A User-Friendly Church

Living in the 21st century is not user-friendly. It is a fast paced, technological age with very few instructions to help one feel in control of their life. The same can be true for church of the 21st Century. The church’s own dress code, vocabulary, traditions and relationship structures make it hard to fit in.

That’s where Ni River Community Church comes in. We are a user-friendly church where all are welcome to test the waters, wrap their hands around Christianity and participate as an insider at all times without being pressured or judged. No special degrees, blessings, or years of experience are required to get involved. Each person only needs to listen to their inner voice and walk through the door.

Sundays at Ni River are fun and user-friendly. You can be yourself, wear the clothes that you are most comfortable in, enjoy relationships that are open to your being involved as much as you want, and be a part of a culture that is similar to what you see in your day-to-day life.

We encourage you to visit Ni River to check us out at your speed. We hope to see you Sunday!  

Mission

Ni River Community Church exists to reach out to people, love them where they are, and grow with them in relationship
with Jesus.

What to Expect

Can church be fun? At Ni River we believe that church should be something that everyone looks forward to. If you think church is boring and doesn't relate to real life, just check out how radically different church can be!

   Positive and practical messages from the Bible that speak to real life issues.
 
  A relaxed, casual environment where you can check out Christianity at your own pace without feeling embarrassed, singled out
  or put on the spot.
 

  Upbeat music performed by a live band on stage.
 
  Interesting "slice of life" drama sketches that help the experience come alive.
 
  Attention-grabbing multimedia and video presentations.
 

  A quality children's program and a clean, safe nursery.
 
  Real people like you who have found meaningful relationships and fulfilling lives.

Our Values

What is it that makes Ni River Community Church different? We believe the values listed below make us unique as a church.

* People - Because all people matter to God, they matter to us. Like Jesus, we desire to show the unconditional love of God to everyone we meet. Valuing people also means that we are relationship based, rather than rules based.

* Authenticity - As Christians we believe a genuine and transparent faith should permeate every aspect of our personal and church life. It means we strive to relate to each other as Christ would relate to us: lovingly, openly, honestly, and forgivingly.

* Grace - At Ni River we realize we aren't perfect... so we don't expect others to be either! We believe the unconditional love, compassion, and forgiveness of God must be extended to a hurting world so that they might see firsthand through us the person of Christ in action. In this way we become walking testimonies to God's unlimited grace.

* Truth - We believe that Biblical truth is culturally relevant to our lives today. We affirm and stand fast on God's revealed truth, the Bible, as our moral standard and guide for every day living.

* Servanthood - The Bible tells us that Jesus came "not to be served, but to serve others". Every member is a minister at Ni River, and the leadership is called to equip and to mobilize the membership into service and ministry.

* Excellence - We believe only our very best honors God, reflects His character, and inspires people. Excellence demands a devotion that brings our very best to God in every aspect of our church and lives.

*Relevance - We use a variety of modern artistic expressions to demonstrate how Biblical truth can apply to our lives today. In valuing relevance we realize that we must also be risk-takers in contemporary, creative, and credible ways in order to impact today's ever-changing culture.

What others are saying

People from all walks of life, all denominational backgrounds, and those with no church background at all, have found that Ni River Community Church really meets their needs. But don't take our word for it - let them speak for themselves!

"I think I found the right church for me... I feel right at home!" - Michelle

"I love it here! Coming here has made me a better person towards myself, my husband, and my kids." - Jeannie

"We have tried many other churches in the area, but this is the first church our son has asked to come back to!" - Randy

"Thank you so much for this ministry... I rejoice in the innovation, authenticity, freshness, and humor of this church. The service yesterday 'wowed' me! I was touched, as was my friend - she's not been in church for many years and she has never laughed in church before... until now!" - Tracy

"My experience with church has always been negative - I just couldn't deal with the shame-based messages. But I love this church! The band is awesome!" - Patsy

Just what kind of church is this?

Though non-traditional in style, Ni River is deeply committed to the eternal truths of the Christian faith. Even though our methods are innovative, we believe the message given by God through the Bible remains the same. We are a Christian church with a simple mission: "to reach out to people, love them where they are, and grow with them in a relationship with Jesus".

The History of Ni River Community Church

Ni River Community Church held its first public service on February 28th, 1999. Its purpose and mission was to create a church where anyone could walk through the doors and feel comfortable and at home right away. With that goal in mind, every aspect of the church was created to the comfort level of a first time church attendee – from the open hospitality area that allows for a welcoming cup of coffee, to the intentionally warm and interactive, age-appropriate children’s activity centers, to the choice of top 40 music and funny dramas in the service. All aspects of the Sunday service were designed with creating a high comfort level for the first time Seeker of God!

Ni River desired to be a place where it was safe to bring your family and friends, rather than a weird frightening place that made one feel left out and the only one not in the know. It was designed to be a place where Real World meets Real God with Sunday feeling very much like Monday or Thursday or Saturday!

With that hope in mind, 60 friends opened the doors of Courtland High School and invited many to the first service of Ni River Community Church.  Since then, Ni River has stayed true to its roots – non-traditional in its approach toward communicating the claims of Jesus Christ, loving people right where they are in that journey toward God, and striving to present the Bible and God as relevant to people’s lives in the 21st Century!

Today, many people who had “given up on church” have found Ni River Community Church a safe place to experience God and test the waters of “real relationship” with God and others, and to experience real life change!  It continues to be user-friendly – just like God!

Come Grow With Us

It is time to move as a church in more ways than one. Let's come together and participate in a truly great adventure! Join us as our Ministry Center becomes a reality and we "partner" with God in the adventure of building a permanent home. Land has already been provided, steps and plans are underway. Thank you God!!!

You can follow us in our adventure on Our Future page.