Welcome
We strive to be a warm, caring and loving family of faith. It is our goal to provide RRPC members a sense of belonging by helping all members and friends feel welcomed, acknowledged and appreciated as part of our family of faith.
We care for our church family by offering opportunities for members to get to know each other. To this end, we work closely with the Fellowship Commission to offer you various activities throughout the year that bring our church family together outside of regular worship.
To our neighbors we say: 'Come! Worship, learn and experience spiritual growth with us!'
We invite you to come enjoy the spiritual warmth and friendship at RRPC!
Mentoring Program for New Members
The Shepherds' Program is the first Membership Commission initiative of 2012. Shepherds are members who have volunteered to be matched with new members with similar characteristics to theirs. Shepherds' tasks will vary, depending on the new members' requirements. Shepherds will stand up with their mentees when they join our church and then be available for the next six months (or longer, should their new members need them) to provide information and answer questions about our church. The intent is to ensure that new members get the help they may need to pursue their faith and fellowship journey with us...but only to the extent that the new members request.
For more information, call 505.867.0744 or email.
Member Spotlight: Shawn and Kevin Campbell Renew Wedding Vows
Before they were married, the Campbells were living in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada. Kevin, still a Canadian citizen, found out it would be easier to get resident alien status in the United States if they were married in the States. So on New Year's Eve, 1981, they left for Montana.
Shawn tells the story:
We stopped in Whitecourt, Alberta, Canada to celebrate midnight beginning the New Year, 1982, and then left to continue on and stay overnight in Edmonton. From Edmonton on, it was three days battling the snow and brutal cold. We had to scrape ice off the inside of the car windows -- the heater could not keep up. Finally crossing the Montana state line, we nearly got stuck in the snow in East Glacier before getting to Great Falls, Montana where we were married January 5th at the Justice of the Peace.
The adventure continued as we headed back for Canada. My car was confiscated at the border, held awaiting payment of a cash duty, which we did not have. We ate our wedding night meal at a local truck stop, then had to spend our wedding night in Coots, Alberta in a hotel room with only a bare light bulb dangling from a cord in the ceiling. I got my car "out of hock" the next day on borrowed money from my great aunt. We drove back to Grande Prairie where we were met with three feet of new snow.
So now you see why we felt like we missed out having a real wedding and hence the desire to do so many years later. Goes to show you that is doesn't matter how it starts, it can still last for 30 years...and more.
New Member Corner
First New Members of 2012
At Worship January 15, we will welcome Shirley Shutco, Roger Kane, Keith Johnson, and Don Roach. Their Shepherds are Beverly Norman, Emily Sue Chambers, Alisa Swinderman, and Linda Downey, respectively. More information about these new members coming soon!
Kristin Troy
Kristin is quiet and describes herself as a nerd. You may need to start the conversation, and you will be glad you did. She moved to Rio Rancho in September of 2009 and married Andrew on October 9, 2010. She and Andrew both work for Hewlett Packard. Kristin provides support to large companies and government agencies in computer storage technology.
Kristin came to RRPC from Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque. She believes that RRPC best suits her values and immediately felt welcome here. At Cumberland, she particularly enjoyed decorating the church for special events like Halloween. They both enjoy video games. Kristin enjoys cooking, drawing and painting. She is considering getting involved with the RRPC Book Club, and says that Andrew would be interested in working on stained glass projects with the church since that is something he enjoys.
Hazel Lathrop
She's been so active in the church you may think that Hazel Lathrop is already a member. But, in fact she just officially joined on November 6th. Hazel moved to New Mexico from Pembroke, MA (just outside of Boston) in May 2011.
Hazel is married to an artist and has one son in New Hampshire and 2 grandsons (9 and 14). She keeps up with her grandsons via Skype. Hazel took some time off this summer after moving here, and since September has been working at the VA hospital as a lab tech. Hazel has two Masters degrees, one in Medical Technology and the other in Historical Archeology.
Hazel enjoys horseback riding, reading (she is a member of the RRPC Book Club), making jam, and playing piano. At her previous church First Congregational she began a group that made prayer shawls, and she is hoping to get others interested at RRPC.
Hazel was brought to us by Cyndie Tidwell. She stayed at Cyndie's B & B in Corrales, and Cyndie recommended that she try us out. She felt welcome right away and quickly became an active participant in the church. You see her every Sunday in choir.
She is very outgoing and easy to talk to, so you have probably already had the opportunity to visit with her. If not, please take the time, as she is a delightful and interesting woman.
Jacklyn
- Alene and Lee Reinhard
This past Easter we welcomed Jacklyn into church membership.
Jacklyn is one of two children, sharing a home with her bother Alexander. She attends Mountain View Middle School and is in the 8th grade. Her favorite subjects in school are math and history. Jacklyn enjoys sports and participates in basketball, flag football and soccer. She also enjoys activities with her family especially activities that are outdoors.
The Mishos family are campers and participate in the church?s camping outings. As a family, they also enjoy spending time together playing board games, scrapbooking and cooking. Sports are also a very big part not only of Jacklyn?s life, but that of the entire Mishos family. They often attend Lobos games (both the men's and the women's).
Sports will play a big part in Jacklyn's future as well. She is hoping to study sports medicine and become a physical trainer. She is also hoping to play WMBA basketball. She will be working hard at sports camps and will try out for the Lady Lobos in order to get noticed by professional recruiters.
Jacklyn is active in the Youth group and enjoys the mission trips, especially the trip to Leadville, CO, in the summer of 2010.
If you have not had the opportunity to get to know Jacklyn, you can find her at fellowship time after church. She has been known to haul around a cast or two so you should be able to pick out this very active and athletic young woman.
