Living the Gospel Story

One of the core aims of CCO, the national college ministry which our parish partners with for our college ministries at UR and VCU, is for college students to gain a vision for following Christ in every area of life. One of the ways that we try to equip our students with this whole life vision for discipleship is through CCO’s annual Jubilee Conference.

This year, Tee, Audrey, and I travelled with 18 students from UR and VCU to participate in Jubilee. We joined with CCO ministries from around the country for three days of worship, fellowship, and plenary sessions organized around the gospel story: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. Perhaps the most unique thing about Jubilee is the diversity of the breakout sessions. Students are able to choose from a broad array of workshops, to learn about how the gospel applies to every area of life: friendship, business, medicine, education, visual arts, law, social media, artificial intelligence, evangelism, creation care, the Church, farming, poetry, and more.

“One thing I really loved about Jubilee was the breakout sessions, and especially the breakout about why you should join a local church. It taught me to really lean into the church and take advantage of things like intergenerational fellowship, corporate worship, and participation in the sacraments… Jubilee was a great experience, especially in college years when you are defining the ways you are going to live for the rest of your life.”

— Chris (VCU Junior)

“Jubilee was beautiful! I really felt God’s hand on my heart. I learned so much about applying the gospel to different aspects of my life, and it opened my eyes to what it can look like to truly love my neighbors.”

— Sofia (VCU Sophomore)

Coming back to Richmond, it has been encouraging to see students learning to live inside the gospel story, applying the gospel to the specifics of their actual, everyday lives—in their callings as students, friends, roommates, church members, and members of our CCO campus ministries.

“My time at Jubilee was very enjoyable! I got to spend some time away from campus and fellowship with friends old and new. I hope every student in CCO will take advantage of this opportunity and all that we can learn from spaces like this.”

— Angelina (UR Sophomore)

Please pray for our ministries on campus at UR and VCU, that CCO would continue to be a place where students experience gospel formation for missional presence on these two campuses, and that the Lord would use our ministries to draw college students to himself.

The Rev. Will Clark
College Minister — V.C.U.

Holy Week and the Triduum

Good afternoon! Holy Week is nearly upon us. I want to take a few minutes to explain what it will be like to participate in the most important days of the year together. Please, if you can, read the following in its entirety.

PALM SUNDAY | March 29

This is the first day of Holy Week and the day that we remember Christ’s triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem (recorded in all four Gospel accounts: Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-10, Luke 19:29-38, and John 12:12-15). That morning, we will begin by gathering outside on the sidewalk along Grove Avenue before we process into the sanctuary waving palm branches and singing. Now, this concept isn’t a new or creative idea. It is, in fact, a very old tradition.

So why are we doing this? There are at least three good reasons (and I’m sure many more):

1. It connects us to our history: By waving palm branches, singing, and processing together, we will do something with our bodies in the present that connects us to the people of God in the past. We are joined with Christian brothers and sisters from ages past, as well as with the first century citizens of Jerusalem, who welcomed Jesus into their city.

2. It is formative for our young children (and for adults): Few things help young children (or adults for that matter) understand a story better than acting it out together. We want more than intellectual assent to the teaching of scripture; we want to receive, embody, and extend the good news of what Christ has done for us. This is why we kneel, stand, sing, eat the bread, drink the wine, and - yes - wave the palms!

3. It is an act of public worship: In our secular, materialist age, there are very few opportunities for acts of public worship and devotion to Christ. No doubt, as many of us adults walk down Arthur Ashe Boulevard, we will feel very silly. If that describes you, don’t worry, you’re in good company. We will all feel the strangeness of publicly worshiping Christ in the midst of neighbors who might think we are lunatics. But this is not a bad thing - for us or for our neighbors. It’s good for us because it presents us with a very real opportunity to be courageous. It’s good for our neighbors because our worship serves as a reminder that no matter what the zeitgeist of our time may say, there are real men and women and children who are continuing to find life in Christ Jesus.

So, dear friends, on Palm Sunday, come ready to do a new thing, which is a very old thing, and to do a strange thing, which is a very good thing. We will wave palm branches, sing, walk, and declare together that, minority though we be, there is still hope to be found only in the Lord Jesus.

