New around here? Welcome to Riverside Presbyterian Church! We are glad you are interested in learning more about who we are.
What To Expect
On Sundays, we have worship services, at 8:30 am and at 10:30 am, in the Sanctuary at the corner of Park St. and Post St. All are welcome.
For children 0-4, a nursery is available in the Williams Building beginning at 8:15 am. Nursery details
The 8:30 service is held in the chapel area in the sanctuary (near the front, on the right) and is a smaller, more intimate version of the 10:30 service. Communion is offered every week and there is no choir.
The 10:30 service features our chancel choir, and communion is offered on the first Sunday of the month. When you enter the Sanctuary, a member of our Greeter Team will make sure you have everything you need for the service - from our weekly bulletin, a worship bag for children, or an assistive hearing device. After each service, our pastors are available to welcome visitors and answer any questions.
We welcome children in our worship services, and have put together worship bags to help them experience worship in an age-appropriate way. During the service, children may come to the front of the church for a portion of worship called “Faith Sharing with Children,” where they will hear the message for the day in a relatable form.
Adults
We hope you will visit one of our Sunday School classes, which begin at 9:30 am on Sunday morning. Some classes also have an online option via Zoom. This will be noted if a Zoom option is offered.
Children
Children are welcome in our worship services. There are worship bags in the back of the sanctuary that include interesting activities for kids including crayons, word searches and even children's bulletins. Sunday School for PreK - 5th Grade begins at 9:30 am each Sunday. For children 0-4, a nursery is available in the Williams Building beginning at 8:15 am. Nursery details
During the 10:30 am service, all children are invited to participate in Faith Sharing with Children. After Faith Sharing, children in Kindergarten and younger can attend childcare. Children will be escorted to the Williams Building Room 104 and can be picked up there when worship is over.
Youth
Youth (Grades 6-12) are invited to fully participate in worship. Sunday School begins at 9:30 am each Sunday.
In addition to encouraging our youth to participate in Sunday School and worship, our Youth Group meets on Sunday nights to further the spiritual development of the church’s youth, and to give them fellowship opportunities with each other and youth from other local churches. Special events and summer trips are highlights of our youth program.
Parking
Riverside Presbyterian is located at the corner of Post Street and Park Street in the 5 Points area of Riverside. Parking, including disabled parking, is available on Sunday mornings in a small upper lot adjacent to the Sanctuary Additional parking is available in the large Post St. lot between Oak St. and May St., or in the parking lot on the southwest corner of Park St. and Post St. (enter via Margaret Street)
Membership
We welcome all visitors, and encourage visitors to engage with the church before committing to membership. Anyone who desires to make Riverside their church home by uniting with our church family may speak to one of the pastors or contact the church office. We offer classes for visitors and new members throughout the year, which are designed to provide information about the Riverside’s ministries and Presbyterianism generally, but are not required to join.
New members may join Riverside in one of three ways:
- If you are a member of another church, you may join by “transfer of letter”, which simply means we ask your current church to transfer your membership to Riverside.
- If you have never been baptized before, you may join by baptism. Any previous baptism that was done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even if performed in another denomination (Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant) is recognized by our denomination, and need not be repeated.
- If you have been baptized before, but are not currently a member of any church, you may join by reaffirmation of faith. In this case, you would be asked to answer the following questions at a meeting with our Session (the governing body of our church)
Is Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior? Yes.
Do you intend to be his disciple, to trust his grace, to obey his word and to show his love? I do.
Will you be a faithful member of this congregation, giving of yourself in every way, and will you seek the fellowship of the church wherever you may be? I will.
You may join prior to worship on any Sunday. Our new members who have recently joined the church are introduced a couple of times each year, and greeted with a welcome reception after worship.
Baptisms
‘Baptism is the sign and seal of our incorporation into Jesus Christ,” as our denomination's Book of Order puts it. “Baptism is the bond of unity in Jesus Christ. When we are baptized, we are made one with Christ, with one another, and with the Church of every time and place. In Christ, barriers of race, status, and gender are overcome; we are called to seek reconciliation in the Church and world, in Jesus’ name.”
We celebrate the sacrament of Baptism in the context of worship at the request of parents who wish to have their child baptized, or at the request of an adult who wishes to join the church and has not been previously baptized. All baptisms must be approved ahead of time by the Session (governing body of the church).
When a child is presented for Baptism, at least one parent (or person exercising parental responsibility) should be an active member of a Christian church, normally Riverside. The session may consider a request to baptize a child whose parent(s) is an active member of another church, in correspondence with that church.
Our denomination recognizes baptisms administered in any Christian denomination, administered in the name of the triune God— Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Anyone having previously received such a baptism need not be baptized again.
Weddings
Our beautiful sanctuary is a wonderful place for a couple to make their vows before God and celebrate a wedding. Though Riverside’s members are given first priority, non-members are welcome to celebrate their wedding in our sanctuary, in accordance with our wedding policies and procedures. If you are interested in having your wedding at Riverside, please fill out the Wedding Interest Form and our wedding coordinator will get in contact with you.
All weddings performed at Riverside Presbyterian Church are ultimately at the discretion of the Riverside Session and the Senior Pastor.
Read The Rev. Dr. Lays personal policies regarding officiating weddings
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