We are Riverside Church
We are a home for everyone to worship Jesus, celebrate community, and help others.
Co-pastored by Aaron and Barbara Grass,
Riverside Church is a loving, welcoming church that aims to meet the needs of the local community physically, emotionally, and most importantly spiritually. We believe that people are body, soul, and spirit and that it is vital that all aspects of a person are healthy.
“Our desire is for the Holy Spirit to be the River of life to the people of Exeter and beyond.”
The Exeter River
Our proximity to the Exeter River inspired the name Riverside, but our name goes far deeper than geography. Our name combines the deep spiritual history of our town and our desire for the Holy Spirit to be the River of life to the people of Exeter and beyond. We desire to see our community filled with people who have encountered God and have experienced His transformative power. When this happens our community will flourish like never before, and the people of the Riverside Church are committed to this mission.
“Where the river flows, there is life.”
Ezekiel 47
There is a profound image in Ezekiel 47 where Ezekiel is shown around a desert temple near the Dead Sea. The land around the temple isn’t brimming with life, but Ezekiel sees water flowing out from the temple. This water grows deeper and wider until it becomes a river, with life flourishing on its banks. Ezekiel learns that where the river flows, there is life. We believe Jesus is the Living Water and that as we make Him known and allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us, there will be life and those around us will be profoundly impacted.
“We have a responsibility to reach out and serve those in our community.”
Community
We want Riverside Church to be a source of nourishment, love, and support for our community. Our church is a place where members of our community can come as they are, take part in life changing services and enjoy a growing community of like minded people. They will experience a warm welcome in an uplifting atmosphere that will empower them to receive that which their souls crave most.
We also see our responsibility to reach out and serve those nearby. We follow the example of Jesus who made himself a servant to serve the people around Him. We believe that deep connections are created as we serve those around us together.
“We are committed to allowing the River of Life to flow through us into out community bringing peace, love, and healing to all we come in contact with.”
River of Life
From Ezekiel, we see the power that a single river has to bring life, revitalize what was once believed to be dead, and to ultimately change the world. Our church is committed to allowing the River of Life to flow through us into our community bringing peace, love, and healing to all we come in contact with.