STATIONS ON BOULEVARD

On Monday-Wednesday from 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. and Thursday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the 12 Stations of the Cross will be posted along Arthur Ashe Boulevard. I encourage you to set aside 30-45 minutes of time to stop by and spend time praying and contemplating each station. A guidebook will be available at the installation to lead you through this exercise.

MAUNDY THURSDAY | April 2

The Paschal mystery - the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ - is at the heart of the Christian Gospel. The evening of Maundy Thursday begins the Triduum (the sacred three days). Maundy Thursday receives its name from the maudatum (commandment) given by our Lord: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another (John 13:34).  At the Last Supper, Jesus washed his disciples' feet and commanded them to love one another as he had done. This day commemorates the Lord’s example of servant ministry, the institution of the Eucharist, the agony of the Garden of Gethsemane, and the betrayal leading to the crucifixion.

• Services are at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

• No nursery or children's ministry. Kids are invited to fully participate in all parts of the service. Click here to download a Parent Guide for this service.

• Remember to wear sandals or slip-off shoes (to facilitate the foot-washing portion of the service).

GOOD FRIDAY | April 3

The Good Friday liturgy is the second part of the Triduum. This most somber of all days is appropriately marked by fasting, abstinence, and penitence, leading us to focus on Jesus and the meaning of his Cross. Some churches do not use musical instruments or bells on this day. The church is often darkened. The bare, stark appearance of the church serves as a reminder of the solemnity and sorrow of the day. The Lord of Life was rejected, mocked, scourged, and then put to death on the Cross. The faithful are reminded of the role their own sin played in this suffering and agony as Christ took all sin upon himself in obedience to the Father’s will. By the Cross we are redeemed, set free from bondage to sin and death. The Cross is a sign of God’s never-ending love for us. It is a sign of life in the midst of death.

• Services are at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

• No nursery or children’s ministry. Kids are invited to fully participate in all parts of the service. Click here to download a Parent Guide for this service.

• Remember to wear black or gray clothing.

EASTER VIGIL | April 4

This is an ancient church tradition that begins outside the sanctuary in the dark of the evening. A fire is kindled, torches and candles are lit, and we process into the darkened sanctuary together. The atmosphere is pregnant with brooding mystery and drama. Scriptures and prayers are chanted, sung, and read. The story of the Bible is traced and then together we wait - in stillness, in silence, in the dark - we keep watch.

Then, suddenly, with bursting shouts of "Alleluia!" the lights go up and bells are rung as we celebrate the unlooked-for resurrection of Christ.

From there, the service proceeds to the Eucharist and, after the service concludes, we feast together.

If you have experienced an Easter Vigil before, you have some idea of what to expect.

If you never have, then come for the first time.

• The service begins at 8:00 p.m. outside the sanctuary and concludes at 10:00 p.m.

• Join us for an Easter Vigil Nacho Feast following the vigil!

• No nursery or children’s ministry. Kids are invited to fully participate in all parts of the service (though young children may struggle or fall asleep in the pews, which is no problem at all).

EASTER SUNDAY | April 5

As the third day dawns, we celebrate the bodily resurrection of our Lord from the dead!

Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The church will resound with the ringing of bells, shouts of praise, and songs of joy! This is a dual sacrament service with both Baptisms and Eucharist.

• There are three identical services: 7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., and 11:00 a.m. (But only the 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. provide nursery and children’s ministry). Click here to download a Parent Guide for this service.

• If you are able to attend the 7:00 a.m. service, please do so! We will likely run out of space at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. By worshiping at the sunrise service, you show hospitality to visitors who will likely attend the later two.

• Also, if you are a member of Redeemer, this is a day of service and hospitality to newcomers. Join the staff in rolling up your sleeves and offering the warmest of welcomes to our neighbors.

• There will be coffee, juice, and donuts across the street near the VMFA sculpture garden after all three services. Stay for a while and enjoy the after-party!

Redeemer family, I love you all and I’m so grateful that we get to walk through this week together. I hope and pray that our observance, practice, and worship through these services forms the Gospel more deeply within us so that we might be more missionally present to our families, neighbors, and city.

