Christ Our Redeemer Cristo Nuestro Redentor

Christ our Redeemer’s Church Council Report—August 2010

Think back to May.  Pastor Dan received a call to serve in Wisconsin.  This led to lively discussion about where we are and where we are going as a congregation.  Together we expressed hopes and dreams about the possibilities of Christ our Redeemer under God’s blessing.  Pastor Dan then returned the call, prayerfully deciding to remain here.

So now what?  Follow-though.  Talk becomes walk and visions turn into plans and actions.  Accordingly, Pastor Dan, President Kevin Simank, newly appointed Strategic Planner Pastor Paul Hartman, and Elder/Staff Ministry Student Daniel Dexter will be meeting to put the ideas of the open forum into a comprehensive ministry plan.  The key concept to this Christ-centered Gospel-powered plan is engaging and empowering God’s people for meaningful service — connecting people to Christ, to each other, and to ministry together. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

This will not be a hasty process.  There is plenty of time and room for your input.  Please come to the men above or any Council members with your thoughts.

Now for a brief update on various areas of ministry:

Renovation – The process has been slow.  Bids have been sought but the follow-through from contractors has been disappointing. The committee continues to meet to line up possibilities.

Education – The fall Sunday School kickoff is right around the corner!  Most teacher spots have been filled, but there is always a need for more teachers and back-ups.  The grades will be shuffled slightly to accommodate the various age groups.  Also, look for the new F.R.O.G.S. schedule soon, and please know that parent/adult involvement is key to the possibilities of this youth ministry.

A.S.K. Christ – The Monday morning prayer group is expanding its reach with the A.S.K. Christ Network.  This email forum will be for sharing prayer requests and encouragements. More info is coming soon.

Look around you.  Young and old, men and women, what we have here is a partnership in the Gospel.  Our purpose is to reach the lost with God’s salvation and to build each other up in Christ.  Let Paul’s prayer be ours as well: “I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on until completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:4-6).

 

Fruits of Faith – July 2010

Worship Attendance
123

Adult Bible Study Attendance
55

Sunday School Attendance
12

 

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“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,
continue to live in Him,
rooted and built up in Him,
strengthened in the faith as you were taught,
and overflowing with thankfulness.”
(Colossians 2:6,7)

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Ministry Highlights for the Summer

We enrolled 45 for Vacation Bible School in June and twelve different people plus the Project Timothy girls helped out.  A huge thanks to all who served!

The F.R.O.G.S. enjoyed a summer event, visiting the Farm and Ranch Museum in Las Cruces and the Space Museum in Alamogordo.  Tons of fun for all!

We received fourteen new members into our church family last Sunday.  We are so blessed!

 

Christ our Redeemer’s Church Council Report—May 2010

What are your thoughts when you hear the words church budget?  Do you think of making ends meet, or making the most of our resources for God’s glory?  Do you think of lifeless numbers, or numbers that are put to work to teach and spread the life-giving Gospel?  Do you think of bills and salaries or of the cross and of souls?  Do you think of where we are at financially, or do you dream a little about where we could be, what more we could do together in Christ’s name?  As you ponder these things, please say a prayer that God would bless the Council budget meeting coming in a few weeks.  And please come to us with any questions, comments, or concerns you may have.

Now for a brief update on various areas of ministry:

Education – Kids Bible Fun Week (VBS) is being planned and help is being recruited.  The summer Sunday School schedule is being set.  F.R.O.G.S. will have a summer event in July.

Benevolence – Upcoming projects include distributing athletic equipment to children in the barrios and giving aid to Dame La Mano.  We are also helping a member in need, aided by matching funds from Thrivent.

Property – The Renovation Committee has been meeting and is seeking bids for the project.  The carpets and chairs were recently cleaned.  The trees and bushes will be sprayed.

Technology – There are plans to add audio and visual of our worship services on the website.

Worship – Special music will be planned for various summer services.

Spanish Ministry – The Spanish Bible study has grown and been well attended.  Several people are now willing to translate the second service.

Evangelism – It is likely Cesar Sanchez will take this position in the future.  He is excited for a few days of evangelism training at the Seminary in Wisconsin in June.

