We are so grateful to have been joined by so many of Redeemer's former pastors and leaders for our worship celebration on June 6th, the 112th anniversary of Redeemer's founding. We heard -- and now can watch -- The Rev. Dr. Tyrone Partee's (1990-95) greeting, sent to us from afar. As the old hymn goes, "We've come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord," and we remain eager to see where the Spirit leads us now!

Redeemer Congregation Council activity for March of 2021 included the annual council retreat, where all council members and ministers met to plan for the year to come. The 2021 retreat focused on documenting and ranking tasks for the next 3-6 months. 

Drawn out of the Ministry Site Profile created by the Call Committee, council focused on 5 areas: Worship, Youth and Family, Stewardship, Multicultural Ministry, and Building a Sense of Community.  All tasks fell within one of these five areas. 

Highest on this list are: 

• Addressing our individual and collective grief as a community and congregation.
• Work has already begun to fill our post-Easter preaching roster, and completing a technically and legally appropriate reopening plan. 
• You can read more about the vibrant Youth and Family ministry at Redeemer in the individual ministry reports below. Work on the immediate tasks in this area have also already begun. 
  

Much work remains to be done so we can be ready to safely re-open and welcome a new pastor. In past retreats we may have focused on creating a long term vision, this year we chose to be hopefully short sighted. 

Summaries of individual ministry reports for February 2021 are included below. 

PROPERTIES (Stuart Munk): 

• Appropriate doors have been rekeyed.
• Co-led one of the tours of Redeemer’s structure for Literacy MN. This organization is looking for a new site. This issue remains under discussion between council and Literacy MN.
  
• An energy audit was finalized by EnerChange. 
• Both motors powering our boiler will be rebuilt. 
• Anticipated activity: painting, new signage, cleaning storage areas and hallways.
• As always, I welcome any suggestions or questions regarding our church property. You can contact me at:
  
• Stuart Munk       651-249-1753     munkhead1960@gmail.com
  

EDU/YOUTH (Anna Kottkamp & Lonna Field)

• The EduYouth hosted the first Redeemer Family Fellowship in February, which was a blast! We mailed postcards to 18 Redeemer families and elders to let them know we are thinking of them. 
  

• We hope you will join us for the next Redeemer Family Fellowship on Sunday, March 21 at 10:30 AM, in preparation for Palm Sunday! These virtual gatherings are an opportunity for us to connect and grow in our faith together! The EduYouth team will host activities for elementary-aged children and their families, but all are welcome to join the fun! Click here for the Zoom link. (Meeting ID: 828 2807 5412, Passcode: 371196)

• Also, a reminder for youth who are finishing 5th grade on up (entering 6th grade & up next fall) and their parents -- Save the date for our Northside Collaborative Confirmation Kick-off on zoom on Sunday, April 18 at 4pm!
  

EVANGELISM & OUTREACH (Rev. Sally Ankerfelt)

• The Evangelism and Outreach group is looking for Redeemer members and friends to join the creative effort of reaching out to members, friends, and neighbors. If you enjoy people and want to make a difference by reaching out and sharing Christ's love in the process, this group is for you. At present, the group will meet virtually once a month at a mutually agreed upon time. 
  

• If you are interested, email or call Sally Ankerfelt at sally@giftfamilyservices.com, 612-203-6530. "
  

Service and Advocacy December Report
Holly De Souza
   The Service and Advocacy Committee continues to focus on voting and masking. To assist with the Fair Fight in Georgia for the January 5th Senate RunOff, we were able to write 60 letters targeting voters who need to register and 200 postcards targeting people to get out to early vote. We also provided Redeemer with a few hundred masks as well as 60 masks to community members in need. Overwhelming gratitude to Maggie for generously sharing her mask making gifts.

December EduYouth Ministry Council Report:
Anna Kottkamp, Lonna Field, Jason Hirsch

• Thankful for Edina Community Lutheran Church Partnership!

• Advent Kits:
  • Passed out 36 kits to families on Nov. 29; extra kits were available for guests to pick up from the church entryway and little free library
  • The kits have activities for children and families to engage in from the first Sunday of Advent through Epiphany.
  • Virtual zoom sessions with ECLC Sunday School: 1 more coming up on Dec. 20 at 10:30am
• Virtual Christmas Pageant - fun collaboration with ECLC, St. Paul’s Lutheran, and Christ the River of Life Lutheran. The scenes have been divided between the various congregations and will be weaved together with music. (Hooray for Anna K & Kelly R’s editing skills.) To be shown as part of Redeemer’s Christmas Eve service -- you’ll definitely want to tune in!
• Pastor Sharon Kelly led Holy Communion Instruction for children; Recorded so it will be available to share with families along with conversation on zoom in the new year.
• Pastor Sharon Kelly helped secure some funding in support of a confirmation retreat this spring; more conversation/planning to come!