In the Father’s love,

Call to a Corporate Fast on Good Friday, April 3

Redeemer Family,

While most of us are likely familiar with the concept of a private, personal fast, we may be less familiar with the concept of a corporate fast. Here are just a few (of the many) examples of corporate fasting in scripture:

• Leviticus 16: The Israelites practice an annual corporate fasting on the Day of Atonement.

• Nehemiah 9: The Israelites practice a national time of confession, fasting, prayer, repentance, and public scripture reading.

• Joel 2: God speaks to the prophet Joel and calls him to declare a time of corporate fasting and repentance.

• Jonah 3: The people of Nineveh respond to Jonah’s prophetic preaching with fasting and repentance.

• Acts 27: Paul and his 275 shipmates fast for 14 days through a storm at sea before breaking their fast in a manner that is a nod towards the Eucharist (vs 35).

Throughout scripture, corporate fasts are marked by themes of repentance, confession, and calling on God to show mercy and provide atonement for the sins of the people.

Therefore, how appropriate that throughout church history, it has been common for both clergy and parishioners to fast on Good Friday of Holy Week - a day devoted to repentance of our sins and remembering the mercy of God in the atoning death of Christ on the cross.

As the Book of Common Prayer states in the preface to the Good Friday service on p.564, “This most somber of days is appropriately marked by fasting, abstinence, and penitence, leading us to focus on Jesus and the meaning of his cross.”

And so Redeemer Family, on Good Friday of Holy Week (April 3), we are all invited to fast together, as a parish. No one should feel coerced or peer-pressured to participate. Fasting is most spiritually effective when it is something you choose, not something you do because other people guilted or shamed you into it!

So, if you wish to participate, here are two potential ways:

Full-Fast

• The fast begins at the end of the Maundy Thursday service on April 2.

• Eat an early dinner beforehand.

• Come to one of the Maundy Thursday services, 5:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m.

• Practice foot-washing and receive the Eucharist, then the fast begins.

• The bread and wine of the Eucharist are the last food in your stomach from Thursday evening, through all of Good Friday, to Saturday morning.

• Attend one of the Good Friday services, 5:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m.

• Break the fast on Saturday morning with a simple and light meal.

Partial Fast

If you are new to fasting or have a medical condition that makes fasting unwise, here are partial ways to participate:

• Shorten the fast: Sunrise to sunset on Friday. Eat an early breakfast Friday morning and a late dinner Friday evening. Skip lunch and fast for the daylight hours.

• Limit the fast to only refraining from solid foods. Replace meals with fruit juice or a smoothie.

Beloved brothers and sisters, the goal here is to not create some new law that everyone must obey. The goal is to help us participate in the passion of our Lord together. We are not in this alone; we are a church family.

Let’s fast together on Good Friday and then, let’s FEAST together on Easter Sunday!

In the Father’s love,

Growing Faith Through Risk: Reflections from Our Youth Fellowship Retreats

In February and March, the Youth Fellowship team joined the Falls Church Anglican on their Breakaway retreats at Rockbridge for the first time. It was a great experience, and one that caused me to reflect on many levels. As soon as we traveled down the winding drive and pulled up at the Blue Ridge cabins, I was hit with nostalgia remembering my own days in high school going on retreats and staying in these very cabins. As the girls lugged what seemed like an impossible amount of luggage into the cabins, I hoped that this experience would be as meaningful for them as it had been for me.

When I look back on those retreats, besides remembering some amazing experiences listening to sermons and bonding with friends, what stands out are some of the free time activities. I remember navigating the ropes course, my heart in my throat, and climbing the rock wall, determined not to give up. These activities stand out not just because of the fun and adrenaline involved, but because they took me and my friends outside of our comfort zones. We may have been intimidated, but we were able to overcome our fears and do them anyway.

During both the high school and middle school retreats, we talked about risk. Leaders asked students how they had taken risks that weekend, and affirmed them for the ones we witnessed. During one of these conversations, Annie, a middle school girl, looked at us curiously and asked, “Why is it important to take risks?” It was a GREAT question! The leaders and I explained that taking risks is how we grow, and especially how we grow in dependence on God. Students were encouraged that if they felt God was inviting them to take a risk, it could be a powerful way to grow in their faith. As Nathan Horner, our Church-Planter-in-Residence put it, “Without risk there is no faith.” Since the definition of faith involves trusting in something we do not see, risk is a prerequisite to faith.

