March 28, 2024

Sharing Ministries - A Way to Share and Grow!

Hope and Riverside Congregational Churches

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“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
~ Matthew 18:20

When Jesus said these words, at least in the beginning of his ministry, there may have been as few around him as we often see in our Sunday worship these days. Since those days, we have many and varied ministries created in the Way of Jesus in our faith communities. However, since we find ourselves with fewer people available to tend to our many outreach activities, we have to rethink how we share the ‘hands’ we have.

And so, the congregations of Riverside and Hope Churches, in reaching this understanding, have agreed to share their pastor, vary their worship times, and uplift our ministry activities. The first step has been reached, by changing the worship times of each Sunday service. On Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023, the Riverside Congregational Church will begin convening on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and the Hope Congregational Church will begin their service time at 10:30 a.m. In this way, both congregations will be able to offer alternative worship times for the community and their members.

These two faith communities will share and uplift their various outreach activities, beyond the change of service times. One thing - both churches remain separate organizations, with the idea that as hands combine to lift each in their activity, they can maintain their ministries while seeking to grow. Overall, both congregations look to uplift, share, and reimagine ministry in a larger community setting.

The United Church of Christ, to whom both faith communities covenant, has a motto, "Doing together what we cannot do alone." This is something we hold in our thoughts and prayers as we move forward, united in ministry and gathered as one. In being more united, we inaugurate a new way of being church as we begin this journey together. On the journey, The Reverend Robert W. Nolan.

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