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Visit our Sunday worship services at 8 or 10:30 am. Sunday school and adult Bible class at 9:15. We are "Making Christ Known" by faith, worship and witness to get the message of Jesus Christ to all people.

May 2020

On: By: Rev. G. Michael Rose

“But we had hoped…” Luke 24:21


Dear Redeemer Family:
“But we had hoped…” On the third Sunday of Easter the Lukan text reports that the two disciples on the Emmaus road say to Jesus, “But we had hoped…”


Easter is the season to proclaim with joy and boldness that all in which we had previously falsely hoped has been put to death. Now is the time to raise our voice to proclaim the one true hope – an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading – the hope of Jesus Christ risen from the dead.


`”But we had hoped…” We had hoped that this Covid 19 virus would go away. We had hoped that our lives being shut down and our having to “Shelter at Home” would be a thing of the past. We had hoped that we would not have to practice this social distancing, and not have to wear these face masks when we do come out of our homes to be in public and get life’s necessities. We had hoped that everyone would be back at work by now. In our pride, we had hoped that we as a people, as a society, were greater than this. Instead, we find ourselves brought low by a creature too small
to be seen by the human eye. That is our hubris. We forgot the past and our numerous encounters with pestilence over the centuries. Pestilence has always been the great humbler of the human race. In time, this one too will pass. But there is not much that we as a people can do about it. We can applaud the valiant efforts of our medical practitioners and our emergency personnel. We can cheer on their heroic efforts.


But we have to do this from a distance. And we can hope. We can hope here.
And we can hope for that which is beyond us.


“But we had hoped…” We had hoped for a better diagnosis, and we were disappointed. We had hoped for a better return on our investment, and the market failed us. Indeed, the global economy has been basically shut down. We had hoped that homelessness and hunger would somehow have miraculously disappeared in our nation, rather than becoming worse, and the stark truth stands before us that without our own participation and sacrifice in its eradication, there is no hope. I’m helping with a task force now along these lines. The issue is simple. If a homeless person tests positive for Covid 19 and has to be quarantined, where in this county can they go? It is a scenario which no one had considered previously. As of yet, we have no answer.


But, we have hope.
In other words, this is the season, a week of weeks, in which to unabashedly proclaim that the false projects and easy answers on which we repeatedly pin our hopes have been pinned instead on the cross and destroyed in the empty tomb.


For the first time there is new hope. Real hope. Hope that even death cannot destroy. Our hope ultimately rests in Our Risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.


He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Pastor Rose

April 2020

On: By: Rev. G. Michael Rose

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32

Dear Redeemer Family:

“Don’t Panic.” Those immortal words, we are told by the author Douglas Adams, are found on the cover of that “most interesting book in the universe,” The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It is one of my favorite books, and made a fair good movie. Of course, the hero of the story (really a non-hero), Arthur Dent, panics all of the time. The theme runs all of the way through the book and its sequels. I think that to a degree it was Adam’s commentary on the human race. Interestingly, to change books, the Bible tells us “do not be afraid” 365 times. I’ve read that somewhere. I haven’t actually counted. That means that we are told to not be afraid every day of the year. That should be a calming notion. Even more interestingly, in the Bible, the words “do not be afraid” are addressed only to people who are in the presence of something which they should be afraid of, usually the Divine.

Currently, the world is very concerned about the coronavirus “Covid 19.” And, we well should be. But, there have been steps being taken worldwide to stop it. Along these lines, we will be doing as requested by the Bishop’s Office, the Center for Disease Control, Health Departments everywhere. We will “pause” (that’s the way the Bishop phrased it in her email) for a bit. All congregational activities will be stopped, including public worship, until the end of the month of March. We may need to reevaluate the date later. The simplest way to stop this virus is to not pass it on to anyone else. The most vulnerable group is persons over the age of 65. That describes a large portion of our active membership. So, for the sake of the common good, as much as possible, stay home if you are able. If not, and people do need to get supplies, go to work, etc., remember to wash your hands, often. It is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of the virus. Sanitize surfaces. This is considered a “weak” virus. There are quite a few things that will kill it. Cough into the inside of your elbow. Stay six feet away from other people (okay, you can touch your family members). There are simple directions. And, two weeks is not a long time. Some of you gave up things for Lent. That’s 40 days.

Also, during this time, I would like you to check up on the elderly and the needy. Some of them may need assistance, especially in getting groceries. Call and ask. You can pick up food and medicine and place it on their doorstep if need be. One of the great things in history that got people to notice Christians was how the Christians acted during the times of the great plagues. While everyone else was on the run, the Christians actually were going in and taking care of the sick. “They will know that we are Christians by our love.” Remember.

So, Don’t Panic! Don’t rush out and buy all of the toilet paper in the store! I find that phenomenon very funny. Remember every day: Do not be afraid. This is a trying time. But, the solution is fairly simple. And God is with you. It is His good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

In Christ,

Pastor Rose