ABOUT US
Riverside Chapel is a congregation of believers in Jesus Christ. Our constant goal is that the Lord be glorified in everything we do and that Jesus Christ, our Savior, be the focus of our lives. We encourage each other to grow spiritually and increase understanding of God’s word, the Holy Bible.
We invite you to join us.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 NIV
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" Philippians 4:4 NASB
Our
Beliefs
Statement of Faith:
The doctrinal position of the Evangelical Free Church of America is summarized in our twelve-article statement of faith.
We Believe
1. The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men and the Divine and final authority for Christian faith and life. 2. In one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 3. Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. According to the Scriptures, he died on the cross, a sacrifice for our sins. Further, He arose bodily from the dead and ascended into heaven, where at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Advocate. 4. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and, during this age, to convict men, regenerate the believing sinner, indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service. 5. That man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore lost, and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained. 6. The shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only those who receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit and thus become children of God. 7. That water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during the present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as a means of salvation. 8. The true Church is composed of all such persons who, through saving faith in Jesus Christ, have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the Body of Christ, of which He is the Head. 9. Only those who are thus members of the true Church shall be eligible for membership in the local church. 10. Jesus Christ is the Lord and Head of the Church, and every local church has the right under Christ to decide and govern its own affairs. 11. In the personal and pre-millennial and imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, this “Blessed Hope” has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer. 12. In the bodily resurrection of the dead; of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord; of the unbeliever to judgment and eternal conscious punishment.
Where we began
The original constitution of the Zim Church is undated and written in an elaborate grammatical style in pencil on Northern Pacific Railroad stationery. The congregation was named the Scandinavian Ladies Aid. In May 1903, the Rev. P.A. Johnson and seven families incorporated as the Swedish Evangelical Mission Society and began raising money for a church building. It took nearly three years to raise the funds needed, mostly with the Ladies' Aid from auctions and sales. One of the popular fundraisers was the basket social, especially in the spring when the men would come in from the lumber camps. It was reported that one basket sold for as much as $38. Finally, they had the money for the building, and Lars Olson went to Duluth to purchase materials. The lumber was dropped off at the railroad spur at Zim, but it burned before it could be moved to the building site. Many believed the fire was set by a group of people who didn't want a church in Zim. Fortunately, the DM&IR Railroad Co. replaced the lumber, and in 1906, the Zim church was built. From 1910 to 1951, the church was served mostly by Lutheran pastors from the Augustana Synod. The picture of the Good Shepherd was donated to the church by Mrs. Rask in memory of her husband. Rev. Hjalmer Olson bought the frame for the photo. The picture now hangs in the back of Riverside Chapel.
In 1950, the church was reorganized as the Zim Community Church to make it more acceptable to the entire community. Any person over 15 years. of age professing belief in the Holy Trinity could become a member. Then, in November 1951, the American Sunday School Union, under the leadership of Rev. Bert Stanaway, took over the services. The chancel, altar, and baptismal font were dedicated; the baptismal font was dedicated to remembering Alfred Nelson's children and grandchildren. 1959 saw continued growth, and the building was moved across the parking lot onto a new basement. Rev. Deursen of the Presbyterian Rural Missions served as pastor from 1953-1960. in 1963, Rev. Harold Andrews became pastor, and the church decided to affiliate with the Evangelical Free Church of America. In the fall of 1977, the Forbes Lutheran Church was purchased, and services were held in both buildings. Declining attendance in 1993 moved the congregation to vote to use the Forbes building as the worship center as it was slightly larger than the Zim building, and two buildings were no longer needed. Later, the name was changed to Riverside Chapel, an Evangelical Free Church.