2024 Annual Report

Greg RhodesLead Pastor, Head Elder (STP)
January 22, 2025

9 Minute Read

We are in the strongest position we’ve been in since before the pandemic to grow in size, discipleship, and community impact. However, slower growth in our finances and staffing could limit that potential.

Key Points

  • This was our most successful financial year on record, with nearly $400,000 in revenue.
  • Church attendance grew 27% — 22% at St. Paul and 40% at Brooklyn Park.
  • Our giving and staffing have not kept pace with our growing.
  • It was a milestone ministry year, with a 10th anniversary, our largest Easter Egg Hunts, and record baptisms.
  • Goals for 2025 focus on improving our infrastructure, discipleship, and staffing to support the church’s continued growth.

RiverLife in 5 Numbers (from the Last 2 Years)

  1. Attendance—The church has grown 61%.
  2. Faith Decisions58 people have gotten baptized.
  3. Revenue—Total revenue increased 27%.
  4. Individual Giving—Giving per adult has dropped 25%.
  5. Staffing—We only increased our total staff hours by 4%.

Analysis: Our numerical growth has been disproportionate to the resources that support that growth. We are ministering to 61% more people with the same amount of staff and proportionally less money. In other words, our giving and staffing have not kept pace with our growing. This creates a serious sustainability risk for the future.

Table of Contents

2024: Where We’ve Been
Highlights from 2024
Attendances
Sunday Snapshot
Current Church Leadership
2024 Goal Scorecard

2025: Where We're Going
Goals for 2025

Financial Updates
Strengths & Growth Areas
Balance Sheet
Revenue Sources
Giving Snapshot
Monthly Revenue
Salaries
Expense Breakdown
Statement of Activity
2025 Budget

Where We've Been: Highlights from 2024

10 Highlights from 2024

  1. We celebrated our 10th anniversary with a huge, all-church picnic—a beautiful milestone for our community.
  2. This year marked a record number of baptisms, with 20 at our Brooklyn Park campus and 11 at St. Paul.
  3. Our church family continued to grow, with an average weekly attendance of 297 across both campuses (Brooklyn Park: 120, St. Paul: 177).
  4. Our offerings grew 13% ($37,000) compared to 2023.
  5. In February, we launched Plug’d, our weekly Friday night youth gathering, at the Brooklyn Park campus, which led to a near doubling of youth participation there.
  6. The congregation generously gave $7,200 to support the youth fall retreat—an incredible show of support for the next generation.
  7. Both campuses hosted Easter Egg Hunts which drew a combined 1,800 people! The Brooklyn Park campus even caught the attention of the Associated Press. You can watch their coverage here.
  8. We celebrated our largest-ever Level Up Sunday with 18 incoming youth members and 12 graduating high school seniors.
  9. Pastor Greg enjoyed a well-deserved four-month sabbatical after a decade of faithful ministry.
  10. Jeremy Garland leveled up from Kids Ministry Director to Kids Pastor—an exciting new chapter in his ministry.

2024 Attendances






This was a year of BIG growth!

Every segment of the church—adults, youth, and kids—grew at both campuses.

  • Average Total Attendance: Up 27% (233 in 2023, 297 in 2024)
  • St. Paul Campus: Up 22% (133 in 2023, 162 in 2024)
  • Adults: Up 22% (84 in 2023, 102 in 2024)
  • Youth: Up 18% (22 in 2023, 26 in 2024)
  • Kids: Up 27% (27 in 2023, 35 in 2024)
  • Brooklyn Park Campus: Up 40% (85 in 2023, 120 in 2024)
  • Adults: Up 44% (42 in 2023, 60 in 2024)
  • Youth: Up 89% (10 in 2023, 19 in 2024)
  • Kids: Up 20% (34 in 2023, 41 in 2024)

Sunday Snapshot

Here’s what a typical Sunday service looked like at RiverLife in 2024.
St. Paul Campus: 102 Adults, 26 Youth, 35 Kids. Total: 162
Brooklyn Park Campus:
60 Adults, 19 Youth, 41 Kids. Total: 120

Current Church Leadership

St. Paul Campus

  • Lead Pastor: Greg Rhodes
  • Worship Director: Shong Vang
  • Youth Pastor: Tommy Lor
  • Kids Pastor: Jeremy Garland
  • Spiritual Growth Director: Pang Foua Rhodes

Brooklyn Park Campus

  • Campus Pastor: Kong Moua
  • Worship Director: Johan Yang
  • Youth Pastor: Tim Thao
  • Family Ministry Director: Pang Moua
  • Board Member At-Large: Gao Zoua Lee

2024 Goal Scorecard

Stabilize and strengthen our financial position. (10/10)

  • We consistently have $15,000 - $20,000 in the bank every month.
  • We successfully fundraised through the Twins games to rebuild some savings.
  • We created a budget, integrated it with QuickBooks, and published quarterly updates.
  • Our total giving, number of givers, and number of gifts all increased.

Improve the capacity and depth of our leaders and volunteers. (8/10)

  • Gave Pastor Greg a rest-filled 4-month sabbatical after 10 years of faithful ministry.
  • Held our first Volunteer Mega-Rally since 2017.
  • Added new volunteers to every core ministry (worship, kids, youth, cafe, spiritual growth, etc.)
  • Thrive Youth served throughout the church monthly through their Serve Sunday program.

Develop a comprehensive discipleship strategy (5/10)

  • Create a 6-part framework for discipleship at RiverLife.
  • Planned new sermon discussion groups for Q1 of 2025.
  • Planned a discipleship sermon series for Fall 2025.

Become a Voice of Influence for Next-Gen Hmong Ministry (1/10)

  • Followed current trends in social media influence.
  • We didn’t work much on this goal in 2024. Our leaders have struggled to find time to create content given current ministry demands.

Where We're Going: Plans For 2025

3 Strategic Goals for 2025

1. Improve our systems and processes to align with our growing size.

We have crossed a significant attendance threshold for church size (250), transitioning from a small to a medium-sized church. However, our systems and processes need to adapt as well, otherwise, we risk our infrastructure not being able to support our growth.

Key Tasks:

  • Reduce the number of smaller, weekly tasks for which Pastors Greg and Kong are responsible.
  • Automate current manual systems, e.g. scheduling volunteers through Planning Center.
  • Centralize church documents in a single online storage (Google Drive).
  • Restructure bi-weekly leadership team meetings for greater campus-specific productivity.
  • Revisit our use of church spaces to best meet the needs of our current congregation.

2. Expand the capacity of our leadership teams.

Our church has grown considerably, but our leadership teams haven’t kept pace. When we did—by hiring Tim Thao as the BP youth pastor—the results have been extraordinary.

Key Tasks:

  • Raise up Connections Directors at both campuses. This is a position that has been vacant for years.
  • Revitalize our Community Engagement ministry with project-specific leaders who have a passion for individual aspects of community service.
  • Recruit younger voices into the leadership team through internships.
  • Launch a first-of-its-kind paid internship for Hmong women pursuing vocational ministry.
  • Pursue two equity hires (paying people for what they’re already doing): increasing Tim Thao from 10 to 15 hrs/wk and hiring Pang Moua for 10 hrs/wk.

3. Refine and flesh out our discipleship strategy.

Last year, we created a discipleship framework. Now it’s time to develop and launch programs to implement that framework.

Key Tasks:

  • Develop a discipleship pathway to help people navigate and discern their next steps to grow in their personal discipleship.
  • Expand the number and types of groups we offer through our Spiritual Growth ministry.
  • Explore additional discipleship opportunities such as classes, conferences, and one-on-one mentoring.
  • Teach a sermon series based on John Mark Comer’s book Practicing the Way.

Financial Update

Strengths from 2024

  • Closed the year $2,115 ahead.
  • General giving has continued to increase every year. Up 15% from 2023.
  • Bank balances have been more stable throughout the year.
  • Our total giving, number of givers, and number of gifts all increased.

Growth Areas from 2024

  • Our finances didn’t grow as fast as our attendance.
  • Savings is still drastically lower than is healthy for an organization.

2024 Balance Sheet

  • Income: $388,656
  • Expenses: $386,541
  • Net: +$2,115

2024 Revenue Sources

  • Offering: $334,552 (86%)
  • Facility Rentals: $10,230 (8%)
  • Fundraising: $29,236 (3%)
  • Covid Clinics: $8,500 (2%)
  • Misc: $6,138 (2%)

Giving Snapshot (2023 / 2024 / Change)

  • Average Attendance: 233 / 297 / +27%
  • Total General Giving: $297,132 / $334,552 / +13%
  • Total Givers: 212 / 287 / +35%
  • Total # of Gifts: 1,873 / 2,279 / +22%
  • Median Gift: $60 / $60 / 0%
  • 50% of giving comes from 8% of the givers.