Over both retreat weekends students stepped out of their comfort zones and took several meaningful risks. Like me, they stepped out in faith on the ropes course and braved the rock wall. They flew from great heights on the screamer swing, participated in sports tournaments, formed friendships with strangers, and hopped up on stage to participate in club games. Most importantly, students opened up and shared vulnerably with one another and their leaders, creating opportunities for new levels of relationship. I could see the pride and empowerment on their faces when we talked about these experiences. This is the power of offsite events for students: they are able to take risks outside of the bounds of their everyday life, within the safety and care of Youth Fellowship. Being able to step outside their comfort zone is a great gift to students, one that stretches and grows their faith in a God who is always faithful.

We are excited to give students more opportunities to take risks and grow their faith this summer through our Summer Service Trips. These trips will allow students to take risks not only for themselves, but in the service of others. In my opinion, this is one of the most life-changing trips that a student can take. They will have the opportunity to not only hear and talk about their faith, but to live it out boldly. Students are bound to take risks at some point in their lives, and service trips are a great way to encourage healthy risk-taking as they continue practicing their faith.

Laren Bleam
Youth Fellowship Assistant

Listening at the Waters: Sacred Listening with Babies & Toddlers

Marked as Christ’s Own

Every Baptism Sunday, Dan cradles a baby in his arms, gently tracing the sign of the cross with oil on their forehead and proclaiming, “You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ’s own forever.” In that moment, something both tender and profound is declared: God is at work.

In our Anglican tradition, baptism is not first about what a person can understand, articulate, or confess—though those gifts will unfold as a child grows and later stands to confirm their faith. Baptism begins with God’s action. It rests on the promise that God is already moving, already claiming, already loving.

And there, in Dan’s arms, is an infant—wholly and utterly dependent. Nothing is required of them. They do not need to reason, respond, or speak in order to receive. They may be sleeping peacefully or crying in protest. Still, the promise stands. The Church speaks confidently of God’s work in the baptismal waters, trusting that grace is not constrained by language, comprehension, or developmental stage.

If God’s grace precedes understanding and God’s Spirit moves before words, then it reshapes the way we see our children, the way we listen to the Spirit, and even the way we see ourselves.

Learning to Listen to God at Work

In baptism, we proclaim a truth that both comforts and unsettles us: God is already at work from the very beginning of our children’s lives. Our children are not blank slates waiting to be filled, nor are their spiritual lives on hold until they can speak the right words. Scripture reminds us that “the Spirit helps us in our weakness… with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). God meets us precisely where words fail. If this is true for us, it is certainly true for our children.

It is easy to overlook the spiritual lives of babies and toddlers. However, when we assume that the Spirit’s work depends on abilities they have not yet developed, we risk placing limits where God does not. In doing so, we may miss the communication that is already happening—even if at times it is difficult to see.

Much of babies’ and toddlers’ communication is embodied, emotional, and relational. A reaching hand, a searching gaze, the comfort found in a familiar face, the insistence on hearing the same story again and again—these moments are rich with glimpses of the Spirit at work. They express deeper longings, longings that echo the very questions we continue to carry into adulthood: With whom do I belong? Who am I? What story am I part of?

To notice this, we must slow down. We must learn to watch and to listen for what Lacy Finn Borgo calls “the unspoken language of the heart.” The invitation is not to make something happen, but to pay attention—to listen for the Spirit who is already moving.

Becoming like Children

If we are learning to listen for the Spirit at work in our young children, we soon discover that the invitation turns toward us as well. In Matthew 18:3, we are called to become like little children. At the heart of that call is a posture children embody so naturally: dependence. A newborn’s cry, a toddler’s outstretched arms, a child returning again and again to the safety of a parent’s presence—these gestures are not only signs of need, they are invitations to listen. In their reliance, we hear something true about the way we all stand before God.

As we witness their dependence, we begin to recognize our own. Romans 5:8 reminds us that God’s love did not wait for our readiness or righteousness; it met us while we were still sinners. Our lives in Christ begin not in strength, but in need. The baby’s cry and the toddler’s trust echo our own story: we are completely reliant, utterly held. When we listen closely, their small, daily gestures become a living reminder of our need.

This shared dependence reshapes the way we attend to the children entrusted to us. We listen not as those who have mastered faith, but as fellow recipients of mercy. We listen with trust—trusting that the Spirit who has been faithful in our story is faithfully at work in theirs.

And we listen expectantly. We listen to their questions, their repetitions, their joys, and even their meltdowns. We listen for what God might be revealing through their need and through our own. In this mutual posture of dependence, listening becomes more than attentiveness or awareness; it becomes an act of faith. We wait, we watch, and we trust that the God who met us in our weakness is already speaking and moving in them.

Listening at the Waters

Baptism declares that God speaks first. Before we understand, before we articulate, before we respond—God acts. At the font, we witness a grace that does not wait for readiness. We see a child who cannot yet profess faith, and we proclaim over them a promise that rests entirely on God’s faithfulness. Baptism anchors us in this reality: we belong to Christ not because we have mastered the language of belief, but because he has marked us as his own.

But baptism also teaches us how to listen.

If God is at work before words, then our task is not to manufacture spiritual life in our children, but to pay attention to the Spirit already working. The same waters that mark them as Christ’s own invite us to watch for the Spirit’s movement in their gestures, their attachments, their questions, and their quiet longings. We listen at the font. We listen in the nursery. We listen in the everyday moments that seem small but are, in fact, filled with holy mystery.

Grace,

Mikala Thompson
Assistant Director of Redeemer Kids

Holy Listening

I remember a moment many years ago when my family was new to town. It’s an exhausting season to be in when you find yourself asking everyone around you the same mundane get-to-know-you questions, and you find yourself repeating your own elevator-speech version of your story again and again. I was discouraged by the transactional nature of these shallow connections that seemed to determine whether or not someone gets a place in a new community. I came home from an evening that had involved introducing myself to new people yet again, and I tried to articulate to my husband how my interactions with a couple that we had just met made me feel. I described it at first as weird and even unsettling, but after processing the various conversations I had with both of them, I came to an important realization. They had listened to me. They had really, truly listened to me even in a buzzy social setting with a lot of distractions and—let’s face it—not a lot to gain by my acquaintance. I recalled their posture, their follow-up questions, and their eye contact that at the time had felt odd, but was the unfamiliar sensation of having a stranger’s full attention. That experience was so impactful that it eventually lead me to intentionally study the ministry of listening and ultimately, to never undervalue offering someone on the margins the gift of my full attention. All because that initial demonstration of sacrificial attention at a vulnerable time of my life felt healing. It felt holy.

Years later, I found myself reading Spiritual Conversations with Children and recalling that feeling from so long ago.“Holy Listening” is what author and theologian Lacy Finn Borgo calls the work she and other godly adults do for children at Haven House, a ministry for homeless families in transition. She describes in detail the conversations she has had with children of various ages in her “sessions,” where she allows children to talk and interact at their own pace with little interference on her part. Borgo outlines dialogues in her book that she has had with particular children, illustrating the often long and winding roads of conversation that children traverse when given the rare chance to process their inner life externally. Through the many examples she offers, some that span many sessions with a single child, we are given a glimpse into the patient work of building a safe environment for this growth and what it can produce. Children are invited into play as a way of engaging their deepest thoughts as they verbally process, and the adult is poised here as the calm facilitator of their time, nudging them to invite Jesus into their memories and feelings as they go.

