Riverbend TEC (Together Encountering Christ) is part of youth ministry of the Diocese of New Ulm. Riverbend TEC began in the Diocese of New Ulm with the approval of Bishop Raymond Lucker in April of 1977. Bill and Sheila Morinville had moved to St. Peter from International Falls where they had been involved in TEC retreats and they worked with Fr. Gene Hackert and several adults and young adults in the St. Peter and Mankato area to begin the TEC retreat program in the Diocese of New Ulm. The program was known as Riverbend A-TEC (Adults-Teens Encounter Christ) until 2001.
The name Riverbend was chosen because the Minnesota River is such a dominant geographic feature in the Diocese of New Ulm. The first three TEC weekends were in various places until Riverbend TEC found a permanent home in Sleepy Eye at St. Mary's parish from 1978 through 1980. In April 1980 St. Mary's parish in New Ulm became the sole host of the Riverbend TEC weekends until Sept. 1981 when Holy Trinity parish in Winsted also began to host the TEC weekends beginning with RB #28. In Feb. 1985 St. Mary's parish in Bird Island also began to host the Riverbend TEC weekends with RB #56. The listing of Riverbend weekends are:
| RB#1 | April 9 - May 1, 1977 | Holy Sprit retreat center - Janesville, MN |
| RB#2 | August 6-8, 1977 | John Ireland School - St. Peter, MN |
| RB#3 | October 22-24, 1977 | St. Mary's School - LeCenter, MN |
| RB#4 | January 21-23, 1978 | St. Mary's Parish - Sleepy Eye, MN |
| to RB#17 | March 15-17, 1980 | St. Mary's Parish - Sleepy Eye, MN |
| RB#18 | April 29-May 1, 1980 | St. Mary's Parish - New Ulm, MN |
| to RB#27 | August 1-3, 1981 | St. Mary's Parish - New Ulm, MN |
| RB#28 | September 9-11, 1981 | co-hosted by St. Mary's - New Ulm, MN and Holy Trinity - Winsted, MN |
| to RB#55 | January 12-14, 1985 | co-hosted by St. Mary's - New Ulm, MN and Holy Trinity - Winsted, MN |
| RB#56 | February 16-18, 1985 | St. Mary's parish - Bird Island, MN becomes the 3rd co-host parish |
| RB#160 | January 8-10, 2000 | Holy Trinity Cathedral in New Ulm replaces St. Mary's parish in New Ulm as one of the three host parishes along with Winsted and Bird Island |
For the last several years Riverbend TEC has scheduled 7 weekends in the three host parishes. The schedule seeks to rotate among the parishes to fit their schedules. Riverbend TEC is affiliated with the TEC Conference. Leadership for Riverbend TEC is provided by a Coordinator working with an advisory council of adults and youth. Sheila Morinville served as Coordinator for Riverbend TEC from the beginning through RB # 15. Fr. Dennis Labat has served as Coordinator since RB # 16 in January 1980. The TEC Council meets monthly inviting the Diocesan Director of Youth Ministry, Sr. Margaret McHugh, to attend.
Riverbend TEC has provided an opportunity to encounter Christ for 5,146 Tecites (1,138 adults (21 and older) and 4,008 youth (under 21)) on weekends RB # 1 through RB # 203. Over the years 11 weekends were cancelled because of weather (2) or too few team or candidate (9). The average attendance is just over 27 per weekend. The largest weekend was RB #66 in March 1986 with 74 candidates. The smallest group was 10 candidates which occurred on two weekends - RB 6 in June 1978 and RB 80 in January 1988.
Presentation of TEC manual to the late Pope John Paul II