13 July 2023

Riverbank 2023: Enough is enough!

Rachel Gotobed

Three photos show shots from Riverbank 2023. The first shows all the leaders posing for a group photo. The second shows three runners jogging along a path. The third shows two people laughing and acting as part of a comedy show.

Rachel Gotobed reports on the Riverbank Territorial Women’s Conference 2023.

‘It was the best moment in my life,’ said Savrin Kian, an Iranian refugee attending Riverbank for the first time. ‘I could feel God’s presence everywhere and I was given a chance to pray in my mother tongue.’

Themed Enough Is Enough!, the Riverbank Territorial Women’s Conference 2023 explored the truth of God’s limitless grace in these very uncertain days. The event focused on God’s promise that ‘my grace is enough; it’s all you need’ (2 Corinthians 12:9 The Message).

Major David Betteridge (Director of Family Ministries) and Liz Hall (Deputy Director of Family Ministries) hosted the main sessions. During the first session, Major David challenged the conference to live in the truth that God’s grace is all that we need. This set the scene for the other guest speakers – Commissioner Debbie Horwood (IHQ), Tola Doll Fisher (Creative Director and Editor, Woman Alive magazine) and Rachel Turner (author and international speaker) – to take us further into the wonder of God’s amazing grace.

Returning to Riverbank, international worship leaders Lou and Nathan Fellingham led inspiring worship on Friday and Saturday. Sunday morning worship was beautifully led by Riverbank team member Trudy Purkiss. Throughout the weekend there was an overwhelming response as the Spirit of God moved powerfully. The artist for the weekend, Jacqueline Irwin, illustrated the theme with prophetic works of art.

The Family Ministries social media pages were inundated with comments from delegates testifying to the work of God’s grace.

Guests for Saturday night were the Mothers and Daughters Choir and comedian Joy Carter, who helped delegates discover the power of joyfulness and authentic beauty.

Other activities included a Drawing Closer art space, a laughter workshop and Bekah Legg, CEO of Restored, provided an opportunity to learn how to recognise and respond to domestic abuse. Time could also be spent receiving a relaxing facial, visiting a marketplace full of helpful information, resources and interesting things to buy, joining in a run or walk, or simply enjoying a sacred prayer space.

Following the conference, the Family Ministries social media pages were inundated with comments from delegates testifying to the work of God’s grace in their lives.

There are already women asking about when they can book for next year – when the guest speaker will be the Rev Dr Helen Paynter and the theme Truth Be Told. Put 31 May to 2 June 2024 in your diary now, so you will also be able to join us at the Riverbank!

See a full collection of images from Riverbank 2023 on Facebook.

Stories from Riverbank 2023:

My Riverbank journey was like nothing I’d ever experienced before – the energy and life was just incredible. I was born with many health conditions that I couldn’t embrace and, although it’s been a slow process of learning to accept them, I never thought that I was enough until this weekend. Riverbank has really confirmed that embracing my conditions, loving myself and just being enough, means that I am truly enough in God’s eyes.

What a fabulous way to encounter God! Through laughter that reminded me of the healing I received, through tears as God’s Spirit spoke clearly in a moment of sung worship, through the presence of Jesus being with other women from around the territory, and in the car conversations with the women from our church community as we chatted about the impact of the weekend and how ‘enough is enough’.

Having been to many previous weekends and thoroughly enjoyed them, I looked forward to this year’s event with much anticipation. I had no preconceived thoughts on what I expected to receive from God, only that I really wanted him to speak to my daughter, who was attending for the first time.

The worship and the speakers were amazing, but it was in the prayer space, when I was praying for our parent-and-toddler groups and for my daughter, that God gave me his peace and reassurance of prayers heard.

On Sunday morning Rachel Turner spoke about boldness. Her words resonated with me and challenged me, and I asked God to make me bolder when opportunities to show Jesus come my way.

This year, I attended my first Riverbank Conference. Having attended other women’s conferences outside The Salvation Army, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was not disappointed! The weekend gave me the opportunity to take a step back from the busyness of my life, work and corps programme, and to tune back in to what God is saying. I will admit that I was tired and concerned about what the weekend away would do to an already heavy workload, but it came at just the right time. Being able to take that step back allowed me to focus on God’s abundant grace and provision in my life.

Reflecting on a weekend of worship, sisterhood and many laughs, I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity and the time to pause. I will continue to pray for God to open doors and provide space for us all to be bold and join him in his mission to share his grace with others.