"Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare."

Jeremiah 29:7

We believe that God has intentionally placed us in our specific city for His glory. Therefore, we are called to care about the needs of our city: We care about the sufferings, injustices, beauty, and happenings in our city. We, too, are called to seek the welfare of our city and to pray for our city!

God has created you on purpose, for a purpose. In fact, we are confident that God has gifted you with certain abilities, passions, relationships, and circumstances in order for you to have a Platform for Mission in our city. Our Platforms for Mission are the places, ministries, and opportunities where we help others deeply engage with Jesus. So, consider this: Where is God moving you to bring the hope of Jesus to the people in our city?

Serve the City

Save the Date

On November 14th, under the banner of Church United, Rio Vista Church has the special opportunity to come together with other local churches to serve our city.

We’ll kick things off at 8:30 AM at Rio Vista Church with a time of corporate worship and prayer, before deploying teams to serve at various sites across Fort Lauderdale. Individuals and families will have the opportunity to choose where they would like to serve.

To preview the ministries we’ll be partnering with and the projects we’ll be working on, please see below—and check out how you can pray, give, and serve as together we seek the good of our city in Jesus’ name.

PRAY:

As we step out together on November 14th under the banner of Church United, let’s cover every project and partner in prayer—asking God to move powerfully in the lives of those we serve as we go.

Pray that the families we serve would experience the love and presence of Jesus through every act of care.
Pray for those experiencing homelessness in our city, that they would encounter dignity, hope, and care through every LoveBag Kit, and that each one would become a sacred reminder that they are seen and valued by God.
Pray that the Holy Spirit would guide our words and open hearts to the hope of Jesus.
Pray that those who serve would experience God’s strength and joy, and that His Spirit would knit us together in unity.
Pray that above all, Jesus would be lifted high in Fort Lauderdale, and that God would use this day to plant seeds of renewal and blessing across our city.

GIVE:

If you would like to support these efforts financially, there are two simple ways to give:

Purchase Specific Items – Help provide the essentials for our LoveBag Kits by purchasing items directly from our list.

Give Toward Projects – Contribute toward the remaining needs and expenses across all of our service projects.

Every gift—big or small—goes directly toward blessing those in our city. Thank you for being part of what God is doing!

SERVE:

Love Bags Assembly

Project #1

Founded by Bob Denison and led by Chet Beers, this local ministry has faithfully and intentionally served the homeless in our city for over 18 years. Guided by the words of Jesus, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me” (Matthew 25:40), their ultimate goal is simple: to love people as Jesus would.

Project Details:

As part of this ongoing effort, we are assembling 600 LoveBag Kits—filled with essential hygiene and survival items—to bless and care for those experiencing homelessness in our city.

📍 Location: Fellowship Hall at Rio Vista Church
⏰ Time: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM

CityHouse | Rio Campus

Project #2

In 2012, with a desire to live out James 1:27, Rio Vista Church opened the Rio House—a transitional home for formerly homeless women and their children. For more than a decade, it has served as a place of safety, stability, and Christ-centered community.

Project Details:

As part of this effort, we’ll divide into two teams:

Painting Team – Painting one apartment to help prepare a warm and welcoming home for the family who will soon live there.
Beautification Team – Helping improve the Rio House grounds through landscaping projects, including laying pavers, spreading mulch, and planting.

During our visit, we will also gather to pray for the families.

📍 Location: Address will be provided on the day of
⏰ Time: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Bennett Elementary School

Project #3

Home of New River Fellowship Church, Bennett Elementary is a local Pre-K–5th grade school serving families in our Fort Lauderdale community

Project Details:

As part of this project, we will serve Bennett Elementary through practical projects, including mulching and a prayer walk around the school and surrounding community.

Location: 1755 NE 14th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
Time: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Try Praying

Project #4

This project will head to Holiday Park for a TryPraying Prayer Walk, where we’ll intentionally walk the park, pray for our city, and offer prayer to anyone who would like it.

Through simple conversations and heartfelt prayer, we hope to share the kindness, goodness, and love of Jesus in a personal and practical way—inviting people to experience the hope and peace found in Him.

Project Details:

• Engage in meaningful conversations with those in the park
• Offer prayer for needs, struggles, and thanksgiving
• Share encouragement and the hope of Christ

📍 Location: Holiday Park
⏰ Time: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Santa's Wish List

Serve the City

As Christmas approaches, there are many families in Fort Lauderdale who do not have the ability and resources to purchase Christmas gifts for their children. In response to this need, one of our Rio families created an organization called Santa’s Wish List which is a 501(C)(3) charity that identifies children in need through churches, schools, and the community. The child’s exact wishes are identified, the gifts are purchased, wrapped, and delivered with the help of many volunteers.