RACIAL JUSTICE & EQUITY REPORT
Dr. Robin Bell

We send this first and only email inviting you to remember Redeemer Lutheran Church by igniting and growing your financial giving online before December 31, 2020 through GiveMN and the Redeemer online giving portal. We welcome your considering a special gift online by joining tomorrow's Giving Tuesday campaign (explained below) and making Redeemer Lutheran Church your generosity recipient through GiveMN. Please also consider sharing our fundraiser with your friends and families and inviting them to match your #GivingTuesday donation!

Know that our prayers (spoken at virtual worship and posted weekly on our website) join yours for this passing year and upcoming new year. This pandemic year became an unfamiliar time of increased stress and too much suffering for many globally. Locally, the unjust death of Mr. Floyd forced us to examine (again!) how law enforcement has been used along with racial disparities in employment, education, housing, and health to destroy Black, Indigenous and People of Color families and households within the Minnesota communities we share.

As Christians, we express our faith through the global Lutheran communion. Our baptismal and vocational call is for listening to all for the Spirit sent by God in this partnership of the gospel of Jesus Christ whose Cross is the promise of accompanying the suffering. This suffering Cross of Christ leads our mission and ministry of accompaniment that begins this new Christian Church year and as we anticipate the new year. We thank you for your presence, prayers, and purse that make Redeemer Lutheran Church a beacon of hope.

Advent Blessings,
The Rev. Dr. Sharon Kelly
Interim Pastor

What is Giving Tuesday? #GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement that unleashes the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and their world. #GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past seven years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. #GivingTuesday strives to build a world in which the catalytic power of generosity is at the heart of the society we build together, unlocking dignity, opportunity, and equity around the globe.

#GivingTuesday’s global network collaborates year-round to inspire generosity around the world, with a common mission to build a world where generosity is part of everyday life\

Treasurer's Report: Mike Tarras // The total for the bank account is currently at: $26,175.05 (as of October 19, 2020). Revenue came in $4K above Expense for September! This is really a testament to how well managed our expenses have been. Expenses were $21.5K which is almost $14k below budget. The balance in our bank account continues to shrink, mostly because our significant grants have been paid out. Hopefully our stewardship work in late September and early October will have a measurable impact. Thanks to Pastor Kelly, and Lonna for all their hard work getting these reports out. Full reports are available upon request.

Fellowship and Worship, Music, & Arts: Mary Britt and Jane Friendshuh // The fellowship team gathered on Saturday, October 24th to prepare our annual Soul Food Dinner, which we distributed To-Go style to dozens of families on the 25th as they drove-up or walked-up! The snow and cold didn't stop any of us. The day was made even better as ECLC members drove by to share in gratitude with us for our continued partnership.

Evangelism & Outreach Ministry Report: Pastor Babette Chatman // On behalf of the Evangelism & Outreach Ministry we share the following Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar (TCC4J) request from Jess Sunden: "TCC4J is working on legislation for community control of the police through an elected civilian police accountability council. We are seeking community input, and community support. Is there a committee at Redeemer that might be willing to speak with us about this? Is there a contact person you can direct me to? Is there some other way I should be going about this? Please let me know your thoughts." The Evangelism & Outreach ministry is also working closely with RCFL to reimagine the annual Christmas Store for pandemic times. More details and invitations will be forthcoming!

EduYouth Ministry Report: Lonna Field, Jason Hirsch, Anna Kottkamp // As many families in our congregation navigate distance learning, the Edu/Youth team is seeking out your ideas on how your family would like to be supported in faith and connected to Redeemer during this time. Please contact Lonna, Jason, or Anna with any suggestions or comments you may have. Updates: We passed out children’s worship bulletins and/or activity pages at some of the car worships. Working on an Advent partnership for children with ECLC. More to come soon! We are looking for Redeemer members willing to apply for a thrivent action team grant on our behalf. We're starting conversations with Traiveon about planning a retreat-style confirmation for middle and early high schoolers in the spring. We continue to brainstorm ways for families to be involved in worship (e.g., asking families to be a part of reading). Augsburg student & Redeemer attendee Toby is starting to connect with children and youth ministry at Redeemer. And we are partnering with Pastor Babette & RCFL to help envision/support the Christmas store this year.

