September 2009 Archives
Where in the World is River Park CC?
Barn Virtual Tour from River Park Community Church on Vimeo.
Why is River Park Community Church moving to Camarillo? The simple answer is we did not intend to move to Camarillo, we have had to relocate because our rent is doubling. The Barn at the Camarillo Ranch was an optimal place because of it's remarkability, recognizability in the community, availability and cost.
The longer answer is we located RPCC in RiverPark in September 2008 because it is centrally located in the Ventura/Oxnard Metro area. It is within a 15 minute drive of 500,000 people (more than 90% of which are not actively involved in a local church.) When we planned RPCC the RiverPark Development was in full swing and the commercial section with more than 70 retail stores was due to open in October of 2008. We assumed RiverPark would soon become a destination for people in Ventura, Camarillo and Oxnard. We assumed it would be an easy place to invite our friends outside the church. Our primary goal has always been to be a place that is easy to invite our unchurched friends and to be the kind of church that unchurched people love to attend.
As many of you know the construction of the commercial area has all but stopped. As we have listened to the leaders of our church we have learned that in its current state, our location has become an obstacle to inviting others. We still believe that River Park will be a strategic place to locate as a church--when it is finished. In the meantime, it has become an obstacle to our outreach strategy of inviting those we have invested in.
In a search for a remarkable place that was aligned with our mission, we discovered the Camarillo Ranch and Barn. It is a place that is well known in our community, its facility is safe and conducive to our Sunday morning environments and the Ranch Foundation has been more than helpful in opening up their space and inviting us to be a part of some of the events already taking place at the ranch.
We must recognize that any location as a church is temporary. Even "permanent" locations are temporary. This gives us an opportunity to continue to remain focused on our mission: to lead people in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Everything else can change. Our mission remains the same.
We're Moving!
New location.
New times.
New Kidstuf season.
A wise man once said, "God is in the new."
Come and see us and experience "Church in the barn." (Cowboy boots are optional.)
Camarillo Ranch House
201 Camarillo Ranch Road
Camarillo, CA 93012