Gather on Sunday
gathering as a collective group of followers of Jesus.
The Lord’s day has been acknowledged and celebrated by followers of Jesus since the very beginning. It serves to remind us of the resurrection and hope of Jesus, is meant to be a day in which we come together as one community to seek Jesus through song and liturgy, and is a time to submit ourselves to the teaching of the scriptures.
As we gather from all over the city we celebrate what Jesus has done, is doing, and look forward to what Jesus is going to do.
SUNDAY GATHERING INFORMATION
SUNDAY GATHERING
10:00 AM
We will sing, learn from the Scriptures, gather around the bread and cup, and fellowship together as a new community of Jesus followers.
PRE-GATHERING PRAYER
9:15 AM
Each Sunday, we meet before the Gathering to seek Jesus and ask Him to move on behalf of His people. We come to listen to promptings of the Spirit for the day and ask God to manifest the Kingdom of God in Bakersfield as it is in heaven. All are welcome to join and participate.
THE CHAPEL
1200 Truxtun Ave.
We meet in The Chapel of The Tower that was built by the First Baptist Church Congregation in 1931. This historic building is the only religious structure of its era to survive the 1952 Kern County earthquake. There hasn’t been a church in The Tower since 1978.
SUNDAY RHYTHMS
We practice a rhythmic approach on Sundays as a community to help form in us a posture of gathering together around the bread & cup, serving our city towards those in need, and celebrating what Jesus is doing among us.
SUNDAY GATHERING
Every Sunday except the last of the month
We come together regularly as a community on Sunday around the bread & cup, learning together from the Scriptures, singing, and fellowshipping together as the embodied people of God.
SUNDAY SERVE
Last Sunday of the month on rotation
The people of Jesus have always been marked by service to their community. We will not be meeting in our familiar way on this Sunday. Instead, we will turn toward the city in service. Whether it be serving the homeless, young girls coming out of sex-trafficking, or volunteering at the shelter, we will be serving our city for the sake of Jesus and his kingdom.
SONGS AND STORIES
Last Sunday of the month on rotation
The gathered body is the bringing together of an entire community of experiences with many voices, gifts, and different types of beauty. We create time every other fourth Sunday to bring our gifts to the church community, to break bread together, to celebrate and share what God has been doing among us.
KIDS CHURCH
KIDS CHURCH PHILOSOPHY
We believe that kids are a vital, functioning part of the body of Christ. These early years have the opportunity to be foundational in a lifelong pursuit of following Jesus. Every Sunday kids will experience age-appropriate teachings and activities from the Scriptures that point to Jesus and that relates to their life in an age-appropriate ways. The lessons and activities are fun, approachable and taught by committed River & Way volunteers who serve Jesus by serving our kids.
SUNDAY INFO
INFANTS - KINDERGARTEN
Infants through Kindergarten will check in at the Kids Church rooms on Sundays. Enter through the chapel and follow the Kids Church signs through the courtyard to the west wing of The Tower. Download the “Church Center App” here for easy check-in. Search for River & Way Church and create a profile through the app.
FIRST - THIRD GRADE
First through First graders can check-in at the Kids Church Rooms or inside the chapel at the Welcome Table. This age group will join their parents in the chapel for the first 20 minutes of the Gathering to participate in singing. When we break for our five-minute fellowship time, we will dismiss the first-third graders with a volunteer to the Kids Church rooms.
FOURTH ON UP
Fourth grade and up are invited to join their parents in the Sunday Gathering in the chapel. We believe it is vital for this age group to participate, serve, and grow as a follower of Jesus alongside the rest of the body. We will host regular opportunities for this age group to connect on age-specific smaller groups to build community. Sign up to recieve “The Monthly” to stay up to date.
SHARED RESPONSIBILITY
In the community of Jesus everyone participates in one way or another by serving one another. We invite everyone to participate (as they are able) in volunteering to serve in Kids Church, but we ask and expect that parents whose kids attend Kids Church to volunteer and serve at least once every eight weeks. This keeps our community disciplined in the practice of service, as well providing a great environment for kids who are part of the River & Way family. See the welcome table on a Sunday gathering or sign up here to serve.
KIDS HEALTH INFORMATION
Please notify us if your child has an allergy of any kind. Also, if you need to leave an Epi-pen for your child, please let a volunteer at check-in know upon arrival.
We ask that families with a child with any of the following symptoms wait 24 hours before coming to class on a Sunday: fever, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, or other contagious illnesses.
SAFETY
We are dedicated to providing a safe, secure, and loving environment for your kids. All volunteers complete a background check before volunteering in Kids Church. Also, when picking up your child, volunteers will verify they are released to their parents or an authorized adult. We do not allow adults to be in restrooms with kids at the same time. Parents with littles who cannot use the bathrooms by themselves will receive a pager and will be buzzed out to help their children if they need to use the restroom during the gathering.