With your help, we have the opportunity to serve generously in our community in partnership with Santa’s Wishlist!

PRAY:

As we serve our city this season, let’s ask God to move powerfully in the lives of those we serve as we go.

Pray for families and children in our community who are struggling financially this season.
Pray that they would feel deeply loved and cared for throughout the Christmas season.
Pray for Spirit-led conversations and divine appointments, that simple words and prayers would open hearts to the peace and presence of God.
Pray that through Santa’s Wish List, the Gospel would be seen and heard—revealing the hope and joy found in Jesus.

GIVE:

If you’d like to support these efforts financially, you can make a gift to our Santa’s Wish List team, who will select, wrap, and deliver gifts for each child—making it easy to bless a family even if you can’t take part in every step yourself.

Every gift—big or small—goes directly toward blessing those in our city. Thank you for being part of what God is doing!

SERVE:

Adopt a Wishlist

When you adopt a child’s wishlist:

• You’re given their specific wishlist.
• You can select one or more items from their wishlist to purchase, up to a total of $150.
• Gifts must be purchased, assembled, and wrapped.
• Gifts should be delivered by December 18th.

Wrapping + Deliver Gifts

When you serve with Santa’s Wishlist:

• You’re helping make this a special moment in the life of a child by wrapping and delivering gifts to families in our city

Ministry Partners:

01. Care Portal: The Heart of Prevention

CarePortal is a technology platform that connects the Body of Christ to the needs of children who are at-risk or are already a part of the child welfare system.

02. Rio House

The RioHouse facility serves as a safe home for formerly homeless women and their children, offering a healthy environment and loving Christian community to families in need.

03. Family Advocate Ministry

With our Ministry Partners, 4KIDS of South Florida, our Family Advocacy Ministry (FAM) helps identify, equip, and support families within our church community who can care for children in foster care. We believe a family’s source of strength can be found in those who are willing to wrap around them through a Community Care Team.

03. Hope Women’s Center

Hope Women’s Centers exists to encourage and equip women and men to make informed decisions regarding unplanned pregnancies. All our services are free of charge to the women and families we serve. Learn more about who we serve and hear stories from courageous moms and dads at Hope!

04. 4kids of South Florida

4KIDS brings Hope, Homes, and Healing to kids and families in crisis. Since 1997, 4KIDS remains committed to redefining foster care across our region one child at a time, with the support of the faith-based community and more.

05. Trees of Hope

Trees of Hope’s mission is to protect future generations from sexual abuse through prevention education and community outreach, while guiding survivors toward healing and restoration through faith-based group studies, individual resources, and online learning.

06. Strikeforce

Strikeforce is a community of women united by their faith in Jesus Christ and a shared desire to serve others through radical generosity.

07. Love Bags

A local ministry founded by Bob Denison and led by Chet Beers at Holiday Park every Tuesday night desiring to reach the homeless in a real tangible way. Their ultimate goal is to love them as Jesus would.

08. Hope South Florida

Hope South Florida is committed to building hope, housing, and community in Broward County. Through their outreach, they provide free shared meals, mobile showers, and help connecting with shelters and medical care. If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness, we encourage you to share the following guide with them.

Ministry Partners:

01. Care Portal: The Heart of Prevention

CarePortal is a technology platform that connects the Body of Christ to the needs of children who are at-risk or are already a part of the child welfare system.

02. Rio House

Rio House is a safe home for formerly homeless women and their children, offering a healthy environment and loving Christian community to families in need. As a multi-unit transitional housing facility in the Hope South Florida network, Rio House is owned and cared for by Rio Vista Community Church.

03. Family Advocate Ministry

04. Shared Meals with Hope South Florida

As part of a holistic approach to homelessness, Hope South Florida seeks to build hope, housing, and community. One way they do this is by providing shared meals 6 nights a week and on Saturdays for those who are food insecure in Broward County. Shared meals also include access to their mobile shower, employment assistance, and access to proper identification; birth certificates, driver’s license, state id, and other key documents to help in their search for employment.

05. Hope Women’s Center

06. Love Bags

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Serve the City Events

Throughout the year, we have various Serve the City events where all Rio members are invited to serve generously as the body of Christ as we seek the flourishing of our city together. When one or more of those is active, it (or they) will appear below.