Riverbank: The Course

1. Start with prayer and vision

Ask God to guide your vision for women's ministry. Pray for the course, leaders and participants, and share your plans with Corps Leaders to build support and a shared vision.

2. Think about the practicalities

Consider when, where, who and how before you begin. Good planning helps the course run smoothly and meet the needs of your group.

3. Consider costs

Budget for crafts and refreshments. A small charge can help cover costs, encourage commitment, and increase the perceived value of the course.

4. Invite widely 

Riverbank: The Course thrives on intergenerational connection. Encourage women of all ages and backgrounds to attend and consider appropriate childcare where needed.

5. Create a warm welcome

Provide a safe, relaxed space where women feel heard, valued and supported. Comfortable seating, refreshments and simple touches make a difference.

6. Keep groups small

Aim for 6-12 participants. Smaller groups build trust, encourage conversation and deepen relationships.

7. Prioritise hospitality

Food and drinks help create community, put people at ease and encourage connection.

8. Allow time for the journey

Plan for around 2½ hours per session, including welcome time, teaching, discussion, crafts and social connection.

9. Make crafts meaningful

Simple, enjoyable crafts help build confidence, creativity and conversation. Adapt activities to suit your group.

10. Be prepared and flexible

Prepare resources in advance, follow safeguarding procedures, and adapt sessions as needed. Relationships matter more than completing every activity. https://www.salvationist.org.uk/learning/safeguarding

Remember...

Focus on building relationships, not just delivering the programme. The greatest impact of Riverbank: The Course comes through connection, trust and belonging. 

For queries or further information, contact familyministries@salvationarmy.org.uk.

Welcome to Riverbank: The Course

The name Riverbank finds its inspiration in a remarkable encounter recorded in Acts 16. When Paul arrived in Philippi, he went outside the city gate to the river, where a group of women had gathered for prayer. Among them was Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened to the gospel. From that simple gathering by the water emerged the first recorded Christian community in Europe, a moment that helped shape the future course of the Church and the spread of the good news across a continent and then the world.

What began with women gathering to pray became a place of encounter, transformation and mission. That same vision sits at the heart of Riverbank today.

Across our United Kingdom and Ireland Territory, Riverbank seeks to create spaces where women can encounter God, grow in faith, deepen friendships and discover afresh his purpose for their lives. Through conferences, local gatherings and new expressions of women's ministry, Riverbank celebrates the power of women coming together in faith, just as they did on the riverbank in Philippi.

Riverbank: The Course has been developed to support that journey. Designed for use in corps, small groups and community settings, it offers opportunities for meaningful conversation, spiritual reflection and discipleship. We pray that through these sessions women will find encouragement, belonging and a deeper awareness of God's presence and calling.

We are particularly grateful to Major Abby Howe, whose vision and work in creating the original W Course laid the foundations for this resource. Her contribution continues to shape much of the material, alongside the thoughtful revisions and developments that have enabled it to become Riverbank: The Course for a new generation of women's ministry.

Like that gathering by the river in Philippi, we never know what God might do when women come together in prayer, fellowship and openness to his Spirit. My prayer is that this resource will help create places where lives are changed, faith is strengthened and new possibilities for mission emerge.

Major David Betteridge

Director of Family Ministries

The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory