Riverbend Vision Information 2018/2019

Thank you for journeying with us this year! To keep you connected with how God is moving in our community, we wanted to provide an update. As we have seen God move in and grow our church family, we wanted to share with you new directions we feel He is leading our ministry in the coming year.

STAFFING NEEDS - 

FOUNDATIONS MINISTRY COORDINATOR

As many of you are aware, the Foundations children’s ministry has grown significantly in the past year. Currently our children’s ministry accounts for nearly 30% of our Riverbend family! The attendance in this area has grown nearly 60% since 2017! Foundations leadership has been prayerfully seeking God’s wisdom as they’ve stewarded this steady growth over the last 2 years.

We recognize that this growth has created new opportunities and needs within this area. Since early this year, the Riverbend staff and elder team has been praying and discussing the need for an adjustment in the Foundations leadership structure to support this ministry’s current reality.

To this point, the Foundations Coordinator role has been a volunteer position served by Mark and Julie Moyer and Jes Braskie. As we approach our 2018/2019 budget year we believe the current needs, time, and responsibilities of this growing role will be best served in a part- time compensated position. 

Mark and Julie Moyer will remain engaged in the ministry, but will transition to a role of oversight, shepherding and care for leadership and families within Riverbend. We are very excited to see how God uses them in this role as they engage Riverbend families on a broader
level.

The Riverbend leadership team is pursuing qualified individuals who are passionate about leading the Foundations ministry. Please pray for Riverbend’s Foundations ministry with us!

For further information regarding the new responsibilities for this role, reference our FOUNDATIONS MINISTRY COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION

If you have interest in Foundations Ministry Coordinator position please reach out to Mark Moyer through email at mmoyer80@gmail.com

ADDITIONAL PASTORAL ROLE

Through the years, it has been amazing to see God’s hand of provision for Riverbend. As you have prayed, invested, and invited — there has been consistent growth in our congregation (recently numbering ~250). To shepherd this growth well and maintain a healthy balance in the lives of our leaders, we feel God is moving us to fill an additional pastoral role at Riverbend.

As we have prayerfully considered this area of need, one of our church planting interns, Travis Ross, approached our leadership to express his love for our community and explore the possibility of serving at Riverbend on a longer term basis. Over the past year, we have seen Travis exhibit compassionate and consistent leadership in many areas of our church. We have witnessed and affirmed his character and see God’s leading as we explore this opportunity together.

This role would be designed to fortify and further mobilize areas of ministry vital to Riverbend Community’s continued health. For further information regarding the new responsibilities for this role, reference our JOB DESCRIPTION.

FACILITY NEEDS -

In 2011, we moved to our current gathering space at 795 Roble Rd in Allentown. In these last 7 years our space has been enhanced several times to accommodate our growing church body. This has allowed us to express generosity and hospitality to those within the Lehigh Valley. As our congregation has grown by over 20% in the past year, we have started conversations with our landlord to explore a longer term lease with additional square footage. This gives us the opportunity to significantly renovate and optimize a space suited to our future needs as a church. It is our desire to create a welcoming environment for our growing church body, while continuing to build on the work and relationships God has blessed us with at this space!

If you have additional questions or would like clarification around these vision items, please contact any of our elders. You will find their emails listed on our site at http://www.riverbendonline.org/pastors-elders/