Q: My spiritual life is very important to me. What outlets does Riderwood provide for various forms of religious expression?

A: Meeting the unique spiritual needs of everyone who lives at Riderwood serves as the driving force behind the efforts of the Pastoral Ministries  department.

Lisa Holloway, pastoral ministries manager, says, “Riderwood supports all faith communities and provides resources to help nourish lives and provides  opportunities  for everyone to learn from each other in their journeys of faith.”

The community’s beautiful on-site 250-seat chapel provides a comfortable and inviting place to worship, and all services are open to everyone in the  Riderwood community. Aside from worship services, sacred concerts, liturgical dance, memorial services, weddings, and various other spiritual and religious celebrations also take place there.

The chapel appeals to those who attend daily religious services, as well as to those who see it as a place for private prayer and meditation. Sill, some people continue to return to their nearby places of worship, as many have moved to Riderwood from the surrounding area.

While the pastoral ministries clergy support the various religious groups on campus, those groups help them in return. Many people choose to run a liturgical council, sing in the choir, decorate the chapel for services, or visit the sick—all contributing to the daily tasks of an active faith community.

Many of Riderwood’s faith communities have their own councils and groups including the Catholic community, the Jewish community, the Protestant council, Religious Society of Friends—Quakers, Unitarian Universalists, Hadassah, community Bible study, Old Testament studies group, and the Yiddish conversation group. These faith communities are actually independent congregations conducting their own ministries on campus. They recruit their own leaders and manage their own financial matters.