But how does that practice go for those of us who are not in a space and time set aside for the art of holy listening? During hard conversations with children, whether about national news or family struggles or personal challenges, when we are rightfully measuring and analyzing our words, we have to recognize the invitation there to listen as well. What are children hearing from the Spirit as they process the painful realities of life? What can we do to help guide children to their Creator in these moments by asking thoughtful questions that turn their minds to him? What can we learn about the Lord in turn as we do? Children pick up on alarmingly more than we realize and are wired to observe how their caretakers navigate the world in order to learn how to survive in turn. They can tell when we speak of the peace in God’s sovereignty and still live in anxiety and discord. They notice when we pray for God’s justice and grace and speak words soaked in rage, disdain, or hopelessness. Children are often, for better or for worse, mirrors for us to see ourselves more clearly. It would take courage to intentionally move towards small children in vulnerable times and allow ourselves to be known, as well as to get to know what is in their hearts. It takes courage to listen well.

Not only do we have an invitation, we have a responsibility to value what we gain by listening to children intentionally. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer says in his book Life Together, “In a Christian community everything depends upon whether each individual is an indispensible link in a chain. Only when even the smallest link is securely interlocked is the chain unbreakable…Every Christian community must realize that not only do the weak need the strong, but also that the strong cannot exist without the weak.” There is a lot at stake if we do not place proper value on the voice of every member of our communities, including the children. Our ability to be the church God has called us to be depends on valuing the voices of those we would be tempted to call “weak” in our midst. Jesus himself modeled slow, intentional ministry by not only caring for the crowds who thronged him, and the officials, leaders, and wealthy who sought him out, but also for the poor, the unseen, the marginalized, and the young. If we are to live like Christ, we have to actively practice this same kind of ministry.

The call to be compassionately present to those around us is clear, but listening, holy listening, is a skill like any other that may not come natural to most of us. Borgo offers concrete guidelines to help our frazzled, fatigued adult minds begin asking good, meaningful questions of the children in our care (or even to seek out children to care for; there is no lack of them). She is clear that this is not a simple task and will take practice. Open-ended questions like “I am ready to listen; is there something you would like to talk about?” and follow up prompts such as “Can you say more about that?” or “Where do you think God was when that happened/you felt that way?” continually redirect the role of speaker in the conversation back to the child and allow space for the child to move freely in their thoughts as they do. The hardest part of holy listening is the enormous amount of patience it takes to not fill silences ourselves or to rush results. She provides guidelines to reading children’s body language and paying attention to developmentally-appropriate ways children might be answering questions indirectly.

Our parish professes that children are a vital part the body of Christ and are capable of a rich spiritual life. Our children’s ministry therefore takes care in how we teach children about the gospel, the Scriptures, and the Triune God, knowing that children are capable of receiving this eternal truth. But I wonder if we can overemphasize our role as teachers who input knowledge and truth in this setting and miss out on what we can receive when we lead children to consider what the Holy Spirit is teaching them directly in these sacred spaces. As we consider together ways to begin listening more intentionally, both to the children in our care and to those on the margins, let’s pray that God will establish the work of our hands—and ears—to show them that Christ’s love doesn’t measure the time he gives us against what we can do for him, but instead rushes to fill any empty cup we hold up to him.

Casey Cisco
Director of Redeemer Kids

Celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism

Dear Redeemer Family,

In the near future, on April 5, we will have the joy of celebrating the sacrament of baptism. Here’s who should consider participating:

• You have already given yourself to Jesus in faith but for whatever reason, have never taken the step of baptism. If that describes you, then this is a good opportunity to seal your belonging to Jesus and to his church.

• You are right on the edge of converting to the Christian faith. You haven’t made the decision yet, but you’re seriously considering it. If that’s you, think of this as a good opportunity to make up your mind and commit.

• You are a Christian parent of an unbaptized child. If that is you, bring your child to receive baptism! The Lord Jesus loves your little one.

Now it may be helpful to offer a brief refresher on what we believe about the sacrament of baptism. If you would benefit from that, keep reading!

WHAT IS BAPTISM?

Many of you are relatively new to the Christian faith and new to participating in a local church, especially a local church that practices ancient traditions like Redeemer does. So let me say a word about what Christian baptism is.

• Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." - John 3:5

• Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. - Matt. 28:19

• Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. - Romans 6:4

• Because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. - 1 Peter 3:20-21

In Christian baptism, a person is united with Jesus in His death and resurrection. We call baptism a sacrament because it is a physical, tangible, material ritual that is filled with a spiritual, intangible, immaterial grace. Something physical is happening: the person is either being immersed in water or having water poured over their head. Something spiritual is happening: that person is mysteriously (in a way that we can only barely begin to comprehend) being joined together with the Lord Jesus and, therefore, becomes a part of the church - the body of Christ.

