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riverstone
On October 27th, Avon Wesleyan Church voted to become
Riverstone Wesleyan Church. We are working through the details of this and will keep you updated as we move forward!
Throughout its history, AWC has had multiple names: the Avon Prayer Band (1927-1934), The People’s Tabernacle (1934-1970), and currently, Avon Wesleyan Church (1970-present). In the late 2000’s, the church spent time considering a new name, but opted to retain its current name. Over the last 15 years or so, conversation about a name change has been ongoing. Since last year, we have once again picked up this conversation, and engaged in times of prayer that have led us to pursue the possibility of a name change.
On September 18, 2024, after much prayer, conversation, and engagement with various stakeholders, the local board of administration (LBA) of Avon Wesleyan Church (AWC) voted to change our operating name to Riverstone Wesleyan Church. The Penn York district board of administration (DBA) unanimously voted to approve the name change on September 26th, 2024.
Decision Timeline
August 2023 through Fall 2023 - Pastor Ben Espinoza installed as lead pastor, begins listening tour with congregation and meets with community leaders.
Spring 2024 - LBA begins conversations around name change, decides to form a name change committee.
May 2024 - Pastor Ben announced the name change possibility at the local church conference (LCC) meeting, and a name change committee formed, led by Pastor Dan Blowers.
Summer 2024 - Name change committee engaged in numerous conversations with members, attendees, and individuals outside of our church community. In addition to these discussions, the committee conducted a survey, asking several key questions raised during our conversations. The results were overwhelmingly in favor of a name change, with over 90% of respondents supporting this direction. Respondents suggested that a name change would help us indicate that we are a regional church and draw members and attendees from multiple communities. Moreover, respondents believed that a new name would help us bridge our two properties (in Avon and Caledonia), and provide opportunities to more effectively brand and market the church to outside communities.
September 2024 - Name change committee recommends Riverstone Wesleyan Church to the LBA; Subsequent approval from the DBA.
Why Riverstone?
While multiple potential names were suggested, one name rose to the top in the minds and hearts of the committee: Riverstone. As the staff and leadership reflected on and prayed about this possibility, it became clear that this name fit the bill. Both of our church properties are near the Genesee River, with the Caledonia Campus being located on River Road. Avon has historical ties to the river, and the name Riverstone can create a strong connection to the community and its geographical surroundings. Additionally, "Riverstone" is a simple, one-word name that is easy to remember, pronounce, and market. This makes the church’s branding more straightforward and impactful, as we can refer to the church as Riverstone Wesleyan Church, Riverstone Church, or simply Riverstone, depending on the context.
In addition, water language figures prominently throughout Scripture, symbolizing life, renewal, abundance, and the flow of God’s blessings. Scriptures like Psalm 1:3 describe a righteous person as “a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season” (NIV). In Jeremiah 2:13 and 17:13, the prophet refers to God as the “spring of living water.” Most applicably, however, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman in John 4:10, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
But what about the “-stone”? We are reminded in 1 Peter 2:4-5 that Christ is the Living Stone, as we draw near to him, we are becoming living stones. Together, the imagery of water and stone remind us that we are being formed and transformed by living water, becoming disciples who look more and more like Jesus and who bring his life-giving love to others.
FAQ
Were other options considered, including the possibility of keeping our current name?
Yes. About a dozen new names were proposed to us, and some suggested that we retain our current name. However, for the reasons stated in the above letter, the committee believed that it was time for a new name, and recommended Riverstone. Unanimous support not only from the LBA but also the DBA has confirmed this in our hearts and minds.
Why did the district board of administration have to approve the name change before the church body?
The district board of administration has worked with multiple churches throughout the name change process, and they have learned that it makes more sense to have the district approve the name change before the congregation. There have been churches that have gone through a name change process only to fail in securing approval from the DBA. The congregation has had the opportunity through multiple avenues to share feedback with the leadership, and we will have another opportunity for the body to bless the name change on October 27th, 2024.
Changing the name of a church seems “trendy.”
As we stated in the letter, our church has changed its name several times to better engage with our community and expand our presence. Discussion about the name change has been ongoing for quite some time. A name adjustment is simply a way to better represent who we are to the community and has nothing to do with trends.
People will still call the church AWC even if the name changes.
Absolutely, that will happen, especially with people who have attended the church for a long time.
How much will it cost to change the church's name?
We anticipate some paperwork and administrative expenses, which will be marginal. The real cost of changing the name will be to change over signage and related materials. We have desperately needed to change over the external signage at both of our campuses but have stalled in making these crucial updates due to the potential of a name change. In addition, we anticipate purchasing t-shirts and other branded materials, which we will ask people to personally offset. Thus, there will be indirect costs associated with changing our name, and we will be free to make these changes because of our new name.
Will we retain AWC as our legal name?
Yes. The Penn York District has recommended that we retain AWC as our legal name for the sake of reduced cost and efficiency. Riverstone Wesleyan Church will be our “doing business as” (DBA) name.
What will our new signs say?
We are currently discussing a myriad of options for signage. Some have suggested our sign say Riverstone with “A Wesleyan Church” at the bottom, others have suggested we opt for Riverstone Wesleyan Church, and others have suggested that we simply call ourselves Riverstone Church.
If our signs say “Riverstone Church” without a direct reference to our Wesleyan Church affiliation, how will people know that we are a Wesleyan Church?
Our website will make very clear that we are a part of the Wesleyan Church. We will not hide our affiliation, even if we do not lead with it. Denominational affiliation has come under fire due to perceptions of corruption, doctrinal error, and divisiveness. We want to maintain our affiliation with our beloved denomination while seeking to draw in people from every walk of life.
Will our website URL change?
Yes. We are in the process of acquiring multiple URLs.
Who can I speak with about this?
Feel free to contact the office: office@avonwesleyanchurch.com and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have!