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River Glen
Philosophy of Worship
We pride ourselves on being an inclusive church that values everyone being a part of our community regardless of age or ability. Everyone has a place in our worship center.
Read more below!
Our Philosophy of Worship
River Glen honors the commitment we make to everyone that walks through our doors as if they were baptized here. With joy and thanksgiving, we welcome you into Christ’s church, for we are one in Christ. We promise to love, encourage, and support you, to share the good news of the gospel with you, and to help you know and follow Christ.1
We value worshiping together as one body of Christ, so we accept and welcome people of all ages and abilities within the worship space. We want to encourage everyone to participate, learn about God, and worship in their own way. In welcoming people of all abilities, we recognize that some may make different sounds or movements and these are welcomed and encouraged as a part of interactive worship together. We consider these “interactions, not distractions”.2
"Children and youth bring special gifts and grow in their faith through regular participation in worship. Those who plan and lead worship should provide for their full participation in the Service for the Lord’s Day."3 Everyone is encouraged to join with their children however they are comfortable whether through play in our Prayground, sitting together as a family in the pews, or through worshiping together online at home. We know that a good foundation for a future faith life starts with the relationships that we as a congregation establish with the next generation. Within these relationships, we work to share Christ’s love daily through compassion and acceptance for our children and their families just as they are.
Adults of all abilities bring unique gifts and representations of God’s family to our church. Diversity is part of God’s plan for the Beloved Community and we seek to model that at River Glen. We also realize that some people worship best in a quiet atmosphere, with as few distractions as possible, and others may struggle with accessibility issues, due to hearing or vision loss. We seek to provide a space that offers a variety of experiences so that it is welcoming and accessible for all, and reflective of God’s Kingdom.
1 Adapted from the Book of Common Worship, section on Baptism
2 A term adopted by Front Porch Church; a A MicroChurch for Families of Special Needs based at YellowBox Community Christian Church that River Glen supports and houses as a secondary worship location.
3 (Book of Order: W-2.02 THE WORSHIPING ASSEMBLY W-2.0201 A Royal Priesthood)
Join us in our Prayground!
Within the worship center, we have a designated area where everyone is welcome to come play, pray, and participate in worship. Materials are designed and change monthly so that the everyone can explore the stories and seasons that others are also experiencing during worship. We want to provide the opportunity for everyone to participate and learn about God in their own way, right alongside their families. Everyone is encouraged to join in with the children to establish connections with them and help them to experience God's love through play. The Prayground is open to all!
Utilize our Sensory Shelf!
Our Sensory Shelf is available to the right of the fellowship hall for everyone to access! There are coloring books, fidgets, a weighted blanket, seek and find bottles, and noise cancelling headphones We recognize that an hour can be a long time to sit and listen so please feel free to utilize these materials while you are worshiping with us!