One of our church’s core values is “relating authentically” - We want to foster environments to develop real relationships that help us know Jesus and to make Him known. One of the primary avenues for this developement is through Riverbend’s community groups. You can learn more about our groups HERE.
Through our connections within the community, we found out that Thomas Jefferson Elementary in Bethlehem is running extremely low on items in their food pantry. We would love to support this school and families in our community by running a food drive the next few weeks. Please drop off donated items in the designated bin in the cafe. Below is a list of suggested items. Contact Sam at sam@riverbendonline.org with any questions.
-Cereal (small and large boxes)
-Mac and cheese (boxes and individual)
-Shelf stable milk
-Rice
-Oatmeal packets
-Peanut butter
-Jelly
-Pancake mix
-Syrup
-Canned tuna
-Mayonnaise
-Canned Soups
-Spaghetti or any pasta
-Spaghettios/raviolis
-Pasta sauce
-Applesauce
-Ramen Noodles
-Staples: Cooking oil, flour, sugar
-Snack items (pudding, granola bars, goldfish, chips, popcorn, fruit cups, etc)
FAITH NIGHT WITH THE IRON PIGS
Friday, June 7th
Gates open at 5:45 and game starts at 7:05
Are you ready for Faith Night with the Iron Pigs?!
Riverbend Church will be joining other churches from the area in celebrating Faith Night at the ballpark! The IronPigs will be taking on the Buffalo Bisons! There will also be pre-game worship music from Riverbend and Ebenezer’s worship teams!
$12 per ticket
- Section 119
- $2 ballpark credit
- Enjoy the pre and post-game activities
Any questions, feel free to email edward.hanna@cru.org
We will be hosting a 3 day VBS this year, August 5th-7th, from 9am-12pm. Thursday, August 8th at 6pm, we will have a family celebration to end our time together! VBS is for children ages 3 (potty-trained) through 5th grade. We can’t wait to see you there!
For Child Registration click HERE.
For Volunteer Registration click HERE.
Men, come join us for a fun night of fellowship! We have a court reserved from 7:30-9pm. Arrive a few minutes early to sign a waiver. Please RSVP to Sean Schwarze at sean.schwarze@gmail.com to let us know if you plan on coming!
Meet & Greet is an event designed to allow new comers to meet some key leaders within our community, hear about our story and learn about specific ways to further connect with the Riverbend community. Lunch will be provided!
You can register HERE.
The Climb is our youth ministry for students 6th grade through 12th grade. Join us this Sunday directly following the Gathering. For questions, please contact Drew Dolan at drew.jdolan@gmail.com.
Join us as we serve our homeless community in Allentown. Please contact Josh Compos at jtcompos@gmail.com for more details.
There will be a Climb Parents meeting on April 7th after the service. This will be a time to get some input from families on the direction of the Climb ministry. Lunch will be provided for teens and parents. Please RSVP to Sam at sam@riverbendonline.org if you are able to attend, with the number of people who plan to be there.
Join us to celebrate Easter on Sunday, March 31st. We will have 2 services. 9am and 10:30am.
**Due to limited volunteers, we are offering limited Childcare during both services.
At 9am, Foundations Children’s Ministry will be offered for 6 months through 1st grade.
At 10:30am, Foundations Children’s Ministry will be offered for 6 months through 2 years old.
Older children are welcome in the Gathering with their parents during both services and busy baskets will be available.
On Friday, March 29th at 6 PM, Riverbend Community Church will be starting Easter weekend with a Good Friday worship night. We invite you, your family and friends to come join us here at Riverbend as we take time to read scripture, sing songs, and spend time in reflection and prayer. This night will be a powerful reminder of Jesus’ great price paid for us on the cross.
*No childcare is provided.
Due to rain, the Egg Hunt has been rescheduled for Sunday, March 24th at 9:30 am. There will be refreshments, raffles and an egg hunt. Join us at 10:30 for our church service. We hope to see you there.
A special women’s event will be taking place in the cafe at Riverbend on Friday, March 15th from 6:30-8:30pm. Samantha Dean will be sharing how to look and feel best at any size and/or budget. She will be sharing helpful tools for organizing your closet, creating outfits from things you already own, and shopping smart! Coffee will be provided and if you are able, please bring a dessert to share. Please RSVP to Samantha HERE.
It’s Faith Night at the PPL Center in Allentown, and we have tickets for prime seats! Join us as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms take on the Hershey Bears. Worship team members from Ebenezer & Riverbend will be providing pre-game Christian music in the concourse, 2:00-2:45pm. Stick around after the game for a post-game testimonial with one of the Phantoms Players led by Pastor Joe!
You can purchase tickets HERE.
We will be having baptisms on Sunday, March 3rd during the Gathering. If you are ready to be baptized, you can fill out an application HERE. If you have questions or would like to talk to a Pastor, please email Chris at chris@riverbendonline.org.
Join us on Saturday, February 24th at 10am for a Children’s Ministry Training Event. You will learn some key information about Foundations as well as special needs training. Register for the event HERE. Child care will be provided upon request. Please email Sam at sam@riverbendonline.org with questions.
Riverbend 101 is an in depth look into Riverbend's beliefs and ultimate heartbeat. This 60+ minute class is intended for those who are in step with Riverbend's vision and would like to take the step toward church membership. Lunch and childcare will be provided. Click HERE to register.
Night To Shine is an unforgettable prom night experience centered on God's love for people with special needs, ages 14 and over.
You can click HERE to learn more about the event.
