Outreach

Lunch Bunch welcomes those from the community who are hungry and in need of help. Everyone from infants to senior citizens are welcome. Lunch Bunch meets every Sunday at the Coopers’ home (514 Lytle St. Redlands Ca, 92374). The Lunch is free and is served at 12:30. Following lunch is the opportunity to attend a Bible study, visit with others, and shower or do laundry if that is needed. The goal is that every one who comes will see and experience Jesus. Lunch Bunch has many opportunities to serve and volunteers are always welcome. For more information contact Ross or Sandy Cooper by calling 909-798-6858.

Life Choice Pregnancy Center is a Christ-centered ministry dedicated to providing practical and compassionate support to women and families in unplanned pregnancy situations, offering physical, emotional and spiritual support and resources. Independent, non-profit, and non-political, they present life-affirming alternatives to the tragedy of abortion, while respecting a woman’s decision without ridicule or rejection. They share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in both word and deed, as the Holy Spirit presents the opportunity. They offer help regardless of marital status, age, race or religion.

CarePortal connects people who can help with people who need help. It is an agency that brings the needs of children and families in our community to the attention of churches. Child welfare workers uncover the needs and CarePortal makes local churches aware (via email), giving churches a real-time opportunity to respond. The River responds to help meet a need and coordinates gathering what is needed to help the child and their family.

Nick In’t Hout founded a the ministry “HIVE” in 2022 which seeks to connect and encourage Christian leaders in the Inland Empire. Nick has experience as a Local Mission Leader at Resonate Global Mission and held various titles at The River Christian Reformed Church, including Pastor of Discipleship and Families, Director of Youth Ministry, and Colleague. Nick and his wife Julie have been married for 21 years. They have 4 kids who love to play board and card games, hike, play sports, watch movies, and spend time eating and telling stories together.

Safe Families serves families who lack social networks and live in isolation without support of family and friends. They are dealing with crises such as homelessness, unemployment, child abuse, domestic violence, medical emergencies and alcohol/drug rehabilitation.

Tim Spykstra founded and began the journey of Oceans Ministries in 2014, after 23 years of pastoral ministry in the local church, including The River. Oceans Ministries believes the message and demonstration of the Father’s love for us is what our world is thirsty for today. They seek to help people develop a love relationship with God the Father through publications, blogs, and mission trips, ministry in prisons and inner cities, as well as retreats, conferences, and discipleship training. Their ultimate goal is to inspire each one of us to live out our Kingdom calling in the world as sons and daughters of a loving Father.

"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me." Matthew 18:5 Since 1964, MCCA has been a ministry obedient to God’s call to care for children in need by supplying those in Baja California with food, Scriptures and the opportunity to know the love of Christ. Approximately once every 4-5 weeks, MCCA purchases food in bulk in order to make deliveries to local Christian organizations in the northern Baja California region. They deliver the food donations primarily to facilities that operate as a 24/7 childcare center or as a daycare center, but also make deliveries to feeding programs that attend to needy families within their own communities. Along with the food, Spanish translation Bibles, Gospel Tracts, clothing and other items are generally a part of deliveries. Their monthly runs consist of all volunteer drivers and riders who donate their vehicles full of fuel and literally everything needed to complete the mission each time they go. MCCA does not own or rent a building, nor are there any paid staff. Additionally, via wise stewardship, MCCA receives cash back rewards and other means of revenue. The result is that 100% of all monetary donations goes directly to purchase food to serve those in Mexico.

World Renew is an organization that joins with the world’s families to change the story of hunger, poverty and illness. For more than 60 years, hundreds of thousands of people have shared in this calling: staff, local partners and global communities. Every day, people give in response to a disaster, offer monthly support to Free a Family® from poverty, or travel with volunteer teams to help renew hope firsthand. Together, we change stories, and those stories change the world.

