Riverwood started as a church plant on Easter Sunday, 20 years ago. About 35 people had been gathering and praying together for a few months, sensing that God was nudging them to launch another church in northeast Winnipeg. We began holding Sunday services in the rented auditorium of Chief Peguis Junior High School and five years later purchased an old door factory in the heart of Elmwood. Since t
hen Riverwood has experienced significant growth, with an attendance averaging 1200 people, while also staying fiercely committed to the community of Elmwood. Riverwood has purchased 3 additional buildings all within a block of each other. Two have been repurposed to meet the needs of Riverwood’s role in Elmwood, and the third is in the midst of expansion. Today Riverwood isn’t just a ‘community church’, it’s a ‘church community’! Riverwood is a unique gathering place for people from every part of the city, with a mission and a mandate to make a difference in our local community. Riverwood is a vibrant part of the Elmwood community, providing many compassion-driven ministries such as a food bank, a women’s program and a community drop in for adults and another for kids. We have a dynamic international ministry as we partner with communities in Swaziland, Africa and also in Mexico. At the same time, Riverwood is a worship, training and mobilizing centre for over 1000 people meeting in 3 (soon to be 4) historic locations, all within a block of each other.
