In a world that often demands we be faster, louder, and more “productive,” there is a quiet resistance in simply showing up and faithfully living into a low church, focused on the same simple practices and rhythms that the church has long witnessed too. I am increasingly convinced that quiet forms us in ways that are more effective and fruitful than the loud and large. Sadly, I feel the pull of loud and large, too. All I can say is that at River Corner Church, we aren’t trying to be flashy—we are simply trying to be faithful. We aren’t a perfect community, but we are a committed one, dedicated to being formed by the way of Jesus right here in Lancaster County.
We aren’t perfect. There are many areas for us to grow in, individually and communally, but we are pressing on toward an undistracted faithfulness.
A Simple Community Amidst the Noise
I have been reflecting a lot on our small community. We truly are a simple community amidst the noise. When I started attending here in April of 2022, we were just about 15. We had grown to about fifty before facing significant loss to God, calling some to new contexts and locales, and death. It is easy to feel discouraged in the small church when you take a few numerical steps backwards. However, there is a lot of loud and large that doesn’t connect with who I am, and so I am learning to be thankful for small and faithful. Depending on the Sunday, River Corner Church is a fairly small gathering of about 35-45 people, but what I have come to appreciate is that it’s a shared glue that brings us together. That shared glue is, I believe, a desire to learn how to listen for God amid the noise and chaos of the modern world. Our goal isn’t to put on a show; it’s to provide a space where we can breathe, listen, and grow together.
Our Sunday gatherings reflect this simplicity. We spend time in song, share in scripture, and hold space for testimony and praise. We even build in a ten-minute break specifically to talk and snack together—because we believe the “shared life” happens just as much over a cup of coffee as it does in a pew. To be a people of encouragement, we have to give space to do just that (Hebrews 10:24-26). While the adults engage upstairs, our kids are downstairs, learning the “Biggest Story” from Crossway, a look through the entire story of the scriptures.
Our Monthly Rhythm of Faithfulness
We believe that spiritual formation happens through consistent, shared rhythms. As a small church, we want to build very intentional, consistent, sacred rhythms. Rather than chasing the next big trend, we anchor our month in these specific practices:
- 1st Sundays: We gather at the table to eat a meal together.
- 3rd Sundays: We share the Lord’s Table (Communion).
- 4th Sundays: We pray the Lord’s Prayer together, centering our hearts on His kingdom.
- 5th Sundays: We practice communal discernment, listening to Scripture together to find our way forward.
These are disciplines that keep us rooted in who God has called us to be.
A Call to Rooted Faithfulness
This isn’t just about what we do at River Corner Church; it’s a call to a different way of living. We want to invite you to consider what it looks like to trade the “flashy” for the “faithful” in your own life. In a noisy world, there is immense power in faithful presence—the act of staying put, staying committed, and keeping Jesus at the center of the ordinary.
If you’re weary of the “noise” and looking for a community that values shared life over production, we’d love to meet you. We invite you to resist the way of the world, and to be formed by a way of resistance.
Learn more about us at River Corner Church and join us as we seek a quieter, more rooted path together.
Consider & Comment
For those of you who grew up in a church and still attend, what aspects of that community do you miss the most that your new church doesn’t do?