2024 Monthly Revenue (with Budget Line)

2024 Salaries

  • Greg Rhodes — Lead Pastor, FT— $54,080/yr
  • Kong Moua — Campus Pastor, FT — $41,600/yr
  • Jeremy Garland — Kids Pastor (50%) / Facilities Manager (50%), FT — $35,695/yr
  • Tommy Lor — PT Youth Pastor, 25 hrs/wk @ $14.56/hr — $20,000 (includes living in the parsonage)
  • Tim Thao — Youth Pastor, 10 hrs/wk @ $14.56/hr — $6,984/yr
  • Johan Yang — Worship Director, 17.5 hrs/wk @ $14.56/hr — $12,230/yr
  • Shong Vang — Worship Leader, 5 hrs/week @ $14.56/hr — $3,495/yr

Analysis: We are underpaying our pastors and ministry leaders. Most of our staff haven’t received a raise in 5-7 years (except for an across-the-board 4% cost of living raise in 2023.)

2024 Expenses (2023 / 2024)

  • Payroll: 49% / 49%
  • Facilities: 26% / 26%
  • Ministries: 16% / 14%
  • Administrative: 8% / 8%
  • Other: 1% / 3%

Analysis: Our 2024 expense distribution is nearly identical to 2023. We are, once again, spending less on operating the church and more on the ministry of the church.

2024 Statement of Activity

REVENUE
Tithes/Offerings: $334,552
Facility Rental: $29,236
Fundraising: $10,230
Covid Clinics: $8,500
Misc. Income: $5,493
Interest Income: $43
Great Commission Fund: $602
TOTAL REVENUE: $388,656

EXPENSES
Facilities
- St Paul Campus: $45,403
- BP Campus: $32,940
- Loan Interest: $16,339
- Loan Mortgage: $7,719
Total Facilities: $102,400

Administrative
- Office Supplies: $4,887
- Advertising & Marketing: $4,887
- Subscription Fees: $4,392
- Accounting/Bookkeeping: $3,708
- Leadership Development: $5,934
- Miscellaneous: $1,112
- Copier/Copies: $4,490
- Facility Rental Expenses: $2,114
- Bank Fees: $2,583
Total Administrative: $29,267

Payroll Expenses: $167,993
Health Insurance: $20,542

Ministries
- Worship: $4,185
- Youth Ministry: $6,459
- Kids Ministry: $4,230
- Family Ministry: $64
- Connections: $16,056
- Online Ministry: $278
- Spiritual Growth: $456
- Community Engagement: $2,816
- Special Events: $14,171
Total Ministries: $48,714

Other
- Benevolence: $664
- Service Supplies: $2,325
- Appreciation Gifts: $1,159
- Unbudgeted Expenses: $359
- District Contribution: $12,101
- Great Commission: $1,017

TOTAL EXPENSES: $386,541
NET REVENUE: $2,115

2025 Budget

REVENUE
Tithes/Offerings: $386,800
Facility Rental Income: $25,000
Fundraising: $15,000
Vaccine Clinic Income: $4,500
Miscellaneous Income: $5,500
Interest Income: $50
Great Commission Fund: $1,500
TOTAL REVENUE: $438,350

EXPENSES

Operations
- St Paul Facilities: $46,000
- BP Facilities: $33,000
- Loan Interest: $16,000
- Loan Mortgage: $8,000

Administrative

- Office Supplies: $5,000
- Advertising/Marketing: $200
- Subscription Fees: $4,500
- Accounting: $5,400
- Leadership Development: $10,000
- Miscellaneous: $1,000
- Copier/Copies: $4,500
- Facility Rental Expenses: $2,000
- Bank Fees: $2,500
- Payroll Expenses: $183,200
- Health Insurance: $20,000

Ministries
-
Worship: $6,500
- Youth Ministry: $7,500
- HLUB: $15,000
- Kids Ministry: $6,000
- Family Ministry:$500
- Connections: $12,000
- Online Ministry: $300
- Spiritual Growth:$500
- Community Engagement: $3,000
- Special Events: $14,000

Other
-
Benevolence: $700
- Service Supplies: $2,300
- Appreciation Gifts: $1,200
- NCD Contribution: $26,050
- Great Commission: $1,500

