History

In 1961, the need for a Baptist work in the north area of Eugene was laid upon the hearts of three men in the Cascade Association. For a period of three months, Austin Lovin, Area Missionary; Charles E. Bush, Pastor of Fairfield Church in Eugene; and Buren Higdon, Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Springfield, prayed for direction in starting a new work. The River Road area was selected as the best location. The beginning of the mission that became Riviera Baptist Church was the result of much prayer and concern for the need in this area. Fairfield Church voted to sponsor the new mission.

Prayers were answered and help came at just the time of need. Equipment, financial assistance and workers were provided. In June 1962, Edward L. Phelps, a recent graduate of Golden Gate Seminary, was called as pastor. Summer missionaries helped to survey the area. Reverend Clint Dunagan and twenty-six members of Fannin Terrace Baptist Church, Midland, Texas, came to conduct a one-week revival and Vacation Bible School. A house was rented at 30 Irving Road which served both as the meeting place for the mission and the pastor’s home. Services began Sunday, July 8. At the close of the revival, the mission had fourteen members. One thousand dollars in financial support had been received and First Baptist Church, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, gave one hundred dollars a month for one year.

Riviera Baptist Church was constituted May 19, 1963, with thirty-four charter members. By this time, a 4.79 acre building site on River Road had been purchased with five houses on the property. For several years, one of the houses was used as the pastor’s home. Construction on the building began in the summer with Pastor Phelps, a carpenter, as construction superintendent. First services were held in the new building, June 7, 1964. With the completion of the new building, attendance increased. In the church year, 1964-65, average Sunday School attendance was 78.

Through a few different building projects, the facility was expanded with an education/fellowship wing. Then in the fall of 2004 we revitalized our latest building project to build a multi-purpose building. The theme, Building for Kingdom Growth = Building for Eternity is for the fact that our facilities are not for our present, but for the future.