news.zionbuffalo.org

Last month’s newsletter shared information about two special projects at Redeemer Lutheran Church, the community garden and the bike shop. These two projects were also featured recently on Minnesota Public Radio. The MPR article and audio can be found on the MPR website.

All are welcome at this years Redeemer Block Party on August 18 from 6-8pm in the lot right behind Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Minneapolis. Expect to find food, games, performances, exciting activities, and lots of music.

People on Bikes is an inspiring venture by a group of young people who are investing in the health and well-being of their urban Minneapolis community by recycling and reusing bicycles that might otherwise end up in land-fills. The Redeemer Center for Life is providing bikes for Harrison neighborhood kids so they can learn to ride and have transportation, as well as making biking the ‘newest hottest trend’ for urban youth.

People on Bikes offers many benefits to the community:

• Improved safety in the neighborhood through increased activity on the streets with biking
• Increased health for the children in terms of stamina, balance, coordination and heart health
• Increased connection to the outdoors, thereby reducing fear of outdoors
• Increased psychosocial skills through increased confidence and reduction in fear and stress.

Redeemer Center for Life hopes that this fall, People on Bikes can get out of the basement garage and into a low-cost storefront that is at the apex of seven existing or planned bike trails in Minneapolis, the city voted #1 Best Bike Friendly City 2010. People on Bikes is the only bike shop in North Minneapolis at this time.

• WCCO news story about People on Bikes (spring 2010)
• People on Bikes youtube video by Redeemer youth (summer 2009)

What was once an empty lot has been transformed into lush green healthy produce. The Harrison Neighborhood has three times the diabetes and twice the hypertension of Minneapolis, mainly due to the lack of access to fresh food. You can buy wings for $5, but have to take a bus for an hour to buy produce. Harriett Oyera started the garden as a way to ease her pain and lift her depression, but now she has done that for an entire neighborhood. The garden is used to produce a free community cookout dinner throughout the month of July. Children at Redeemer’s camps learn how to harvest lettuce and make a fresh salad. Even Harriett’s diabetes has improved form the fresh vegetables that are rich in out-of-the-earth nutrients.

You are invited to visit Redeemer and see for yourself. Redeemer is hosting a ‘friendraiser’ this Wednesday, July 21 at 5pm in the Living Room space at 1716 Glenwood Ave. At 6pm there will be a community cookout featuring fresh garden vegetables … no need to RSVP … the people of Redeemer will be glad to see you and anyone you would like to bring!

by Pastor Kelly Chatman of Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Minneapolis. He is currently on sabbatical.

The new Twins stadium is within walking distance of Redeemer, and they have assembled a team that is exciting to follow. At Redeemer we have several things in common with the Twins. Through our capital campaign commitments we are making improvements to our stadium; I mean building. The improvements to our building make it possible that when people walk through the doors of our church, they will find that Redeemer is accessible and that our building is easy to navigate. When people enter into the bathrooms our future physical construction will make it easy to notice the time and attention our custodian (Maggie) dedicates to keeping the building clean. When they see the improvements to lighting, cabinets and storage in the kitchen, fellowship hall and hallways, it will add to the excitement of our gatherings.

When you visit the new Twins stadium you will notice that in reality the excitement is about more than just the baseball game. The real deal is that the stadium invites people into the excitement of a gathering where people experience community and share a social transaction.

Read the rest of this entry »

Jessa, Hanna, Emma, & Frannie with Pastor Kelly Chatman at Redeemer Lutheran Church.

Over 40 Zion members made the drive down to Redeemer Lutheran church on Sunday, April 18, for the second annual Zion day at Redeemer. Zion youth and Myron Crawford provided special music during the Prayer and Praise time as well as during the service. Pastor Kelly Chatman took time during the service to formally thank Dave and Doug Schmidt for their work on rebuilding the front steps last year.

Afterwards, Russ Peterson commented that he “felt so welcome to be part of the service at Redeemer on Sunday, the sharing of peace, holding hands during the blessing at the end of the service. Dave Schmidt added that “Redeemer Lutheran Church is an exiting place to worship. The service is full of high-spirited worshiping fellow Christians that adore their Lord and Savior,” and Daveencourages all Zion members to attend worship there if they get a chance.

By Marilu Thomas, Executive Director, Redeemer Center for Life

Housing and Community Spaces

Redeemer Center for Life, in mission with Zion Lutheran Church, is poised for community development! From its inception in 1998, RCFL has invested in the Harrison neighborhood of North Minneapolis through stable housing and community spaces. This year, Redeemer Lutheran Church and RCFL are exploring parallel pathways with Faith in the City, a group of five Lutheran institutions (Augsburg College, Fairview Health Systems, Lutheran Social Services, Luther Seminary and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans). We are finally hoping to build on the one and a half city blocks that are part of the Redeemer campus, which will include some combination of housing, food, financial and physical wellness and education. This fits into the long-term vision of RCFL to have a positive impact on the health and stability of our neighbors in the Harrison neighborhood by being a good neighbor.

