2024 Ministry Reports
-
SUBMITTED BY GREG RHODES
2024 was a year of growth, resilience, and renewed energy for the St. Paul campus, as we celebrated milestones, deepened community partnerships, and welcomed more people into the life of our church than ever before.
Staff & Leadership
At the beginning of the year, the church Leadership Team approved Pastor Greg for a 4-month sabbatical from April – July. For him, it was restful, full of family trips and LEGO building. In his absence, the St. Paul campus enjoyed live and recorded sermons from Kong Moua, the BP Campus Pastor, and a few guest speakers. Pastor Greg returned in August refreshed and excited to lead the church into the next decade.
Facilities & Operations
This year, we undertook an extensive (insurance-covered) $140,000 hail-damage repair project, covering new roofs and fascia on the church building, garage, and parsonage, as well as new siding for the parsonage. It began in November and will continue into the new year.
This year’s facility rentals reflected the incredible diversity of the Eastside. We rent to two small church plants—Iglesia Apostólica Pentecostal (Pentecostal Apostolic Church), a first-generation, Spanish-language church, and Family Bible Church, an older African-American congregation.
We also hosted two week-long events: a pastoral training conference for Gospel Baptist Church of St. Paul (Karen & Chin) and the Southeast Asian Leadership Institute for InterVaristy Christian Fellowship. As usual, we also hosted a myriad of baby showers, parties, and even a few weddings for church members and guests from the community.
Lastly, we held the largest Easter Egg Hunt we’ve ever experienced, with over 1,000 people enjoying two levels of candy-filled eggs.
Attendance
Our weekly attendance rose 22% over 2023, with an average Sunday attendance of 162 (102 adults, 26 youth, 35 kids).
Our four highest-attended services were:
Easter (355)
10-Anniversary Celebration (278)
Christmas (228)
October 8 (225)
Note: In 2023, we only had one Sunday over 200 (Easter). In 2024, we had six over 200.
Partnerships
While we didn’t do as much in the community as in previous years, we still valued the partnerships we did invest in.
We joined Hmong American Partnership (HAP) and M Health Fairview to host vaccine clinics, focusing on medically underserved communities of color.
We partnered with the Sanneh Foundation to collect toys for their Christmas Toy Drive.
We collected school supplies for Easter Heights Elementary School and made Christmas cards for the elderly at local assisted living facilities.
We distributed hundreds of Bombas socks, light bulbs, and shower heads to the community.
Thank you to the entire St. Paul campus family for seeking God together, serving with your gifts and skills, and loving those inside and outside the church.
-
SUBMITTED BY KONG MOUA
In a year where it felt like RiverLife had to survive, we ended up thriving in so many ways! One of the biggest decisions we made in 2024 was giving Pastor Greg a 5-month sabbatical. Leading church thinkers have found that pastors who return from sabbaticals often face decline and turmoil, but on the contrary, RiverLife thrived! Here are some of our 2024 highlights.
Attendance
The BP campus saw a 40% increase in attendance from 2023! In 2024, our average attendance was 120 (60 adults, 19 youth, 41 kids), compared to 86 (42 adults, 10 youth, 34 kids) in 2023.
Hiring Tim Thao as our youth pastor was one of the best decisions we made in 2023. We launched weekly youth nights in February 2024, and the average youth attendance skyrocketed to 19 in 2024, compared to 10 in 2023—a 90% increase! Thank you, Pastor Tim and his youth ministry team!
Pang Moua, our Family Ministry Director, continues to do an amazing job with our kids' ministry. One major highlight was our kids' Easter play. Practice sessions provided an opportunity for our kids to grow in their relationships, which was reflected in a 20% increase in attendance. We saw an average of 41 kids in 2024 compared to 34 in 2023.
The 2024 growth in kids' and youth attendance continues to solidify our incredible 1:1 ratio of adults to kids & youth, whereas the norm tends to be a 4:1 ratio. Thanks again, Pastor Tim and Pang!
Ministries
We launched Plug’d, our weekly Friday night youth gatherings, in February 2024. If you're a student in 6th-12th grade, you're invited to join Pastor Tim and the rest of our students for a meaningful night of food, games, and discussion, every Friday from 6-9pm (except the 4th Fridays of each month).
Baptisms
Our baptisms doubled from 2023! We had 20 baptisms in 2024 (6 adults, 11 teens, 3 kids). Notably, after our youth's fall retreat, we saw several students publicly declare their faith in Jesus. Congratulations to everyone who got baptized!
Child Dedications
Nine sets of parents dedicated their in 2024, compared to 10 in 2023. God continues to bless our congregation with parents who desire to raise their children to know and love Him!
