River of Life Community Church is neither your typical ecclesiastical edifice, nor your run-of-the-mill congregation.
Sandra Stott is its principal pastor.
Having grown up in nearby Renfrew it took Sandra some time to reconcile her preconceptions of Arnprior with what she had been expecting when she moved her after getting married.
She attributes her successful adaptation to divine intervention.
Stott says River of Life’s whole mission is community involvement- the church helps support Neighbour Link Fountain, and the Arnprior Food Bank; it has a presence in the annual Santa Claus Parade- and even has not forgotten All Hallows’ Eve where it offers a safe space for trick-or-treaters at the church cafe and a decorated Halloween back yard.
For those who may be unaware, the River of Life Church premises was a one-time bar and strip club, according to the pastor.
As a community church, River of Life actively supports both the Arnprior Food Bank and Neighbourlink Fountain as helping others makes the whole community stronger.
Here is our full interview.