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July 19, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Bulletin, St. Paul - 7/19/26
A next-gen Hmong church experiencing God together SERVICE ORDER OPENING: Candle Lighting / Opening Prayer (at tables) TABLE GAME: Cup-Tac-Toe (flip cups & mark the board) DISMISSAL: Kids are dismissed. Youth stay in service. TABLE DISCUSSION: How to Read the Bible for Yourself Opener: What's something you've become much better at noticing over the years? 1. Pick a passage. Read it aloud twice. Two different readers. Mark 2:1–12 – Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man Acts 16:11–15 – Lydia’s Conversion Philippians 2:1–11 – Imitating Christ’s Humility 2. Observation: What does it SAY? Who? What? Where? When? What words or ideas are repeated? Are there any contrasts or comparisons? 3. Interpretation: What does it MEAN? What is the main point? What did the original audience need to hear? What does this teach us about God, Jesus, or people? 4. Application: What should I DO? Is there an example to follow or avoid? Is there a command to obey or a promise to trust? What is one specific way I can live differently this week? OFFERING: Rather than approaching giving legalistically or haphazardly, here is a more biblical criteria: Is your financial giving regular, generous, and according to your ability? Regular = consistent, intentional, planned. Generous = an amount that matters to you, costs you something, and engages your heart. According to your ability = in proportion to what God has given you. ANNOUNCEMENTS BENEDICTION: Receive this blessing from God today. LINGER LONGER AFTER SERVICE Prayer is available after service in the corner Prayer Room. Challenge Someone to Cup Games in the Sanctuary Stack Attack: Build the tallest tower in 3 minutes. Speed Stacking: Race to build and collapse a 5-4-3-2-1 pyramid. Pass the Tower: Each person adds a cup to a tower using only one hand. Go until it falls. Previous player wins. Cup Memory: Hide small objects under cups, mix them around, and have players identify where each object is. ANNOUNCEMENTS NEW AUGUST SERIES – AT THE MOVIES 🍿🎥 Starting Next Week. It’s back, and now with real butter! Join us as we explore biblical themes this summer’s biggest movies. 8/2 Disclosure Day 👽 📅 8/9 Retreat 🌲 ⛺️ / No Service 🚫 ⛪️ 8/16 Toy Story 5 🧸 💭 8/23 The Odessey 🚣 🐉 8/30 The Sheep Detectives 🐑 🔍 (Our legal department asked us to mention that no movie studios were harmed in the making of this sermon series.) SUMMER RETREAT UPDATES Registration is now closed. Thanks to everyone who signed up. If you registered, we need you to sign a physical waiver. See Pastor Tommy by the camping display in the lobby. No service Aug 9. Many of us will be gone that Sunday. SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE IS COMING NEXT MONTH Let’s get ready to bless the students at nearby Eastern Heights Elementary School. So, start looking for great deals on pencils, markers, notebooks, and more. VOLUNTEER CUSTODIAN NEEDED A clean, welcoming church doesn’t happen by accident. It’s one of the quiet ways we care for every person who walks through our doors. We’re looking for 1–2 volunteers who can serve about 3 hours once or twice a month. Days and times are flexible, and responsibilities include cleaning, vacuuming, and restocking supplies. Interested? Talk to Pastor Greg (763-300-8739) or any RiverLife leader. Starting Aug 10. 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. 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. ONE-TIME HELP NEEDED Occasionally we need an extra hand around the church. Talk to Pastor Greg if you have some time to help. Yardwaste Dropoff – We have several bags of yard waste from the recent Work Day that need to be taken to the recycling site. Anytime this week. Weeding – The plants around our church sign are thriving, but so are the weeds. Help beautify our property with a little TLC and a green thumb.