Total Expenses: $438,350

Net Balance: $0

Up Next
From this Author: Greg Rhodes
July 19, 20264 Minute Read
Bulletin, St. Paul - 7/19/26
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July 17, 20264 Minute Read
Bulletin, St. Paul - 7/19/26
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July 10, 20264 Minute Read
Bulletin, St. Paul - 7/12/26
A next-gen Hmong church experiencing God together SERVICE ORDER OPENING: Candle Lighting / Opening Prayer (at tables) WORSHIP: Kid’s Sing-Along Video DISMISSAL: Kids are dismissed. Youth stay in service. SERIES SUMMARY: How to Read the New Testament Read the whole New Testament as one story. Read the Gospels as an invitation to follow Jesus. Read Acts as the Spirit empowering the church. Read Paul's letters as conversations with churches. Read the Pastoral Epistles as letters to God's household. Read Hebrews as encouragement to persevere in Jesus. VIDEO: Book of Hebrews (Bible Project) DISCUSSION: The main theme of Hebrews is Jesus is Better. The book lists describes that he’s better than: angels, Moses, Joshua, priests, sacrifices, the old covenant, and more. Opener: What's something you thought was great until you experienced something even better? Option 1: Read Hebrews 4:14-16 (shorter passage) How is Jesus a better High Priest than any human priest? Why do you think the author tells us to "approach God's throne with confidence"? Option 2: Read Hebrews 1:1 – 2:4 (longer passage) In what ways is Jesus better than the angels? Because Jesus is so great, what warning or encouragement does the author give? Try It Yourself: As a table, create your own "Jesus is better" comparison in the spirit of Hebrews. It can be deep, spiritual, or light-hearted. Think of something in life that is genuinely good. Name three ways Jesus is even better. Finish with an encouragement, invitation, or warning based. SCRIPTURE READING: Hebrews 11 & 12:1-3 Hebrews 11 is known as the “Hall of Faith.” It tells stories of men and women who lived by faith, trusting God in extraordinary ways. Hebrews 12:1-3 is considered the climax of the whole book. MISSIONS MOMENT: Meet Jeremy & Ruth Weber, partners with Envision Twin Cities (and Rick & Kirsten Wallace). Learn about their ministry and you can love your neighbors. Yes, Jeremy looks like someone told ChatGPT: "Generate Jack Black as Santa Claus." OFFERING: Scan the QR code in front of you to give online. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Summer’s a great time for your next step. Register for the Summer Retreat! New 18+ Tabletop Games Group today 2-5pm at church New Guy’s Cooking Group next Sat 6-8pm at church BENEDICTION: Be blessed from God today. LINGER LONGER AFTER SERVICE Prayer is available after service in the corner Prayer Room. Popsicles! Beat the summer heat with a popsicle in the lobby. ANNOUNCEMENTS 18+ TABLETOP GAMING GROUP TODAY, July 21, 2-5pm, at church. Come back to church for an afternoon of advanced strategy games, friendly competition, and great conversation. GUY’S COOKING GROUP Next Saturday, July 18, 6-8pm, at church. Learn to make (or just eat) Pastor Greg’s famous papaya salad. Enjoy an evening with the guys crushing it in the kitchen. Contact: Pastor/Chef Greg (763-300-8739) MEMBERSHIP CLASS NEXT WEEK Next Sunday, July 19, 1-3pm, BP Campus. Connect with other RiverLifers, participate in God’s mission in the church, and vote in family meetings. Scan the QR code for membership info. BOOK FAIR FUNDRAISER CONTINUES ONLINE Through July 31. There's still time to support RiverLife! Scan the QR code to shop online, and 20% of every purchase goes back to the church. FREE NEW TESTAMENT BIBLE As we journey through the New Testament together, you'll find complimentary New Testaments on each table. Use one during the service, and if you'd like one for home, it's yours. Go ahead. We’ve got more arriving this week. BIG 3 BOOKMARKS ARE AVAILABLE Read the Bible with RiverLife. Let it shape how you understand God, yourself, and the world. Jump in any time. Grab a one on your table. INVITE SOMEONE TO CHURCH WITH YOU In a world of screens and algorithms, people are longing for real, in-person experiences. Grab a “Sit with Me” card in the lobby and invite a family member or friend to experience what this summer at RiverLife is all about—life together. CHECK OUT THE “WAYS WE GROW” FLYER Are you looking for ways to grow in your faith or get more involved in the church? Learn about “The Big 3,” Life Group bible studies, and the bi-weekly Prayer Group. CHRISTIAN BOOK DRIVE FOR OVERSEAS SCHOOL Through July 31. Asia Bible Seminary in Thailand wants to add 16,000 books to its library. Zer & Elle Khang (BP campus) are partnering with Pang Foua’s missionary brother Stuvy to collect new or used books on the following topics. Donate at the Connection Center in the lobby.
May 8, 20262 Minute Read
2026-Q1 Report
Q1 2026 showed steady overall momentum for RiverLife, with growth at Brooklyn Park and strong engagement among kids and youth helping offset a softer season of adult attendance and giving challenges at St. Paul. Ministry Highlights Launched The Big 3 (attend every Sunday, read your Bible 4x a week, pray 4x a week) as RiverLife’s primary discipleship framework. Increased Pastor Tommy Lor to full-time staff (from 25 hrs/week). Added a 3% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) to all paid staff and approved doing this annually. Implemented additional security measures at both campuses in response to increased ICE activity in the Twin Cities. Collected food and packed 39 Mexican meal kits for the congregation of La Iglesia while many were staying home due to fear of ICE. Also, collected $2,400 for church rental assistance. Voted Yeng Thao as a new board member for a term of 2 years. Attendance Campus Detail Summary Q1 2026 showed a more divided story between campuses. Brooklyn Park continued slow, steady growth, especially among adults and youth, while St. Paul experienced a noticeable decline in adult attendance despite continued strength among children and families. Overall church attendance remained relatively stable, but growth momentum shifted away from STP and toward BP. Financial Update Balance Sheet (Q1) Income: $108,878 Expenses: $101,161 Net: +$7,717 Revenue Sources (Q1) Offering: 90% Facility Rental: 7% Fundraising: 2% Misc: 1% Monthly Revenue (all sources) While quarterly revenue was ahead of budget, monthly totals varied considerably. Giving was down in February, possibly due (along with lower attendance) to the fear and economic uncertainty of the increased ICE activity. However, the congregation responded to the call for increased generosity in March to cover the deficit. Progress on 2026 Goals Embed The Big 3 as our primary discipleship pathway. Launched The Big 3 (attend every Sunday, read your Bible 4x a week, pray 4x a week) Preached a sermon series on it in January. Created a year-long Bible reading plan for completing the New Testament. Move staff compensation toward market fairness. Increased Pastor Tommy Lor to full-time staff (from 25 hrs/week). Added a 3% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) to all paid staff and approved doing this annually. Build scalable systems to support continued growth. No significant progress on this goal yet.
January 29, 202612 Minute Read
2025 Annual Report
This year’s report reflects both the health of our ministries — growing participation, generous community support, and emerging leaders — and the financial reality of lower revenue and higher operating costs, underscoring the need for sustainable stewardship going forward. Table of Contents 2025: Where We’ve Been Highlights from 2025 Attendances Sunday Snapshot Current Church Leadership 2025 Goal Scorecard 2026: Where We're Going Goals for 2026 Financial Updates Strengths & Growth Areas Balance Sheet Revenue Sources Giving Snapshot Monthly Revenue Salaries Expense Breakdown Statement of Activity 2026 Budget 2025: Where We've Been 10 Highlights from 2025 RiverLife maintained strong attendance across both campuses, remaining near record levels throughout the year. Twenty people got baptized—13 at St. Paul and 7 at BP. We launched a new set of church values to pair with our new mission statement from 2024. We repaired extensive water damage to the (former) youth room from a broken pipe during winter. We also finalized the St. Paul roof and siding repairs that we started in 2024. Our leadership team grew with new minsitry leaders in Worship (STP), Connections (STP & BP), and Community Engagement (STP & BP). Our congregations generously gave $25,000 to support Thrive Youth going to the HLUB Conference—another incredible show of support for the next generation. Once again, our Easter Egg Hunts were a huge success, drawing 2,500 community members for an afternoon of family fun. Pastor Tommy rested during a 2-month sabbatical in the Fall, and Pastor Jeremy enjoyed being a father to his new baby Elijah with an extended paternity leave and a new hybrid work schedule. Our new Family Ministry, led by Pang Moua, launched in the Fall with a parenting workshop and a scholarship talk. Saving money on our repair projects provided the critical revenue needed to financially survive this year. 2025 Attendances Summary: Across both campuses, RiverLife has transitioned from a season of rapid post-COVID growth into a season of stability, with attendance holding steady while continuing its long-term upward trajectory. Sunday Snapshot Here’s what an average Sunday service looked like at RiverLife in 2025. St. Paul Campus: 109 Adults, 27 Youth, 34 Kids. Total: 171 (up 5% from 2024) Brooklyn Park Campus: 64 Adults, 22 Youth, 38 Kids. Total: 124 (up 3% from 2024) Online Livestream: 24 (up 38% from 2024) Combined Total: 321 (up 7% from 2024) 2025 Church Leadership St. Paul Campus Lead Pastor: Greg