New Service Times FAQ
Riverbend’s service times are changing
On November 20, 2022, Riverbend begins moving to a new schedule for their Sunday services. We will have one service in the Home for Hope (Main Auditorium) at 10:30AM. There will be no Chapel service on November 20.
On November 27, the chapel service will shift its start time to 9:00AM.
As we move into the future, this will be Riverbend’s new Sunday schedule:
9:00AM Traditional | Intimate, hymn-based worship in the Chapel
10:30AM Contemporary | Engaging worship in the Home for Hope
FAQ
Below you will find a list of frequently asked questions. If you have a question that’s not represented in this FAQ, please send it to info@riverbend.com
Why are we making this shift?
In the past year, we’ve experimented with moving to this format a couple of times, and what we’ve experienced — and heard from people that represent every part of the Riverbend community — is that the energy in the room is critical to how we experience church together.
Who will be teaching in each service?
Our current teaching team will continue to deliver the engaging and thought-provoking messages that Riverbend is known for. Riverbend’s teaching team — led by Dr. Dave Haney — will continue to share the teaching responsibilities in both services each week. Dave will continue to teach the majority of Sundays.
What happens to the Celebration/Resonate services? What will the style of music be at the 10:30AM service?
The creation and development of our Celebration, Resonate, and Heritage services were strategic decision the leaders of Riverbend church made nearly two decades ago. The vision was to try and reach a wide array of generations with the vision and mission of Riverbend. This strategy served our congregation well for many years, and successfully allowed us to reach thousands of people across five generations.
However, in the last couple years we’ve been hearing and sensing a different desire from our congregation — a desire to come together as a church family, to be more engaged in the Sunday experience, and to be more invested in the lives of each other. By merging the Celebration and Resonate services into one, we are making a commitment to these ideas. This transition will allow Riverbend to focus on engaging our congregation more intentionally.
The style of music presented at the service will share the best of what Riverbend has always offered from both the Celebration and Resonate services in the immediate future. And moving into 2023, our team will continue to set a high bar in every aspect of our Worship and Creative Arts as we stay in tune with current culture while staying on mission to reach the lost. These are exciting times, and we can’t wait to explore new avenues of Worship Arts with our congregation.
What happens to Carlton Dillard (Celebration Worship Pastor) and Casey McPherson (Resonate Worship Director)?
Carlton and Casey will continue to serve and direct the shape of our Sunday morning worship services. Riverbend has been blessed to have these leaders at the helm our Celebration and Resonate services (respectively). Their voices and talents have shaped the sound and feeling of our Sunday morning worship environment.
Carlton and Casey will continue to be a driving force in how our Sunday service is planned and presented. Additionally we’ll begin to see some new faces as we begin to grow, and expand, the team of leaders that help lead us in song each week.
In 2023, Casey will be shifting more of his attention to focus on the To Cure A Rose Foundation and Everlum Bio, two organizations that are working to help cure rare diseases. While we will see a little less of him around Riverbend, he will still be a regular part of our worship leading team on Sundays.
Who will be leading worship at 10:30AM service?
The move towards unifying the services gives us the opportunity to redefine how we experience worship and music on Sundays. From the Riverbend staff, Carlton Dillard, Travis Taylor, Maddie Schulte, and Casey McPherson will be leading us regularly. In addition to these familiar faces, we’ll be developing a new worship-leading team that will include a diverse group of individuals — some familiar faces, and some new ones as well.
We’re excited about the opportunity that we have to use the talents God has already given our church, and how we’ll use them to pour into the development of new leaders. And we believe this is one of many ways God is calling our church to step boldly into our mission of continuing to support the Arts.
What happens to the Choir?
The choir is one of the most unique and adored communities at Riverbend. While we may not see the choir on stage every week at 10:30, they will be a regular part of our worship services. And we look forward to being able to occasionally feature the choir in our chapel service as well.
Will Sunday services continue to be live-streamed?
Our 10:30AM service will be available to watch live on the Riverbend’s Facebook and YouTube pages, the Riverbend App, and Riverbend Website.
There are no plans to live-stream the 9:00AM chapel service at this time.
What will happen to our Sunday morning Community Groups?
Our Sunday Community Groups will continue to meet, but with a revised schedule. Most of our groups are shifting to meet before the 10:30AM service. We’ll also have a limited number of groups that meet during the 10:30AM service to allow our Chapel congregation to engage in Sunday Community Groups as well.
If you have questions about a specific Community Group’s schedule, we encourage you to contact the group leader directly by visiting riverbend.com/communitygroups
What time will Riverkids and RB Youth programs be offered on Sundays?
Both our RiverKids (birth–5th grade), and RB Youth (6th–12th grade) programs will continue to meet on Sunday mornings. Our RiverKids and RB Youth teams will be ready to engage your family at 8:45AM each Sunday. Between 9:00–10:30AM, our programs will be focused on engaging your kids in creative ways or in small groups (RB Youth), and at 10:30AM our regular services for kids and students will begin.
If parents want to attend a Community Group, and then attend Sunday worship services, we’ll make sure your kids and students enjoy every minute in our programs, whether they’re with us for one hour or all three!
Got a question to add to the FAQ?
Please send all questions to info@riverbend.com