Your source of information for all things RISE!
“Back to School” 2026
Worship with RISE
We hope you will join us for worship
as we start the new school year!
August 30
License to Love: Passed the Test!
Psalm 26:1-8 & Romans 12:9-21
September 6
License to Love: It’s the Law
Psalm 119:33-40 & Romans 13:8-14
September 13
License to Love: Through It All
Psalm 103:1-13 & Genesis 50:15-21
September 20
License to Love: Even “Those People”
Psalm 145:1-8 & Jonah 3:10-4:11
Unless otherwise noted,
worship begins at exactly 10ish am
John Wesley UMC Fellowship Hall (Downstairs)
445 Sterling St, Hburg
Fun Stuff!
Back to School
Brunch Church
August 30
Same bat time.
Same bat channel.
Just more food:-)
Bring some of your favorite brunch food to share if you are able!
BOOK STUDY
(One Discussion Only)
Monday Evening, August 31, 7:30 pm
Home of the Harbicks
For our next study, we will be reading “What Makes You Come Alive: A Spiritual Walk with Howard Thurman” by Lerita Coleman Brown. “Known as the godfather of the civil rights movement, Howard Thurman served as a spiritual adviser to Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders and activists in the 1960s. Thurman championed silence, contemplation, common unity, and nonviolence as powerful dimensions of social change. In “What Makes You Come Alive,” Brown…walks with us through Thurman's inimitable life and commitments as he summons us into centering down, encountering the natural world, paying attention to sacred synchronicity, unleashing inner authority, and recognizing the genius of the religion of Jesus. We learn from Thurman's resilience in the psychologically terrorizing climate of the Jim Crow South, his encounters with Quakers and with Mahatma Gandhi, and his sense of being guided by the Spirit. Decades after their deaths, sages like Howard Thurman offer spiritual kinship and guidance for our contemporary life. Thurman's spirituality enlivened an entire movement, and it can awaken us to intimacy with God and to authentic action today.”
All you need to do to participate is buy the book, read it (or read what you can), and join us at the Harbicks’ for a conversation inspired by the reading on August 31! DM us or contact Chris if you have questions, need more info, or need the address.
RISE
“Sweet 16”
Birthday BaSH
& Picnic
Sunday, September 13
On the lawn at JWUMC*
Join us for worship, then stick around for a community picnic with yard games & fun activities for everyone!
Please bring a side dish to share if you are able! And lawn chairs and games and such as you wish. It would also be a great time to bring a friend!
*Weather permitting, of course. If we need to pivot, we’ll enjoy an infoor picnic and games instead!
The Return of WTF?!
It’s back!
Thursday’s at exactly dinner-ish! (6pm EST)
Downstairs at John Wesley UMC
Starting September 3
Join us for a midweek check in to fuel your body, mind and soul. RISE will provide the meal and a topic for conversation. All you have to do it show up! (September Menu Below)
If you are interested and/or able to help (cooking and prep, giving rides to students, setting up and greeting, washing dishes, etc) let us know using the link below!
RECEIVE LOVE. GIVE LOVE. EAT.
2026 Harrisonburg Pride Weekend
COMMUNITY PRIDE WORSHIP
Saturday, September 19, 5 pm
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
Come and worship with our inclusive community partners! (Our very own Pastor Alexis Ward Owens will be preaching!)
Shenandoah Valley Pride Festival
Sunday, September 20, Noon - 6 pm
Harrisonburg Turner Pavilion
Enjoy performances and products from talented and inclusive local artists, music groups, and vendors. Come out, have a great time, and show your love! Plus, RISE will be present and holding space to remind everyone that they are a gift! We will be hosting a booth and are looking for volunteers to help staff our table with a friendly and welcoming presence. We will have RISE swag and other fun stuff. We encourage volunteers to wear a RISE t-shirt and/or your favorite rainbow gear! Please sign up below to volunteer for an hour shift (or two!)
RISE Merch Shop
The RISE Merch Shop is open for business and make wonderful Christmas gifts! Order all of your favorite RISE gear shipped directly to your home. Profits from each sale go directly back to RISE operations.
RISE NEEDS YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Your generosity makes everything we do possible!!
One of our core values is, "God gives to us, so we give back." We're called to give as a joy-filled response to what we've been given. Your financial gifts make a tremendous difference in the lives of God's beloved in Harrisonburg and beyond. Whether it's helping to make sure children in our community have enough to eat, helping to respond to the mental health crisis in our community, or providing much needed backing for the operating costs of our spaces and staff — your gift is a part of God's dream and we are grateful for everyone who partners with us on this journey!
Make a one-time donation or set up recurring gifts today!
At RISE,
we care about what’s going on in your life!
When life is good, we want to celebrate together. And when it isn’t - well, we want to be there for you then too. So keep us posted on what it is going on in your life. And when you have need for care or prayer, be sure to let us know how we can lift you up.
Requests for care and/or prayer can always be sent via e-mail to cares@riseharrisonburg.org, texted to 833-803-0868, or submitted online via our RISE Cares form.
To receive updates on (non-confidential) care needs, prayer requests, and community concerns and celebrations, text “RISEcares” to 833-803-0868 or e-mail cares@riseharrisonburg.com.
If you are fairly new to the community and would like to connect more deeply with RISE, you can begin by completing this short form to let us know about you, your interest, and your gifts:
You might also consider signing up for texting services:
(We promise not to spam or share your number!)
Text “RISE” to 833-803-0868 to join the primary list and receive weekly community updates and alerts
Text “RISEcares” to receive prayer requests, care needs, and community concerns and celebrations
And of course, please continue to check social media (Facebook & Instagram) and our website for all the updates and current information!