About
2000
Gathering People to Dream About a New Church
Rev. Kim Griffith moved to St. Johns to begin gathering people who were interested in starting a new United Methodist church. Our first small group gathering had 15 people and we began meeting weekly in the media center at Bartram Trail High School on September 24th.
2001
River of Life Grand Opening
River of Life had their Grand Opening Sunday on February 11th, in the auditorium at Bartram Trail High School with over 100 people. A United Methodist Church was born! We continued to meet at Bartram Trail for several years while also hosting pumpkin patches and other activities on our Race Track road property and in people's homes.
2004
Moving onto Our Property
In 2004 River of Life moved from the high school into temporary buildings on our Race Track Road property. We had a doublewide for classrooms and nursery and a triple-wide for a sanctuary. We grew rapidly and held three services on Sundays. We looked forward to building our first real building.
2011 - 2012
Groundbreaking and New Building
In May of 2011 we broke ground on our building and moved into it in April of 2012. We are excited to be in the heart of the community and to be a place where community groups are able to meet.
2012 - Today
Continued Growth and Looking to the Future
Our congregation is excited to continue growing as we welcome all people to come and worship with us. We love being the church in the heart of our community, and will continue passionately connecting and serving in our community.
Rev. Steve Painter joined River of Life on July 3, 2022. He has been the pastor at San Marco Church in Jacksonville for the last 8 years. He is excited to be appointed to River of Life and can’t wait to meet everyone! He's eager to get to know you. Feel free to email him at PastorSteve@rolumc.com.
Check out his introductory videos -
Photo of Pastor Steve at Jacob's Well in Israel. April 2022
River of Life began with the dream of doing church in a new way and being the church in the heart of our community.
We are a community of faith where all people are welcome just as they are.
God loves you and so do we!
Our name comes from the scripture John 7:37-38
"On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out,
"Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink.
As the scripture has said, 'Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.'"
We are committed to being a source of the living water of God's grace and love
flowing into our community and world.
We are a United Methodist Church, and are committed to the mission of the UMC,
which is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
What to Expect
River of Life is a casual, vibrant, and fully welcoming community where everyone belongs.
We can't wait to meet you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some things you may be wondering about. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to use the contact form to reach out.
When and where are services?
Our worship service is at 9:30am on our campus at 2600 Race Track Road.
What should I wear?
Jeans, shorts, dresses, suits - you will find a little bit of everything on Sunday mornings. And that's how we like it, because most of all we want you to be you!
What will my children do?
Nursery and Children's Sunday School are available at the same time as the service. Children are also welcome to stay with you in worship.
How does the church strive to keep children and youth safe?
Since 1996, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church has mandated that each local congregation have a Child/Youth Protection Policy.
Are you affiliated with a denomination?
We are a local congregation of The United Methodist Church.
Can I receive Communion at your church?
All are welcome at God's table. You do not need to be a member of this church, a United Methodist Church, or of any church to receive Communion.
It is God's gift to you. Grape juice and bread and gluten free crackers are used for Communion.
Will your church accept me as I am?
Yes! We want you to be completely comfortable being you. Everyone is welcome, and our hope is that you will find this to be a place of safety without judgment or expectation that you conform to a particular standard.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Praise Team
Our Praise Team leads the congregation in worship each Sunday morning!
Tech Team
Our Tech Team is responsible for managing all the technology
needed to provide the best for worship.
If you are interested in joining the Praise or Tech Team,
please email us at office@rolumc.com