Playground Construction Continues

There is no shortage of heavy machinery around the church campus lately. The sounds of hammers, drills, bulldozers and backhoes are now a familiar sound for the staff throughout the week, and every day brings changes to the campus's landscape. The most obvious changes right now are taking place on the Silverdale Rd. side between the Preschool Entrance and the Student Ministry Center (SMC). As the crews continue to work, the concept of the new playground becomes easier to envision.

Keep in mind that as you arrive on Sundays and Wednesdays, the Preschool Parking area is NOT available and some entrances may be blocked. The Atrium entrance on Silverdale Rd. WILL be open on Sundays.

Here are a few pictures of this week's progress.

Exciting News for Preschoolers

Construction began this week on our new preschool playground area! During this phase of construction, you will not be able to park in the Preschool Parking Area and you may not be able to enter through the Preschool Entrance. Please plan to park across Silverdale Rd. and enter the building through the Atrium door. It's exciting to see the campus changing daily. Thank you for your flexibility during renovations!

South Asia Mission Trip

Imagine yourself in the middle of Riverbend on the most crowded night, noises blaring, people so dense that you can’t see ten feet in front of you, trash on the ground, and there is such a variety of smells that you can’t separate them. Now you have a mental picture of our trip to Southeast Asia. But unlike at Riverbend, these people are living life. Life in South Asia is a hard life.

During our trip, we visited the slums where families, just like yours and mine, live crowded shoulder to shoulder, with no running water, no sanitation and little-to-no electricity. They pick through garbage to find something to eat or perhaps for a plastic bottle that they can sell to buy some food for their family.

As we observed the poverty, the smells, and the constant noise, we also saw something else – hope. Almost everyone we met in the slums met us with a smile. In the midst of their plight, they have been introduced to their only true Hope – Jesus Christ. Our missionaries are the feet of Christ as they teach these souls God’s word through English classes, henna storying, and personal example. In their poverty, the people of South Asia are becoming rich.

If you have the opportunity to go on a mission trip to South Asia, or anywhere else in the world – do it. As you are being God’s messenger, He may just let you know that while you thought you were going there to do a great work for Him, He was taking you there to do a great work in you!

Susan Whited
Counseling Director