2025 Elders and Deacons and Staff
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Clerk of Session: Phil
ELDERS: John, Phil, Gayle, Bryan and Amber DEACONS: Co-Moderators: Amber and Leanne, Jack and Patty, Cat and Marie, M. Candelaria (assistant) Custodial Services: MBA Cleaners Moderator: Pastor-- TBA Accompanist: Lois Engelkes Office Assistant (as of May, '25): The Rev. Sue Haseltine (she will be in the office 3 mornings/week) |
''Worship at Rio Grande
Worship of our Lord Jesus Christ is at the heart of all we do, as a congregation, here, at Rio Grande Presbyterian Church: ‘loving God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength” and “our neighbor as ourselves”.
Our pastor, of 19 years (who arrived Palm Sunday 2006), is Pastor Linda, ordained in 1986. She is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, and has served in campus ministry at Vanderbilt and Princeton Universities, as well as various congregations around the country. She brings to ministry a love for Christ, a commitment to excellence in worship and preaching, and a heart for mission to 'the least of these.' Her last Sunday at Rio Grande will be May 4, 2025. She gives thanks for many years of faithful service in Christ's love with the saints of Rio Grande; and looks forward to the next chapters God intends for her, and Rio Grande Presbyterian Church, in the days to come! Please pray for Rio Grande's next pastor.
We are, also, blessed with some wonderful musicians in our congregation, beginning with Rio Grande's former Music Director, Lois Engelkes.
Lois grew up in a small town in Iowa where she attended Bethany Presbyterian Church in Grundy Center, Iowa. She began playing piano at 5, and started organ lessons at 13, going on to earn a B.A. in Music from the University of Iowa, with a Major in Music with an emphasis on Organ Performance. From there, she served as a Church Musician in different denominations, including St. Thomas Aquinas in ABQ. In the 1990's Lois worked on a Master's Degree from CA State University in Chico with an emphasis, again, on Organ Performance! As mentioned, Lois formerly served as Rio Grande's part-time Music Director (over 15 years ago!). We thank God for her willingness to serve here again currently as Accompanist (following Marsha's retirement). Welcome, Lois!
We meet Sundays at 10:00 am in the sanctuary; and, throughout the year for special services in Advent, Lent, Christmas and Easter which include:
Easter “Sunrise Service” at 8:00 am at Pat Hurley Park (overlooking the city of ABQ) or the Gaddis Garden (outside, north of the church)
Good Friday Service (alternate years)
Maundy-Thursday Simple Meal and Communion (alternate years we commemorate Good Friday)
Christmas Eve Service at 5:30 pm in the sanctuary
Memorial Services
Weddings
We welcome you to join us for worship that lifts up Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We invite you to share your gifts with us and we welcome you to get involved: whether it’s singing in the choir, playing an instrument (or your own original song), reading scripture, being a greeter or a Bible Study participant—you are welcome here, every Sunday, and throughout the year, as we partner together, with God's grace, to fulfill Rio Grande's Mission Statement: "Feeding the Hungry in Body, Mind and Spirit as Followers of Jesus Christ."
Mission and Outreach at Rio Grande
As followers of Jesus Christ, feeding the hungry in body, mind and spirit”, we commit ourselves to support the following:
Penny Harvest – A contribution taken, the second Sunday of each month, to support the work of the Rio Grande Food Project
Mission-a-la-Carte—A ministry of the church, working in partnership with the Rio Grande Food Project, to provide weekly sack lunches to the homeless and those in need of one in the community
Local & National Projects—We have and do support local community ministries, such as the Barrett House (a shelter for women experiencing domestic violence); St. Martin’s Hospitality Center (now Hope Works) helping ABQ's homeless; Dismas House, for those transitioning out of prison; "Faith Comes by Hearing", an audio Bible Ministry to those in the military serving around the world; and The Rio Grande Food Project. We also support the Presbytery of Santa Fe, regionally, and the PCUSA, nationally, via ‘One Great Hour of Sharing’ and the ‘Peacemaking” offerings.
Ronald McDonald House —Every year we collect items to share with families at the local McDonald's House in December.
Thanksgiving and Christmas Baskets—Rio Grande’s Deacons, with the help of the congregation, put together baskets for meals to help those in our neighborhood and community celebrate the holidays.
