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Reflecting on the senseless
By Andy Bramsen Your love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good… Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Have the same attitude toward all… If possible, live peaceably with everyone. (Romans 12:9, 15-16a, 18) These past few days have been heart-wrenching. Two young African-American men killed by police for no apparent reason, one in Louisiana and one just a few miles from where our church meets to worship each Sunday. Five…
Sent Out In Mission: Jordan McGurran
Church of the Redeemer is excited to send out Jordan McGurran as a supported missionary this spring! In the post below, Jordan shares about his opportunity to serve with Uganda Partners and Uganda Christian University in Mukano, Uganda. “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” – Frederick Buechner By Jordan McGurran This quote from writer and Presbyterian minister Frederick Buechner has been on my mind these past two years of…
Ancient Faith Transforming Modern Lives: The Psalms
Today’s Redeemer Journal post is by Joshua Ford, who has written about chanting of the psalms in our worship service. Although chant is one of the earliest modes of Christian worship, it may be new to many of us, and Church of the Redeemer has been blessed by Joshua’s knowledge and gifts in this form of musical worship. In addition to being a skilled and gifted musician, Joshua is a graduate of St. Vladimir’s Seminary in New York and has…
Connected To Community: Lenten Soup Suppers and Prayer
By Sarah Lundgren Lenten Soup Suppers have long played a prominent role in the spiritual formation of our church. Our first gatherings as a church family were around the Lenten soup supper table at Roseville Covenant back in 2007 – back when we all still had flip phones. It’s where I first met Theresa holding her baby, Tim, who turns 10 next week. We grew in fellowship with one another as we shared our homemade breads and soups,…
Epiphany
By Steve Baird Epiphany is celebrated on January 6th and falls on the 12th day of Christmas. The word epiphany means “manifestation” or “revelation” and is usually associated in Western Christianity with the visit of the wise men (Magi) to the Christ child. Through the Magi, who by tradition came from Persia (modern day Iraq), Christ was first revealed to the gentiles. However, other Christian traditions associate Epiphany with other events in Jesus’s life. In Eastern Orthodoxy, Epiphany (or Theophany)…
Go Forth: Small Acts of Compassion
By Haley Scharf When I read the gospels I am struck by Jesus’ compassion to those who long for hope. He was moved by the suffering he saw and did not turn away from those who came to him for healing. This is at once a great comfort (because we can know he is not unfeeling towards our own brokenness) and a great challenge to those who want to be his disciples (because we must leave our own comfort zones…
Reconciliation
This week’s post is by John Lundgren, a member of Church of the Redeemer and a leader of our men’s prayer ministry. A physician by vocation, John has a heart for spiritual healing as well. Earlier in December, he gave this teaching on reconciliation at a men’s prayer meeting. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ…
Waiting In The Dark – Part Two
By Brynna Jones Part 2: Anticipation — or Waiting for “It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Is it? Is it really? Last winter, I spent a lot of time waiting for my anxiety-induced illness and fatigue to pass so that I could do my work; work that mostly consisted of finishing my last research project and writing my doctoral dissertation. This year, after (finally!) completing my graduate degree in February, it has…
Waiting In The Dark – Part One
This week’s post comes in two parts. Both are by Brynna Jones, who will be leaving us soon for a position on the East Coast. We will miss Brynna and the many gifts, including her music, that she shares with our church. We wish her well. By Brynna Jones Part 1: Perseverance — or Waiting on ‘What is real/about us all is that each of us is waiting.’ …
Deacons
Over the past few months, Church of the Redeemer has been blessed several times in our worship services by the ministry of Deacon Liz Stewart, Pastor of Children’s & Family Ministry at Church of the Cross in Hopkins. Along with Bishops and Priests, Deacons belong to what is what is known as the threefold order of ministry. This way of distinguishing between different types of ordained ministry is recognized by many Christians, but particularly by the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. In the Anglican…