Our Story

Many years ago, Ida Watts, the founding pastor’s wife, saw a vision of a very wide river flowing through this region with many, many people swimming in it. This River is not the Susquehanna, but rather a spiritual river of God where lives are changed, families restored, bodies healed, people set free from addictions and bondages of all kinds, and Christians are revived. This river vision has been the foundation of this assembly since its beginning in 1937.

In the year of 1996, while attending a minister’s conference in Columbus, Ohio, Pastor Tim Halbfoerster saw a similar vision of a river with many people swimming in it. During this time, the Lord also spoke to him about coming to the Harrisburg region and in November of 1996, Tim, Marie, and their three daughters moved to our area and became our pastor and part of our family.

From the very first service, we have begun to see the River vision become reality. This continues to be the focus of this church family as we reach out to the communities around us and as we minister to one another. Many miracles of healing and restoration are represented in this family and we welcome you to become a part of our church family and to jump into the River!