Paul is writing this letter to the church at Philippi, which was actually the first church that he started in Europe. You can read about the days that Paul spent in Philippi in Acts chapter 16, where you can read about one of the first converts in Philippi, a woman named Lydia, and also hear some of the specifics of Paul’s hard times in Philippi.

Phillipi was a heavily gentile city. There was no synagogue there. No Jewish presence.

In any city where there were 10 adult males they were required to build a synagogue.

With no synagogue the Jews would go down to the River side to worship. A beautiful place in nature.