Rhodes Youth Pastor: Tommy Lor Kids Pastor: Jeremy Garland Worship Directors: Raynie Vang & Kenny Lee Spiritual Growth Director: Pang Foua Rhodes Connections Director: Shoua (Hills) Khang Brooklyn Park Campus Campus Pastor: Kong Moua Youth Pastor: Tim Thao Worship Director: Johan Yang Family Ministry Director: Pang Moua Connections Director: Max Baranayuk Community Engagement Director: Angeline Xiong 2025 Goal Scorecard Expand the capacity of our leadership teams. (9/10) Accomplished 4 out of 5 of our goals, including raising up new leaders for Connections and Community Engagement, increasing hours for Tim Thao and hiring Pang Moua, and mentoring one intern college student in community engagement. This was a record year for raising up new leaders, with 4 people added to the Leadership Team. Refine and flesh out our discipleship strategy. (6/10) Designed the core of our discipleship strategy—The Big 3 (church attendance, Bible reading, prayer) — and scheduled to launch in January 2026 with a sermon series and additional resources. Launched new life groups with more planned in early 2026. Improve our systems to align with our growing size. (2/10) Launched monthly campus team meetings to pair with the monthly Leadership Team meetings. Switched our downstairs youth and kids rooms to accommodate our growing youth ministry. Still have a lot of work to do in this area. 2026: Where We're Going 3 Strategic Goals for 2026 1. Embed The Big 3 as RiverLife’s primary discipleship pathway. In 2026, The Big 3 (attend church weekly, read 4x a week, pray 4x a week) will become the normal and visible rhythm of discipleship across every ministry of RiverLife. Key Tasks: Create resources to help people be successful attending, reading, and praying—such as a Bible reading plan, prayer guides, accountability partners, etc. Structure part of service around prayer and long-form Bible reading. Work with Riverkids, Thrive Youth, and Life Groups to integrate The Big 3 practices into their ministries. Markers of Success: The Big 3 is mentioned weekly from the stage. All ministry leaders can articulate how their ministry supports The Big 3. A growing percentage of the congregation reports consistent engagement in at least two of the three rhythms. 2. Begin correcting staff compensation toward market fairness. As we have grown, our salaries has remained in the bottom 15% of comparable U.S. church positions. In 2026, we will establish a clear, multi-year pathway toward market fairness and take measurable steps forward. Key Tasks: Complete a compensation benchmarking study. Establish a 3–5 year compensation correction plan. Increase total payroll by 5–7% in 2026. Prioritize adjustments for the most under-market positions. Align future compensation growth with attendance and giving growth. Markers of Success: A documented compensation philosophy is approved by leadership. A 3–5 year roadmap exists showing projected movement toward the 40–50% market range. Total payroll increases by at least 5% in 2026. 3. Build scalable systems to support continued growth. As RiverLife has transitioned from a small to a medium-sized church (300+ attendance), our systems must evolve to sustain growth, reduce pastoral bottlenecks, and increase organizational clarity. Key Tasks: Reduce the number of recurring administrative tasks handled directly by Pastors Greg and Kong. Automate manual processes (e.g., volunteer scheduling through Planning Center). Centralize all church documents and workflows within a single cloud-based system (Google Drive). Clarify roles and decision-making authority to reduce dependency on senior pastors for routine decisions. Markers of Success: Pastors Greg and Kong reduce recurring weekly administrative tasks by at least 25%. Volunteer scheduling is fully transitioned to Planning Center by Fall. 90% of active church documents are stored in a centralized, accessible Google Drive structure. Staff and key volunteers report improved clarity and efficiency. By December 2026, RiverLife can grow by 20% without adding new staff. Financial Update Strengths from 2025 Strong Participation Growth - Attendance increased about 8% overall, and the number of givers grew ~10%, showing growing engagement across the congregation. Expanded Giving Base - More households participated in giving, which is a positive indicator of long-term giving health even though total giving dipped. Stable Median Gift - The median gift remained steady year-over-year, signaling ongoing generosity across the majority of givers. Voluntary Reductions in Expense Categories - Some categories such as ministries and administrative costs came in below last year, demonstrating cost awareness and stewardship. Consistent Prioritization of Mission - Despite pressure on the budget, about 62% of expenses were invested directly in ministry and leaders, reflecting alignment with RiverLife’s mission. Growth Areas from 2025 General Fund Giving Needs Attention Total giving declined about 4 %, and giving per attendee was down even as attendance grew — a sign that giving patterns need encouragement. High-Capacity Giving Decreased - Giving among top givers declined (~6%), which disproportionately affected total revenue. Expense Pressures from Inflation - Facility costs (utilities, insurance, maintenance) were up nearly $15k due to inflation and operational needs, highlighting the need for budgeting with inflation in mind. Payroll Cost Growth - Staffing costs increased about $9k, which is appropriate in many ways, but also a driver of the operating deficit that may require renewed giving support or budget adjustments. Better Smoothing of Revenue Volatility - Giving was more volatile in 2025 with larger monthly swings — this suggests intentional strategies might help smooth revenue for operations. 2025 Adjusted Balance Sheet* *The following numbers exclude the one-time costs and insurance payouts from the roof and basement repair projects, providing a clearer picture of the church’s normal financial operations. Income: $359,945 Expenses: $396,150 Net: -$36,206 (-9.1%) Why were we so far behind in 2025? Short answer: Revenue was down while expenses were up. Revenue: The biggest decreases were from the offering (-$13k) and vaccine clinics (-$6k). Expenses: Payroll was up $9k and facility expenses were up $15k (utilities, insurance premiums, maintence costs, etc.) However, with the insurance costs and payouts, our year-end net balance was only -$2,041 (-0.4%). In other words, the insurance payouts provided us critical cash to make up for last year’s revenue shortfall. 2025 Monthly Revenue (with Budget Line) <><><><> Giving Snapshot (2024 / 2025 / Change) Average Attendance: 297 / 321 / +8% Total Giving: $334,552 / $321,258 / -4% Total Givers: 230 / 254 / +10.4% Total # of Gifts: 2,440 / 2,544 / +4.3% Giving Per Attendee: $1,126 / $1,001 / -11% Median Gift: $60 / $60 / 0% % of Giving to General Fund: Average Per High-Capacity Giver (top 10%): $8,284 / $7,776 / –6.1% Bank Balance (as of 12/31/25): $10,140 Analysis: In 2025, RiverLife continued to grow in participation and engagement. Attendance increased 8%, total givers increased 10%, and the number of gifts rose 4%. The median gift remained steady at $60, indicating that everyday generosity across the congregation stayed strong. Total General Fund giving declined 4%, not because fewer people gave or gave less often, but primarily due to reduced contributions from a small number of high-capacity givers (–6% on average). At the same time, a greater share of giving shifted toward designated funds, such as our HLUB fundraiser. 2025 Adjusted Revenue Categories (2024 / 2025) Offering: $334,552 (86%) / $321,258 (90%) Facility Rentals: $10,230 (8%) / $29,684 (8%) Fundraising: $29,236 (3%) / $3,641 (1%) Vaccine Clinics: $8,500 (2%) / $1,750 (0.5%) Misc: $6,138 (2%) / $1,516 (0.4%) 2025 Adjusted Expense Categories (2024 / 2025) Payroll: $188,535 (49%) / $197,720 (50%) Facilities: $102,400 (26%) / $118,105 (30%) Ministries: $53,221 (14%) / $46,704 (12%) Administrative: $29,267 (8%) / $24,597 (6%) Other: $13,118 (3%) / $9,026 (2%) Analysis: While inflation increased the cost of building operations in 2025, RiverLife’s financial priorities remained unchanged. Nearly two-thirds of our expenses (62%) are invested directly in ministry and leaders, while 38% supports the operational infrastructure that makes that ministry possible. 