Conversions
In 2024, we saw 2 conversions. Praise God for these two individuals who decided to declare Jesus as Lord over their lives!Special Events
We had 170 people attend our Easter service, and hundreds more attended our very first outdoor egg hunt! Check out the Associated Press coverage of the egg hunt here.Faith Partnerships
We continue to partner with five different churches and one mosque by providing space for their needs:
Local Covenant Church rents from us and regularly holds services on Sunday evenings.
Clarity Church is a mobile church in the Brooklyn Park area. They park their trailer in our parking lot and rent our building several times throughout the year for services.
Compassion Anoka continues to office at RiverLife. Their mission is to make Jesus visible in Anoka and serve those experiencing homelessness.
Foundations of Many Generations parks their bus and trailer in our parking lot. They hosted their annual evangelism event on our fields during the summer to share Jesus with the community.
Masjid Ar-Rahim Islamic Community Center uses our parking lot as an overflow option during their major holidays and blesses us by filling our tummies with Crumbl cookies after each use.
New Story Church, a new church plant in the North Central District, uses our building several times each year for their services and gatherings.
Thank you to all who have attended, served, and financially supported the incredible work God is doing at the Brooklyn Park campus.
-
SUBMITTED BY JEREMY GARLAND (STP) & PANG MOUA (BP)
Overview
This year can only be described as a huge and undeniable success! At both campuses, we saw a 23% growth in attendance across all of Riverkids, and those are truly G.O.A.T. numbers. Not only that, but our annual Easter event was a resounding success, with nearly 2,000 people participating in our egg hunt. God blessed us with the resources and the people to enjoy them.
At the end of the year, we wrapped up our Anime Bible series, which we kicked off a year and a half ago,and our Walk Through the Word series, which began nearly three years ago. We committed to going through the Bible from cover to cover, and we accomplished that goal. Although it is sad to see such a funand creative telling of Scripture end, we look forward to the next series later this year.
2024 showed us that the Nursery is growing at an exceptional rate, and with that Riverkids needs to keep up! We are looking forward to kicking off some new things in 2025, and letting God’s Word make its way intothe ears and hearts of our littlest ones.
Some other highlights worth mentioning:
Highest Sunday kids attendance – 125
Total number of volunteers - 41
Number of kids that attended at least one Sunday – 330
Saint Paul Campus Highlights
2024 was a year of growth at Saint Paul, with a 26% increase in our average attendance! This came as nosurprise as we reopened a third room in the lower level to create more space for our kids. Even with all three rooms open, we are not far from adding a fourth room.
Not only is the number of kids growing, but we’ve added three new members to the STP Riverkids leadership team!
Vince Thao has been serving alongside me as an assistant for most of the year and has continuedto level up as an amazing volunteer! In 2025, he will level up his role in Riverkids as our new Lead Volunteer.
Alicia Thoj has stepped into the role of Nursery Coordinator as part of our plan to offer spiritual growth to even the youngest in our church. If you have any toddlers or infants, then you know thatNursery is often bursting at the seams! We have seen consistent growth in those rooms for morethan a year.
Rhia Yang has graciously stepped up to be our Preschool Lead Volunteer. Our 3 through 5-year-old room has been one of the fastest-growing and most challenging age transitions. She already has some exciting ideas for these kids this year.
I am so excited to see what God will accomplish through these fantastic people!
Brooklyn Park Campus Highlights
In 2024, Brooklyn Park Riverkids celebrated an unforgettable milestone by hosting its first-ever outdoor Easter egg hunt—in the snow! Despite the wintry weather, over 800 attendees bundled up in their coatsto join the fun and festivities. It was a heartwarming display of community spirit and joy.
This year also marked another exciting first: the debut of our Riverkids Easter play. With a remarkablecast of 40 kids and a dozen youth volunteers, we retold the powerful story of Jesus' ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection. The play was made possible with the help and leadership of Rachel and Vichai Sayfong.
In the fall, we held a couple of our favorite traditions with our Costume Carnival and Kids’ Novembering service, where the children entered into the practice of celebration and lamentation with curiosity and kindness. These events, alongside our growing community, provided more opportunities for BP kids to deepen their relationships with one another and recall the powerful stories of the Bible.
As we look ahead to 2025, we are filled with gratitude for the incredible kids in our ministry and excited for what God has planned for the coming year. Together, let’s continue to nurture their faith, encourage their hearts, and build lasting memories rooted in the love and hope of Jesus.
-
SUBMITTED BY TOMMY LOR (STP) & TIM THAO (BP)
Mission Statement
At Thrive Youth Ministries, our mission is to empower 6th – 12th-grade students to build meaningful connections withthe church, deepen their trust in God, and live boldly for Jesus. This year, across both campuses, we've witnessed a renewed passion for community, significant growth in faith, and inspiring displays of leadership from our students.