Finally, as we consider just what a church budget is all about, may our hearts and resources be drawn together in this ministry purpose stated by the Apostle Paul: “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”  (Colossians 2:2,3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fruits of Faith

Worship Attendance
March – 138
April – 158

Adult Bible Study Attendance
March – 54
April – 60

Sunday School Attendance
March – 20
April – 13

Teen Class Attendance
March – 4
April – 3

 

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,
continue to live in Him,
rooted and built up in Him,
strengthened in the faith as you were taught,
and overflowing with thankfulness.”
(Colossians 2:6,7)

Christ our Redeemer’s Church Council Report—February 2010

‘I’m losing my mind!’  Have you ever said that in an overwhelmed moment?  For some, it is no exaggeration.  Perhaps you’ve seen dementia or Alzheimer’s rob a loved one of clarity and coherence.  At Monday’s Council meeting, Pastor Dan spoke of a visit with a dear old man who’s battling that confusion right now.  …Those ailments may rob the mind, but they cannot rob the heart!  For when Pastor asked him what his favorite Bible verse is, the gentleman began, “The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not be in want.”  And he continued on with Psalm 23.  All of it.  Flawlessly.  …What Scripture do you have hidden away in your heart?  That living-and-active Word of God is your clarity of His saving love in any of life’s confusing moments.

Pastor Dan shared some statistics from 2009 to praise God for:

• We received 19 adult confirmands last year, most ever in his ministry!
• Worship attendance was up from 132 in 2008 to 145 in 2009!
• Bible study attendance grew from 58 in 2008 to 62 last year!

But one statistic is cause for concern and prayer:

• Giving was down by more than $13,000 last year.

We share this last statistic so that you are aware. We want it to be clear that we look to the grace of God for our motivation and we respond to the love lavished on us in Christ.  It is simply our distinct joy and privilege to support the Gospel ministry He has given to us.

A ministry opportunity to look forward to is the F.R.O.G.S. ‘Walk for a Cause.’  This will provide our children with a service opportunity as they learn about, support, and give to a charity.  In F.R.O.G.S. events in coming months, our children will learn about charities that fight breast cancer, diabetes, and autism.  Each child will choose one of the charities to support, and then on Sunday, April 25th, we will walk laps around Album Park in support of those charities.  You will be invited to pledge any amount (per lap) for any charity the children walk for.  So this service opportunity will ultimately involve the whole church, with our children leading the way as they learn about how they can be a blessing to others as they show the love of Christ.  If you have any questions or would like more information, talk with Daniel Dexter.

 “Surely goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives,
and we will dwell in the house of the LORD…
forever.”
(Psalm 23:6)

Fruits of Faith—January ‘10

Worship Attendance

147

Adult Bible Study Attendance

72

Sunday School Attendance

15

Teen Class Attendance

5

 

God be praised for his Gospel motivation!

 

Christ our Redeemer’s Church Council Report—January 2010

Eternity.  That infinite concept doesn’t fit into finite minds.  But we know by faith that eternity awaits us—life forever in Heaven with our God and Savior.  It’s guaranteed because He laid down His life saying “It is finished!”  And because He took it up again, just as He said!  But does eternity affect your everyday?  We recently flipped the calendars to 2010.  Another year of to-do’s and never-done’s and the business of busyness.  It is said that Martin Luther lived by a two-day calendar: ‘There’s today…and there’s that Day.’  He lived each day mindful of that great Day when Christ comes again; he lived each day with eternity in mind.  Consider how that blesses each day with hope, confidence, joy, zeal, and expectation.  Take a moment each day to look to that Day and the beginning of no end with Christ.  May we grow in this blessed perspective in 2010!

Now for some updates on various projects and ministries: 

Renovation—By now you are probably aware that Pastor Dan and Nikki have moved their offices to the Publications building.  If you didn’t get a chance to visit those new offices yet, check them out; the workmanship is excellent!  The next step is to gather a committee to discuss ideas and possibilities of the project.  Everyone’s input is welcome.  Share your thoughts with the Property Chairman, Charlie Ellis, or with any of the Council members, or with Pastor Dan.  The renovation fund, most of which has come from the sale of the parsonage, currently stands at $118,448.

Council Positions—A few position changes to note.  Steve Carpenter is stepping into the Financial Secretary position.  We praise God for Roger Roby’s faithful tenure in that role, and we now commit Steve to the grace of God for this service.  Also, Scotty Needham accepted a new role as Worship Chairman.  He will help plan and coordinate the use of vocalists, instrumentalists, and new music, and he will be involved in various other planning and ideas pertaining to our worship services.

Copier—A new copier has been purchased and is already in use in the new offices.  The old copier is in the office next to the cry room, readily available to the Sunday School teachers and for other needs.

Cleaning­—Participation has been good and those who have taken part have had a good time of fellowship with one another.  Remember that this is an ongoing service, so keep checking the list and consider when you might be able to help, and come, enjoy the shared service in the Lord!

Christ our Redeemer’s Church Council Report
August ‘09

Summer is winding down. Routine has already settled in for many and is not far behind for most. It doesn’t take long for our routine to become rather ‘blah,’ but are we missing the grace of God’s routine? He’s pretty predictable day-in and day-out.  In great faithfulness, “His compassions never fail. They are NEW every morning” (Lamentations 3:22,23). So through the rote of routine, feed on the daily freshness of your God’s faithfulness.  Worship, Bible study, and home devotions will set your Savior before your eyes, refresh your faith, and transform routine into worship.

