to be. It is for our reliance upon the life-changing message of grace, however, that we wish to be defined, so that we may do all things for the glory of God.
GOSPEL DISTINCTIONS
Too often Christians go through life with very little sense of closeness with God. Rather than enjoying freedom in Christ, the lives of Christians are often governed by man-made rules that they cannot follow. When this is the case, Christians have lost contact with the gospel which gives us the message of grace. Here are some “gospel distinctions” which characterize us at Riverwood Presbyterian.
WHAT IS GOSPEL?
Entering the Kingdom
The gospel means “good news.” It is the message that “God made Christ who had no sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). The gospel tells us that our root sin is not just failing in our obedience to God, but relying on our obedience to save us. Only trusting in Christ’s finished work, plus nothing, can save us and allow us to enter into God’s Kingdom forever.
Growing in the Kingdom
The gospel is not just the way to enter the kingdom of God, but is the way to address every problem and grow spiritually at every step. It tells us that we are more wicked than we ever dared to believe, but more loved and accepted in Christ than we ever dared to hope—at the same time! This knowledge of our acceptance in Christ, as if we had never sinned or been a sinner, makes God’s law a beauty instead of a burden.
Living out the Gospel
The gospel challenges us to think Biblically, to work with excellence in our daily walk, to collaborate and interact with people whom God places in our lives, and to show respect and service for the whole world through our work. Everything we do should be done for God’s glory.
A Place to Belong
The gospel creates a new community of the people of God who support, encourage, and love one another as the collective body of Christ. We at Riverwood Presbyterian Church are a part of that community of believers. We seek to fulfill our roles in the family of God, even as we enjoy the gifts, talents, and presence of the Holy Spirit distributed among the body of Christ at our church. In-depth, thoughtful Bible teaching is at the heart of our philosophy and ministry. We want to help adults and children grow in their ability to evaluate the world around them with a Biblical mindset. Riverwood is a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America, which is national in scope.
RIVERWOOD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH—WHAT WE OFFER
Worship and Spiritual Growth
Riverwood Presbyterian meets for worship every Sunday morning at 10:30. In addition to the worship service, we offer Sunday School classes from 9:30-10:15 for adults, youth, and children. We welcome families with babies and young children! A nursery is available for almost every function. We maintain clean and well-staffed nurseries—one for infants and one for toddlers. An active youth fellowship meets on Sunday evenings. The youth group also participates in special functions including retreats, lock-ins, and other social and service activities.
Shepherding
The Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, did not leave his flock without care and oversight. We experience and enjoy this care through the ministry of Word and Sacrament but also through leaders he has called and equipped to serve as undershepherds. Every member of the Riverwood congregation is welcomed into a shepherding fold under the care of an elder and deacon team who disciple, shepherd, love and care for them as servants of Jesus Christ. The folds also occasionally meet for times of fellowship and mutual encouragement.
It is our desire at Riverwood Presbyterian Church to bring a fresh expression of our Reformation heritage into the 21st century. Riverwood values everything that brings honor to God and enables people to enjoy Him and know Him better. If you aren’t already part of a local church where the Bible is taught and loved, we would love to have you worship with us on Sundays!