5/16/21 Mask Update

As the city and state announcements were made lifting the mask mandate, we also will lift our mask mandate during our services. Anyone who would like to wear a mask is welcome to do so and we will still make them available but we will not require them.

 

4/4/21 Easter Sunday!

As Easter approaches we are so thankful to be in person! For physical distancing, we will offer THREE services in anticipation of many people joining together, again! Service times will be at 8:45, 10, and 11:15 with full kids classes in the 10 & 11:15 services and free doughnuts and coffee in the 8:45 service! We hope to see you there!

 

1/1/21 Nursery, Sonbeams, and RiverKids will re-open on Sunday, January 17th for 11AM Services!

Pre-registration will be open a few days before each service! Find all the details on our RiverKids page here! We look forward to having you and your family attend!

12/30/20 RiverKids Re-Opening postponed

We are excited to re-open RiverKids very soon and we are prayerfully considering the best options for your family and our volunteers. Thank you for your partnership as we move ahead together! Check back often to find updates and announcements.

12/13/20 In-person services resume with limited ministries

Sunday in-persons service will resume on Sunday 12/13/20 with limited ministries. In response to the rise in cases, as stated below, RiverKids and Nursery will be closed on Sundays. We will offer RiverKids resources to parents on Facebook. Arrow Youth Ministries will not meet in-person at this time but they will have digital connect points. Our target re-opening week for RiverKids, Nursery and AYM is January 3rd. Check back for more updates!

11/27/20 2 Weeks Online Services Only

Due to a positive case of COVID-19 within our staff, we will move our services to online only for Sunday 11/29/20 and Sunday 12/6/20. Tune in to our Watch Live page at 9 AM on Sundays for an encouraging Word! We look forward to seeing you soon!

Response to the the rise in COVID-19 cases and Gov. Walz mandate beginning November 11/20/2020

Our goal is to help our church families and neighbors stay safe as we continue to stay open. Our mission has not changed! We exist to help people find & follow Jesus Christ. He is our hope!

 What’s Temporarily Changing:

-        KAIO coffee shop will temporarily close but will be used as overflow seating

-        Van Ministry will be on hold

-        Saturday indoor Food Ministry shopping will temporarily close

-        Monday Food Ministry will not serve hot meals at this time

-        Monday in-person dining will temporarily close

-        All in home life groups will temporarily be on hold

-        All on-site, in-person small groups and meetings will temporarily be on hold

-        Building rental availability will be on hold

-        Nursery and Sonbeams will temporarily close due to smaller spaces

-        ROOTEDKids Ministry for CR will temporarily close

-        Celebrate Recovery Programs will not meet in-person (online options available)

 What’s Still Happening:

-        Continued emphasis on masks being worn properly the entire service and the entire time in the building

-        Continued emphasis on social distancing practices

-        Sunday morning 9AM & 11AM services

-        RiverKids 11AM service

- Grocery Drive-Thru Mondays 5-6pm

-        Arrow Youth Ministries Wed. Night Large Group 6:30PM

Nursery Re-opening 10/11/20

Our nursery will be re-opening with safety measures in place! Pre-Registration is required. Click here to see the full RiverKids Reopening plan.

Celebrate Recovery Re-opening 9/7/20

Click here to find all the details for CR phased opening and pre-registration for Rooted Kids! The schedule and events are different than before so check it out here.

RiverKids Re-opening

Click here to find all the details for RiverKids phased opening and pre-registration!

Governor’s Executive Order 20-81

In accordance with State of MN, we will abide by the requirements for face coverings. Please wear your face covering while in the building. We will have a limited amount of disposable masks available. We look forward to seeing you in-person or online soon! #coveryourfacenotyourFAITH

City of Duluth Mask Ordinance

In accordance with the City of Duluth Ordinance on 7/13/20 requiring face coverings in indoor spaces of public accommodation, we are asking those attending our in person services to wear a mask while inside the church beginning Sunday, 7/19/20. Those exempt are kids under the age of ten years old or those unable to wear a face covering for genuine medical reasons. Feel free to bring your own face covering or we will have disposable masks available at the door. Thank you for helping us comply with our city’s efforts. We trust in the Lord and His faithful goodness to continue to lead us in this time.

IN PERSON FAMILY WORSHIP SERVICES Re opening June 21, 2020 at 9:00AM & 11:00AM

Come together again when you’re ready. As you make decisions on how to worship, here are three ways we are encouraging you to be part of the River Church family: 1. Stay home and worship with your River Church Online family. 2. Invite a small group to a River Church Watch party in your home. 3. Attend an in-person worship service at The River Church site. As you join an in-person worship service know that we are committed to complying with health and safety guidelines to make every effort to protect our communities. We believe the Lord desires healing in His people and gives us the wisdom to walk in the blessed life of health.

REOPENING FAQS

WHAT WILL WE DO TO PREVENT SPREAD? At this time, we will ask anyone with symptoms or anyone who has been around someone with symptoms to please stay home for at least 14 days and join us online. We also ask those who are working with the vulnerable to prayerfully consider their in-person attendance. We aim for a “Touchless Service” where doors are propped open, traffic flow is guided and there will be disinfecting will be throughout the building. We will encourage social distancing by forgoing our greeting time.