THE STORY OF BAPTISM IN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS

• The Old Testament prefigures baptism. There are many examples, but here are the big ones: the creation of the world, the salvation of Noah and his family from the flood, the exodus of the Israelites through the Red Sea, and the Israelites crossing the Jordan River out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land.

• Christ commands us to be baptized and to baptize others.

• The New Testament authors teach on the centrality of baptism in a Christian’s life.

WHO SHOULD BE BAPTIZED?

1. Any person, young or old, who wishes to put their trust wholeheartedly in Jesus for their redemption.

2. Any child of a baptized adult Christian who will raise that child in the faith as a part of the church.

WHY DO WE BAPTIZE INFANTS AND LITTLE CHILDREN?

“We start talking to our children not because they understand us, but so that they will. Baptism is God's language whereby he starts talking to his children and initiates a relationship with them. Sacraments are a word after all.” - Peter Leithart, The Baptized Body

We baptize children, not because we think that an adult profession of faith doesn’t matter (it does and should come at Confirmation - the other side of the coin to infant baptism), but because we seek to raise Christian children within the church.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them.” We take the Bible at its word when it says that little children can come directly to Jesus; they do not have to grow up first.

FOR FURTHER STUDY

I would heartily recommend Peter Leithart’s excellent little book The Baptized Body to anyone who has serious questions about Christian baptism (especially baptizing children) and would like to learn more about it. Copies are available for sale at the book table on Sunday mornings.

You are also invited to join our upcoming Baptism Class on March 10. Together we’ll learn more about the sacrament of baptism—what it is, what it means and symbolizes, how it's done, who it's for, and what the church has historically understood about baptism. All are welcome regardless of whether you or your children are planning to be baptized. Click here to register.

Finally, if you are a teenager or an adult who has never received Christian baptism and you would like to, please email me. I would be delighted to get together and talk with you about it. If you are a parent and your child has not been baptized, same invitation! It would be a joy to baptize your little one. You can click here to register to be baptized on April 5.

In the Father’s love,

Invitation to Private Confession

Redeemer Family,

Over the years I have found confession, in all its forms, to be a deeply helpful and encouraging practice. I find that once I get over my fears, God is more tender than I expected, my friends are more understanding than I anticipated, and the priest to whom I confess is utterly without judgement or condemnation. Confession has helped me receive and experience the grace that God offers to me every day.

I hope the same can be true for you, and to that end I want to offer some potential next steps if you’d like to practice confession during this season of Lent:

1. Confess directly to God: Read Psalm 32:1-4 and then spend some time writing down the things you want to confess to God. This will help your stream of consciousness not get derailed by random thoughts, to-do lists, or other worries. After reading your list aloud to the Lord, conclude by reading the rest of Psalm 32, verses 5-11.

2. Confess to a Priest: Schedule a 15-minute confession with either me or the Rev. Lane Cowin.

   1. This is not a time for chit-chat or small talk. We will not be catching up on how things are going.

   2. This is a solemn time (with deep joy waiting on the other side).

   3. Prepare for this time by writing down a list of both your sins of commission (wrong things done) and sins of omission (right things left undone).

   4. When you arrive for your session, we will sit down side by side, light a candle, and use the brief liturgy in the Book of Common Prayer to give structure to our time.

   5. When the liturgy concludes, we will thank each other and bid each other farewell, but will not slide into small talk.

   This formal structure allows the priest to serve as simply an aid to your conversation with the Lord. The focus is on you and God, not the priest.

3. Confess to Trusted Friends: Reach out to a close friend or friends who are mature in their faith, not prone to gossiping, overreacting, or minimizing sin. Let them know ahead of time that you desire to confess to them (instead of springing it on them without warning). Talk about what happened and why. Do your best to be straightforward and honest, not exaggerating or slipping into defensiveness. Ask your trusted friends to pray for you, that you might be forgiven and have the courage to truly repent - turning away from sin and turning towards the goodness of Christ.