Service & Advocacy Report: Holly De Souza The Ad-Vote-Cacy Committee has been keeping voters at Cub Foods engaged with our "Make a Plan To Vote" Information. We have had many meaningful conversations with enthusiastic voters who are ready to vote early and hit the polls. The Ad-Vote-Cacy Committee also collaborated with voter registration at the We Win Harvest Festival at Zion Baptist and at the Venture North Garage/Bike Sale with RCFL. WE would also like to celebrate a very successful voter infor-mation Door Hanger Door Hanging Blitz, that through collaboration with ECLC, HNA, and Heritage Park made the impossible possible. 5000 voter information door hangers covered the Harrison Neighborhood and many other parts of the Northside in record time. HUGE thanks to all those who participated! Thanks Bex and Libby of RCFL, and to Maggie Dexheimer Pharris, for helping me get the T-Shirts ordered!

Property Minister Report: Stuart Munk // With EnerChange’s assistance contacted Skyline Heating and Air, a black-owned HVAC contractor with ties to the North Side. Their rep. informed me that, the person who previously had maintained our boiler had not posted a state-required certificate of standard and no log of the boiler’s usage or maintenance, another state requirement, had never been logged. Skyline assured me that they would maintain those records, post their certification, and provide services beyond what had been accepted. Since our boiler has the ability to switch from oil to natural gas we receive incentives from the city of Mpls when we’re able to make that switch during times of high demand. I have informed the exec committee of Skyline’s proposal of a $400 monthly fee for: Routine maintenance of the boiler: professional care of the air & water pressures; Posting certification and maintaining required log; And making sure sufficient oil is within our reservoir allowing us to make the switch. We would receive a reduction on cost for parts and repair work if we agree to utilize Skyline’s services. The last state inspection of our boiler does require some improvements that Skyline could provide. I informed the exec committee that I will check further on these terms and other providers but the company’s owners and workforce being people of color make their offer, in my opinion, meets their/our needs for service and mission. There is one major caveat. The Skyline rep. informed me that they could proved that monthly service for $400. If we do not sign on with them for the monthly checkup, then one option is for one of our members or someone reliable to take a boiler systems 5-day course. That person needs to pass the course, post that result, and then that person with 5 days of training would be responsible for the monthly log, air and water pressures and oil levels. They would also need to be basically on an “on-call” basis. I will continue to utilize EnerChange concerning other options concerning the boiler.
     The rekeying of all doors has been put on hold as I’ve familiarized myself with our using Floyd Medeco keys. I’ve learned that they are the gold standard of keys and that Floyd has strict, proprietary rights over replacement of their keys. Meaning…only they can replace the actual key and only they can work on locks paired with said keys. I mention this because our front door was removed from its hinges last summer and has scraped since its reinstallation. That issue can only be repaired by Floyd as the part scraping is key/lock related. I do know how many keys (of all uses) have been made by Floyd on our behalf. So we can try use that number to cross check who has door access keys. The first locksmith I called could have rekeyed and given new keys at a fraction of the cost, but as we have Floyd product we’re paying for the best and to rekey with them would be cost prohibitive. I’m gathering further information before we proceed and will keep council updated.
    Glenwood House Garage: I have removed all shelving on one side of the garage and spoken with Ian about the eventual removal of the few bikes that remain. In the meantime, I’ve learned that all the boxes on the other side of the garage are related to the orange Nice Ride bikes the city utilized several years ago. I’d been ead to believe that those parts and bikes were all RCFL property but as they’re Nice Ride bikes and parts related to their upkeep and assembly I’ve contacted the city and will ascertain the original agreement and its terms. So far it looks like the city would come and reclaim the boxes of parts, helmets and mainframes, freeing RCFL from the need to create storage for parts that simply aren’t theirs. Again, more info to be obtained and shared at a later time. Meanwhile the door to the garage has been professionally repaired and is reliable and lockable. And while the garage is wired, I’m not sure its electricity is currently operable. Space for two LVC cars is now available and I’ll check on updating the security lights etc. for the space. I am keeping Ian updated as necessary concerning the garage’s contents.  
     I’ve recently made contact with Dave Scharnhorst concerning updated security for the church and the Glenwood House.
     Winter windows will be washed, assembled and placed. The snowblower will be readied along with salt and shovels for the coming winter. Ladies room, on the upper level, the counting room, kitchen will be painted.
     The large, white bulbs in the front entrance have been dusted and washed. Non-slip patches have been placed on the northern steps to the lower level of the church. The kitchen is being cleaned and culled, including the stove top and back splash.

In their work to prepare Redeemer to call a new pastor, our Call Committee has worked diligently over the past few months to complete the Ministry Site Profile below. In it you will find a summary of who we are, have always been, our priorities and values, and our congregational trajectory which will be provided to all potential pastoral candidates!
If you have questions or thoughts, you may share them with Amy in the church office and she will pass them on accordingly.