“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.” – Jer. 17:7-8
Dear Church of the Redeemer,
Through the regular rhythm of gathering and being sent out in worship, the Lord builds up His church in faith and mission. Every Sunday for over 11 years, Church of the Redeemer has gathered and gone forth–from five different locations. Each transplant from one place to another has given us new maturity. I strongly believe that our experience of gathering at other churches, in parks, parking lots, backyards, and living rooms over the previous ten years has given us special resilience for the challenges of the past year-and-a-half.
Throughout the coming ministry year we will continue to gather at Calvary Church in Roseville for Sunday worship and discipleship. We will meet at secondary locations like Gathering Place Lutheran for midweek worship services like Holy Week, and in homes and other informal spaces for small group discipleship and Bible studies. I am so grateful for the generous stewardship of churches like Calvary and Gathering Place, and the gracious hospitality many of you share with the church in your own homes.
While we continue Sunday worship at Calvary, I believe that we have grown to a maturity where our next move needs to be the place where we can put down deep roots. To that end, I invite you to pray, prepare, and ask the Lord for a church home that would allow us to worship on Sunday mornings and gather at other times during the week; a facility that would provide opportunities for testimony to God’s Word and faithfulness in adult, youth, and family discipleship; and a location that would provide a place to be a faithful presence within a specific neighborhood and community.
“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him!
They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.”
Over the coming ministry year, let’s join together in prayer, preparation, and petition; asking God, our Father, to plant us in a place where we can put down deep roots. The Lord is faithful from generation to generation. He gathered Church of the Redeemer 11 years ago, planted us, transplanted us, and continues to nourish us by His Holy Spirit.
Blessings in Christ,
Paul+