Community Garden

In the short term, RCFL is working on piloting some of the ideas that are floating around in the community for the future campus. For instance, in response to the „food desert‟ lack of fresh food, a community garden has been established that feeds neighbors all summer long with community cookouts. Members of Zion are invited to join us any Wednesday evening in the summer (June 23 until the Block Party on August 18) for veggies and Jazz.

People on Bikes

RCFL is also piloting a Bike Shop, called People on Bikes which is operating out of the garage of the 16 Plex. With a small grant for tools, a group of youth have started repairing bikes and selling them as well as teaching other youth bike mechanics and bike safety this summer. Be sure to check out the YouTube video!

The Board of Redeemer Center for Life is comprised of members of the Redeemer Lutheran congregation, members of partner congregations like Zion, which has been represented by Dr. David Nerothin since the beginning, members of the Harrison community as well as community members with special interest or expertise in our work such as developers, health professionals and social workers. If you feel that God is calling you to become involved personally with the work of RCFL, your gifts and talents would be very appreciated and welcome. Please contact Rick Johnson at Zion or Marilu Thomas at 612.377.4476.

When members of Zion visited Redeemer on April 18, they received a letter, signed by many members of Redeemer, thanking Zion for supporting Redeemer through prayer, finance and relationship. The letter can be seen here or on the bulletin board at Zion.

Redeemer Lutheran Church, our partner congregation in north Minneapolis, has invited Zion to join them again on Sunday, April 18, for a morning worship service in celebration of our shared ministry. A Sunday morning at Redeemer begins with a time of prayer and praise at 10am and usually concludes around noon.

Last year, many of Zion‟s members attended the service along with a group of youth who spent the weekend at Redeemer and sang during worship. The youth and members of the Senior Choir have been invited to sing again this year. Your presence is also greatly needed to truly celebrate the partnership we share with them!

Redeemer and Zion have been partners in ministry for many years. A number of musicians and others have traveled back and forth to share their gifts with the partner congregation, and pastors from both congregations have participated in pulpit exchanges, allowing them each to go to their partner church to preach their messages.

Zion has been able to share its gifts with Redeemer through the years in a variety of ways through both volunteer time and financial contributions. The Peace Palace, a Redeemer owned community center next to the church, has received a new wood floor; the front stairway of the church, which was extremely unsafe, was torn down and rebuilt; and Zion members have actively participated in the annual Christmas store at Redeemer. Through an annual contribution of $4000 from the Global Missions committee and the periodic contributions from the Zion Foundation, the members of Zion have helped make improvements to Redeemer‟s facilities and aided them in launching their own capital campaign.

Over the years, the many members of Zion who have visited Redeemer have commented on how meaningful it was for them to attend and that “when Redeemer passes the peace, they really pass the peace!” So come and experience it for yourself and lend your support for our partnership by accepting Redeemer‟s invitation to worship with them on Sunday, April 18.

There will be a group leaving from Zion‟s parking lot at 9am, if you would like to car pool. If you plan on driving yourself, directions to Redeemer are very easy.

• From Highway 55: Drive East towards Minneapolis and turn right on Penn Avenue; go a few blocks and then turn left on Glenwood Avenue. Redeemer will be down about 3 blocks on your left.
• From Highway 12: drive East towards Minneapolis and get off on Penn Avenue and turn left. Go to Glenwood Avenue and turn right. Redeemer will be down about 3 blocks on your left.
• Or check this map

From the January 2010 issue of Faith Matters, the newsletter of Redeemer Lutheran Church.

As a pastor, one of the things I have to work at a lot is communication. In my daily work what I have to do to be effective is communicate well, so I really like it when I come across a saying or a word that communicates well. The concept of a ‘sweet spot’ communicates well. If you have ever played in band or orchestra and you can remember what it felt like the first time you hit just the right note at just the right time, you know what it is like to hit a sweet spot. If you have sung in a choir, hit a ball, or dove off a high diving board for the first time you have a basic recollection of what it means to have a ‘sweet spot’ experience.

I recall when I first began playing tennis. It was a frustrating experience. Then it seemed that one day out of the blue I hit the ball in just the right spot and the ball flew effortlessly off the racket. For the first time I knew what it meant to hit the sweet spot. I can also recall the moment when I broke up a fight and in doing so I was facing someone I was very much afraid of and all time seemed to stand still in that moment.

The ‘sweet spot’ is not a term that just communicates, it connects us with moments in time that say to us, I can do this! It is an experience that says to us, if I did it once I can do this again. It connects us with experiences that build the confidence, hope and joy that if we did it once then we can do it again.

What is the church, if not God’s ‘sweet spot’? God’s church is the invitation God gives us to invite others to Read the rest of this entry »

From the November 2009 issue of Faith Matters, the newsletter of Redeemer Lutheran Church.

There is a legend that Knute Rockne was scheduled to face the football team of USC, the University of Southern California, knowing that USC was a far superior team, wondering if he could defeat them, came up with an idea.

