For God so loved the world, that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
We serve a God who holds nothing back, not even Jesus whom God sent to redeem the world. As members of the body of Christ, we are called to be stewards of the gifts God has entrusted to us—our time, talents, and treasures. Stewardship is more than just financial giving; it is a way of life, reflecting our gratitude for the abundant blessings we have received from the grace of God. Through acts of generosity, we reflect God’s love, care, and provision to others, and we deepen our relationship with the One who created us to be generous.
Generosity is at the heart of the gospel message. When we give generously whether of our finances, our time, or our talents—we are not only supporting the church’s mission but also living out our faith in action. Through generosity, we experience the joy of being partners in God’s work here on earth.
Generosity is not just a way of life; it is a good way of life. In fact for many, it is a way to a better life. Living generously reflects our joy-filled relationship with God.
A generous life is a faithful life:
• We give back to God as an act of worship; as an expression of love and devotion to a God who is so good to us.
• We give to God as an expression of our faith; knowing that all we have belongs to God and we offer ourselves and our possessions to be used as God sees fit.
• We give to God as a discipline for spiritual growth bringing us closer to our creator and helping us to become the sort of people we most want to be.
One of the most important tools to help us grow in the discipline of generosity is pledging our time, talents and treasure to God's work each year. This year's main goal is to have every family pledge in any amount with which they are comfortable. Not only does pledging help us grow in our faith, it also helps us budget our ministry needs for the coming year more accurately.
If you have made a financial pledge to Redeemer in the past, thank you. Please pray and consider making a pledge again this year. If you have never pledged, or don't really understand what pledging is all about, please look over the Why Pledge? article later in this brochure.
We truly believe that God is doing great things through Redeemer. We hope you will join us on this journey of faith, allowing God’s generosity to flow through us and impact the lives of those around us.
2021Plans
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A NEW SPIRIT OF WELCOME AND INVITATION
Inspired by the challenge of our beloved saint, Bob Gibeling, we adopted a new Welcome Statement early in 2024. This statement made explicit that at Redeemer "we open our arms to everyone who comes to share our love of God and all God’s people."
Little did we know that there was a bigger power at work. Soon after, a group of volunteers began to expand our evangelism efforts and social media outreach. In April the church council formed a task force to develop ways we could "show Jesus to a post-pandemic world."
FACING A CHOICE
While our congregation faithfully and generously supports the mission of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, since the pandemic, our giving has remained flat. At the same time the costs of doing ministry continue to rise. This means we face a choice: do we continue to reduce spending to maintain the status quo and pray that ongoing trends change direction? Or do we make a radical investment in our future and try a new approach? We are blessed with close to 3 million dollars in reserve and memorial funds. Do we maintain these investments for the long term, or do we release them now to change the trajectory of our future?
A DEFINING MOMENT
While mainline Christianity, including Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, took a hit from the pandemic, the rest of the world got leveled. There are people outside our doors who are hurting, lost and confused. They are desperate to see Jesus and Redeemer has what they need.
MEETING THE CHALLENGE
The church council is considering a bold initiative to search for and call a new pastor focused on Evangelism and Mission Development. To allow for such a new ministry to take root, it will take years of dedication, an enormous effort, and a commitment of new resources. The church council is "all in" for this challenge. Given the huge numbers of people moving into our area, if we don't act now, the question is when will we?
WHAT MIGHT SUCH A POSITION LOOK LIKE?
While a lot of dreaming is yet to take place, there are certain areas of outreach that are already clear:
• The launching of a new alternative worship service.
• Expansion of our publicity and media outreach.
• The training of our people to become evangelists.
• More neighborhood events to meet our neighbors.
• Expanding our partnerships with other institutions to meet the needs of our new neighbors.
• Ensure that our new Welcome Statement is fully implemented. HOW CAN
YOU HELP?
• As you pray and consider your pledge for this coming year, ask yourself if you are "all in" and consider an increase. If you haven't pledged before, this is the time. You can be part of a new movement that will define Lutheran Church of the Redeemer for the foreseeable future.
• Take part in the budget discussions this fall. Not only are we talking about adding a new pastor, we still need to call a Pastor for Congregational Care as well as rebuild our financial administration and property maintenance staff.
• Consider how you might be an "evangelist" to your family, friends, co-workers and neighborhood as together we share the story of what is happening at Redeemer. Maybe you are being called to serve on a new and revitalized Evangelism Team.
• Consider your plans for long-range giving. We would not be even able to consider these new efforts if it weren't for our saints like Bob Gibeling and Jean and Betty Mori who long ago made sure that their legacy of generosity would continue long after their time on earth.
What does my Offering Do?
Every dollar that you give to Redeemer goes toward accomplishing our mission. Together we nurture disciples of all ages as we GROW FAITHFULLY. Together we use our God-given gifts and resources to SERVE BOLDLY in a hurting world. Together we faithfully maintain and care for our facilities so they most effectively serve our mission as we BUILD OUR FUTURE. It is interesting to note that our mission budget is almost evenly divided among all three goals.
