“A true follower of Jesus never becomes accustomed to the sound of footsteps headed for hell.”
I just finished a podcast with fellow pastor, Chuck Reich, where I was asked how we at RiverStone are currently living into the Mission and Vision God has given us to Love,Follow, and Serve Jesus! You know some of the ways we are seeking to be faithful: worship, life groups, Band of Brothers, Women’s Guild, Overflow Free Store, Neighborhood Dinner Church, and River of Life Church in Shiprock. But there’s more opportunities coming. (You can view Brian’s podcast here)
Over three years ago, I sensed the Spirit of God directing us to narrow our focus to our immediate surrounding area, so we did. We began praying over our community with volunteers literally walking up and down the streets of our neighborhood praying over households. Next, we began discerning where and how we would launch a dinner church. January 2023 saw us take the leap and now we are beginning to see more and more of our neighbors respond to Jesus. Over the last six weeks, our average has been some-where north of 70, one night was 86! But what is most important is the “buzz” in the room as conversations are taking place among newfound friends and prayers are being said over one another.
God has again directed us to connect in our neighborhood in a new way. We have entered a partnership with Apache Elementary. The school is one of two in the city that is designated as a “Community School”. This designation makes special programs and resources available to the students and families. Most students attending there are part of households who face difficult challenges that impact their living and learning. Karen Smith is our liaison with the school and she will be sharing information in written and verbal form. Our first initiative is that our special offering on Communion Sunday, Dec. 1, will be directed toward the purchase of blankets for students who live in multi-family households where there are not enough beds or bedding.
The Holy Spirit is stirring! He’s beginning to unveil other new opportunities for us to Love,Follow, and Serve Jesus! We are richly blessed at RiverStone Church. I pray we will be faithful stewards. I believe that through our incarnational outreach we will see His Kingdom grow inside and beyond our walls! To God be the glory!
Loving U-N-Jesus!
Pastor Brian
“A church that neglects prayer becomes disunited, scattered, lethargic, all but dead.” Charles Spurgeon
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