Wilkes Baptist Church of Midfield and Green Valley Baptist of Hoover, Al began talks about a new mission work in Helena, Alabama.
Green Valley Baptist, who at the time had a satellite ministry in the area, decided to partner with Wilkes Baptist to begin the new work.
With help from the Shelby County Baptist Association and monthly gifts from Green Valley and Wilkes, We were able to purchase the property to help the new work begin.
July 14, 1996:
Approximately 50 core members held its first meeting as a mission church in a building known as “The Cedar Chest”
January 5, 1997
Riverside, having out grown the original location, moved into a larger facility adjacent to Acton Hardware on Highway 17.
Easter Sunday, March 30, 1997, Riverside saw a new record in attendance.
March 17, 1997
The Shelby Baptist Association completed the purchase of 16.5 acres located on Highway 52 next to the Cahaba River. The property was then given to Riverside Baptist.
February 8, 1998
Riverside Baptist Church was duly constituted as a church by the Shelby Baptist Association and the Southern Baptist Convention.
November 15, 1998
We celebrated our first worship service in our new facility. A week later the Dedication Service was held and the community was invited to participate in the celebration.
Presently
We continue to seek the Lord’s guidance in becoming a people who intentionally and consistently live out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.
The Lord is helping us to live out these truths here in Helena through many wonderful ministries like Upward, After School, Mom’s Day Out, Awana, and the ministry at Maplewood assisted living center.
The Lord is helping us to live out these principles throughout this region by our involvement in the Bessemer Ministry, Shelby Baptist Association, the Mission Center, First Priority, and Sav-a-Life.
Lastly, the Lord is helping us to live out these principles all around the world by partnering with mission efforts in Belize and eventually Africa. God really expects us to live out loud how much we love Him by doing His will. Paul’s words to the Christians at Philippi sum up where we are as a church.
“Not that (we) have already obtained all of this, or have already been made perfect, but (we) press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of (us) (Philippians 3:12)
