Welcome
Welcome to Riverlawn Presbyterian Church, where we strive to: purge ourselves of pride by focusing on and glorifying God, teach the truth through fellowship & discipleship, demonstrate a life of love through service to others, and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with those in need.
Our Mission
At Riverlawn Presbyterian we believe that we have a mission to both our local community as well as a global outreach. We want to provide a place where people can encounter Jesus Christ. Riverlawn feels called to minister to families and children in our community.
Dear Riverlawn family,
In August of 2018 the Lord called Pastor Chris and the Rev. Bill Cain to provide a Leadership Planning Retreat at Riverlawn. Riverlawn’s staff, elders, deacons and ministry leaders spent time in fellowship, worship, and prayer as we addressed this question: “In order to get from where we are now to where we believe God is leading us, what key actions (ministries, focal points, attitudes) need to occur?
During the retreat Bill recommended that we form a Strategic Planning Team consisting of individuals representing our leadership groupings, as well as all ages, including those who are positioned to give voice to the community we are seeking to engage and serve. Their task would be to develop a plan for Riverlawn to carry out her mission and live into her intended purpose as the body of Christ. This team, appointed in December 2018 worked diligently until presenting their final report to the session in September 2020. The session is grateful for their willingness to serve and their months of dedication to this important task.
The subject of this letter is to introduce you to the finished work of the planning team which is entitled, Living into Our Vision. Based upon our Mission Statement, this team wrote a detailed plan that included a 5-year Vision statement, outlined our Purpose as a Church and stated the Goals we would need to accomplish as we live into our vision.
This plan will be carried out in 4 phases that will encourage us to grow spiritually by drawing close to Jesus and result in our desire to follow Jesus’ example and command to go out into the world with the good news of His love. Phase 1 will introduce us to the practices of prayer and fasting. As we pray and fast, we are seeking repentance, unity, and God’s will for Riverlawn.
In the coming weeks, as we enter the season of Lent, you can look forward to hearing Pastor Chris teach us about repentance and fasting and calling all of us to a corporate experience as we share a specific time of prayer and fasting. Your deacon and elder shepherds will be contacting you to answer any questions you have about Living into Our Vision and asking for your response to this opportunity for mission, ministry and spiritual growth.
The entire Living into Our Vision plan can be viewed here (Living into Our Vision).
We are excited as we begin this journey together. We know that God has called us to be a light in the darkness and to bring hope to the lost. Our prayer is that each person reading this letter will prayerfully consider what God is calling you to claim as your part of making this vision a reality.
2 Chronicles 7:14 – If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Pastor Chris, the Strategic Planning Team, and your Riverlawn Leaders
This week, we begin a series on the significance of Prayer, Fasting and Repentance. If you have not had the opportunity to review the congregational letter that was recently shared detailing the Living into Our Vision initiative, as well as our calling to a corporate time of fasting on the first Monday of each month at noon.
~ Here are a couple links to helpful resources:
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/fasting-for-beginners (Fasting for beginners, informative and relatable for all)
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/why-do-christians-fast (Why do Christians fast? Inward, Outward, Forward, Godward)
Joy, hope, and peace in the name of our glorious Savior Jesus Christ!
As you may know, we recently sent out a letter describing a new initiative called “Living into our Vision.” We’ve learned that some have not seen it, had a chance to become familiarized with it, or had questions after reading it. So first, if you have not had the chance to see it, we can mail you a copy (let me know!) or you can find it on our homepage www.RiverlawnChurch.org.
In a nutshell, what’s this all about? A while back, we asked the question: “In order to get from where we are now to where we believe God is leading us, what needs to occur?” We developed a plan for Riverlawn to carry out her mission as the body of Christ. This plan includes a 5-year vision, stating the goals we set out to accomplish as we live into it. Here is a condensed summary of the vision, goals and phases:
VISION (Desired End-State - where do we want to be in 5 years): A body of believers working together in the unity of Christ with a strong sense of discipleship (following after) and apostleship (sending out) where members are learning and growing in Christ and deeply involved in the community by being a light in the darkness showing the lost and the hurting in this world the unfailing love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
GOALS ï Teach the entire Word of God imparting God’s truth to all. ï Empower believers to continually mature in their faith and relationship with Jesus Christ. ï Care for, support, and nurture believers by walking beside them as Christian brothers and sisters. ï Serve, build relationships with, and witness to the hurting and the lost, as we introduce them to the love of Jesus Christ, so that they too may share in the love of God. ï Provide Spirit inspired worship that engages all people and enables them to be active participants in the experience. ï Continually prepare believers for the coming of Jesus Christ.