In 2004, Paul and Monique Verhoef moved with a 3 month old Noah from Michigan to Alberta (Canada) so that Paul could serve as the first Christian chaplain rooted in Reformed theology and worldview at the University of Calgary. He's been there ever since. And while his family has grown over the last 20+ years, so has the Calgary Campus Ministry. The Calgary Campus Ministry sends Paul — and over the years, others alongside him — to be a faithful presence of God's love in a fitting way to the academic world. What does that look like? Paul catalyzes the Christian public academic witness on campus, both by bringing speakers to Calgary and by being invited to speak in classroom settings as a representative of the Christian faith. Paul walks alongside of students, staff and faculty as together they follow Jesus — sometimes in group conversations, but often one-to-one over coffee or tea. The Campus Ministry models the generous hospitality of Jesus to all folks on campus, sharing meals and fostering a sense of belonging. And — perhaps because of his long tenure on campus — Paul gets invited to join in other places on campus where God's Spirit is at work: leading service-learning projects, supporting the "Recovery on Campus" community, and hosting interfaith dialogues. The River Church has long supported Paul, starting almost 40 years ago when he professed his faith here. As he has been sent to be an ambassador of Christ at the University of Calgary, let's continue to hold him in prayer, asking that the grace and truth of God might be shared through Paul's faithful, loving presence on campus. To God be the glory.

Andrés Prins has traveled, studied and worked in various North African and Middle Eastern countries over the last 35 years. In 1988, he and his wife, Angélica, were commissioned by their churches in South America to serve Christ as teachers in Muslim societies, seeking to engage in hospitality, dialogue, witness, and peacemaking. Since 2012 they reside in Lancaster, PA, serving through Eastern Mennonite Missions on the “Christian-Muslim Relations Team” (see www.emmpeacemakers.org), seeking to equip Christians everywhere for life-giving, Christ-sharing relationships with Muslim neighbors. They feel deep gratitude to God for the many lives they have seen Him beautify and transform.

For many years the people of The River have had a close relationship with Beautiful Gate Lesotho which exists to reach out to orphaned, abandoned, and neglected children ages newborn to 5 years old, and give them the love they need and deserve. Beautiful Gate seeks to glorify God by giving these children their childhood while they wait for their forever families. The ultimate goal is to unite these children with forever families that will love them as their own. Until that is accomplished, Beautiful Gate Lesotho is their family. Its mission is “to glorify God by providing opportunities for children and families to grow spiritually, emotionally, physically and intellectually.” Beautiful Gate aims to do this by: Providing residential and medical care to abandoned, HIV/AIDS affected, and other vulnerable children aged 0 to 5 years. Networking with the government and other organizations to advocate for the rights of children and the establishment of an effective adoption/foster care program in Lesotho. Excelling in the provision of Christ-centered education programs. Training and supporting its staff in practical caregiving to abandoned HIV/AIDS-affected babies, orphans and vulnerable children, with psychosocial support, discipleship and mentoring.

Together we help build God’s church Formerly Christian Reformed World Missions and Christian Reformed Home Mission, this ministry came together as Resonate to walk alongside Christian Reformed churches as they join God’s mission in their own neighborhoods and around the world. Resonate is here to walk alongside you in preparing missionaries and volunteers, calling and supporting church planters and campus ministers, connecting with ministries overseas, engaging church members and younger generations in mission work, and following the Spirit by discerning new ways to demonstrate and proclaim the gospel.

The Banks have served in Ireland since 2014. They are involved in training and providing evangelism opportunities, both to short term outreach teams and Christians within the country. They specifically seek to focus on discipling younger generations of Irish Christians to be the Christian leaders in the country’s future.

The River partners to sponsor a Bible translation project among an unreached people group in Asia. This group of about 250,000 people, like many minority people groups in the area, speak a language other than the national language and are somewhat isolated from the majority culture. Many of the older people have never gone to school, and so have had no opportunity to learn the national language. Their traditional religion involves idol and ancestor worship, as well as superstitions and rituals performed to appease various spirits. There is no Christian church among them. Please pray for wisdom and protection for the team as they work to render the truths of Scripture into this language for the first time ever. Please ask that as material is completed, it would be made available to the people in the most effective way and that they would be hungry to hear the truth. Please also ask that the Holy Spirit would be at work among this people group and draw many of them to their Savior. Steve and Frankie Wunderink