On Saturday, March 24th, Redeemer gathered a group of nearly 50 congregants and community members of all ages who piled onto a bus and rode to the State Capitol to join nearly 18,000 Minnesotans and millions more across the nation in the March for Our Lives.

Despite the blistering cold, we were encouraged and inspired by the young speakers from the Twin Cities and from Parkland, FL, who shared their own harrowing stories of how gun violence has impacted their lives in myriad scenarios from street violence to school shootings. 

As a church living out the mission of God in an urban area wracked with gun violence, Redeemer uniquely understands that the scourge of gun violence goes deeper and farther than mass shootings. It is the daily lived reality of so many of our neighbors and school children, a reality we are committed to changing. The March for Our Lives is one piece in a movement for whole, healthy, equitable living. 

Are you interested in learning about or becoming involved with Redeemer's non-profit community development organization, Redeemer Center for Life?  Now is a GREAT opportunity to invest financially and be part of RCFL's ongoing evolution within Harrison, North Minneapolis, and the greater Twin Cities area!  Below is an invitation to more from Sara Huelle, our Director of Donor Development.

During Lent 2018, in addition to engaging in a season of holy listening through a series of one-on-one meetings between congregants, Redeemer is hosting weekly Wednesday night Soup Suppers and Holden worship. 
​
On Wednesdays February 21 and 28, and March 7, 14, 21, and 28, join us for food and fellowship at 6pm, and stay for Holden worship and table conversations beginning at 7pm. 

If you'd like to volunteer to bring a pot of soup to share for Lenten worship, please contact Amy Koopman at the church or Minister of Fellowship Steve Patnode. ​

 It can be easy at times to feel disheartened in today's world. But at Sunday's MLK Celebration, community members took heart in great food, community and conversation. After enjoying a delicious potluck, members took part in a service that combined music with round table conversation. Members talked about feeling angry and often times hopeless in the face of today's politics and racial issues. But they also talked about how anger can turn into power and love. Several people talked about the importance of not demonizing others, in fact seeing us all as God's creation. Others talks about finding more profound ways to take care of each other within the notion that, "When all do better, we all do better." A couple people spoke on how the church has the potential to be a major force in the community. We have the potential to be brave, they said, to call things out that are not ok, and set the tone for how we can honor everyone's humanity. 

Last night, the Redeemer and Westwood young adults gathered in the Living Room for chili and Christmas desserts followed by some games and a brief worship service with music lead by Paul Koopman. It was a great time to come together with other congregation members and share in some delicious food and company. Redeemer hopes to continue to have more young adult nights like this one, so stay tuned for those dates! 

The Women of Redeemer embarked on their annual retreat at Bay Lake Camp in beautiful Bay Lake, Minnesota last weekend (Nov. 3rd-5th). I think it is safe to say that everyone who attended the retreat was immensely grateful for the opportunity to spend the weekend with the wonderful and wise women of Redeemer. The theme of this year’s retreat was “JustUs Women: Being Women of Justice.” Each woman had a different story and insight to share with the group which resulted in very fruitful conversations throughout the entire weekend. We shared and listened and became closer to one another in ways that can’t happen all the time in our busy day-to-day routines. Pastor Babette stressed the importance of taking time away to just be and refocus, and at the end of the weekend, it was evident, that doing just that can make a world of a difference. The women of Redeemer who couldn’t attend were greatly missed and plans were put into motion to find ways to meet more often and more intentionally throughout the course of the upcoming year. It was a beautiful and inspiring weekend.

​