Redeemer family, I love you all dearly. I hope that we can be the kind of parish where, instead of posturing our virtue we can be open, honest, and vulnerable about weaknesses, failures, and sins. While a church community should never be a “safe place” to commit sins, it absolutely must be a safe place to confess our sins.

In the Father’s love,

The Definition and Purpose of a Vestry

Every March, members of Redeemer elect new members to the Vestry—our parish's governing body. This year we are electing two new Vestry members. Any member in good standing can be nominated to serve on the vestry. If you are a member of Redeemer, we encourage you to prayerfully consider whom you might nominate for these important roles.

• Nominations are open through Sunday, February 22.

• Nominees will be announced in our Parish Newsletter on Thursday, March 5, and during our worship services on Sunday, March 8.

• Voting will be conducted online the week of Sunday, March 8 through Sunday, March 15.

Thank you for your thoughtful and prayerful consideration.

---

The Definition of a Vestry

What is a Vestry? 
Our Vestry is an elected body of deeply committed, faithful lay members of the parish. The Vestry, under the leadership of the Rector, meets monthly to prayerfully steward the “temporalities” (i.e. material resources) of the church. 

Demographics of a Healthy Vestry
It is desirable to have a well balanced Vestry that accurately represents the demographics of the congregation. A healthy Vestry is composed of both men and women, young and old, single and married, parents and non-parents.

Characteristics of a Good candidate for Vestry
A good candidate for the Vestry is a deeply committed, faithful, prayerful follower of Jesus and confirmed member of Redeemer. He or she does not need to be successful, influential, or impressive. He or she does not need to be an expert in the Anglican tradition. A good candidate wants to be on the Vestry in order to serve, not to be important or to try to impose their will on the church.

Expected Time Commitment 
Not everyone will have the time to serve on the Vestry in every season of life. In addition to one monthly meeting on a weekday morning for three years, Vestry members will be expected to serve 2-3 additional hours per week on Vestry-related tasks. Vestry members will also attend a one-night annual retreat. 

Process for Submitting Nominations
Prayer: This is a process that needs to be saturated in prayer. 
Please submit your nominations here.

The Purpose of Redeemer's Vestry

Safeguard the Vision
The Vestry’s primary role is to protect the stated vision of the parish. Each member of the Vestry should be able to articulate and safeguard the primary visionary direction of the congregation. They should each know and believe the answer to this question: What is it we are trying to do here?

Insure the Values
While the Vestry may know the direction and what they are trying to do as a parish, the Values question is this: How are we actually trying to live out our vision? What are the means and programs by which we are working toward our Vision? Where do we focus our efforts? What are we going to do now?

Uphold Financial Integrity
The Vestry is also charged with protecting the financial integrity of the church. Through a designated Finance team, the Vestry should scrutinize the finances on a monthly basis. They should provide for an annual audit of all funds; approve budgets and make routine reports to the congregation. They should approve long-term financial contracts and basically act as guardians of the financial life of the parish to insure that the church has a long-term future and is operating in a trustworthy way with all funds that have been given or borrowed.

Support the Rector
Supporting the Rector is the fourth key role of the Vestry. If the Rector is the main agent in accomplishing 1, 2, and 3 above, then the Vestrys’ primary role then is to help the Rector accomplish these things. Vestry leadership is never honorary; they are not rubber stamps for what the Rector decides is best. But they are not either to be ‘devil’s advocates’, the loyal opposition, or representatives of any special interest groups or programs in the parish. The Vestry has one job in a sense: help the Rector to lead the parish in 1, 2 and 3 (above) and support him however they can.

Model Sacrificial Giving
The final role of the Vestry is to model sacrificial, tithe-based giving to the parish. The Vestry should be among the most generous and financially committed members of the church. Why? Obviously, the leadership should never ask members to give beyond their own willingness to give; their own personal level of commitment. Leaders lead in every area, but the Vestry should be strong givers because people who are sacrificial givers…tithers…have usually discovered in themselves a heart of generosity that will help create a parish-wide culture of generosity in the years to come.*

*Language borrowed from our friend The Rev. David Rosenberry.