The Riverwood Team leads our volunteer teams who create the environment where every person in attendance at our Sunday Worship Gatherings is invited to connect with Jesus and one another.
Spouse: LeAnn
Hometown: Shenandoah, IA
Favorite Drink: Honey-laced English Breakfast Tea spiked with cayenne pepper & cinnamon
Children: 4 (Two adult daughters and two teenage sons)
Favorite Hobby: long distance swimming for exercise
A favorite "passion": Movies (especially Christopher Nolan films)
One fun thing many people might not know about me: I once finished in second place in the Gladstone, MO "Big Splash" competition. I can do a mean can-opener!
Spouse: Grace
Children: 1 daughter (and one more on the way!)
Hometown: Waverly
Favorite Food: Chicago deep-dish pizza
Favorite Passion: Getting to write new songs with good friends
Favorite Hobby: Playing board games and video games
Favorite Musician: John Mark McMillan
One fun thing many people might not know about me: I’m left-handed, but only when it comes to writing. Additional fun fact? I type ambidextrously.
Spouse: Ed
Hometown: Waterloo, IA
Favorite Hobby: Drinking coffee and reading
Favorite Movie: Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Children: 5 (4 boys, 1 girl)
Workplace: My home 🙂
Favorite Food: chocolate chip cookies
A favorite "passion": My family - and rearranging my living room!
One fun thing many people might not know about me: I have snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef, been white water rafting and rode in a hot air balloon.
Spouse: Dan
Children: 4 (three girls, one boy)
Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea
Hometown: Strawberry Point, IA
Favorite Hobby: Reading juvenile fiction books and drinking hot water
Favorite Food: Sampling all the things
One fun thing many people might not know about me: I like to build things: basic tables, shelves, even IKEA furniture
Spouse: Lance
Children: 2 daughters
Hometown: Indianola, IA
Favorite Food or Drink: Starbucks Caramel Macchiato
Favorite Hobby: Crafting. I especially like to make cards, such as birthday and thank you cards.
A favorite "passion": Remodeling and decorating our house.
One fun thing many people might not know about me: I love to play words games, such as Scrabble and Bananagrams, and checkers.
Our Elder Team loves & cares for our church family by helping us follow Jesus. They regularly pray for the Riverwood family, teach us from the Scriptures, and guide us into the future we believe God holds for us. And they'd love to welcome you into the Riverwood family as well!
You can read about Erin above, but here are a few more "favorites"
Another Hobby: Graphic Design
Favorite Food: Ice cream or dark chocolate
A favorite "passion": Sports, specifically Kansas City Royals baseball, Nebraska Cornhusker football, & Wartburg wrestling
Another fun thing many people might not know about me: I once ate an ant head that had been soaked in spicy pepper juice.
Spouse: Bridget
Children: Same as Bridget 🙂
Hometown: New Hartford, IA
Workplace: Iowa National Guard, Recruiting & Retention Battalion, University of Northern Iowa, DEPT of Military Science
Hobby: Wood… chopping, sawing, shaping, cutting, working, etc. (oh, and computers)
Favorite Food: Thai Curry Wings!!
Favorite Movie: The Fifth Element or Stardust.. both so good
Favorite Musician: Tenth Avenue North
Favorite Passion: Apologetics as it pertains to Philosophy, and creation science
One fun thing many people might not know about me: I worked for 4 years on Iowa’s 71st Civil Support Team and worked alongside the FBI, DHS, FEMA, and DOE.
Hometown: Muscatine, IA
Workplace: Educational leadership faculty at the University of Northern Iowa
Favorite Hobby: Running
Favorite Food: Chicken parmesan or anything chocolate/peanut butter combined
A favorite "passion": Standards-based grading (Editor's Note: He's so passionate about this, he even wrote a book on it!)
Another Favorite: I do not watch too many movies, but The Truman Show is one that sticks with me.
One fun thing many people might not know about me: My wife, Cassy, and I once ran across the Golden Gate Bridge (and back) at sunrise
Our missionary partners have been carefully selected because we believe deeply in what they are doing to further the gospel and help others love like Jesus loved and live like Jesus lived. Riverwood believes in supporting local, regional, and "to the ends of the earth" missions.
Mission: Lead our church in proclaiming the gospel and promoting reconciliation among the families of Northside (in northern Minneapolis)
Spouse: Shelby
Kid(s): Adelyn
Hometown: Springville, Iowa
Favorite Hobby: I love basketball and have found it's a bridge-builder for many people in the neighborhood
Favorite Food: a good steak
Favorite Verse in Scripture: Ephesians 1:10 - God is reconciling all things and we want to be part of that!
One way North and Iowa are similar: Although it's part of Minneapolis, North has a small-town feel that's not too different than Waverly and the surrounding towns
Mission: We are in Southeast Asia to share the Gospel, disciple people, and care for the poor
Hometown: Largo, Florida
Favorite Food: Papaya Salad
Favorite Book/Movie: Lord of the Rings
Favorite Verse in Scripture: John 3:16
One way SE Asia and Iowa/U.S. are similar: People love eating bacon!
One fun thing many people might not know about us: We are fellow Moody Bible Institute graduates with Jake (Riverwood's Worship Leader) & Grace Epley
Mission: I am following the Lord's call on my life to make disciples among the nations and to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Working under the umbrella of a church planting team, my main focus is equipping disciple-makers among the Deaf population so that the Deaf may meet, know, and follow Jesus.
Hometown: Ankeny, IA
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite Book: Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hunard
Favorite Verse in Scripture: Proverbs 31:8-9
One way Togo and Iowa are similar: During certain seasons, there are cornfields all over!
One fun thing many people might not know about me: I have a German Shepherd named Caspian that I brought with me from the States! He’s the best guard dog.
To meet some of our other fantastic leaders and people, visit us on a Sunday mornings at 9:30 am
