The River Church
On September 20, Pastor Brad will be kicking off his new series designed to equip each person to lead others in their next steps toward Jesus. Join us at 9:45 or 11:15 as we study Acts 4:1-22.
Welcome! We are so glad that you are here. You can follow along with the talk here and add your own notes. Right below here you can see what is going on at The River.
Let us know if there is anything we can do to better serve you. Oh, if you haven't done so already, remember to head to your favorite social media platform to let everyone know you are here by checking in or following and liking ours!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Worship Service Registration
Please go to hittheriver.com, under the events tab, and register for the service you would like to attend. We are offering 2 service times at 9:45 a.m., and 11:15 a.m. If you would rather watch online, both services will be streaming live at facebook.com/hittheriver and on our website at HitTheRiver.com.
RiverBank Kids - 9:45 a.m. service
We have reopened children’s ministry for K-5 students during the 9:45 a.m. service (ONLY). While we would love to welcome all kids, we are working around several limitations at this time: COVID-19 concern, and limited volunteers. Please consider volunteering to serve in our children’s ministry. Things will look a bit different. Here is what to expect:
· Registration will be required, and space will be limited. Register your family each week at hittheriver.com
· Your family will check-in together for service.
· At check-in, kids will be given preprinted name tags and parent tags. Kids will also have their temperature checked.
· Kids will remain with their family until the middle of worship (music) and will be dismissed to the lobby where they will be greeted by the RiverBank Kids team.
· Kids will be required to wear a mask and will be socially distanced in the classroom. We will be using what was the toddler room until the elementary space is made available downstairs.
· Kids will enjoy a socially distanced lesson, craft, and game. If time and weather permits, we will take the kids outside (behind the building) to play (masks may be removed for outdoor play).
· We will Zoom with families at home during the teaching portion of our time together. The Zoom link will be in your weekly RBKids email. Also, curriculum links will still be emailed to families every Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m., so that kids can enjoy the same lesson content that we will be offering at church.
4th Annual River Night at the Farm (Barn Bash) - 5:45 p.m., farm opens at 6:00 p.m.
The River Church will be going to the Niederman Family Farm on Thursday, October 15 for a fun evening of connecting and letting the kids play. We have two bonfire pits reserved. It will be a great way to reflect on all the good things God has done this past year.
We are selling discounted wristbands to get into the farm if you want to take your family to enjoy a hayride, bonfire, corn maze, smores, and all the other fun things the farm has to offer. The wristbands are only $5 per person and must be reserved and paid for in advance this year. We will not be handling cash at the gate. Children 2 years old and under are free. Please register and purchase your wristbands @ hittheriver.com under events.
FREE Digital Bible Study Resources
One of our goals here is to provide everyone who attends The River with discipleship resources, which is why we’re giving all of our attendees access to RightNow Media for FREE! If you have not already signed up you can easily get access by texting “RightNow HitTheRiver” to 41411.
Outdoor Service- October 4th and 18th
We are excited to have two more outdoor services on 10/4 and 10/18 at 10:30 a.m., and want to see you there! Bring your own chairs (stadium, lawn, etc.) or blanket to sit on and spread out for social distancing. There will not be any children’s church and masks are optional if you are 6 feet apart.
The River Institute - register for either/or under events tab @ hittheriver.com :
How to Study the Bible beginning September 16th from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. (four weeks) Taught by Lawrence McAlister
Devotionals help us know God. Seminary level exegesis can also help us know God. For those who would like something in between, we'll discuss a simple method of Bible study intended to bring about personal transformation. We'll talk about and practice this flexible method for personal Bible study that can be adapted to your level of interest. After these four sessions, we'll be able to find deeper truths in the text and apply them to our lives.
Stand Firm and Defend: A Journey in Apologetics beginning September 20th from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. (four weeks) Taught by Dan Benton
Apologetics is the study of defending our faith. It’s more relevant today than ever before that we be “…ready to make a defense to everyone who ask you to give an answer for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). This practical class will equip you to gain confidence in talking to others about Jesus.
Tween Girls (6th-8th Grade) Study
The River Youth is inviting all tween girls (6th-8th grade) to join us to learn more about friendship. We will be studying the book "We Saved You a Seat" by Lisa Jo Baker. The book teaches how to expand your current relationships with friends along with your friendship with Jesus Christ. We will meet during the 9:45 a.m. service each Sunday starting on September 20th at the church. While the weather is nice we will meet outside socially distanced/ or with masks. If you are interested, please email Brittany McGaffin at brittany.mcgaffin@gmail.com and she will order a book for you. Books are $12.99.
Cultivating Prayer- Family
“One of the greatest responsibilities is praying for your kids, but an even greater responsibility is teaching them to pray. Don’t just pray for them; pray with them. Praying for your kids is like taking them for a ride; praying with your kids is like teaching them to drive.” – Mark Batterson
Acts 4:1-4 ESV
4 Key Sadducee Beliefs
1. They didn’t believe in angels and demons or the spirit world.
2. They didn’t believe in an actual messiah. They believed that the Messiah was an ideal, not a person.
3. They believed that the Jews should cooperate with Rome and they didn’t want any trouble, so they always opted for the status quo.
4. They did not believe in any resurrection of the dead.
Acts 4:5-12 ESV
Acts 4:12 ESV
Acts 4:13-22 ESV
Dr. Richard Longenecker
“But where that established authority stood in opposition to God’s authority, thus becoming in effect demonic, the early believers knew where their priorities lay and judged all religious forms and functions from a Christ-centered perspective.”