Plant and Grow
OUR HISTORY
Oakleigh Christian Fellowship / Christ Community Church / Blue Ridge Community Church
Rivanna flows out of a lineage of churches committed to church planting in the Charlottesville area. Our founding church, Oakleigh Christian Fellowship in western Albemarle started in 1971 by Ken Moore and Bob Manzano. This was the first charismatic church in central Virginia. It grew in the 70’s and early 80’s and spawned many other fellowships around Virginia. John Manzano took over the leadership of Oakleigh from his brother and in the mid-80s started Christ Community Church. CCC also grew and in 1998 plans were begun to establish a sister church that would be planted “north of town.” Many of our current members attended Oakleigh and/or Christ Community.
Christ Community Assistant Pastor David Butt was called to lead the planting effort and Blue Ridge Community Church was started in September 1998. The church met at Ruckersville Elementary School for about a year and then moved to its current location on Lake Saponi Drive. The Church added a sanctuary in April 2001. As BRCC grew, it was able to realize one of its original goals to plant new churches and planted Grace Community in Orange in 2003 and Rivanna Community in 2009.
Rivanna Community Church
Scott Knight who joined Blue Ridge in 2006 and served as the Associate Pastor for Church Planting was called to lead the church plant to be in the Hollymead area. In October 2009, Rivanna Community Church had its first service at Hollymead Elementary School. After four years of pulling a trailer, setting up and taking down and a long process of looking for a church home God led us to Earlysville. In 2013, RCC purchased the property where they now meet at 601 Earlysville Green. Church members spent months taking down walls, painting, hauling and transforming what had been the Earlysville post office and Earlysville Grill to become our Church home and we knew God had called us to serve in the center of Earlysville. In December 2022 we joyfully opened our new sanctuary which allowed us to continue growing, thriving and faithfully serving as God leads.
During the spring of 2023 Scott Knight decided to step away from full time ministry and Rivanna sought an interim pastor to fill the pastoral duties while a Seach Committee worked to secure a full-time replacement. Nathan Scholl served as Interim Pastor from April 2023 until August 2024 when the Search Committee announced that Nathan had completed a lengthy interview process and was highly recommended to the Elders that he assume the position on a permanent basis. The Committee reported, upon looking back at the whole process, it is clear to see that God's hand was over us the whole time. He knew who we needed, when we needed him, and how that was going to play out. God has done more than we could have asked or imagined. He is so good and faithful! On September 29, 2024, John Manzano, Founding Pastor of Christ Community Church will oversee the installation of Nathan Scholl as Full Time Pastor at Rivanna. Our Rivanna community is thrilled to welcome Nathan, his wife Christi and three children into our church family.
Rivanna along with Blue Ridge and Christ Community are members of the e4 Partnership of churches who willingly serve one another so that all will grow into vibrant maturity and fruitful kingdom mission.
Oakleigh Christian Fellowship / Christ Community Church / Blue Ridge Community Church
Rivanna flows out of a lineage of churches committed to church planting in the Charlottesville area. Our founding church, Oakleigh Christian Fellowship in western Albemarle started in 1971 by Ken Moore and Bob Manzano. This was the first charismatic church in central Virginia. It grew in the 70’s and early 80’s and spawned many other fellowships around Virginia. John Manzano took over the leadership of Oakleigh from his brother and in the mid-80s started Christ Community Church. CCC also grew and in 1998 plans were begun to establish a sister church that would be planted “north of town.” Many of our current members attended Oakleigh and/or Christ Community.
Christ Community Assistant Pastor David Butt was called to lead the planting effort and Blue Ridge Community Church was started in September 1998. The church met at Ruckersville Elementary School for about a year and then moved to its current location on Lake Saponi Drive. The Church added a sanctuary in April 2001. As BRCC grew, it was able to realize one of its original goals to plant new churches and planted Grace Community in Orange in 2003 and Rivanna Community in 2009.
Rivanna Community Church
Scott Knight who joined Blue Ridge in 2006 and served as the Associate Pastor for Church Planting was called to lead the church plant to be in the Hollymead area. In October 2009, Rivanna Community Church had its first service at Hollymead Elementary School. After four years of pulling a trailer, setting up and taking down and a long process of looking for a church home God led us to Earlysville. In 2013, RCC purchased the property where they now meet at 601 Earlysville Green. Church members spent months taking down walls, painting, hauling and transforming what had been the Earlysville post office and Earlysville Grill to become our Church home and we knew God had called us to serve in the center of Earlysville. In December 2022 we joyfully opened our new sanctuary which allowed us to continue growing, thriving and faithfully serving as God leads.
During the spring of 2023 Scott Knight decided to step away from full time ministry and Rivanna sought an interim pastor to fill the pastoral duties while a Seach Committee worked to secure a full-time replacement. Nathan Scholl served as Interim Pastor from April 2023 until August 2024 when the Search Committee announced that Nathan had completed a lengthy interview process and was highly recommended to the Elders that he assume the position on a permanent basis. The Committee reported, upon looking back at the whole process, it is clear to see that God's hand was over us the whole time. He knew who we needed, when we needed him, and how that was going to play out. God has done more than we could have asked or imagined. He is so good and faithful! On September 29, 2024, John Manzano, Founding Pastor of Christ Community Church will oversee the installation of Nathan Scholl as Full Time Pastor at Rivanna. Our Rivanna community is thrilled to welcome Nathan, his wife Christi and three children into our church family.
Rivanna along with Blue Ridge and Christ Community are members of the e4 Partnership of churches who willingly serve one another so that all will grow into vibrant maturity and fruitful kingdom mission.