Q:

A:

Thanks for your interest in River of Life! We are a conservative, protestant, Bible-believing, Christian cooperative. Our mission and purpose at River of Life is to support and encourage one another in our personal walk with the Lord Jesus Christ, specifically as parents in our calling to home educate our children and equip them to serve the Lord by incorporating prayer and devotion in our meetings, and to provide educational opportunities, with a biblical worldview, for our children. Our co-op is supplemental to what you do at home for educating your kids – our focus at River of Life is on relationships, growth as believers, and educational activities that are easier and more fun to do in a group setting.

We meet 2x/month - on  the 1st and 3rd Friday (with adjustment for holidays) from 9:30am-12pm in Lindstrom, MN

Q:

A:

We are a true cooperative in that we all work together for the success of the group and this allows us to keep our costs low. Moms are a vital part of our success as a co-op and are required to stay and help/teach during our meeting times.

Our meetings begin with pledges to the flag and Bible, birthdays (first meeting of each month), announcements, and prayer. Then we split into age groups with parents assigned to one age group. That group of parents plans and executes the year including devotions, class options, and schedule of teaching responsibilities. Teaching responsibilities are split up amongst each teaching group, so you are not teaching every meeting, though you are required to attend and help unless sick. We try to accommodate moms in placing them in their 1^st or 2^nd choice of age groups.

Q:

A:

Membership cost is $125 / year per family, (not including non-refundable application fee) but cost is subject to change each year based on need. 

Q:

A:

Our max membership is 100 children.  More specifically, 25 in each of four groups. Each group has a water animal name to make our mornings together easier!

1. Birth to pre-school (Sunnies)  Sunnies is our birth to age 5 group and it is mostly play-based, though we encourage the moms in that group to plan activities they deem appropriate including a snack time.

2. Kindergarten - 2nd grade (Otters)  They have gym class first and then devotions and class time following that. They usually don’t have class options – the whole class does the same activities.

3. 3rd - 6th grade  (Polar Bears)  They have devotions/social time first, then gym, followed by class options. Typically they start the year doing whole group classes and then have options later on in the year.

4. Junior High & High School  (Kingfishers)  This group starts with devotions, followed by class electives.  They will register on the website for their class electives - most classes are 3 or 6 meetings in length before they have new class elective options.  Their last period each meeting is gym class.

Some of the classes we've offered for students in the past: Drama, Yearbook, Speech, Religion, Art, Cooking, Chess, Life Skills, Science, First Aid, Self-Defense, Photography, Etiquette, Career Options, STEM, Crochet and Knitting, and SO MANY MORE!  

Contact us for information on membership! rachelschwendinger@yahoo.com

Q:

A:

River of Life Christian Co-op Belief Statement

Our Mission and Purpose

To support and encourage one another in our personal walk with the Lord Jesus Christ, specifically as parents in our calling to home educate our children and equip them to serve the Lord by incorporating prayer and devotions in our meetings, and to provide educational opportunities, with a biblical worldview, for our children.

Faith Statement

We believe:

1. The Holy Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are the verbal inspired words of God, written by Spirit-controlled men. The Holy Bible is the final authority for faith and life, is inerrant in the original writings, and is the infallible word of God.

2 Samuel 23:2, 2 Timothy 3:16, Revelation 21:5, Exodus 4:15

2. In one God who is eternal and exists in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is the Creator and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. He is wholly loving and just and worthy of all honor and glory.

1 John 5:6-11, Deuteronomy 6:4, Genesis 1:26, Hebrews 1:3

3. In Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the virgin, Mary. We believe that He is fully God and fully man. We believe that He is the perfect sacrifice who shed His blood as a remission for our sins. By God’s grace, His death and resurrection are the only atonement for our sins. Isaiah 7:14, Luke 1:35, John 1:1, 1Timothy 2:5, Matthew 1:18, Hebrews 7:25
4. We are saved by faith alone, not by works. The evidence of faith is repentance of sin and actively following Jesus Christ as Lord.

Ephesians 2:8-9, Acts 26:20, Titus 3:5-6

5. In the Holy Spirit who convicts of sin, comforts, encourages and sanctifies the believer.

John 3:5, John 16:13, Acts 1:8, I Corinthians 6:19, Ephesians 1:13

6. Due to Adam and Eve’s sin, all people are born sinful and are separated from God.

Genesis 1:27, Psalm 51:5, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:23, I Corinthians 5:21, Romans 5:12, Rev. 20:15

       7. Our hope is in the personal and bodily return of Christ for His Church.

John 14:3, Acts 1:9-11, Acts, 24:15, I Corinthians 15:3-4&20-22, I Thessalonians 4:17, John 5:24-29

We further believe:

1. That teaching our children is our God given right and responsibility.
2. That God’s design for the family is one man married to one woman and any children He commits to their care.
3. That our individual children’s needs are best met on a one-to-one relationship with their parents in the home.
4. That strong family relationships result from this situation.
5. In teaching the inerrant Word of God (The Bible) to our children and relating it to their daily lives.
6. In emphasizing growth of godly character in our children.
7. That all of this better equips our children to become loyal and responsible members of a family (the basis for society), as well as strong, positive influences in the family of God, the community and the world.

Deuteronomy 4:9, 6:6-7; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 4:6, Genesis 1:27-28, Matthew 19:6, Ephesians 6:1-4, 1 Timothy 1:5

Parents are required to sign a Teacher Commitment statement which includes agreeing with our faith statement.  

CONTACT RACHEL SCHWENDINGER FOR AN APPLICATION AT rachelschwendinger@yahoo.com