ARE YOU REQUIRING OR RECOMMENDING THAT PEOPLE WEAR MASKS? We welcome anyone who chooses to wear masks or other personal protection equipment to do so and our frontline volunteers will be wearing masks to help prevent any spread. Amended 7/13/20: Mask or face coverings are required.

WILL THE ONLINE SERVICE STILL BE AVAILABLE? Yes! We have been grateful for the opportunity to share with you in your homes over these last months. If you feel the need to stay home, you are still part of the family and welcome online. We will be streaming our services live on Sunday mornings at 9AM and 11AM.

WHAT ABOUT KIDS AND YOUTH PROGRAMS? Until a later date, RiverKids, Sonbeams Preschool and Nursery will not open for care. For now, your entire family is welcome to attend in the sanctuary together. Be encouraged that we support you as you continue to teach your children about Jesus and invite you to use the RiverKids Youtube, Facebook, Vimeo page and website as resources. Arrow Youth Ministries will resume Wednesday Night Services on Wed. June 10, 2020. Every other week students will meeting in the main building sanctuary and on the opposite weeks they will meet at a location outside for events. For schedule and details on this season of “Pray Hard Play Hard” follow AYM on Instagram, Facebook and our website. Amended: See Reopening plans above

WILL TEMPERATURE CHECKS BE REQUIRED? Currently, we are not requiring temperature checks. Amended: RiverKids, Rooted Kids and Nursery care volunteers and children will have a temp. check upon arrival.

LET’S WORK TOGETHER TO STAY HEALTHY

What we are doing to promote health: • Additional hand-sanitizing stations will be placed throughout the building. • Our services will be as touchless as possible, and we will be disinfecting surfaces throughout • RiverKids, Sonbeams and Nursery will not be available at this time, however we will have space available for nursing mothers. • No Kaio Coffee or food will be offered. • No offering buckets will be passed. Instead, there will be an area in the back of the sanctuary for guests who want to give in person. We recommend online giving in this time. • To reduce touchpoints, connect cards, pens and offering envelopes will not be available in seating areas. Using our Digital Connect Card is encouraged. • Traffic flow will be guided in and out of the sanctuary. • Adjusted services times to allow time in between to disinfect seating areas and allow distance for entering and exiting.

What you can do: • If you do not feel well or have health concerns, please stay home and join us at online. • Please wash your hands, use hand sanitizer often and mitigate a sneeze or cough. • Maintain six or more feet between yourself and other guests. • Please do not move chairs from the seating arrangements. • Please respect the personal health decisions of others.              

Update June 8, 2020

Hello! We are excited to announce that we will be open for in-person services on 6/21/20 (Father’s Day) at 9:00am and 11:00am! If you are not able to join us in person yet, we will still have full services available online. We miss you all and have been in continued prayer for you in this season of challenging times. We’d like to say THANK YOU to all of you who have stayed engaged over the last 3 months. Many of you have stayed plugged-in online, have reached out to serve one another and stayed connected. Many you have also stayed faithful and generous in your giving, Again, thank you! We would not have been able to minister as effectively in the midst of everything without YOU. We can’t wait to be together, again! Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV) says, “ The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you (HIS) peace.”

See you soon, Pastor Paul & Julia & The River Leadership

Update June 2, 2020

Hey River Church Family, 

Thank you for your prayers and support. We have an update for you! First, we miss you; love you, and are praying for you. We are considering various options of how we can safely reopen and fulfill our mission to help people find and follow Jesus Christ. Could you do us a favor? Fill out the connect card and check the box that fits you best as we navigate gathering together again.

https://www.riverchurchduluth.org/connect-card

A Few Important Updates: May 20, 2020

We are excited to be together again soon!

We are working on a comprehensive plan to reopen and will keep everyone posted as details emerge. It could be as soon as early June, but we are watching for updates from the state.

As many of you know, Assembly Park Camp in WI is where we do our church camp every year. However, due to restrictions from the state of WI, they have made the decision not to reopen this summer. Therefore, River Church Camp is canceled this summer. We look forward to River Church Camp 2021!

We will be having our Annual Business Meeting this fall on a date TBD. 

 And always remember this:

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Ephesians 3:20-21

Praying for you,

River Church Leadership

 
 

Update April 2020

We have successfully moved our weekend service online and many of you engaged! Great job!

Due to CDC recommendations all onsite services and events are postponed until further notice.

Here is how you can stay connected:

We will post our weekly service, Saturday Night

RiverKids connection and content is available on facebook

Arrow Youth Ministry connection and content is available on Instagram (arrowyouthmin), Snapchat (arrowyouthmin) & through ArrowBot at www.riverchurchduluth.org/youthupdates

Celebrate Recovery ministry info and updates are available on Facebook at “Celebrate Recovery at The River”

Our office is closed until further notice, but we can check voicemail and emails, 218-728-6471 office@riverchurchduluth.org

Here are some promises from the Word for you to confess on as you stand in faith:

“For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

“Do not worry about anything, instead pray about everything.” Philippians 4:6

The Lord is my light and my salvation, so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” Psalm 27:1

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ Surely He will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.” Psalm 91:1-3

For event and scheduling changes, please check here or on our Facebook page.