November Update
"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfullness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:15-17
What a great fall of ministry it has been here at Riverside! It has been such a joy to welcome so many people here this fall for Christ-centered, refreshing camp experiences. I can't say enough about our year around staff, for all they do to make these retreats an excellent experience for all: from programming, to delicious food, horseback rides, maintenance on buildings, cleaning of buildings, and much more. We are truly blessed with a great year around team to carry out the continued mission of Riverside all 12 months of the year! In all, we hosted 30+ groups and silent retreats for pastors from Labor Day-Thanksgiving. We praise God for all He did in and through these impactful retreats! Here are a few other updates from around camp:
Giving Tuesday is Tuesday, November 28!
This year, Giving Tuesday will be completely virtual, as we will be having a public on-site Christmas Party on Sunday December 10! A few years back, our generous supporters helped us complete fund the purchase of our new property-what a gift that was! As we wrap up this year, our Giving Tuesday will go towards the continued growth and life of the ministry with two purposes: 1) Help with the purchase of 30+ mature trees to be planted on the new land (Eastern side and north/east corner) to start our tree line and 2) camperships through our general fund, continuing to ensure that all campers are able to attend camp, regardless of their financial situation. We invite you to give generously on Giving Tuesday towards our $25,000 goal to help fund these two areas!
Facility Updates
Thanks to your continued giving and support of the ministry of Riverside, it ensures we're able to be good stewards of all that God has given us here. Here are some of the ways in which your support has helped with updates around camp:
*New tires for golf carts and camp vehicles, to ensure safety for our staff that travel to churches/other ministries year around
*Upgraded Chapel computer and new ProPresenter Software, thanks to memorial gifts given by the staff from 1970's in memory of Pastor Kearney Fransten.
*Removal of more dead trees from around camp/trails
*Repair and replacement of natural gas units around some of our buildings
*New steel roofs will be coming on several buildings in December after hail damage, including: Retreat Center, Yaecob/Xerxes, Tree House bath house, 10 Hope Village Cabins, and the Prayer Chapel.
*Fencing replacement down at the Ranch
Year End Invitation
As we head into the end of another calendar year, we're excited for what's ahead in 2024! I invite you prayerfully consider how the Lord is inviting you to engage and partner with the ministry of Riverside in 2024 and beyond in a few different ways:
1) Pray daily for the ministry of Riverside--for the Lord to continue to have His will, His way, at His camp.
2) Consider volunteering as an individual/family at camp this year. We have many different ways for people of all skill levels to serve here year around. Contact our office to talk more!
3) Be an ambassador for camp at your church and in your community--sharing about all the ways to connect and bless the ministry!
4) Consider how the Lord might be inviting you to give above and beyond with your resources to the ministry of Riverside. As we celebrate 80 years of ministry, a few ways to consider may be:
*Give a year end gift of $80 (or other amount). *Consider becoming a Riverside 12:1 monthly giver by giving $80/month beginning in December (or other amount)
*We're excited to see how the Lord will continue to use so many churches, individuals, and families to carry forward the mission of Riverside, "To know Jesus Christ and to make Christ known to all," for 80 more years and beyond!
Grateful for you and God's blessings to you,
Chris Dahl
Executive Director
chris@riversideLBC.org