Staff and Volunteers
Tommy Lor serves as the Youth Pastor at the St. Paul campus, while Tim Thao is the Youth Pastor at the Brooklyn Park campus.
This year, our Thrive team has expanded to 14 dedicated volunteers with weekly responsibilities, ensuring a 1:5 adult-to-student ratio. This ratio allows for stronger, more meaningful relationships between students and adults.
Ministry Programs
Plug’d
Our Friday night youth gatherings, held at both campuses, have seen remarkable growth, with a 41% increase in attendance. In 2023, we averaged 29 students, while 2024 saw an average of 41. The largest Plug’d event welcomed 62 students across both campuses in a single night.Sunday Youth Service
The Sunday Youth Service, held during regular church services at both campuses, has experienced a 40% increase inattendance as well. In 2023, we averaged 32 students, and by 2024, that number grew to 45.Serve Sundays
On Serve Sundays, held once a month, students actively engage in volunteer opportunities across various church ministries. This initiative aims to:Build meaningful connections between youth and adults across generations.
Establish a culture of serving within the church.
Cultivate a sense of ownership and belonging within the RiverLife family.
Through consistent participation, more than half of our students volunteer on a given Serve Sunday. This initiativestrengthens partnerships between youth and other RiverLife ministries and upholds our value of empowering the next generation.
Spiritual Growth
2024 marked a milestone year for Thrive Youth Ministries, as we saw more faith commitments than ever before, surpassing even last year’s record-breaking numbers. 19 students publicly declared their faith through baptism,demonstrating the powerful impact of God’s grace in their lives and within our youth ministry.
Special Highlights
Student Transition
We warmly welcomed 12 new 6th graders into our community and graciously transitioned 11 graduating seniors into the broader RiverLife family.Thrive Fall Retreat
In October, the Thrive Fall Retreat brought together 69 students for a transformative weekend of worship, community building, and service. This was our largest event of the year, providing students with opportunities to lead, engage indeep conversations about faith, and connect more meaningfully with one another. The retreat was pivotal in many of the baptisms we celebrated this year.Thanks to the generous support of the RiverLife family, we raised over $7,000 for scholarships and retreat expenses.We are deeply grateful for your unwavering generosity, which continues to inspire and impact our youth ministry.
Launch of Plug’d BP
In February, we launched Plug’d, our weekly Friday night youth gathering, at RiverLife BP. This initiative, led by Pastor Tim and his dedicated team, offers students a safe space to connect, engage in spiritual activities, and dive deeper into the Bible.In its first year, Plug’d BP has seen significant growth in attendance and community involvement, establishing a strong foundation for lasting friendships and spiritual development. The growth we’ve experienced is a testament to the safe,nurturing environment created by the RiverLife family, where students are encouraged to trust in Jesus and build authentic connections.
Special Thanks
We are deeply grateful for everyone who supported Thrive Youth Ministries in 2024. From the families who provided meals for Plug’d nights to those whose support made our weekend retreat possible, and especially our incredible Thrive volunteers—your dedication and care for our students are the heartbeat of this ministry. Your presence eachweek exemplifies Jesus' love for our youth, making a lasting difference in their lives.
The 2024 Thrive Team
Charlene Thao, Derek Xiong, Gavin Wan, Hope Her, Izzy Lee, Jerry Yang, Keng Xiong, Max Baranyuk, Pa Her, Pachee Xiong, Pajjar Yang, Sebrina Xiong, Shining Lor, Theo Vang, Yeng Thao, Yupheng Lee.Conclusion
Thrive Youth Ministries experienced a year of growth in 2024, marked by increased engagement and spiritual development across both campuses. This progress is a testament to the hard work of our volunteers and staff. We look forward to an even greater impact in 2025 as we continue to empower and support the next generation of believers.
-
SUBMITTED BY JOHAN YANG (BP) & SHONG VANG (STP)
Submitted by Johan Yang (BP) & Shong Vang (STP)
Hello from Johan and Shong! We both are honored to serve as your worship directors at each campus.
Overview
Our ministry’s mission is to help you experience God through worship. We utilize a wide range of talented musicians, vocalists, computer slide operators, sound, livestream coordinators, and lighting techs, ranging from middle schoolers up to some of the oldest members in our congregation.
St. Paul’s volunteer pool consists of twenty people, while Brooklyn Park has grown to ten. We hope to continue to build our teams in number, in various skill sets, and in passion this upcoming year.