Alene and Lee Reinhard
Lee and Alene moved to Rio Rancho in March, 2011, from Montrose, Colorado. They lived in Montrose for 11 years prior to moving here. They have moved around quite a bit and have also lived in Florida, California, Washington, and Tennessee. They are both Wisconsin natives.
Lee and Alene have 2 children who live in Oklahoma and Missouri. They are also proud grandparents of one granddaughter and one grandson.
Lee and Alene are both retired. Lee retired from a career as an electrical engineer. During her career, Alene was a teacher, worked in day care centers, and was also a stay-at-home mom.
While in Montrose, the Reinhards attended Presbyterian churches, independent churches, and a Methodist church. Lee did maintenance for churches there, and they were both involved in MOPS.
Lee and Alene shopped around before visiting Rio Rancho Presbyterian. They found our members to be friendly and enjoyed the sermon messages. They quickly realized that RRPC would be their church home.
They keep busy with activities at their retirement community and the senior center participating in bingo and enjoying band music. Lee also enjoys watching football; his favorite team is the San Francisco 49ers. Alene enjoys cooking. They participate in adult Sunday school and you can visit with them during fellowship hour after worship.
Tori and Zach
Last Spring we welcomed sister and brother Tori and Zach to our congregation.
Tori has been attending RRPC since the summer of 2009, and joined the church at the same time as brother Zachery last Easter Sunday. She is the daughter of Lisa Geddes and her step-father Todd Geddes. The family moved to Rio Rancho from Colorado. Tori is a junior at Rio Rancho High School. Her favorite school subjects are English and Sports Medicine. She enjoys dancing with the high school Rhythamettes (an award-winning dance team performing jazz, hip-hop, and some ballet) and also runs track (she has been doing cross-country since eighth grade). Tori enjoys sitting around and watching TV with her family. At RRPC, she enjoys volunteering with the youth and helping with special events and especially at Storehouse West. She and her family enjoyed camping at Taos with the church group over Labor Day weekend (especially the white-water rafting!). While Tori does not attend RRPC's youth group, she goes with a friend on Wednesday evenings to another Christian Youth Fellowship meeting in Rio Rancho. Future dreams include becoming a kindergarten teacher, and living in the Colorado Rockies! What Tori likes best about RRPC is how everybody makes you feel so welcome?.
Zach started attending RRPC in 2009 and joined with Tori and others on Easter Sunday, 2011. Zach is the son of Lisa Geddes and (step-father) Todd Geddes. In addition to Tori, he has three step-brothers ? Scott (17), Tanner (13), and Tray (6). Zach is in the 8th grade at Eagle Ridge Middle School. His favorite school subjects are Algebra and Technical Lab. In Technical Lab, the primary focus is computer technology; and he particularly enjoys the creative aspects of the class (a scientific mind!). Zach is active in Boy Scouts and aspires to be and Eagle Scout one day. He enjoys watching movies with his family -- one of his favorite programs is NCIS. At RRPC he participates in the Youth Group, and said he realy enjoyed the Halloween Carnival! In his future, Zach wants to become a computer applications engineer and not to live in the desert -- he wants grass, big trees, and rain! What Zach likes best about RRPC is that everyone is really nice . . . and he is, too!.
Danielle
In 7th grade at Rio Rancho Middle School, Dani is interested in most subjects in school including math, science and history. She plays flute in the school band and we have been fortunate to enjoy her solos during worship. In addition to providing beautiful flute music to the congregation, Dani also plays in the youth bell choir.
Dani enjoys the outdoors and loves camping with the Girl Scouts and with the RRPC camping group. She loves horses and has been involved in a riding program at Galloping Grace where she is able to get riding lessons in exchange for doing community service at the ranch. There she is able not only to acquire equestrian skills, but also she is being trained on the horses' care, and to bridle and saddle her mount. She attended horse camp in the Jemez Mountains last summer with the Girl Scouts.
Her love for animals has inspired her to consider becoming an Animal Cop. If you watch Animal Planet, you know they are the ones that protect our four-footed companions from abuse and make sure that those who abuse them are brought to justice. If that doesn't work out, Dani and her sister Brianna are considering opening a bakery.
Member Spotlight: Catherine Dau
A native of Scotland, Catherine Dau was in college in her home country in 1957 when she accompanied a friend, who was enticed by a Pan Am advertisement in the Glasgow Herald seeking "hostesses", to an interview. After her friend emerged from the session, the interviewer asked when Dau wanted to interview. Although a career with Pan Am was something she hadn't planned on, Dau thought this might be good practice to see what it would be like to be interviewed for a job in the career she had in mind after college.
It must have gone well; she was among seven Scottish young women selected by Pan Am to fly to New York for training. She started her career with "The World's Most Experienced Airline" that same year.
In August of last year, the Rio Rancho Observer ran an article on Catherine, who shared what it was like to be a airline hostess 54 years ago.
Member Care and Information
We honor our RRPC family and friends serving in the Armed Forces and local public safety jobs by displaying their photos on a special bulletin board.
We remember our military and local public safety personnel with cards sent throughout the year, and we support them with our prayers.
Our youth and children are remembered on their birthdays.
'Pew Pals' (small stuffed animals) are located throughout the sanctuary for the comfort of the young and the young-at-heart.
We provide Children's Worship bags to help children remaining during the service to stay occupied.
Rocking chairs provide comfort during worship for parents of young children and others as well.
We celebrate baptisms, graduations and other life milestones.
We stay in touch with our college students throughout the school year.
An Event Board features photos of recent RRPC activities.
Our Sunday morning worship services are recorded, and CDs are distributed to the homebound and to anyone else who may have an interest.