2024 Update
Dear Rise City Church Family,
Can you believe it’s almost summer?! The sunshine is starting to make a guest appearance and there is just so much joy this time of year. The Spirit is moving, and I want to share some updates and reflections into our journey together so far this year. There is so much to be excited about at Rise!
Monuments of Memory
March was a monumental month as we celebrated Rise City Church’s 10-year anniversary! What an incredible milestone for our church family. Not only did we reflect on our journey over the past decade, but we also saw 25 people enter the waters of baptism, declaring Jesus as their savior.
Turning 10 gave us an opportunity to reflect on who we’ve become as a church—and who we will continue to be. We spent time as a church reflecting on the values that drive our culture. Things like how we are a people of the Word—a church that is shaped, formed, led, and surrendered to the Word. And remembering that Sundays are the day that we make war against the curse upon this world; Sundays will be soaked with hope.
When you walk through the doors of Rise, you should get a taste of the Kingdom that is nothing like the world around us.
Saying Yes to Jesus
Easter was incredible as we celebrated the resurrection and witnessed over 100 people say yes to Jesus. That weekend, we gave out bibles left and right to people eager to discover God through His Word. What an exciting moment of spreading the message of hope in Gresham.
We launched our largest Alpha yet with 63 group members, setting the stage for deep conversations and spiritual growth in a relaxed setting. The biggest blessing has been seeing people who attended Alpha in 2023 return to bring others and lead groups of their own. We’ve also witnessed the fruit from Alpha as people have accepted Jesus and have been baptized. Continue to pray for these group leaders and the people who attend Alpha each week.
Now, onto some encouraging statistics! Our weekend gatherings have seen a remarkable 21% increase in attendance since Q1 2023. Rise Kids has continued to flourish, now serving an average of 230 children each week. We know you feel this in the parking lot and are so grateful for your kindness and sacrifice for the mission. (Also, did we share yet that Gresham High School built a pathway from their new parking lot straight over to Rise?! Gospel Win!)
City Groups have also taken off this spring, with 24 groups led by 53 dedicated leaders. As we continue to expand, we’re investing in our leaders through coaching and support, ensuring they have the tools and guidance needed to nurture thriving communities within our church.
“I’ve never experienced love and support like this from a church group, and having it poured out on me and my family in this season has just blessed us so incredibly! This really is the hands and feet of Jesus, and I am humbled and overwhelmed to get to experience the receiving end of it.”
—One family’s experience with City Groups
Summer at Rise
Save the date for June 30th as we come together for Church in the Park! We will gather at Gresham Arts Plaza in the heart of Gresham. This is one of our favorite Sundays of the year, and is also one of our largest outreach events. We expect nearly 2000 people to hear the gospel message through this venue! Pray for a movement of God that day in our city. And as it gets closer, join us by serving and inviting others. It truly takes us all to make it happen.
Just one week later, we will be back at the Gresham Arts Plaza for hundreds of kids to experience Jesus through Kids Camp. We anticipate over 300 kindergarten through 5th graders to learn fun new skills, explore their gifts, and hear the Gospel message in a way that is relevant and transformative to them. If you are interested in being part of seeing the next generation changed for the Gospel join us in serving July 8-10th.
Build This House
As our Rise family grows, our building is bursting at the seams—a great problem to have! Our vision is to make room to welcome others by renovating our building to include the additional 10,000 sqft. on the eastside of building. Expanding our physical space isn’t just about adding seats and classrooms; it’s about spreading the message of Jesus, leaving a legacy that lasts throughout generations.
Expanding this facility to maximize its use and functionality is a step in honoring God with what we’ve been entrusted with. We want this space to be a beautiful, functional, expanded home for Christ’s body to continue to thrive and bring Glory to Him.
So this fall, we’ll be embarking on a journey that aligns with God’s leading - a time marked by purposeful, sacrificial, and joy-filled giving. Build This House will be a church-wide campaign to expand the building God has given us—taking our next step in responding to His call for saturating this city with the love of Jesus.
We believe God has divinely placed us in this particular place for this unique moment in time. Since before the formation of cities and culture, God has been calling His people to bring about His good for the cities in which He has placed them.
He rescues us to be rescuers. And as the Father sent Jesus, so now Jesus sends us.
So may we be salt and light to the city in which we find ourselves. We don’t love our city because of what it has to offer us—we love our city because God has divinely placed us here to be an offering to them.
To His glory, our joy, and others’ good,