Will you pray with us as the event approaches? This week please be praying for our honored guests and volunteers. In our prayer time we are focusing on Psalm 139:13-14 which says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
As we continue with our Foundations for the Valley campaign and are looking for a new church home in 2025, we ask that you join us in 40 days of prayer and fasting. You can follow the fasting and prayer guide found HERE.
The Climb is our youth ministry for students 6th grade through 12th grade. Join us this Sunday directly following the Gathering. For questions, please contact Drew Dolan at drew.jdolan@gmail.com.
Meet & Greet is an event designed to allow new comers to meet some key leaders within our community, hear about our story and learn about specific ways to further connect with the Riverbend community. Lunch will be provided! Click HERE to register.
Join us for a heartwarming Christmas Eve celebration at Riverbend Community Church on December 24th! Immerse yourself in the spirit of the season with Christmas songs, a message of hope and inspiration, and a festive photo booth to capture cherished memories. Indulge in delicious Christmas treats and enjoy childcare (ages 6 months to preschool) during the 10:30 AM service. Let the joy of Christmas fill your hearts and homes as we celebrate together!
Join us after the Gathering on Sunday, December 10th to decorate Gingerbread Houses. This event is for all ages and will be led by the two-time Gingerbread House decorating champion, Robbin Hunsberger!
The church will provide pizza and snacks for all that would like to attend. The cost is $10 per house you would like to make! The cost includes the Gingerbread house as well as all the materials to decorate it.
Click HERE to register. The deadline to register for the event is Sunday, December 3rd.
Email Sam at sam@riverbendonline.org with any questions.
Women and friends of Riverbend are invited to a morning of conversation and creating,
Saturday, November 11th from 10am-12pm at Rebecca Escott’s home in west Bethlehem. Add a touch of whimsy to your Christmas decorating with a horse for your open sleigh or a partridge for your pear tree! Ample morning refreshments provided. For an address and any additional information needed, contact Rebecca at escotts@rcn.com
We want to share the love of Jesus in joining New Bethany by adopting 2 families and providing Christmas gifts. Consider choosing a gift to bless an individual this holiday season. You can find a list of desired items HERE. Please drop UNWRAPPED gifts off in the cafe no later than Sunday, December 10th.
Please email Sam at sam@riverbendonline.org with any questions.
Join us for a special “Foundations for the Valley” banquet on Sunday, October 15th from 5-7pm. We would love to share with you how God is working in our community and let you know specific ways to get involved.
While the adults enjoy a banquet, the children will have their own party with games, crafts and snacks.
We hope to see you all there! RSVP is required. Please RSVP by clicking HERE.
On Monday, October 9th from 5-8pm there will be a Spirit Night happening at Chick-fil-A Whitehall in support of Night to Shine. Please be sure to tell the team member taking your order that you are there to support the event! Grab your family and friends for an evening of delicious food while supporting a great cause.
2610 MacArthur Road Whitehall, Pa 18052
October is Pastor Appreciation Month and we are grateful for our Pastors who serve so faithfully. Joe Velarde and Chris Dean are making a difference in our lives with their godly example, hard work, sacrificial dedication, their dedication, their counseling, and their friendship. Let’s make a difference in their lives this month and surround them with extra amounts of encouragement. Consider sending them a card or note of encouragement! Monetary gifts for the Pastor’s Love offering are also being accepted. Monetary gifts can be given directly to the pastors or made online HERE. Cards can be mailed to the church ( 795 Roble Rd Suite B. Allentown, PA 18109), their homes or you can email/text them.
On Friday, September 22nd at 7:30pm Emily Price will be hosting a ladies spa night at her house. Please bring your favorite nail polish and wear comfy clothes or pjs. Please text Emily Price at (757) 817-8608 for the address.
It’s Riverbend’s birthday! We are looking forward to celebrating another year of ministry with you on September 17th with a gathering at 10:30 and a cookout to follow! Wear your favorite sports attire and get ready to celebrate all that God has done this year. If you’d like to bring a side dish to share, you can sign up HERE.
All women are invited to a Bible Study this fall meeting from 7-8:30pm at Riverbend on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month on September 12th & 26th, October 10thand 24th and November 14th and 28th. Come join us as we study the Bible using the book Rachel & Leah: What Two Sisters Teach Us About Combating Comparison. The study will be facilitated by Cheryl Hutchinson and there is no cost for the book. Please email Monica Tramontina at monicaandmark@yahoo.com if you are interested.
We hope you can join us for a dedicated time of prayer that will span 24 hours of people from our community praying. This will be happening from Friday, September 8th at 6:00pm to Saturday, September 9th at 6:00pm. There will be a prayer room set up at Riverbend with prayer guides, resources, and tools to assist your time of prayer. If you aren't able to come to Riverbend, we'd still love for you to sign up for a time to pray (prayer guides and tools available for this option as well). We believe that prayer always comes first and are excited to see where God takes us! If you would like to sign up for a time slot to pray at Riverbend please do so HERE.
Our next Vision meeting for our members is happening on August 27th at Riverbend. We look forward meeting to seeing what the next year looks like at Riverbend!
Each Wednesday while the ministry teams are here, we will be having a cookout in our parking lot! This is an opportunity to get to know our neighbors here at Riverbend better and spread the love of Jesus. This will include lunch and games. We hope you can join us!
Questions? Contact Pastor Joe through email at joe@riverbendonline.org
Riverbend Community Church
795 Roble Rd
Allentown, PA 18109
Questions? Reach out by
info@riverbendonline.org or text (610) 595-9156
Gatherings held Sunday at 10:30 AM
