Pastoral Letter

As our local, state, and national response to the Coronavirus pandemic has shifted from mandates to recommendations, you’ve probably spent time considering how these recommendations, options, and suggestions apply to you. While the application of recommendations can be perplexing–frustrating, even–Jesus’s mandate to us remains the same: love one another, and through your love people will know that we are his disciples. In practical terms, that means that Christians interpret recommendations, options, and suggestions through Jesus’s command to love. Christian charity…

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,whose confidence is in him.They will be like a tree planted by the waterthat 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 droughtand 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…

When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. – Matthew 9:36 Dear Church of the Redeemer,The allegations of abuse at the former diocesan church, Christ our Light Anglican Church in Big Rock, IL, are appalling, grieve us, and grieve the Holy Spirit.  The survivors of this abuse suffered the experience of being like sheep without a shepherd through the sins of their abuser and then through subsequent…

Dear Upper Midwest Family, I’m sending you an important update regarding our ongoing investigation of abuse in a diocesan church. Please read the update on our website. We value your prayers for everyone involved, and for the Lord to be glorified even now. —Bishop Stewart Ruch III

Dear Upper Midwest Family, I’m sending you an important letter regarding a very serious and heartbreaking situation involving a member from a diocesan church. Please read the letter on our website. We take this matter with the utmost seriousness and appreciate your prayers. —Bishop Stewart Ruch III Click here to read Bishop Stewart’s letter

Church of the Redeemer, Over the past year, our nation has grieved the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd.  The public outcry in our community drew attention to the disparate experiences and deep generational sins and wounds of our nation.  As a church that seeks to share in Christ’s ministry of reconciliation, Church of the Redeemer earnestly desires to serve as ambassadors of Christ.  In fellowship with him, Jesus Christ brings reconciliation between all people, races and…

Church of the Redeemer, Each day, the prayer of general thanksgiving in Morning Prayer directs us to ask God to “give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days.”  Integrity of word and action is likewise a central theme of the book of…

With counsel from physicians, Bishop Stewart and other diocesan leaders, and in light of the Minnesota Department of Health’s most recent community-level mitigation recommendations for Covid-19, I have decided to postpone Sunday public worship services for the next two weeks, beginning this Sunday, March 15.  I will reassess this decision on a weekly basis, but due to public health concerns I think this is an immediate way for us to: “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:17)”  Although…

As we celebrate the season of Advent and anticipate the anniversary of Church of the Redeemer’s tenth year of public worship, I will be sharing the primary themes that arose from our summer discernment meetings* and how they are shaping the vision for where God is calling us as a church.  This week’s focus is communities that we are best positioned to serve. Youth and Newcomers Our church is most whole when we’re all gathered to “keep the feast” together,…