So what’s newsworthy from the summer and from the recent Council meeting? 

The Parsonage—You may recall that the sale of the house will by and large fund the renovation projects. The closing on the house took place on 8/21.

The New Church Offices—Bids for renovating the Publications building for the church offices should be secured by this time next month.  These bids will also include replacing the church roof (covered by insurance from hail damage).

Synod News—Representatives from our national church body met in Saginaw, MI a few weeks ago to vote on the financial course of our synod. Two cost-cutting budgets were presented. One would have cut deeply into missions, and the other would have cut deeply into our WELS school system so as to close one of the prep high schools. After some discussion, a third budget was drawn up and eventually approved. No cuts to missions or the school system, but the cost is a significant scaling back of support services such as technology and communications and administrative expenses. There was no scenario that would not be painful, but we stand with our brothers and sisters in Christ and continue to “work together for the truth” (III John 3) of the Gospel.

Speaking the Truth in Love—How do you feel when Mormons come to your door? Annoyed? Angry? Maybe confused? How about concerned? How do we respond? Pastor Mark Cares has ministered to Mormons his entire ministry in Idaho and has seen many of them rescued from the devil’s clutches through witnessing to them. Mark your calendars for October 10th and 11th when he will share his experiences with us.

Education—To better serve our children with the Word, we will be dividing the youngest Sunday School group into Pre-K and K-2nd. Also, Catechism will start soon, and parental involvement will be extremely important. Finally, F.R.O.G.S. starts next month, and parental help is needed.

Cleaning—A cleaning list has been made. Expect opportunities to serve soon.

Open forums—Who are we as a church and where are we going? What opportunities are there for you to put your skills and spiritual gifts to use? How can you support your church? How can we support you in life and in spiritual growth? Bring your questions and your answers to the open forums coming in the fall.

The meaning of life for a meaningful life unto eternal life—“GROW in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18).

 

Fruits of Faith for June and July ‘09

Worship Attendance

June – 145

July – 129

Adult Bible Study Attendance

June – 59

July – 41

Sunday School Attendance

June – 14

July – 9

Teen Class Attendance

June – 3

July – 2

God be praised for his Gospel motivation!

Christ our Redeemer’s Church Council Report
Summer ‘09

What are your plans for the summer? Attendance is often sporadic during the summer because of vacations and extra activities.  If you are able to go on a vacation, then enjoy, relax, and be safe.  But remain faithful to your Lord during these months as well.  Keep feeding on the Word at home, in worship, and in Bible study, and keep feeding off the Word in thankful service.  And if you are going out of town, ask Pastor Dan and he can point you to a church near your vacation spot.

Renovation vs. Expansion Last month we reported the possibility of expansion to the main entryway of the church.  Since then we have considered the option of renovation over expansion.  The advantage of this plan is that we would not incur any more debt.  In fact, with the planned sale of the parsonage to Pastor Dan’s family, we will likely have funds leftover for Gospel ministry and for further debt reduction.  As you can see, this makes good stewardship sense for our situation and for our times.

Three Phases 1—After bids are obtained, renovation will begin in the Publications building.  The large room on the north side will be remodeled into two offices: the Pastor’s office and the secretary’s office.  Also in this phase, the church roof will be replaced.  This project has been due ever since the hail damage of two years ago.  Insurance will cover this cost.   2—After this, the empty back storage room in the Publications building will be refurbished into a classroom.  3—The final phase will be to knock out the three offices in the front of the church (those offices will by then be in the Publications building). This will open everything up for a larger, more welcoming entryway.  And that area will be more versatile as well, equipped with screens and audio to accommodate overflow.  (Remember Easter?)  This third phase will also include a comprehensive renovation, such as new tiling, multi-media in the fellowship hall, and any other helpful upgrades.  Result—This will accomplish all we sought to do with an expansion—opening the entryway, adding classroom space, upgrades—and it will be done for less dollars leaving more for ministry materials and methods.

Your Help Phase three involves all of us.  What are your ideas for remodeling and upgrades?  We want your input!  What skills do you have to participate in the remodeling?  We want your help!  Where do we go from here?  We want your questions and answers!  You can expect an open forum by fall so we can draw together and all participate in this process.

On the surface, these things are more business and monetary in nature.  But remember, it is still the work of the church, and Christ needs to remain the center of all we do at Christ our Redeemer.  Without Christ, this project is vanity.  With Christ, it is ministry, a thankful service to God for the sake of sharing the saving Gospel.  So in all this, let us not take our eyes off Christ and our salvation and purpose in Him.  “For this we labor and strive, that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe” (I Timothy 4:10).