Greg Rhodes

Lead Pastor, Head Elder (STP)

July 17, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Bulletin, St. Paul - 7/19/26
A next-gen Hmong church experiencing God together SERVICE ORDER OPENING: Candle Lighting / Opening Prayer (at tables) WORSHIP: Kid’s Sing-Along Video: J-E-S-U-S! DISMISSAL: Kids are dismissed. Youth stay in service. MINI-SERMON: Tips for Understanding the Book of Revelation It’s centered around Jesus Christ. It uses lots of symbols and images. It uses numbers symbolically. It draws heavily on the Old Testament. Therefore, read it with humility. TABLE DISCUSSION Opener: What's something that completely confused you the first time you saw it, but made perfect sense once someone explained it? 1. Read Revelation 1:9–20 (The Vision of Jesus) What stands out to you about John's description of Jesus? Which images do you think are symbolic? What do they communicate about Jesus? Why do you think Revelation begins with this vision of Jesus instead of the more famous visions later in the book? 2. Read Revelation 21:1–7, 22:1-5 (New Heaven & Earth) What part of this vision gives you the most hope? Why Which images do you think are symbolic, and what bigger reality do they point to? If this is the future God is moving toward, how should it shape the way Christians live today? 3. Try It Yourself: As a table, create your own Jesus metaphor—a modern symbol that communicates who Jesus is today. Then complete the sentence: Jesus is like ________ because ________. Like last week, it can deep, spiritual, or light-hearted. Bonus points if you can make it poetic or fantastical like those in Revelation. LIVE INTERPRETATION: Walk through Revelation 13 with Pastor Greg, using our 5 principles to understand the passage. OFFERING: Scan the QR code in front of you to give online. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Summer’s a great time for your next step. Last week to register for the Summer Retreat! The winner of the Hmong Bricks prize package is… BENEDICTION: Receive this blessing from God today. LINGER LONGER AFTER SERVICE Prayer is available after service in the corner Prayer Room. Stick Around an Extra 10 Minutes – Learn something new about someone with one of these questions. What was a regular summer activity for you growing up? What is your ultimate go-to summer drink on a hot day? What is a local, hidden-gem spot in the Twin Cities you think everyone should visit? ANNOUNCEMENTS NO SERVICE ON AUGUST 9 Because many of us will be at the Summer Retreat, there will be no service at church on Sunday, August 9. Enjoy the morning off, joining family at another church, or visiting a church you’ve always wanted to experience. NEW AUGUST SERIES – AT THE MOVIES 🍿🎥 Starting August 2. It’s back, and now with real butter! Join us as we explore biblical themes this summer’s biggest movies. 8/2 Disclosure Day 👽 📅 8/9 Retreat 🌲 ⛺️ / No Service 🚫 ⛪️ 8/16 Toy Story 5 🧸 💭 8/23 The Odessey 🚣 🐉 8/30 The Sheep Detectives 🐑 🔍 (Is this just Pastor Greg’s excuse to make the church pay for his movie tickets? Maybe, but we draw the line at buying him commemorative popcorn buckets!) SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE IS COMING NEXT MONTH Let’s get ready to bless the students at nearby Eastern Heights Elementary School. So, start looking for great deals on pencils, markers, notebooks, and more. 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. MEMBERSHIP CLASS TODAY AT BP CAMPUS Today, 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. 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. 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. ONE-TIME HELP NEEDED Occasionally we need an extra hand around the church. Talk to Pastor Greg if you have some time to help. Yardwaste Dropoff – We have several bags of yard waste from the recent Work Day that need to be taken to the recycling site. Anytime this week. Weeding – The plants around our church sign are thriving, but so are the weeds. Take an afternoon (when it’s cooler with better air quality) and help clean up the planter.

Greg Rhodes

Lead Pastor, Head Elder (STP)

July 10, 2026 • 4 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.

Greg Rhodes

Lead Pastor, Head Elder (STP)

May 8, 2026 • 2 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.

Greg Rhodes

Lead Pastor, Head Elder (STP)

January 29, 2026 • 12 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

Greg Rhodes

Lead Pastor, Head Elder (STP)

January 26, 2026 • 7 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.

Greg Rhodes

Lead Pastor, Head Elder (STP)