2025 Salaries Greg Rhodes — Lead Pastor, FT— $54,080/yr Kong Moua — Campus Pastor, FT — $41,600/yr Jeremy Garland — Kids Pastor (50%) / Facilities Manager (50%), FT — $35,695/yr Tommy Lor — Youth Pastor, 25 hrs/wk @ $14.56/hr — $20,000 (includes living in the parsonage) Tim Thao — Youth Pastor, 15 hrs/wk @ $14.56/hr — $6,984/yr Johan Yang — Worship Director, 17.5 hrs/wk @ $14.56/hr — $12,230/yr Kenny Lee — Worship Leader, 5 hrs/week @ $14.56/hr — $3,495/yr Raynie Vang — Worship Leader, 5 hrs/week @ $14.56/hr — $3,495/yr Pang Moua - Family Ministry Director, 5 hrs/week @ $14.56/hr — $3,495/yr TOTAL Full-Time Equivalent: 4.68 FTEs Analysis: Payroll represented 50% of our total expenses in 2025, a healthy and appropriate investment for a church committed to people-centered ministry. With 4.68 FTE staff serving an average attendance of 321, we are intentionally resourcing leadership, next-generation ministry, and multi-campus support to position RiverLife for continued growth and long-term impact. Our pastors and ministry leaders serve faithfully, many at compensation levels well below national averages for comparable roles. Their sacrifice and commitment reflect a deep belief in the mission of RiverLife. As God continues to grow our church, one of our future goals will be building financial strength that allows us to care for our staff as faithfully as they care for our congregation—ensuring sustainability, health, and longevity for years to come. 2025 Full Statement of Activity REVENUE Tithes/Offering: $321,258 Facility Rental: $29,684 Fundraising: $3,641 Vaccine Clinics: $1,750 Misc. Income: $1,500 Interest Income: $16 Great Commission Fund: $2,097 Insturance Proceeds: $97,202 TOTAL REVENUE: $457,146 EXPENSES Facilities - St Paul Campus: $43,608 - Insurance Repairs: $63,037 - BP Campus: $47,489 - Custodial Supplies: $2,950 - Loan Interest: $16,436 - Loan Mortgage: $7,621 Total Facilities: $181,142 Administrative - Office Supplies: $3,767 - Advertising & Marketing: $0 - Subscription Fees: $4,487 - Accounting/Bookkeeping: $5,415 - Leadership Development: $5,041 - Miscellaneous: $309 - Copier/Copies: $5,324 - Facility Rental Expenses: $231 - Bank Fees: $22 Total Administrative: $24,597 Payroll Expenses: $177,713 Health Insurance: $20,007 Ministries - Worship: $5,919 - Youth Ministry:$6,522 - Kids Ministry: $5,804 - Family Ministry: $260 - Connections: $15,672 - Online Ministry: $0 - Spiritual Growth: $3,142 - Community Engagement: $3,142 - Special Events: $9,354 Total Ministries: $46,704 Other - Benevolence: $744 - Service Supplies: $1,602 - Appreciation Gifts: $1,799 - Unbudgeted Expenses: -$292 - District Contribution: $4,343 - Great Commission: $830 TOTAL EXPENSES: $459,188 NET REVENUE: -$2,041 2026 Budget (vs 2025 actual) REVENUE Tithes/Offerings: $360,000 ($321,258) - This is a 12% increase. Excluding last year, we’ve averaged 10% annual growth since 2021. Facility Rental Income: $29,000 ($29,684) Fundraising: $3,000 ($3,641) Miscellaneous Income: $1,500 ($1,500) Interest Income: $25 ($16) Great Commission Fund: $2,000 ($2,097) TOTAL REVENUE: $395,525 ($359,945) EXPENSES Operations St Paul Facilities: $44,000 ($43,608) BP Facilities: $35,000 ($47,489) - Normally, BP is about $10k less than STP. Last year was an anomaly due to a few larger repairs. Custodial Supplies: $3,000 ($2,950) Loan Interest: $16,500 ($16,436) Loan Mortgage: $7,700 ($7,621) Administrative Office Supplies: $3,800 ($3,767) Subscription Fees: $4,500 ($4,487) Accounting: $5,400 ($5,415) Leadership Development: $2,500 ($5,041) - We don’t have a large, out-of-state conference to attend this year. Miscellaneous: $200 ($309) Copier/Copies: $5,500 ($5,324) Facility Rental Expenses: $250 ($231) Bank Fees: $25 ($22) Payroll Expenses: $202,000 ($177,713) - This includes a 3% cost-of-living adjustment, increasing Pastor Tommy to full-time from 25 hrs/wk, and 5% raises all staff. Health Insurance: $0 ($20,007) - The church no longer provides Pastor Greg health insurance. (He’s included on his wife’s plan now.) Ministries Worship: $6,000 ($5,919) Youth Ministry: $7,000 ($6,522) Kids Ministry: $6,000 ($5,804) Family Ministry: $500 ($260) Connections: $13,000 ($15,672) Spiritual Growth: $300 ($30) Community Engagement: $1,500 ($3,142) Special Events: $9,000 ($9,354) Other Benevolence: $750 ($744) Service Supplies: $1,500 ($1,602) Appreciation Gifts: $1,600 ($1,799) NCD Contribution: $16,000 ($4,343) - Last year, we didn’t give as much as we had wanted due to financial constraints. This year, we intend to give more. Great Commission: $2,000 ($830) Total Expenses: $395,525 ($396,150) Net Balance: $0
January 26, 20267 Minute Read
2025 Campus Reports
St. Paul Campus SUBMITTED BY GREG RHODES 2025 was full of shifts and transitions. We replaced our 10-year-old mission and values with new ones, positioning ourselves for the next decade and the next generation. Our worship team changed leadership and added new members. Some long-time members left, while new ones joined or began attending more consistently. We also navigated an unexpected basement flooding repair that required significant coordination, insurance work, and ministry flexibility throughout the year. Through every transition, God proved steady, reminding us that while seasons change, His faithfulness does not. Because of that steady faithfulness, we move into 2026 with confidence, clarity, and quiet hope for what He will continue to build among us. Attendance Our average weekly attendance in 2025 was 171, including 109 adults, 27 youth, and 34 kids—a 5% increase over 2024. Notably, 36% of our congregation is under 18, significantly higher than the national average of 20–25%, reflecting a strong next-generation presence at St. Paul. While we experienced a larger-than-typical summer dip, attendance rebounded in the fall and finished the year with healthy momentum. Despite seasonal dips and monthly volatility, we continue our long-term pattern of growth. Since 2021, attendance at St. Paul has more than doubled, with an average annual growth rate of approximately 15% over the past three years. The long-term trajectory of this campus continues to show steady, multi-year growth and increasing engagement across generations. Special Events Once again, Easter proved to be a highlight of the year, with 360 people joining us for worship to celebrate our risen Lord and approximately 1,000 participating in our Egg Hunt, bringing smiles to kids and adults alike. Other holidays also drew strong attendance, with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas among the highest-attended celebration services of the year. Leadership We were blessed to see several long-time volunteers step into new leadership roles: Raynie Vang and Kenny Lee shared the role of Worship Director after Shong Vang stepped down following years of faithful service. We were excited to welcome Shoua (Hills) Khang as our new Connections Director after a long vacancy in that position. We also benefited from a wonderful college intern, Angeline Xiong, who after graduation was invited to join the Leadership Team as our Community Engagement Director. Church Partnerships We continue to rent space to two small congregations: La Iglesia Apostólica de la Fe en Cristo Jesús – A small, first-generation Spanish-speaking church that meets on Sunday afternoons, as well as Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Family Bible Church – An older Black church that meets once a month on Saturdays for worship. Both churches have expressed deep gratitude for our partnership and support of their congregations, especially La Iglesia, which was significantly impacted during periods of increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the Twin Cities. Thank You Thank you to every volunteer, leader, staff member, and faithful attender who served, gave, prayed, and showed up this year. Your steady faithfulness is what makes this campus strong and allows us to truly experience God together as a church family. Brooklyn Park Campus SUBMITTED BY KONG MOUA Overview 2025 felt like a year of preparation. While it may not have felt like a year of major accomplishments, it truly felt like we were getting ready for something special. The most significant change in 2025 was changing our mission statement. RiverLife shifted from “hope, healing, and growth to next gen Hmong and beyond” to “be a next-gen Hmong church experience God together”. This change reflected a broader calling – one that encompassed all generations. We recognized that our previous mission statement resonated strongly with for 2nd-gen Hmong, but God wanted us to widen our reach. With this shift came updated values to help us live out our new mission. At first, I felt uncertain about the change, but midway through 2025, I began to feel confident and excited as our kids and students continue to show a growing desire to follow Jesus. Baptisms We celebrated 7 baptisms in 2025 (2 adults, 3 youth, and 2 kids). While this was fewer than the 20 baptisms 2024, our students and kids continue to lead the way of responding to Jesus. In 2024, we had 6 adults get baptized whereas 11 students and 3 kids were baptized. For two years in a row, kids and youth double adults in baptisms. We are witnessing God moving in the hearts of the next generation. Attendance Our average attendance in 2025 was 124 (64 adults, 22 youth, 38 kids). This is a 3% increase from 2024’s average of 120 (60 adults, 19 youth, 41 kids). We continue to maintain our unique 1:1 ratio between adults and kids – something that reflects the strong presence of young families in our church. Our largest attended service in 2025 was Easter with 221. Child Dedications Two families dedicated a total of 3 kids in total in 2025. We are grateful for parents who are committed to raising their children to know and love God. Special Events Easter was our largest service in 2025 followed by an incredible egg hunt. We estimate that more than 1,200 people participated in the egg hunt. Thank you to Pang, our Family Ministry Director, for leading the egg hunt. Pang implemented several new ideas including overflow parking and added security measures with support from Brooklyn Park Police Department. She also had an incredible team of 50 volunteers who ran the egg hunt flawlessly. Thank you to Angeline Xiong too, who partnered with local restaurants to provide free meal coupons for families. Her leadership strengthened our connection with the community. Strengthening Our Leadership We were blessed by several individuals steeping into important roles: Max Baranyuk became our Connections Director. He has done an outstanding job welcoming and connecting with everyone who walks through our doors. Angeline Xiong also took on the responsibility of Community Engagement Director. She brought tremendous value to our egg hunt and helped lead our annual school supply drive across both campuses. Pajjar Thao established our relationship with our international workers, Tub and Gao-Jai who serve in Udon Thani, Thailand. Thank you to Pajjar for reminding us what God is around the world. Personal Highlights One of my personal highlights was participating in a mission trip to Spain. I was invited to join Dan Scarrow, our district superintendent, and Dave Manske, our mission