Last year Riverside chose the unusual path of not constructing a new building, but instead chose to stay put and maximize our current space.
We did this for several reasons:
Riverside is people, not a building. Our influence in the community is not determined by the vastness of our facility, but by the Christ-likeness of our people. Our simple building reminds us that people are the church, keeps our operating expenses low, and maximizes the funds that can be mobilized for ministry.
We have grown to love our “elongated government-services-looking building.” Our building is humble like we want to be. Riverside has grown in numbers nearly every year for a decade not because the building looks exciting, but because people have been drawn to our passion for God’s Word, our commitment to authentic community, and our desire to impact Tippecanoe County and beyond. We expect we will continue to grow in this way.
We want to be missional. Our biblical task is to take the Gospel of Jesus to our community rather than expecting our community to come to us. We believe our smaller facility is wise stewardship and will continue to encourage us to meet for Bible study and relationship-building in homes, coffee shops, restaurants, schools, and any other places our community already has sufficient space.
Now it is time to invest in our current spaces and to maximize their usefulness. Several aspects of our current facilities have been neglected and it is time to update them. Our multi-year plan would require $377,000, which is less than 10% of the cost of a new facility. In addition, with your help, we want to make these improvements without incurring any additional debt.
Finally, Riverside is committing 10% of all donations to our building improvement fund to the construction of a new home in our community through Habitat for Humanity and to projects in Cangahua, Ecuador, the community Riverside visits each summer.
Hilarious Video with proposed updates to the Welcome Center
Updates to RiverKids and Nursery
Updates for Jr. & Sr. High Youth Discipleship
1 year ago, after considerable congregational discussion and prayerful discernment, Riverside made the decision not to build a new facility, but to stay in our current facilities for the foreseeable future. Riverside’s Leadership Team then began a process with Staff and ministry leaders to assess our current facilities and to determine what updates and improvements would be necessary to enhance our work together.
The proposed improvements were shared at our January congregational meeting and fit into several vital ministry categories outlined below. The total estimated cost of all projects is $377,500, but this number presumes that all labor is hired and no volunteers are utilized. This number is less than 10% of the cost of building a new facility. In addition, we expect this work to take place in phases over a couple of years. As we raise funds, we will complete the most urgent and essential projects first.
Riverside’s Staff, Leadership Team, and ministry leaders believe that these improvements are vital enhancements to our facilities and will enable us to most effectively follow Jesus, share life, and serve others together. Should you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact anyone on Riverside’s Staff or Leadership Team.
If you are ready to support these projects financially, you can simply put “Riverside facilities” in the memo line of your donation.
RiverKids and Nursery
- Add additional bathroom
- Expand current bathroom
- Move classroom walls to more effectively match classroom size with needs
- Create large classroom at the end of the hall to accomodate RiverKids worship
Jr. High and Sr. High Youth Discipleship
- Remove walls on second floor of white house
- Purchase furniture and aesthetic improvements for Youth space
Welcome Ministry
- Update upstairs bathrooms
- Redesign Welcome Center
- Remove bookcases and replace them with a counter that hangs along the wall. Chairs/stools would be available against the wall.
- Remove large diagonal cabinet
- Relocate coffee machine into the Welcome Center
- Install scissor trusses to raise ceiling height
- Replace doors
Riverside Office
- Kitchen will be converted to reception area and Babby’s office
- Kitchenette will be placed in new copy/workroom
- Add air conditioning to the the white house
- New windows in the white house
Worship Ministry
- Increase air conditioning capacity for building
- Install new windows
- Update sanctuary and building aesthetics
- Update sound system
- Update lighting
General Facilities’ Maintenance
- Repave and stripe parking lot
- create additional space for Riverside bus
- New carpet
- New roof