Background

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6-8, NRSV

STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS

You notice two things about Lutheran Church of the Redeemer when you first attend a Sunday service: first, Redeemer has a beautiful building situated in the heart of midtown Atlanta, a nearly unbeatable location for vital ministry that has a broad impact in the surrounding city. The second thing you notice is the generosity of spirit among the people who attend. Members of this congregation care about each other and the difference they are making in the world.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer began its ministry as “The Little Stone Church” on Trinity Avenue in 1903, the 66th year of Atlanta’s existence. In 1937 the church moved to its current location and became known as the “Church of the Lighted Window” for the beautiful stained-glass window of the Good Shepherd that faces Peachtree Street. Redeemer survived difficult years and grew stronger, changing from a suburban parish to become the urban church of 2,500, simply called “Redeemer.”

Today, the community of people who make up Redeemer are embarking on a new journey that involves deepening relationships with God, one another and the community. A disciplined, 14-month process was followed to develop Lutheran Church of the Redeemer’s Strategic Plan for 2020–2025. In May 2018, a strategic committee was convened by Redeemer’s Council to undertake this work. The members of this committee represented a broad cross-section of the congregation. Redeemer also contracted with Rev. Cameron Trimble of the Center for Progressive Renewal to facilitate the process.

The key question for Lutheran Church of the Redeemer was: What should our priorities be over the next five years to fully move into the vision and mission we believe God is calling us to embody?