mobilizer, along with 4 other pastors to experience God’s global work firsthand. This trip challenged me to think about how RiverLife can engage in missions. I also began the ordination process, a 2-year journey of reading, studying, writing, and testing to help shape me as a pastor. Partnerships with Faith Communities We continue to partner with different churches and a mosque by providing space for their needs: Local Covenant Church: Pastor Seth and his congregation continue to rent from us and regularly holds services on Sunday evenings. Clarity Church: Pastor Phil leads a mobile church at Edinbrook Elementary. They park their trailer in our parking lot and rent our building several times throughout the year for special services. Compassion Anoka: Pastor Rob and Pastor Ryan office at RiverLife. The church’s mission is to make Jesus visible in Anoka and serve those experiencing homelessness. Foundations of Many Generations: Pastor Mulbah parks the church’s bus and trailer in our parking lot. Annually, they host an 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 overflow parking during their major holidays. They continue to bless us by filling our tummies with Crumbl cookies. New Story Church: Pastor David and his congregation are a newer church plant in our district. They use our building several times each year for their services and gatherings. International Workers in Udon Thani: We partnered with Tub and Gao-Jai in 2025 and supported them by raising funds for volleyball jerseys for their sports ministry. Thank You I am deeply grateful for each of you who contribute to the life of the church. Your presence, love, and support make all this possible. I often describe RiverLife as the most fun thing I’ve ever done in ministry and it’s still true. Thank you for embracing a season of preparation in 2025. I believe God is positioning us for something special in 2026.
March 1, 20256 Minute Read
2022 Annual Report
We have recovered from the pandemic, but some areas are still rebuilding. KEY POINTS We’ve successfully re-launched a second campus. Attendance has grown considerably. We have high-caliber ministry leaders, but they’re stretched thin. We are in an unstable financial position. We are rebuilding our discipleship strategy. Where We’ve Been: Highlights from 2022 10 AMAZING HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2022 (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER) Successfully re-launched our struggling Brooklyn Park campus. Returned attendance to pre-Covid levels. Distributed over 35,000 pounds of food. Built a 30' drainage ditch at St. Paul to prevent water damage. Baptized 8 people in Jesus Christ. Increased YouTube traffic 34% over 2021. Repaired 6 furnaces & AC units. Gave out 5,000 pairs of Bombas socks. Ministered to 363 people for Easter, 296 for Halloween, 302 for Christmas. Hosted an all-church retreat for the first time in 3 years. 2022 ATTENDANCE Observations: We see an overall upward trend. Most Sundays, we average between 220-240. We are now consistently matching our pre-Covid numbers. If we continue on this trajectory, we’re estimated to be 350 by January 2024. 6-MONTH SUNDAY SNAPSHOT Here’s what a typical Sunday service looks like at RiverLife. St. Paul Campus: 77 Adults, 17 Youth, 22 Kids. Total: 115 Brooklyn Park Campus: 35 Adults, 8 Youth, 28 Kids. Total: 70 Observations: St. Paul is 64% larger than BP. St. Paul is 34% kids and youth. BP is a 51% kids and youth. THE LEADERSHIP OF RIVERLIFE Most ministries has a pastor/director (teal) and a campus leader (orange). Some ministries are shared across campuses. St. Paul Campus Pastor: Greg Rhodes Worship: Shong Vang Youth: Tommy Lor Kids: Jeremy Garland Spiritual Growth: Pang Foua Rhodes Community Engagement: Alicia Tho Brooklyn Park Campus Pastor: Kong Moua Worship: Johan Yang Youth: Tim Thao Kids: Pang Moua Spiritual Growth: Pang Foua Rhodes Community Engagement: Alicia Thoj 6 in 6 Initiative Launching a second campus has stretched our current leaders thin. So, we’ve launched an initiative this year to raise up 6 new leaders into significant ministry roles within 6 months. We believe it is essential to the future health and growth of RiverLife. I’m happy to report that we already have 3 people in the leadership pipeline to step into leadership within the next few months. Where We're Going: Plans For 2023 Become an Accredited Church As a church plant, we are considered a “developing church” in the Alliance. Becoming an accredited church is like transitioning from being a minor to an adult. Key Tasks Formalize membership process (class, application, interview, etc.). Host our first membership class in Q1. Establish governing board and bylaws by the Fall. Improve the Financial Health of the Church While we are consistently operating within budget, launching the second campus has drained much of our savings, resulting in us operating in an unstable financial position. Save $15,000 in the bank by reducing spending and seeking out rentals. Increase financial visibility and accountability by providing quarterly financial updates to the congregation. Improve budget creation and tracking. 3. Develop a Comprehensive Discipleship Strategy The pandemic disrupted many of our discipleship plans and programs. We finally feel like we can once again invest in this critical ministry. Build a stronger discipleship culture Develop a discipleship pathway for spiritual growth Expand our spiritual growth opportunities Invest in Life Groups 4. Become a Voice of Influence for Next-Gen Hmong Ministry More and more churches are launching young adult, next-gen, and English ministries, but there is nobody out there providing ministry wisdom and insight for the young leaders. We believe RiverLife can fill that gap. Launch a blog at nextgenhmong.com, and publish weekly articles on practical aspects of ministry here at RiverLife. Explore additional platforms like a podcast, YouTube channel, or social media. Financial Update Strengths from 2022 Closed the year $6,334 ahead. General Fund giving has increased every year. Up 6.5% from 2021. 100% financially self-sufficient. (1st time) Growth Areas from 2022 Savings is dangerously low. We’ve living paycheck-to-paycheck Revenue was down 3%. (1st time) Maintaining second campus was more expensive than projected. 2022 Balance Sheet Income: $338,130 Expenses: $331,796 Net: +$6,334 Bank Balance: $3,465 (as of 3/4/23) Revenue Sources (Apr-Dec. 2022) Offering: 89% Facility Rental: 4% Covid Clinics: 4% Missions Giving: 2% Misc. 1% Giving Snapshot (2021 / 2022 / Change) Averge Attendance: 114 / 209 / +81% Total Giving: $297,824 / $276,942 / -7% Total Donors: 149 / 178 / +20% Recurring Gifts: 53% / 39% / -26% We have more people attending and more people giving. But they’re giving less and giving less consistently. 50% of giving comes from 14 people or families. 2022 Monthly Revenue (all sources) 2022 STATEMENT OF ACTIVITY REVENUE Tithes/Offerings: $276,943 Mission Trips: $7,273 Great Commission Fund: $2,777 Covid Clinics: $16,500 Facility Rental: $10,365 Misc. Income: $4,264 Interest Income: $9 NCD Support: $20,000 TOTAL REVENUE: $338,130 EXPENSES Facilities - St Paul Campus: $53,260 - BP Campus: $30,064 - Custodial Supplies: $487 - Loan Interest: $12,413 Total Facilities: $96,224 Administrative - Office Supplies: $3,008 - Advertising & Marketing: $394 - Subscription Fees: $2,230 - Accounting/Bookkeeping: $3,905 - Leadership Development: $2,402 - Copier/Copies: $3,932 - Facility Rental Expenses: $731 - Bank Fees: $509 Total Administrative: $17,110 Payroll Expenses: $153,246 Health Insurance: $18,936 Ministries - Worship: $4,541 - Youth Ministry: $2,455 - Children's Ministry: $3,657 - Connections: $5,834 - Online Ministry: $548 - Community Engagement: $3,860 - Special Events: $11,652 - Other Ministries: $2,848 Total Ministries: $35,394 NCD Contribution: $8,273 Great Commission: $2,614 TOTAL EXPENSES: $331,797 NET REVENUE: $6,334 2022 EXPENSES 2022 MONTHLY BALANCE SHEET January Income: $36,660 Expense: $17,802 Net Balance: $18,858 February Income: $23,964 Expense: $22,142 Net Balance: $1,822 March Income: $33,718 Expense: $29,231 Net Balance: $4,488 April Income: $26,477 Expense: $34,833 Net Balance: -$8,356 May Income: $22,190 Expense: $24,983 Net Balance: -$2,793 June Income: $28,120 Expense: $26,787 Net Balance: $1,333 July Income: $26,567 Expense: $27,259 Net Balance: -$691 August Income: $27,644 Expense: $23,359 Net Balance: $4,285 September Income: $29,078 Expense: $33,670 Net Balance: -$4,592 October Income: $27,789 Expense: $26,915 Net Balance: $874 November Income: $23,260 Expense: $34,686 Net Balance: -$11,426 December Income: $32,662 Expense: $30,129 Net Balance: $2,532 Total Income: $338,130 Expense: $331,797 Net Balance: $6,334
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January 22, 20259 Minute Read
2024 Annual Report
