Rivergate Community Church

Weekly Message

January 29, 2023

pray Good Afternoon and welcome to Rivergate Community Church. It is a great day to gather together to worship the Lord.

We all have gone through a tough week and are still in shock at the loss of our precious friend, Lisa, who went home to the Lord on Monday. We rejoice in her going to be with Jesus, but we will miss her so much. I ask you to continue to lift up her family in prayer and that we would also reach out to one another this week for encouragement and support.

Grateful for Jesus with you,

Pastor Carren

January 22, 2023

Thanks Welcome to Rivergate Community Church. We invite you to take some time before our service to quiet your hearts as we prepare to worship the Lord.

Today we will have our Annual Meeting following our Worship Service. It is a good time to reflect on all the ways the Lord has blessed us, cared for us and met our needs through 2022. Take a few minutes to think back over the previous year and how has God showed up in your life? How are you different this January from last January?

The Lord has been so faithful to this little church for over 70 years there has been ministry happening in this community because of faithful souls, just like you, who chose to make Rivergate their home for a while. As we look forward to today, what is the Lord calling us to do in 2023?

Grateful for another year with you,

Pastor Carren

January 15, 2023

Clouds Sun Good Afternoon and welcome to Rivergate Community Church. May your heart be encouraged as we gather together to worship our Lord.

Our country has been battered by storms. Just this week there were tornadoes that tore through the southeast, snow blanketed the Rockies and flooding hit the west with such powerful storms…and it is not over. It seems like each day we hear of some other natural disaster whether it is fire, wind rain, snow, earthquake or tornado. It can seem overwhelming and we want to make sure and pray for all those who have been impacted and lost so much.

Storms hit our personal lives as well, and some of you have been hit hard. I ask that we cover all those who are facing serious health challenges right now and that we look for practical ways that we can also support one another as well. I am so proud of you as I hear how you sent a card or helped get a car part of took some food to someone else. May we have hearts that are open to both the giving and receiving that is all part of being a family…across the country.

Caring for one another with you,

Pastor Carren

January 8, 2023

Lent There are storms battering the country right now. We have a wet and gray afternoon here in Portland with pretty strong winds. But we know that the Bay Area is getting an enormous amount of rain and flooding will be very bad for so many. Others have endured tornadoes that destroyed homes and blizzards have also blanketed the country. Winter is hitting all of us with a fury right now.

In our spiritual lives we also face storms of all kinds. Each one of us here today are facing some type of challenge or storm in our lives. It may seem like you are getting battered and beaten on all sides right now, so may you know that you are not alone in that storm you are facing. May we find strength, hope and peace in Jesus.

Seeking Jesus with you,

Pastor Carren

January 1, 2023

Happy New Year! This is the first day of a new year – 2023 – so glad that we can welcome it in together as we gather to worship the Lord.

As we come together from around the country this afternoon may we take a moment to reflect on the previous year. How has your life changed? What did you learn about yourself? In what ways has your relationship with the Lord grown? What was the best thing in 2022?

It is only fitting that we would begin this year by coming together as the church to hear from the Lord. What is He saying to your heart this afternoon? May we find, courage, strength and hope as we follow hard after the Lord in 2023.

Celebrating the gift of a New Year with you,

Pastor Carren