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Redeemer has been invited to participate in the Sustainable Solutions for Sacred Sites (also called the S4 Program). This is a Lilly Foundation grant run out of Judson Memorial’s Bricks and Mortals Program which we learned about from Donna Schaper, the consultant who visited us in April after we studied her book during Lent. The purpose of the program is to “produce sustainable solutions to the persistent concerns of congregations about their buildings. We turn problems into possibility by teaching and learning with imagination and experience.” This ties in perfectly with the goal of Redeemer’s Congregation Council to increase the use of our building to expand our mission and help pay for maintenance. However, we have found that putting this into action is a challenge, and we think this program will be a great for giving us direction and motivation. The S4 program is provided by forming cohorts of churches for joint learning opportunities and through professional coaching. Redeemer will be part of a virtual cohort meaning all sessions will be online. The offered trainings are estimated at a $30,000 value for a meager congregation contribution of $500. Redeemer’s Council has approved this expenditure and the application was submitted two months ago. It is so exciting that we have now been accepted!
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Many companies and organizations use employees for their skills. Yet, many never provide employees the opportunities to develop new skills or regenerate their spirit. One-way organizations can give time for renewal is through the use of sabbaticals or paid time leave, generally for a specific purpose. Our National Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), encourages our pastors to take sabbaticals.
The past two years have been particularly stressful for many of us. Pastor Tobias has not only ministered to us during the pandemic but also ministered to our day-to-day physical and emotional needs, all while inventing new ways and implementing new technologies to bring God's word to us both in-person and remotely through the Internet.
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On Saturday, April 30, 2022, Redeemer hosted the inimitable Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper, the former head pastor at the well-known Greenwich Village church, Judson Memorial, and the founder of Bricks and Mortals. Joining Pastor Tobias and several council members were representatives from Redeemer Lutheran in Kingston, St. Andrews Episcopal in New Paltz, and others. Donna’s visit was a capstone of the Lenten book study that focused on Dr. Schaper’s book, Remove the Pews: Spiritual Possibilities for Sacred Spaces and infused energy into Redeemer’s mission-focused ambition to engage the community more fully through the intentional use of God’s house and grounds.
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Over 40 million people in the United States suffer from food insecurity, a lack of consistent access to the nutritious food necessary for a healthy life. In Ulster County alone, nearly 18,000 people are food insecure. That’s why one of our main mission focus areas is fighting hunger, and over these past several years, Redeemer’s Project H.O.P.E. has gathered food items for Family of New Paltz, and, more recently, has been helping to distribute fresh produce to those in need. It’s why we’ve partnered with Phillies Bridge Farm Project.
Food justice is one of the three pillars of the Phillies Bridge Farm Project’s mission. They share our belief that everyone has a right to fresh, healthy, nutritious food, and just like at Redeemer, Phillies Bridge Farm strives to create the food resources where everyone has access to fresh nutritious food.
During this season of Lent, please consider adopting the practice of almsgiving. If you’re in a position to make a monetary donation, and join Redeemer and Phillies Bridge Farm in working towards achieving this goal.
100% of your monetary donations will go directly toward Phillies Bridge Farm’s Sliding Scale CSA Share Program, which provides financial assistance to those in need gain access to farm fresh veggies.
To make a donation, click the "Donate Now!" button below and select the option to donate to the "Food Justice - Phillies Bridge Farm".
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- Written by: Pastor Tobias
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The hard work at the SCC House continues, as we prepare it to receive its first housing justice occupants. Spearheaded by Pastor Tobias and the SCC Board, a variety of necessary updates have been accomplished, including getting unexpectedly rotted walls fixed and re-sided, heating and cooling updated, and much more. We are especially grateful to RYCOR, who donated $4,000 in support of this work, as well as Matt Di Francesco of Ardor Construction who donated $6,000 of insulating work so that the full house envelope could be completed, and Ben Simpson, who has donated generously with both time and expert advice.
To God be all the glory as we move forward in support of building housing justice, with grateful hearts to our generous partners helping to make it happen!