Church and Community Garden: Partnering with church members and neighbors we grow (on good years) approximately 1-ton of veggies (much of it donated to support the Rio Grande Food Project)
Rio Grande Food Project, in operation since 1993, becoming a city-wide, non-profit, in 2006. The food project served over 50,000 people last year, and shares over 10 tons of food per week with all in need. Currently open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 9:00 - 11am. Ari is its Director.
Worship of our Lord Jesus Christ is at the heart of all we do, as a congregation, here, at Rio Grande Presbyterian Church: ‘loving God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength” and “our neighbor as ourselves”.
Our pastor, of 19 years (who arrived Palm Sunday 2006), is Pastor Linda, ordained in 1986. She is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, and has served in campus ministry at Vanderbilt and Princeton Universities, as well as various congregations around the country. She brings to ministry a love for Christ, a commitment to excellence in worship and preaching, and a heart for mission to 'the least of these.' Her last Sunday at Rio Grande will be May 4, 2025. She gives thanks for many years of faithful service in Christ's love with the saints of Rio Grande; and looks forward to the next chapters God intends for her, and Rio Grande Presbyterian Church, in the days to come! Please pray for Rio Grande's next pastor.
We are, also, blessed with some wonderful musicians in our congregation, beginning with Rio Grande's former Music Director, Lois Engelkes.
Lois grew up in a small town in Iowa where she attended Bethany Presbyterian Church in Grundy Center, Iowa. She began playing piano at 5, and started organ lessons at 13, going on to earn a B.A. in Music from the University of Iowa, with a Major in Music with an emphasis on Organ Performance. From there, she served as a Church Musician in different denominations, including St. Thomas Aquinas in ABQ. In the 1990's Lois worked on a Master's Degree from CA State University in Chico with an emphasis, again, on Organ Performance! As mentioned, Lois formerly served as Rio Grande's part-time Music Director (over 15 years ago!). We thank God for her willingness to serve here again currently as Accompanist (following Marsha's retirement). Welcome, Lois!
We meet Sundays at 10:00 am in the sanctuary; and, throughout the year for special services in Advent, Lent, Christmas and Easter which include:
Easter “Sunrise Service” at 8:00 am at Pat Hurley Park (overlooking the city of ABQ) or the Gaddis Garden (outside, north of the church)
Good Friday Service (alternate years)
Maundy-Thursday Simple Meal and Communion (alternate years we commemorate Good Friday)
Christmas Eve Service at 5:30 pm in the sanctuary
Memorial Services
Weddings
We welcome you to join us for worship that lifts up Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We invite you to share your gifts with us and we welcome you to get involved: whether it’s singing in the choir, playing an instrument (or your own original song), reading scripture, being a greeter or a Bible Study participant—you are welcome here, every Sunday, and throughout the year, as we partner together, with God's grace, to fulfill Rio Grande's Mission Statement: "Feeding the Hungry in Body, Mind and Spirit as Followers of Jesus Christ."
Mission and Outreach at Rio Grande
As followers of Jesus Christ, feeding the hungry in body, mind and spirit”, we commit ourselves to support the following:
Penny Harvest – A contribution taken, the second Sunday of each month, to support the work of the Rio Grande Food Project
Mission-a-la-Carte—A ministry of the church, working in partnership with the Rio Grande Food Project, to provide weekly sack lunches to the homeless and those in need of one in the community
Local & National Projects—We have and do support local community ministries, such as the Barrett House (a shelter for women experiencing domestic violence); St. Martin’s Hospitality Center (now Hope Works) helping ABQ's homeless; Dismas House, for those transitioning out of prison; "Faith Comes by Hearing", an audio Bible Ministry to those in the military serving around the world; and The Rio Grande Food Project. We also support the Presbytery of Santa Fe, regionally, and the PCUSA, nationally, via ‘One Great Hour of Sharing’ and the ‘Peacemaking” offerings.
Ronald McDonald House —Every year we collect items to share with families at the local McDonald's House in December.
Thanksgiving and Christmas Baskets—Rio Grande’s Deacons, with the help of the congregation, put together baskets for meals to help those in our neighborhood and community celebrate the holidays.
Church and Community Garden: Partnering with church members and neighbors we grow (on good years) approximately 1-ton of veggies (much of it donated to support the Rio Grande Food Project)
Rio Grande Food Project, in operation since 1993, becoming a city-wide, non-profit, in 2006. The food project served over 50,000 people last year, and shares over 10 tons of food per week with all in need. Currently open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 9:00 - 11am. Ari is its Director.
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Virginia G., Founder
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We are always looking for new ways to be of service to one another, the community, and world in which we live. Ideas welcome! |