He scoured the city of South Bend, Indiana for the biggest men he could find. He assembled about one hundred men, each about six foot five and weighing around three hundred pounds or more, he put them all in Notre Dame uniforms. With shoulder pads and helmets they looked even bigger.

Then, when it was time for the game to begin, he sent the men out of the locker room first. As the USC team watched, they just kept coming, and coming until these hundred men was all the USC men saw. Read the rest of this entry »

Members of Redeemer, young and old enjoy the beauty and safety of the new front stairway. The work was done by Zion members Dave and Doug Schmidt.

As well as partnering in worship with Redeemer Lutheran Church, Zion has also been an active partner in helping Redeemer begin a capital campaign with the emphasis being on replacing the roof of their building. As Redeemer began their campaign, they realized that the front stairs were no longer safe for entrance into the building. Something had to be done to make the front entrance safe. This is where Zion members Dave and Doug Schmidt came in. They went to Redeemer and met with Pastor Kelly and discussed what needed to be done. Pastor Kelly gave them the OK to proceed with tearing down the old steps and building new ones. In Dave’s words…

“Rick Johnson asked if we would look at Redeemer’s front entrance because they had major problems. For years, I had heard about Redeemer being our sister church.  I thought it was a very large newer church, so I never paid much attention, but I agreed to look at the problem. Wow, was I surprised to see a smaller, older church with some problems, but a great Pastor Kelly and I was introduced to the staff who were very nice people.

We agreed on a price and started to rip out the steps and ramps leading up to a gathering area in front of the church. As we got into the project, everything started crumbling and shaking, even the stuff we thought we could leave. I talked to Pastor Kelly and he said, “Well, let’s fix it right.” I was extremely nervous about the situation, thinking there’s not even a foundation under all this mess.

Suddenly we found a foundation, under everything, solid as a rock with not a crack in it anywhere. We started to rebuild the entrance, starting on a solid foundation. Well now we’re finished, with all new steps and ramps as well as a gathering area at the front door. The railings are all new with Redeemer Lutheran Church inscribed right in the metal – very cool!

Everyone is happy, and I guess God had his hand in the project so that everything would work out, starting with that solid foundation buried under tons of rotting rubble. In today’s troubled world, I have been reminded by God that there is a solid foundation buried underneath all that’s happening in our lives. God is our foundation, so don’t worry!”

As you can see by the picture, the members of Redeemer are happy and grateful for the efforts of the Schmidt’s to make the entrance once again safe and also beautiful. The following comments from Pastor Kelly express his feelings about the capital campaign and the repair of the front steps. It is written to the members of Redeemer, but also has a message for all of us.

“Your capital campaign contributions and pledges made it possible for Redeemer to respond when the front stairway to the church deteriorated to the point of danger. We were blessed to have the contributions and pledges that made it possible to secure a contractor to build a new wall and entrance to Redeemer. Thanks to the capital campaign, people are safe to enter the church.

As I think about the unstable entrance to a church that is under construction, I think about how congregations like Redeemer are the entrance way to a Lutheran Church that has also become unstable and at risk. The church is unstable and at risk when people look at the church and wonder will there be a place for them leadership? If they dare to walk through the doors, will the church embrace them or try to change them? Will they find a church structure where people argue, criticize and judge or will they feel unsafe? When people dare to put their feet down on the structure of the church, is the intention to fully include them? Will they feel unsafe?

When we made our contribution to the capital campaign, it was a no brainer for us because in Redeemer we have found a dedicated congregation where people can feel safe to enter church. The entrance to Redeemer is built and cemented in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Bible study, choir, Sunday School, quilting, Busy fingers, cookouts, Narcotics Anonymous, Living Room, or affordable housing are all to support our understanding of God’sove and message that everyone is safe to belong and ennter God’s beloved community.”

In the September newsletter of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Pastor Kelly Chatman writes about Malcolm Gladwell’s book, The Tipping Point, and the “Broken Window” theory of crime.

Many years ago, criminologists James Q. Wilson and George Kelling formulated this theory about how a neighborhood or community slowly gives in to increasing crime rates. They called it the Broken Window Theory. Wilson and Kelling said that crimes are more likely to be committed in areas where it appears that the residents have lowered their standards and no longer care about their community.

If a window is broken and left unrepaired, people start to assume that no one cares about maintaining that building. More windows will get broken. As the building becomes more dilapidated, there is a growing assumption of lawlessness by the residents. People assume that they can lower their standards of behavior, because no one will notice or care.

In contrast to Gladwell’s theory, Redeemer is a congregation where change occurs by building on the assets of people. Where others see people with problems, Redeemer sees children of God.

In September, Redeemer displayed a new banner along Glenwood Avenue proclaiming that their congregation is “In the City for Good.” They also have a newly constructed entrance.

Today, Redeemer remains both a place of hope (assets) and a tipping point (transformation) where people experience the restoration of life and community, and for this we say, “thanks be to God!”