Back to News

Riverdale Sabbath

Posted on Aug 19, 2010

RIVERDALE SABBATH

August 7 dawned a beautiful Sabbath day over the scenic Garrison Dam.  It was at the Spillway Pond Campsite that more than 125 worshippers met for an Outdoor Sabbath School and Church experience.

Those in attendance represented more than 15 church congregations from the Dakota Conference, as well as from Canada.  Beautiful music, personal mission experiences from Bolivia and Zambia, Sabbath School classes for all ages, children’s stories, worship service, potluck dinner, afternoon fellowship of a variety of instrumental and vocal numbers, as well as personal testimony, provided a spiritual feast for all.

It is with grateful hearts and thanksgiving to each individual for their part in making the Riverdale Sabbath a “spiritual high”. 

This annual event had its beginning in the mid-1960s. It all began with a Sabbath afternoon drive to this area by the late Ruth and Sam Timothy (parents of Julie Brude). Awed by the beauty and quietness of the location, they suggested to their church members in Max, ND, that they hold Sabbath School and Church there the next weekend – which they did. The following year this outing included the two remaining churches of the district, Butte and Turtle Lake.  Little did Ruth know how her inspiration of that Sabbath afternoon drive would evolve into an annual tradition. Sieg and Carol Roeske was the Pastor of the district in 1966, when the Riverdale event began. It was started in what is now a State Park – for that reason it was moved below the dam to the Spillway Pond site.

Plans are in the making for the 2011 program scheduled for the first Sabbath of August. 

By Karen Boyko