GROWING FAITHFULLY: 35% of our budget
As we worship, pray and study, we grow as disciples. We are deeply grounded in our Lutheran identity. Our theology is generous and grace filled. Our worship is centered on the invitation that Christ offers at the communion table: all are welcome in this place. That welcome flows through all we do and say.
2024 Highlights
• During the summer, while our sanctuary was being renovated, we seamlessly moved our worship into the Atrium.
• We celebrated 10 baptisms, confirmed 9 middle schoolers, and sent 14 teenagers with their chaperones to New Orleans for the ELCA National Youth Gathering.
• Our Children and Family ministries had another full year of programming including Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Summer camping, and a variety of Fellowship events.
• We welcomed a new Director of Youth Ministries, Nate Humpherys.
SERVING BOLDLY: 28% of our Budget
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer is a caring church. We support our members when they are struggling and we are an active force for good in the world. Redeemer has a rich history of action and advocacy throughout metropolitan Atlanta, the impact of which remains central to our identity today.
2024 Highlights
• We adopted a new Welcome Statement, making public our commitment to welcome everyone just as Jesus welcomed us.
• We supported nearly twenty local ministry partners as well as our Core Spiritual Partners.
• In partnership with Midtown Alliance, we hosted our second annual Block Party, Oktoberfest @ Redeemer, to introduce ourselves to our new neighbors.
• Lutheran Community Food Ministry continues to serve on average 120 hot meals a day to our neighbors, as well as forty meals to Lutheran Towers, Monday through Friday.
BUILDING OUR FUTURE: 37% of our budget
Seven generations of generous Redeemer members have blessed us with the properties and beautiful spaces we use to worship, learn, and serve. As we care for our legacy building, we do so with an eye towards future development and expanded mission possibilities.
2024 Highlights
• We continued our Master Planning process and are now seeking appropriate development partners.
• We invested close to $400,000 in our facilities, including new electrical wiring, painting, sound and lighting upgrades to our sanctuary.
VISION
Through Redeemer the World Will See Jesus.
To create a community that in word and deed reflects the love of Christ. Through worship, community and service, Redeemer equips people to be living testaments to the Lutheran faith in Atlanta and beyond.
VALUES MISSION
Love of God. Love of neighbor. Love of each other.
OUR STRATEGIC GOA LS
GOAL ONE
To build a community of Christ’s disciples, who in word and deed reflect the love of Christ.
GOAL TWO
To strengthen Lutheran Church of the Redeemer (Redeemer) as a center for social action, community collaboration, learning and spiritual growth, focusing on hunger and homelessness, justice and inclusion, and mental health and wellness.
GOAL THREE
To deepen our relationships with one another and welcome others into a nurturing and caring community.
GOAL FOUR
To build on Redeemer’s identity and reputation as a center for social action, community collaboration, learning and spiritual growth.
GOAL FIVE
To ensure the sustainability and long-term vitality of Redeemer’s witness and mission by managing and using our resources to honor God.
Why Pledge?
People who are new to Redeemer may wonder about pledging financial support for our mission ahead of time. Even some lifelong Lutherans have questions about this unique spiritual practice.
What
is a pledge?
A pledge is basically a promise between you and God shared with the church for the purpose of being more faithful, accountable, and generous. Each year, we ask every member to pray and consider how they will support the mission of Jesus Christ in this place through the offering of their time, talent and financial resources in the coming year. It is not a legally binding contract and can always be changed if your circumstances change.
What is the spiritual purpose of making a financial pledge?
Pledging helps us embrace the spiritual gift of generosity. Created in the image of our generous God, we are made to reflect God’s generosity. And God calls us to become partners in God’s work in the world through our gifts. As we grow in generosity, we grow in godliness and discipleship.
Why is pledging considered a spiritual discipline?
Like prayer, scripture reading, fasting, and service, the practice of giving regularly and intentionally helps us grow in faith and mature spiritually. It serves as a continual reminder of God’s claim on our lives. It requires us to put our own needs and wants into proper perspective, to set aside our own interests for the sake of God and others.
How are pledges used?
The congregation's Finance Team and Church council uses the pledges we receive to estimate our resources for ministry for the coming year.
HOW DO I …
…DECIDE HOW MUCH TO COMMIT?
First, begin by giving thanks and remembering that everything around us ultimately derives from God. Especially when times are uncertain, we have the assurance that God is always by our side.
Thoughtfully and prayerfully consider with your family the meaning and purpose of Redeemer’s mission. The best way to determine the amount of one's pledge is to determine a percentage of one's income you want to return to God. Biblically a tithe (10%) is a suggested guide. But no matter the percentage or amount, it is the act of pledging that is important.
There are three simple ways to make your pledge:
• Go on-line at Redeemer.org/give.
• Return the Estimate of Giving card from your Stewardship packet on or before Commitment Sunday, October 27.
• Email your pledge to bdavis@redeemer.org.
• If you’re able to remember Redeemer in your estate planning, make a note on your Estimate of Giving and we will contact you.
Another way to support our mission is through your gift of time. Please go to our website www.redeemer.org/serve/volunteer to explore the many ways you can connect and serve.
We thank you for your continued faithfulness and support for Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. Remember, it is because of of your generosity that our congregation continues to grow faithfully and serve boldly.