Highlights
This past year, both campuses made a major shift to catering to each individual congregation’s needs. In the past, both campuses would play similar worship songs, but now it makes more sense for each campus to design worship to fit its own unique identity with individual needs and preferences. We hope to build upon this momentum and further curate unique family worship experiences this upcoming year.
On any given Sunday morning, there could be ten different worship songs being played and assisted by 16 or more volunteers spread across two campuses and our livestream. Even with all these moving parts, we will continue to strive for authentic family worship, whether it's with individual family units, individual campuses, online viewers, or the entire RiverLife congregation as a multi-ethnic and multi-generational whole.
Thank you, RiverLife, for an amazing 2024! Here’s to 2025! All of the glory, honor, and praise is God’s alone!
-
SUBMITTED BY PANG FOUA RHODES
Life Groups
The mission of Life Groups Ministry is to connect people in small groups for the purpose of spiritual growth, loving community, and sharing in the work of the church. In 2024, we had five groups (down from seven the previous year), with two on the Brooklyn Park side of town and three on the St. Paul side. The average number of people attending each meeting was around nine.
It is our desire that everyone at RiverLife be connected in a small group that meets regularly for connection, support, and spiritual growth. Our goal is to provide new and different types of groups (e.g. interest/hobby groups, short-term groups, sermon discussion groups) in addition to the current life groups, so that more of you can get connected with other church members outside of Sunday service. In addition, we invite those of you who are eager to grow in your servant leadership to start leading a group this year!
Prayer
One of our Alliance core values is “Prayer is the primary work of God’s people.” Whether there are two or 300 of us gathered to pray and seek God together, we will continue to make prayer a priority at RiverLife.
In 2024, we held the Prayer Gathering on a weekly basis: at the St. Paul campus on the first and third weeks of the month and at the BP Campus on the second and fourth weeks. We have seen people grow in their intercession for others, commitment to prayer, and love of prayer; and we have experienced lots of answered prayers—and even some miraculous healings!
In the new year, we hope to expand the reach of the Prayer Gatherings to include evenings of prayer and worship and other opportunities for church-wide prayer.
Healing and Deliverance
When RiverLife was first launched, Greg and I were aware of the need to address the animist/shamanistic backgrounds of many of our Hmong congregants. Acknowledging the existence of spiritual beings is not enough; we must also be willing and able to intervene when people are experiencing spiritual attack and oppression.
We believe that Jesus continues to heal people from sickness and disease, cast out evil spirits, and deliver people from demonization, and he continues to authorize and empower his followers to do the work of deliverance. In 2024, I and a small team of folks trained in deliverance participated in more than 20 deliverances.
In the summer, I was part of a team that had the privilege of teaching Dr. Rob Reimer’s Soul Care principles to more than 100 Hmong women from Laos and Thailand and 32 Hmong couples (pastors and their wives) from another Southeast Asian country. Many experienced the power of Jesus to set them free from emotional and spiritual bondages.
-
SUBMITTED BY GREG RHODES
2024 was a resting year for Community Engagement. We leaned into some of our familiar (and successful) programs while scaling back others.
What Changed
At the beginning of the year, Alicia Thoj stepped down from her lead role after 9 years of exceptional love and service to communities around the Twin Cities and beyond. We are indebted to her for embedding a love for the community into the fabric of the church.
The RiverBank Food Shelf also temporarily closed during the summer while Shan Trott, the ministry’s leader, managed a career transition. It remained closed through the year, with plans to reopen in the first quarter of 2025.
The Community Garden at the BP campus sat fallow for a season as we evaluated our options and explored continued partnerships with Envision Twin Cities.
What Didn’t Change
While CE is undoubtedly undergoing a period of transition, we have continued many of the projects we’ve been working on for years.
Missionary Support
We supported Kenny and Karissa Young, Alliance missionaries in Germany, and their children, Oliver, Elsie, and Madeline. For the children’s birthdays, we made cards and sent the family money for an annual pass to a local zoo.
Additionally, we gave locally to support Envision Twin Cities and globally to the Great Commission Fund, which supports Alliance work worldwide.
Community Events
We started the new year with three vaccine clinics (at both campuses) in partnership with Hmong American Alliance and M Health Fairview.
We prepped for the school year with a School Supply Drive supporting Eastern Heights Elementary in St. Paul and Edinbrook Elementary at BP.
During Christmas, we collected 10 boxes of toys for the Sannah Foundation in St. Paul and Toys for Tots in Brooklyn Park. We also created Christmas Cards for elderly residents of local assisted living facilities.
As we look ahead to 2025, we remain steadfast in our commitment to love and serve our community, even in the midst of transitions and new opportunities. With God’s guidance, we will continue to build on the strong foundation of faith, compassion, and contribution laid in 2024, trusting that the best is yet to come.
