Your source of information for all things RISE!
December 2025
We hope you will join us for worship as we celebrate the seasons of Advent and Christmas!
Unless otherwise noted,
worship begins at exactly 10ish am
John Wesley UMC Fellowship Hall (Downstairs)
445 Sterling St, Hburg
November 30
First Sunday of Advent
Irrational Hope
Isaiah 2:1-5 & Romans 13:11-12a
December 7 - BRUNCH CHURCH!
Second Sunday of Advent
Just Peace
Isaiah 11:1-10 & Psalm 72:1-7,18-19
December 14
Third Sunday of Advent
Dubious Joy
Isaiah 35:1-10 & Luke 1:46b-55
December 21
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Ponderous Love
Isaiah 7:10-16 & Matthew 1:18-25
December 24
RISE Christmas Eve
JWUMC Fellowship Hall
4 pm - Deliver the Love Prep
5:30 pm - Worship Service
Join us at 4pm for light refreshments while we pack goody bags for Deliver the Love (see below).
Service of scripture readings, communion, candles, and hymns begins at 5:30.
December 28
No Worship Service
Happy Holidays
January 4, 2026
New Year Examen
On January 4, we will start off the New Year with a special worship gathering that has become something of a tradition for RISE. It will feature music (led by the amazing Brent Holl!), fellowship (feel free to bring some light refreshments to share), and a time of contemplative reflection on the turning of the New Year through a shared practice of Ignatian Examen.
* Note - Due to the intimate nature of Examen, the January 4 service will NOT be livestreamed.
We will resume our weekly worship livestream on Facebook on January 11.
Deliver the Love - Christmas Edition
A Giving Opportunity
On Christmas Eve we will be a packing care package bags to deliver a little bit of love and Christmas cheer to those who have to work on Christmas Eve!
How do I help?
1. RISE will provide the bags and paper to make cards, but we need cheerful items to fill the bags! Homemade cookies, Christmas stickers, candy, etc. Please bring items you would like to contribute with you to worship or with you on Christmas Eve!
2. Come help us pack the bags at 4pm before the service on Christmas Eve.
3. Take a couple of bags after the service to drop off to the folks who have to work at a business on your way home to spread the love of Christ! RISE leadership will take bags to the hospital.
WTF? in Advent
Wednesday’s at exactly dinner-ish! (6pm EST)
Downstairs at John Wesley UMC
December 3, 12, & 17
Join us for a midweek check in to fuel your body, mind and soul.
RISE will provide the meal and a topic for conversation and Advent contemplation. All you have to do it show up!
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!
*NOTE - WTF? will be taking a break for the holidays after our December 17th meal. It will return in the New Year on THURSDAY nights starting January 15!
Community Events and Opportunities
Valley Treble Voices
Massanutten Presbyterian Church
Sunday, December 7, 4 pm
Enjoy a concert of beautiful holiday choral music! Laura and Kate Douglass are members of the ensemble. A free-will offering will be received.
Longest Night Worship
Trinity Presbyterian Church
Sunday, December 21, 7 pm
A reflective worship service held on the winter solstice. This is a compassionate space to acknowledge pain, loss, loneliness, or illness, and to find hope alongside others who understand. Elements such as candle lighting, prayer, quiet reflection, and communion will be included.
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!