The history of Rio Rancho Presbyterian Church began in 1984 when the Presbytery of Santa Fe established a Task Force on New Church Development, took a religious needs survey on the northwest side of Albuquerque, and acquired 2.1 acres of land on Southern Blvd. in Rio Rancho. In May of 1985, they chose the Reverend Kay Huggins to be the organizing pastor of Rio Rancho Presbyterian Church
A group of 26 adults and two children met on Sunday, September 22, 1985, in the Huggins' home and continued to meet there every Sunday evening for six weeks. They quickly outgrew the space and so on November 3, their first Sunday morning worship was held at the chapel of the Rosewood Funeral Home (now Daniel's Family Funeral Services) at Southern and 24th St. with 58 people. Sunday school classes began in December. In January of 1986, the choir began regular rehearsals and the Presbyterian Women held their first meeting. We also determined that the name of our new church would be Rio Rancho Presbyterian Church. On April 6, 1986, we moved our services to the Rio Rancho Inn on NM 528, and on May 18, Pentecost Sunday, the congregation was chartered as the 42nd congregation of the Presbytery of Santa Fe. Seventy-three people signed as charter members, officers were elected, by-laws adopted, and the Reverend Kay Huggins was called to be the church's first installed pastor
Again, we outgrew our space and the final move to temporary quarters to the Italian-American Hall, was made in the middle of Advent on December 14th, 1986. In May 1987, we retained an architect to begin designing our first church building. As we had in the past, Pentecost Sunday, 1988, marked an important milestone for our congregation, the ground breaking for our building. This was followed on Easter, 1989, with our first worship service in our new building. We dedicated the facility to God's glory and service on Pentecost Sunday, the third anniversary of our chartering service. As our Christian education requirements expanded, in 1996 we added three classrooms and offices for our Coordinator of Christian Education and Music Director along the northern side of the existing structure.
Another significant Pentecost Sunday was May 31, 1999, the last Sunday for our pastor, the Reverend Dr Kay Huggins. She had been our guiding light for 13 years. From July 1, 1999, until January 31, 2001, we enjoyed the preaching and leadership of our interim pastor, the Reverend Bob Clary. On May 6, 2001, the Reverend Dr. Larry Hitchens was called to be our pastor and he served until July 13, 2004. Upon his leaving the Reverend Dave Schreffler was called to be our Designated Pastor for the next two years (November 11, 2004, to September 22, 2006). At the end of Rev. Schreffler's contract, he departed and the Reverend Jerry Foust became our Interim Pastor from December 1, 2006, until July 7, 2008, while we once again began a search for a permanent pastor.
On July 8, 2008, the Reverend Trudy R. Morphew began her first day as the new pastor at Rio Rancho Presbyterian Church. She was formally installed on Sept. 28, 2008, when we celebrated her coming and anticipate her extended pastorate with us, as well as the exciting future ahead for this congregation and our witness to the love and grace of God in Jesus Christ.
Throughout the years of growth and change, we continue to serve Christ through worship, education, fellowship and mission. Worship is the center of our life together. Music has always been a significant part of our worship and currently we enjoy many persons with vocal and instrumental gifts, as well as the Chancel Choir, the JuBELLation Ringers adult bell choir, the Ribaltimento youth bell choir, our Youth Praise Band, and Children's Choir.
From early on, mission has been important to us as we sought to serve the community around us. In collaboration with the StoreHouse food pantry in Albuquerque, we set up a food pantry in a closet of our building. Eventually that small beginning grew into what is now called StoreHouse West. We continue to support this important service to Sandoval County with management and staff personnel, monthly food baskets, utility bill relief, and children's clothing. They are now located in their own building which allowed them to service 10,500 people, 225,000 meals, in 2008. Over the years, members of our church have given numerous volunteer hours working at StoreHouse West.
Across the years members and friends sought to serve God's people in need in other locations, specifically Mexico, Cuba, and Cuba, New Mexico. The Starfish Mission Project took us to the other side of our southern border to assist in building projects. This brought us to an awareness of the need for scholarships to support secondary education opportunity for Mexican students at the Socorro School. We currently provide tuition for seven Mexican students. Mission continues to be a significant part of our vocation as Christ's people. You may want to check out our current projects and the various organizations and agencies we support.
An active fellowship program has drawn us together in other ways. We love to eat and have fun. Retreats and outings, Sunday morning fellowship, Men's Fellowship group, youth fellowship, and more represent how much we enjoy one another. You will see that this is still true as you surf through the fellowship section of this web site.
God continues to knit us together as a family. At the same time as we care for the "least of these" of Jesus' flock, we also care for our own members. At times of crisis, deaths, illnesses, as well as in times of celebration, the family of RRPC shares with and cares for each other.
Today our congregation looks ahead to the possibility of purchasing more land, the addition of another building (we have outgrown our facility again!) and a major partnership with Share Your Care, an adult day care organization that will operate in our building during the weekdays.
This is just a snapshot of the history of RRPC and a glimpse into the future to where God is leading us. We are grateful people for a full and prosperous past and the promise of a full and prosperous yet challenging future of mission with Christ in this place and time. We hope that you will see yourself in that future and join us for an adventure with the Spirit of Pentecost who continues to call us to a new day of worshiping serving the God who is with us and for us in Jesus Christ.