We are in the strongest position we’ve been in since before the pandemic to grow in size, discipleship, and community impact. However, slower growth in our finances and staffing could limit that potential. Key Points This was our most successful financial year on record, with nearly $400,000 in revenue. Church attendance grew 27% — 22% at St. Paul and 40% at Brooklyn Park. Our giving and staffing have not kept pace with our growing. It was a milestone ministry year, with a 10th anniversary, our largest Easter Egg Hunts, and record baptisms. Goals for 2025 focus on improving our infrastructure, discipleship, and staffing to support the church’s continued growth. RiverLife in 5 Numbers (from the Last 2 Years) Attendance—The church has grown 61%. Faith Decisions—58 people have gotten baptized. Revenue—Total revenue increased 27%. Individual Giving—Giving per adult has dropped 25%. Staffing—We only increased our total staff hours by 4%. Analysis: Our numerical growth has been disproportionate to the resources that support that growth. We are ministering to 61% more people with the same amount of staff and proportionally less money. In other words, our giving and staffing have not kept pace with our growing. This creates a serious sustainability risk for the future. Table of Contents 2024: Where We’ve Been Highlights from 2024 Attendances Sunday Snapshot Current Church Leadership 2024 Goal Scorecard 2025: Where We're Going Goals for 2025 Financial Updates Strengths & Growth Areas Balance Sheet Revenue Sources Giving Snapshot Monthly Revenue Salaries Expense Breakdown Statement of Activity 2025 Budget Where We've Been: Highlights from 2024 10 Highlights from 2024 We celebrated our 10th anniversary with a huge, all-church picnic—a beautiful milestone for our community. This year marked a record number of baptisms, with 20 at our Brooklyn Park campus and 11 at St. Paul. Our church family continued to grow, with an average weekly attendance of 297 across both campuses (Brooklyn Park: 120, St. Paul: 177). Our offerings grew 13% ($37,000) compared to 2023. In February, we launched Plug’d, our weekly Friday night youth gathering, at the Brooklyn Park campus, which led to a near doubling of youth participation there. The congregation generously gave $7,200 to support the youth fall retreat—an incredible show of support for the next generation. Both campuses hosted Easter Egg Hunts which drew a combined 1,800 people! The Brooklyn Park campus even caught the attention of the Associated Press. You can watch their coverage here. We celebrated our largest-ever Level Up Sunday with 18 incoming youth members and 12 graduating high school seniors. Pastor Greg enjoyed a well-deserved four-month sabbatical after a decade of faithful ministry. Jeremy Garland leveled up from Kids Ministry Director to Kids Pastor—an exciting new chapter in his ministry. 2024 Attendances This was a year of BIG growth! Every segment of the church—adults, youth, and kids—grew at both campuses. Average Total Attendance: Up 27% (233 in 2023, 297 in 2024) St. Paul Campus: Up 22% (133 in 2023, 162 in 2024) Adults: Up 22% (84 in 2023, 102 in 2024) Youth: Up 18% (22 in 2023, 26 in 2024) Kids: Up 27% (27 in 2023, 35 in 2024) Brooklyn Park Campus: Up 40% (85 in 2023, 120 in 2024) Adults: Up 44% (42 in 2023, 60 in 2024) Youth: Up 89% (10 in 2023, 19 in 2024) Kids: Up 20% (34 in 2023, 41 in 2024) Sunday Snapshot Here’s what a typical Sunday service looked like at RiverLife in 2024. St. Paul Campus: 102 Adults, 26 Youth, 35 Kids. Total: 162 Brooklyn Park Campus: 60 Adults, 19 Youth, 41 Kids. Total: 120 Current Church Leadership St. Paul Campus Lead Pastor: Greg Rhodes Worship Director: Shong Vang Youth Pastor: Tommy Lor Kids Pastor: Jeremy Garland Spiritual Growth Director: Pang Foua Rhodes Brooklyn Park Campus Campus Pastor: Kong Moua Worship Director: Johan Yang Youth Pastor: Tim Thao Family Ministry Director: Pang Moua Board Member At-Large: Gao Zoua Lee 2024 Goal Scorecard Stabilize and strengthen our financial position. (10/10) We consistently have $15,000 - $20,000 in the bank every month. We successfully fundraised through the Twins games to rebuild some savings. We created a budget, integrated it with QuickBooks, and published quarterly updates. Our total giving, number of givers, and number of gifts all increased. Improve the capacity and depth of our leaders and volunteers. (8/10) Gave Pastor Greg a rest-filled 4-month sabbatical after 10 years of faithful ministry. Held our first Volunteer Mega-Rally since 2017. Added new volunteers to every core ministry (worship, kids, youth, cafe, spiritual growth, etc.) Thrive Youth served throughout the church monthly through their Serve Sunday program. Develop a comprehensive discipleship strategy (5/10) Create a 6-part framework for discipleship at RiverLife. Planned new sermon discussion groups for Q1 of 2025. Planned a discipleship sermon series for Fall 2025. Become a Voice of Influence for Next-Gen Hmong Ministry (1/10) Followed current trends in social media influence. We didn’t work much on this goal in 2024. Our leaders have struggled to find time to create content given current ministry demands. Where We're Going: Plans For 2025 3 Strategic Goals for 2025 1. Improve our systems and processes to align with our growing size. We have crossed a significant attendance threshold for church size (250), transitioning from a small to a medium-sized church. However, our systems and processes need to adapt as well, otherwise, we risk our infrastructure not being able to support our growth. Key Tasks: Reduce the number of smaller, weekly tasks for which Pastors Greg and Kong are responsible. Automate current manual systems, e.g. scheduling volunteers through Planning Center. Centralize church documents in a single online storage (Google Drive). Restructure bi-weekly leadership team meetings for greater campus-specific productivity. Revisit our use of church spaces to best meet the needs of our current congregation. 2. Expand the capacity of our leadership teams. Our church has grown considerably, but our leadership teams haven’t kept pace. When we did—by hiring Tim Thao as the BP youth pastor—the results have been extraordinary. Key Tasks: Raise up Connections Directors at both campuses. This is a position that has been vacant for years. Revitalize our Community Engagement ministry with project-specific leaders who have a passion for individual aspects of community service. Recruit younger voices into the leadership team through internships. Launch a first-of-its-kind paid internship for Hmong women pursuing vocational ministry. Pursue two equity hires (paying people for what they’re already doing): increasing Tim Thao from 10 to 15 hrs/wk and hiring Pang Moua for 10 hrs/wk. 3. Refine and flesh out our discipleship strategy. Last year, we created a discipleship framework. Now it’s time to develop and launch programs to implement that framework. Key Tasks: Develop a discipleship pathway to help people navigate and discern their next steps to grow in their personal discipleship. Expand the number and types of groups we offer through our Spiritual Growth ministry. Explore additional discipleship opportunities such as classes, conferences, and one-on-one mentoring. Teach a sermon series based on John Mark Comer’s book Practicing the Way. Financial Update Strengths from 2024 Closed the year $2,115 ahead. General giving has continued to increase every year. Up 15% from 2023. Bank balances have been more stable throughout the year. Our total giving, number of givers, and number of gifts all increased. Growth Areas from 2024 Our finances didn’t grow as fast as our attendance. Savings is still drastically lower than is healthy for an organization. 2024 Balance Sheet Income: $388,656 Expenses: $386,541 Net: +$2,115 2024 Revenue Sources Offering: $334,552 (86%) Facility Rentals: $10,230 (8%) Fundraising: $29,236 (3%) Covid Clinics: $8,500 (2%) Misc: $6,138 (2%) Giving Snapshot (2023 / 2024 / Change) Average Attendance: 233 / 297 / +27% Total General Giving: $297,132 / $334,552 / +13% Total Givers: 212 / 287 / +35% Total # of Gifts: 1,873 / 2,279 / +22% Median Gift: $60 / $60 / 0% 50% of giving comes from 8% of the givers. 2024 Monthly Revenue (with Budget Line) 2024 Salaries Greg Rhodes — Lead Pastor, FT— $54,080/yr Kong Moua — Campus Pastor, FT — $41,600/yr Jeremy Garland — Kids Pastor (50%) / Facilities Manager (50%), FT — $35,695/yr Tommy Lor — PT Youth Pastor, 25 hrs/wk @ $14.56/hr — $20,000 (includes living in the parsonage) Tim Thao — Youth Pastor, 10 hrs/wk @ $14.56/hr — $6,984/yr Johan Yang — Worship Director, 17.5 hrs/wk @ $14.56/hr — $12,230/yr Shong Vang — Worship Leader, 5 hrs/week @ $14.56/hr — $3,495/yr Analysis: We are underpaying our pastors and ministry leaders. Most of our staff haven’t received a raise in 5-7 years (except for an across-the-board 4% cost of living raise in 2023.) 2024 Expenses (2023 / 2024) Payroll: 49% / 49% Facilities: 26% / 26% Ministries: 16% / 14% Administrative: 8% / 8% Other: 1% / 3% Analysis: Our 2024 expense distribution is nearly identical to 2023. We are, once again, spending less on operating the church and more on the ministry of the church. 2024 Statement of Activity REVENUE Tithes/Offerings: $334,552 Facility Rental: $29,236 Fundraising: $10,230 Covid Clinics: $8,500 Misc. Income: $5,493 Interest Income: $43 Great Commission Fund: $602 TOTAL REVENUE: $388,656 EXPENSES Facilities - St Paul Campus: $45,403 - BP Campus: $32,940 - Loan Interest: $16,339 - Loan Mortgage: $7,719 Total Facilities: $102,400 Administrative - Office Supplies: $4,887 - Advertising & Marketing: $4,887 - Subscription Fees: $4,392 - Accounting/Bookkeeping: $3,708 - Leadership Development: $5,934 - Miscellaneous: $1,112 - Copier/Copies: $4,490 - Facility Rental Expenses: $2,114 - Bank Fees: $2,583 Total Administrative: $29,267 Payroll Expenses: $167,993 Health Insurance: $20,542 Ministries - Worship: $4,185 - Youth Ministry: $6,459 - Kids Ministry: $4,230 - Family Ministry: $64 - Connections: $16,056 - Online Ministry: $278 - Spiritual Growth: $456 - Community Engagement: $2,816 - Special Events: $14,171 Total Ministries: $48,714 Other - Benevolence: $664 - Service Supplies: $2,325 - Appreciation Gifts: $1,159 - Unbudgeted Expenses: $359 - District Contribution: $12,101 - Great Commission: $1,017 TOTAL EXPENSES: $386,541 NET REVENUE: $2,115 2025 Budget REVENUE Tithes/Offerings: $386,800 Facility Rental Income: $25,000 Fundraising: $15,000 Vaccine Clinic Income: $4,500 Miscellaneous Income: $5,500 Interest Income: $50 Great Commission Fund: $1,500 TOTAL REVENUE: $438,350 EXPENSES Operations - St Paul Facilities: $46,000 - BP Facilities: $33,000 - Loan Interest: $16,000 - Loan Mortgage: $8,000 Administrative - Office Supplies: $5,000 - Advertising/Marketing: $200 - Subscription Fees: $4,500 - Accounting: $5,400 - Leadership Development: $10,000 - Miscellaneous: $1,000 - Copier/Copies: $4,500 - Facility Rental Expenses: $2,000 - Bank Fees: $2,500 - Payroll Expenses: $183,200 - Health Insurance: $20,000 Ministries - Worship: $6,500 - Youth Ministry: $7,500 - HLUB: $15,000 - Kids Ministry: $6,000 - Family Ministry:$500 - Connections: $12,000 - Online Ministry: $300 - Spiritual Growth:$500 - Community Engagement: $3,000 - Special Events: $14,000 Other - Benevolence: $700 - Service Supplies: $2,300 - Appreciation Gifts: $1,200 - NCD Contribution: $26,050 - Great Commission: $1,500 Total Expenses: $438,350 Net Balance: $0
