On March 15, 2026, Matt Bye, pastor of Byerland Mennonite Church, joined the community at River Corner Church to share a message on hope as part of the Lenten sermon series “The Way of the Cross.”

This shared series is a collaboration among churches in the LMC Network of Churches' New Danville District, including Byerland Mennonite Church, New Danville Mennonite Church, and River Corner Church. Throughout Lent, pastors are visiting one another’s congregations to reflect on what it means to live the cruciform life—following Jesus in the shadow of the cross.

In this message, Pastor Matt explores the theme of hope through Isaiah 53:4–6 and Romans 5:6–11, reminding us that the cross reveals both the depth of human brokenness and the greater depth of God’s love. The hope found in Christ’s suffering and sacrifice shapes how believers live today.

The Lenten series continues with:
• Repentance – next week at River Corner Church
• Surrender – with Robert Brody of New Danville Mennonite Church

Together, these themes—hope, repentance, and surrender—form a shared journey through Lent as we consider what it means to follow Jesus on the way of the cross.

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On March 8, Pastor Jeff concluded our Hard Conversations series with a sermon titled “We Choose to Accept the Already and Not Yet (Affirmation 5).” In this message, he reflects on the tension that often exists in the Christian life—between what God has already begun through Jesus and what has not yet been fully completed—and how that plays in our unresolved conversations.

Drawing from Scripture and the lived experience of the church, Jeff explores how followers of Jesus are called to live faithfully within this tension. The kingdom of God has already broken into the world through Christ, yet we still experience brokenness, conflict, and unfinished work in our lives and communities. Rather than pretending everything is resolved or giving in to discouragement, the church is invited to embrace the reality of both.

The sermon highlights how accepting the “already and not yet” shapes the way we navigate hard conversations. It calls believers to practice patience, humility, and hope—recognizing that people, churches, and even our own hearts are still being formed by God. When we remember that redemption is both present and unfolding, we can approach disagreements with grace, hold conviction without hostility, and continue walking together toward the fullness of God’s kingdom.

The central affirmation of this final message is simple: faithful followers of Jesus learn to live in the tension of the already and not yet, trusting that God is still at work.

River Corner Church is a growing church community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, committed to worshiping God, following Jesus, and walking through life together. The church values simplicity, shared discernment, Scripture, prayer, and authentic community. Rather than chasing hype or platform, River Corner seeks to cultivate a faithful, Spirit-led community marked by humility, conversation, and encouragement.

Jeff McLain serves as Pastor of River Corner Church and Director of Pastoral Ministries at Water Street Mission. With over 15 years of pastoral leadership, Jeff is passionate about spiritual formation, theological depth, and helping people engage Scripture in practical and transformative ways. His preaching blends biblical clarity, pastoral warmth, and cultural awareness, calling the church to live faithfully in a divided world.

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On March 1, Pastor Jeff preached from Galatians 2:11–20 in his sermon, "Hard Conversations: We Find Our Identity in Christ (Affirmation 4)," examining Paul’s public confrontation with Peter and what it means to anchor our identity in Christ amid emotionally charged conflict. The message explored how fear, people-pleasing, and tribal loyalty can fracture unity when the gospel itself is at stake.

In this sermon, Jeff walks through Paul’s rebuke of Peter in Antioch and the deeper issue behind it: when belonging becomes more important than grace, the gospel is distorted. He highlights how Peter’s withdrawal from Gentile believers signaled division, how Paul stepped into a hard conversation for the sake of those caught in the crossfire, and how Galatians 2:20 reframes identity in terms of union with Christ. The central affirmation is this: we find our identity in Christ, not in our belief systems, tribes, or need for approval. The sermon challenges listeners to confront fear-driven compromise, resist people-pleasing, and root their worth so deeply in Jesus that they can contend for truth without losing love.

River Corner Church is a growing church community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, committed to worshiping God, following Jesus, and walking through life together. The church values simplicity, shared discernment, Scripture, prayer, and authentic community. Rather than chasing hype or platform, River Corner seeks to cultivate a faithful, Spirit-led community marked by humility, conversation, and encouragement.

Jeff McLain serves as Pastor of River Corner Church and Director of Pastoral Ministries at Water Street Mission. With over 15 years of pastoral leadership, Jeff is passionate about spiritual formation, theological depth, and helping people engage Scripture in practical and transformative ways. His preaching blends biblical clarity, pastoral warmth, and cultural awareness, calling the church to live faithfully in a divided world.

Send a text

Support the show