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Redeemer News

March 2017

Since we stopped mailing a full bi-monthly newsletter, which was expensive, and often not timely, we have been trying to figure out a good way to share news about what is going on at Redeemer. Missing one Sunday may mean missing the only formal announcement about an event or project. We are going to try an abbreviated monthly newsletter, which will be available to be picked up at church, will be posted on our website, and will be mailed to shut-ins. If you have a question about something that is going on, or would like more information, email your question to secretary.redeemer@gmail.com, or call the church office.

-The parking lot project, which was funded by a grant from the Lutheran Foundation, matched by our endowment, will be completed sometime after May 1st. Some areas of the original lot that were damaged by garbage trucks will be repaired, and then the entire original lot will receive new asphalt coating and striping.

-Redeemer’s endowment fund is a great blessing handed down given to us by God through our forefathers. It has enabled us to both maintain and improve the building. It funded the elevator project, the undercroft and kitchen remodel, the new roof, windows, tuckpointing, and a handful of other projects in the last 17 years to the tune of $1.5 million dollars. It did that all with interest! The problem, though, is that while we haven’t spent principal we haven’t done much to build principal either and inflation works against us. We think that the culture in the US is becoming more hostile to Christianity and that it may get harder to preach the Gospel in the years to come. Thus we are urging our members to consider leaving a percent of their estates to the endowment or to give a gift toward the principal now for the sake of future work in Ft. Wayne.

-Redeemer’s pastors are continuing to serve the mission in Homer, Michigan. Average attendance hovers around 15, with a low of 8 and high of 25. Offering at Homer average at $350, well above weekly operating expenses of $200. Currently the congregation in Homer is trying to get the word out, and also talking to other churches in the area about the possibility of sharing a pastor. Please remember them in your prayers.

-Redeemer has received a grant from the Lutheran Foundation to help fund a new video recording system. This will be used to live stream and record the divine service on Sundays, as well as Martins in the chapel. The church will also be getting a hearing loop which will allow those with hearing aids to better hear the sermons. Installation is planned to begin after Easter.

-The windows between the chapel and the narthex are about to be beautified, due to donations given in memory of Donald & Ruthann Johns and additional gifts from their family. William Lupkin Designs is crafting glass panels that echo those in our sanctuary, and will be installing them before Easter.

–All Saints Day 2017 will mark the 125th Anniversary of Redeemer Lutheran Church. Special events are being planned for that Sunday, and for the entire anniversary year.

-On April 23, the Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison, president of the LC-MS, will be preaching at Redeemer. April 23 will also be our semi-annual voters meeting.

-News from the trustees: This winter we have done a large amount of work on our boilers and leaking steam pipes in the boiler room. In addition, a large length of steam pipe in the undercroft was replaced, for which asbestos abatement was required. A new, re-built pump was installed in the dishwasher. The exhaust vent from the kitchen—aka the snorkel—was shortened, after several years of effort, and a fence was put up around it. (The fence will be painted and plantings put in this spring.) In our Harrison Street rental property, the kitchen floor was replaced.

–Thrivent offers $250 Action Team grants. Each Thrivent member is eligible for two per year. We are trying to use as many of these as possible for seed money for a variety of projects. If you are a Thrivent member, and we haven’t talked to you about this yet, we will be! In the last year we have gotten these for a variety of projects, including the Family Retreat, the rummage sale, and the fish fry. We can either walk you through doing the application yourself, sit down with you in the office to do the application, or use your information to log in to the site without you even needing to be around.

-We have received a Thrivent Action Team grant for our final midweek soup supper on April 6. During the weeks leading up to the supper the Ladies Aid will be collecting items for the seminary food and clothing co-op, and that evening, at the supper, we will pack them up to go to the seminary. A list of the most-needed items is on the bulletin board, but feel free to bring any donations to the church before April 6. If you bring items and desire a receipt from the seminary, please email secretary.redeemer@gmail.com.

-The proceeds from the Easter breakfast, which will again be prepared by John Maxwell, will go to help with the repairs to our stained glass windows.

-The final total raised  by the Fish Fry and Silent Auction for Oscar Matter’s medical expenses, before the $5,000 match, was $9,800. Thank you again to everyone who helped!

-The Ladies Aid is having a rummage sale April 28 & 29. Items are currently being collected in the storage room at the south end of the basement. The proceeds will be divided between the Ladies Aid and the stained glass window repair.

-Pastor Petersen’s Bible Classon Sundaymornings meets in the undercroft. They are currently in John chapter 8 and will keep moving through John’s Gospel until September. Everyone is welcome. Pastor Frese’s class meets in the meeting room. Pastor Frese leads aSundayadult Bible Class in the meeting room in the administration building. This study’s focus is the “Sunday” Bible Stories you learned as a child. We are currently working our way through Genesis, covering the major events and characters that are leading to God’s fulfilled promise of a Savior. We are on Genesis 29 studying Jacob’s adventures. This discussion-format environment allows us to explore the basic biblical doctrine in these accounts, along with basic Lutheran doctrine drawn from them. Questions and comments from participants are welcomed. It’s never too late to join us. Involvement by participants is fluid between Pastor Frese’s and Pastor Peteren’s classes. Feel free to jump back and forth as you want.

As of the end of February, we are 2.39% above our budgeted amount in giving. This would be great, but due mostly to the repairs to the boiler and pipes, we are 6.76% over budget in spending.  This is a difference of about $5,000.

 Receiving and demonstrating Christ’s love in word and deed.

1 John 4:19 3:17