January 22, 202518 Minute Read
2024 Ministry Reports
St. Paul Campus 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. Brooklyn Park Campus 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. Riverkids 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. Thrive Youth 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. Worship 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! Spiritual Growth 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. Community Engagement SUBMITTED BY ANGELINE XIONG God did wonderful things through us in 2025, helping our community feel seen, loved, and cared for. We witnessed God at work both inside our church walls and throughout our communities at both campuses. Through local partnerships and relationships, we continued our calling to love our community in tremendous ways. Our annual Easter Egg Hunts drew 2,200 people from our local neighborhoods and all throughout the Twin Cities. This year, CE developed partnerships with local restaurants, including Texas Roadhouse, Rising Canes, Chick-fil-a, and Panda Express to give away $1,200 worth of free meals cards. Additionally, the BP campus enlisted the help of the Brooklyn Park Police Department to direct traffic and interact with participants. During the Spring, Riverkids made 150 cards for elderly patients at North Memorial Hospital, sharing child-like messages of hope and joy through a new community partner, Friends & Co. In August and September, we continued our tradition of collecting school supplies for Eastern Heights Elementary in St. Paul and Edinbrook Elementary in Brooklyn Park. Through our congregation’s generosity, we collected nearly 500 pounds of supplies to help students start the school year off strong. Another successful event was our October Costume Carnival, where we were thankful to serve families with fun, candy, photo ops, and even more Raising Cane’s free meal coupons. With rising inflation, this event allowed us to support families facing food insecurity and social isolation. Through each of these efforts, we saw God at work as we continue our calling to love our neighbors with compassion, creativity, and faithful presence.
November 14, 20242 Minute Read
2024-Q3 Report
Third quarter was financially strong with generous giving, successful fundraising, and a couple of extra-large facility rentals. We also celebrated our 10th anniversary in RiverLife style—with a huge famly picnic full of worship, activities, and fun. Ministry Highlights Pastor Greg returned from his sabbatical in August, refreshed and ready to launch us into the next decade. We celebrated our 10-year anniversary with a giant, all-church picnic. We worked 8 Twins games, raising $6,700. We raised $7,235 for the annual Thrive Youth Annual Fall Retreat. Thank you for investing in the next generation. We welcomed a new intern from Crown Colllege. Attendances Attendence returned to normal levels after a typical summer dip. Quarterly average attendances had a slight increase compared to Q2. St. Paul, Brooklyn Park, Online—3% increase (289 vs. 281) St. Paul—5% increase (159 vs. 152) Brooklyn Park—1% increase (115 vs. 114) For the whole year, attendance has remained steady. Financial Update (Q3) Balance Sheet Income: $95,868 Expenses: $91,021 Net: +$4,846 Revenue Sources Offering: 84% Facility Rental: 8% Fundraising: 7% Misc: 1% Budget Revenue: 107% of budget Expenses: 102% of budget Our expenses are almost right on budget for this time of year, and our revenue is ahead of budget. Progress on 2024 Goals Develop a comprehensive discipleship strategy. We have had some conversations of what discipleship could look like in 2025. No significant progress on this goal in Q3. Improve the capacity and depth of our volunteers and leader. We added new volunters in over half of our ministries. We welcomed a new intern from Crown College. Stabilize and strengthen our financial position. We finished Q3 strong, with $4,846 more revenue than expenses and $19,000 in our account. Through 2024, our total income is $14,000. We’ve received 55% of our budgeted income while spending 51% on expenses. We’re right on track with our budget! We worked 8 Twins games, raising $6,700. Become a voice of influence for Next-Gen Hmong Ministry No significant progress on this goal in Q3.
July 20, 20242 Minute Read
2024-Q2 Report
Our second quarter was a steady and stable season of ministry while Pastor Greg was on sabbatical. Thank you to everyone who helped lead the ministries while Pastor Greg rests! Ministry Highlights Pastor Greg began his 4-month sabbatical in April. He has served RiverLife faithfully for 10 years and a few of those years were the most difficult during COVID. Rest well, Pastor Greg, and we look forward to you returning in August! We had our biggest Level Up Sunday with 18 incoming youth members and 12 graduating high school seniors. We also leveled up Jeremy Garland from Kids Ministry Director to Kids Pastor! Congratulations to everyone! Our youth group has increased by 50% across both campuses since February 2024. We currently average 38 students across both campuses. In 2023, we averaged 25 students. A big contributor is launching Plug’d (our weekly Friday night youth gatherings) at the Brooklyn Park campus in Q1. We generated $12,100 of income! We baptized 1 adult. We recruited 7 first-time volunteers at our Fresh Fellowship event. We raised $345 for the Great Commission Fund in Q2 (Q1: $205). Attendance There was a 3% decrease in attendance across both campuses since last quarter. Quarterly average: 274 (Last quarter: 282. If we include Easter’s attendance in Q1, our average was 300) Financial Update (Q3) Balance Sheet (Q2) Income: $95,594.31 Expenses: $83,516.98 Net: +$12,077.33 Revenue Sources (Q2) Offering: 86% Facility Rental: 10% Covid Clinics: 3% Misc: 1% Monthly Revenue (all sources) Progress on 2024 Goals Develop a comprehensive discipleship strategy. No significant progress on this goal in Q2. Improve the capacity and depth of our volunteers and leader. We had a successful Fresh Fellowship event across both campuses in June. We recruited 7 first-time volunteers! We brought back Volunteer of the Month at St. Paul campus honoring our awesome volunteers! Stabilize and strengthen our financial position. We finished Q2 in the positive with $12,100 in our checking account. Through 2024, our total income is $14,000. We’ve received 55% of our budgeted income while spending 51% on expenses. We’re right on track with our budget! We started fundraising at Twins games. Our goal is to raise $20,000 in 2024 with $15,000 coming from these games. Help volunteer at a game to help us achieve our goal! Become a voice of influence for Next-Gen Hmong Ministry No significant progress on this goal in Q2.
May 3, 20242 Minute Read
2024-Q1 Report
This was one of RiverLife’s strongest quarters ever. We saw a notable increase in attendance and giving across both campuses. Ministry Highlights Launched Plug’d, our weekly Friday night youth gathering, at the Brooklyn Park campus in February. Prior to this, students from both campuses met for Plug’d at the St. Paul campus. Generated $7,900 of income in Q1. A 22% increase compared to Q1 in 2023! Baptized 4 adults and 2 kids. Celebrated Easter with 506 people in service between both campuses (St. Paul: 336, Brooklyn Park: 170). Put on our very first kids ministries’ play retelling the Easter story! Hosted an egg hunt for 1,800 people across both campuses. The Associated Press covered the Brooklyn Park campus’ egg hunt. Watch the video here. Increased attendance across both campuses. 2024’s Q1 averages at St. Paul was 167 and Brooklyn Park was 118. Compared to last year, 2023’s Q1 averages at St. Paul was 134 and Brooklyn Park was 84. Raised $205 for the Great Commission Fund. Upgraded kids' check-in stations at both campuses. Attendance 18% increase in attendance across both campuses since last quarter. Quarterly average: 300 (Last quarter: 247) Financial Update Balance Sheet (Q1) Income: $105,021.18 Expenses: $97,159.51 Net: +$7,861.67 Revenue Sources (Q1) Offering: 89% Facility Rental: 5% Covid Clinics: 4% Misc: 2% Monthly Revenue (all sources) Progress on 2024 Goals Develop a comprehensive discipleship strategy. No significant progress on this goal in Q1. Improve the capacity and depth of our volunteers and leader. We had a successful Volunteer Mega-Rally in January. This helped instill our volunteer values to all of our current and new volunteers. Our previous cafe leads at both campuses transitioned out, but they were able to bring on new leads. Updated our volunteer handbook. At the BP campus, Volunteer of the Month was brought back to honor individuals who exceptionally reflect our volunteer values. Stabilize and strengthen our financial position. We finished Q1 in the positive with $7,861 in our checking account. Our goal is raise $20,000 in 2024 with $15,000 coming from the Twins Fundraising program. We plan to start the fundraising initiative in May. Become a voice of influence for Next-Gen Hmong Ministry No significant progress on this goal in Q1. Check out www.NextGenHmong.com for articles we’ve posted.