Wayne Dickert and The River of Life
The first fresh expression in the WNCC
Hi friends!
I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that I moved our Western NC Conference Fresh Expressions email list over to Substack. I shared the vision for this in last week’s post. Each newsletter, I’ll interview a fresh expression leader from WNCC and share any updates about events and resources. Let me know if you would like your fx featured in the newsletter!
It feels perfect to kick off our Substack with our longest running fresh expression: The River of Life. The River of Life is a fresh expression of church that connects with canoers, kayakers, rafters, and all other river bums at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, NC. It’s anchored at Bryson City UMC and was founded by Rev. Wayne Dickert, known by the river community as Wayner. Wayner is the best. He’s a joy to be around, cracking dad jokes as often as he can. He is a legend around the Nantahala Gorge, having paddled professionally across the world, including canoeing in the 1996 Olympics. I asked Wayner a few questions about his experience leading fresh expressions. Enjoy!
The Interview
Tell us about the church are you at. What is it like and what is your role there?
I’m the pastor at Bryson City UMC on Main Street in Bryson City, NC. It is the only United Methodist Church in Swain County. I have been a pastor here since 2010.
What is your fresh expression of church and what is it like?
We have two ministries that would be considered Fresh Expressions, River of Life and Pass It On Café. The River of Life is located at the crossroads of the Nantahala River and Appalachian trail serving outdoor enthusiasts since 2007. The Pass It On Café dinner church was launched in January 2020 and continues to bring people together through food, fellowship, and faith.
How did it get started?
River of Life began while I was working at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. We created a spiritual space of welcome for raft guides, paddlers, and area visitors. There wasn’t anything like it at the time. Pass It On Café was born from the need to better connect with people in our local community who would not step inside a church but were looking to be filled in body and experienced spiritual nourishment as well.
What are your favorite stories from your fresh expressions?
God continues to blow my mind with the impact of the River of Life. We have been gathering for 17 years, and have supported 151 community freshwater wells, emergency relief efforts, and New Hope Hospital in Haiti. Only God could have blessed, in so many ways, a rag-tag bunch of dirt-bag paddling Jesus followers. As we finish our third year of serving others through food and faith, Pass It On Café continues to connect the faithful with the seeking in constant ways.
River of Life meets in the warmer months. Do you stay connected to folks in the winter? How do you get folks back the next spring?
The season for gathering at River of Life spans Memorial weekend through September culminating with a gear sale called our “Well in a Weekend” fundraiser for Haiti. During the winter, we meet sporadically and stay in touch through Facebook. As the epicenter for outdoor activities, people return to our gathering space every year. Some for the entire 17 years of ministry. Pass It On Café is a year-round ministry.
What are the unique spiritual practices of River of Life?
The most unique spiritual practice at the River of Life is the prayer. We begin and end with prayer. We have “God Sightings & Prayer Requests” during the service so everyone feels included. I have to say my favorite part of the riverside service, is after the message/sermon each person is challenged to “sit by the river with God” to listen to how God’s Spirit is inviting them to respond to the message. That time by the river is some of the most sacred space I have ever experienced.
What is something you have you learned from leading these fresh expressions that would be helpful for others to know?
The most important aspect for the leadership of a Fresh Expression is passion. Passion for God, passion for the people, passion for the shared interest in the activity/ministry, and passion to share it with others. I believe that if you demonstrate true passion for something, people will gather to be a part of it.
What are you excited about coming up in your fresh expression?
I am excited to see what next step God has for the River of Life as I step away in 2024 after leading the ministry for its existence of 18 years.
What’s Happening in WNCC Fresh Expressions?
In a few weeks, a group of WNCC fresh expressions leaders are heading to Rural Church Rising, a two-day conference for lay and clergy people serving in rural contexts across the country. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from Bishop Tom Berlin, Elaine Heath, Tex Sample, Chris and Jaidymar Smith, Stacey Spence-Baldwin, Marlon C. Mack, Sr., Michael Beck, and myself through learning sessions and workshops at the Warren Willis Camp in Fruitland Park, FL. I’m getting excited about my talk titled, “Race Cars and Dive Bars: A Beginner’s Guide to Rural Ethnography.” It should be an insighful and super fun couple of days! Registration is still open and Spirit Airlines has cheap tickets to Orlando if you’re feeling adventurous!