PHASE 1 ï Seek Repentance and God’s Will for Riverlawn - Our first and most important step is to recognize that we all fall short of the glory of God, we need to continually repent and pray, so that we remain aligned with the will of God ï Seek Unity in Christ Among the Body
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PHASE 2 ï In-Depth Training for Leadership & Members ï Identify and Use Spiritual Gifts ï Encourage More Practice of Spiritual Disciplines ï Development of a Discipleship Program
PHASE 3 ï From Discipleship to Apostleship ï Form an Evangelism Team - To announce the Good News of Jesus through word and deed
PHASE 4 ï Outside Ministry / Cause ï Take Full Inventory of What Riverlawn Has to Offer the Community ï Listening to Our Community ï Coordinator for Community Opportunities
We have begun Phase 1, involving the individual and corporate practices of prayer, repentance and fasting as we pursue unity and God’s will for His people. During the Sundays of Lent, we will be learning more about what the Scriptures teach us about these practices.
This is a corporate call to action. We are calling on each of you, and all of us, to take part in specific times of prayer, repentance, and fasting. So that we can do this together as the body of Christ, we have designated the first Monday of each month at noon. This will begin on March 1st. This will be a fast from food, setting aside the time that you would typically use to eat lunch to instead increase your hunger for God and His purpose for you and His Church.
For those who have medical conditions or dietary restrictions, please take that into consideration as you determine how to prudently participate in our shared times of fasting. We don’t want this to become legalistic or rote. At the same time, as we will learn, the sacrifice and self-denial of fasting, has a supernatural significance.
We have shared some info and resources through an email blast about fasting, offering some practical guidelines as well as diving more into the purpose and significance of fasting and other spiritual disciplines. If you would like a printed copy of these materials, please contact your Servant Shepherd or me. Here are a couple helpful links:
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/fasting-for-beginners
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/why-do-christians-fast
Why bother? During Lent, followers of Jesus walk with him on the Way of the Cross. It is a time to reflect on the suffering and ultimate death Jesus endured for us. It is the season of preparing our hearts for Easter, to consecrate our lives as those given rebirth in Him. How do we prepare for it? By repenting of our sins, living more simply, and growing closer to Christ our Savior.
We hope that you will join us as we come before our Lord – in prayer, repentance and fasting – seeking the Spirit’s unity and the Lord’s leading.
Pastor Chris
Worship includes music.
Below are this week's worship music selections.
Just click on the title to hear the music.
Select "Music Archives" for past weeks music.
Songs of Worship – 02/28/2021
Graves into Gardens – Elevation Worship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YihKbG8-X3U
How Deep the Father’s Love for Us https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZSirSqpM54
I Need Thee Every Hour – Fernando Ortega https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZIMDcgrF-Q
Jesus Paid It All – Newsboys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs05AtP2wd8
Please click on the Staying Close Staying Connected Graphic for the complete document.
Riverlawn Presbyterian Church
has a gift for you!
Riverlawn family and friends -
I’m excited to share that our church has access to an extensive video library called RightNow Media!
It’s like the "Netflix of Video Bible Studies" and has a HUGE library of faith-based videos that you can access whenever and wherever you want—on your phone, tablet, computer, or on your TV at home. You will have FREE access to thousands of video resources to help you with parenting, marriage, discipleship and more. It includes content for all ages and stages of life, and all of your family members are invited to set up their own accounts as well.
Now, let’s create your account! There are two simple steps:
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Click on the "Get Started" button below to create your private account and start watching right away!
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Download the RightNow Media app for smart phone, tablet, Apple TV, Roku, or Amazon Fire TV.
We hope you and your family enjoy this gift from all of us here at Riverlawn Presbyterian Church.
In the matchless love of our Savior,
Pastor Chris
Click on the logo above for more details.
Please show your support and donate to Chris Davis and his team.
Learn more at: www.globallead.world
Dear Friends of the Open Arms Foundation,
I know that many of you, like me, often find that shopping on Amazon is convenient and affordable. Now it can also benefit the Open Arms Foundation when you do so! If you go to Amazon smile and click on the Open Arms Foundation in Cross Lanes, WV as your recipient, 0.5% of the price of whatever you order on Amazon will go toward our organization! You still buy just as you always would but you give an extra gift to the children in Colombia! Thanks for clicking one extra time on your computer when you next buy from Amazon!
God bless!
Open Arms Foundation
Please show your support and donate to Enoc & Cristina Hernandez.
Learn more at: www.openarmsfoundation.com