Meet our New Pastoral Intern & Youth Ministry Coordinator

We are excited to announce that the Session has hired Brian Scholl as our new Pastoral Intern/Youth Ministry Coordinator!

Brian is already a member of Redeemer and has been part of the community since last summer, so many of you may already know him. If you have yet to spend time with Brian, here is a quick introduction and description of his staff position.

Brian is a native of Virginia, graduated from James Madison University in Media Communications and is currently a student at Reformed Theological Seminary training for pastoral ministry. Brian’s walk with the Lord began at a Christian camp and flourished in college when he began to serve in his church’s youth ministry as a volunteer and then on staff. He enjoys body surfing, ultimate Frisbee, Angels baseball, and Mexican food.

As the Pastoral Intern/Youth Ministry Coordinator, Brian will spend half his time serving the Redeemer community learning general pastoral skills alongside Pastors David and Adam, leading our Sunday operation logistics, while also helping with administrative needs. The other half of his time will be dedicated to leading our growing youth ministry under the direction of Pastor Adam, both caring for our current students and empowering them to reach out to their friends. Josh Cooper, our current Pastoral Assistant for Youth Ministry, will stay on staff and continue serving the youth with Brian until August. We are grateful for the ways Josh has blessed and helped to grow our youth ministry. Although he is transitioning out of his role, he will continue to be part of the Redeemer community.

If you haven’t met Brian, introduce yourself to him on a Sunday or take him out to lunch sometime. If you are a parent of youth students, or parent of a soon-to-be youth student, please take the opportunity to get to know Brian, especially when he personally reaches out to you over the next few days and weeks.

If you want to welcome Brian personally, you can contact him at brians@redeemeroc.org.

Redeemer Congregation in Fullerton

The Session of Redeemer is excited to announce that they have officially decided to move forward with the Redeemer Fullerton church plant!

Our next steps as a result of this decision are to commission a Fullerton Launch Team and to restructure our Sunday morning worship from two to one service in Newport Beach.

• Fullerton Launch Team - On May 20th we will be commissioning the Fullerton Launch Team. We will pray for the team and release them from any responsibilities at Redeemer Newport Beach so they can redirect their time and energy to go forth and establish this church.
• One Worship Service - May 20th will also be the date we will go to one Sunday morning worship service at 10:00am at Redeemer Newport Beach.

Plan to join us on Pentecost Sunday, May 20th, at 10am to celebrate this big step for Redeemer!

Read More in this letter from Pastor David for information on the discernment process, next steps, and how you can support this mission.

Polk Update March 2018

The past month has been an encouraging time of ministry for us in spite of the surrounding uncertainties in Ethiopia. The government has declared a six-month state of emergency and we await the appointment of a new Prime Minister after our current one resigned unexpectedly a few weeks ago. We invite your prayers for our adopted nation of Ethiopia, that peace and justice would “roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing steam” (Amos 5:24). And we are thankful that God’s work and ministry endure and grow in the face of uncertainty. It has always been so with the gospel.

With love from all the Polks,
Jason and Liz

Our Suki Fellowship church plant team has been wrestling with our one-year and five-year vision, and through much prayer and discussion we have agreed on the following as our church planting goals for the next twelve months:

• Identify a new location for a “scratch” church plant and begin relationship building and an evangelistic bible study
• Help Suki Fellowship own the vision of planting a daughter church; identify a new location for a Suki Fellowship daughter church and begin an evangelistic bible study

I am simultaneously excited and a little scared of these goals. Our Suki Fellowship is still growing and maturing, and it would feel more comfortable to wait on expanding and multiplying our efforts. But at the same time, it seems that if we do not embed the vision and practice of ongoing church planting into our current fellowship now, that we will have lost an important opportunity to shape the DNA of our church planting efforts for ongoing growth and multiplication.

We invite your prayers for our planting team as we take steps of faith in the upcoming months toward two new church plant locations. God is faithful, and we trust in his leading and provision. Thank you for your partnership with us in seeing God’s Kingdom advance.

Teaching Church Planting in Kenya

Florence and Obed were two of my gracious hosts from All Nations College in Thika, Kenya, when I taught a Church Planting course there in February. Our group of forty Kenyan pastors and church leaders had a meaningful time of exploring the Scriptures, sharing experiences, and learning together.

Culture Night

“One class, many cultures” was the theme of this year’s 2nd Grade Culture Night. Nathan had an especially good time representing the U.S.A. with his display board (we actually had to make him leave at the end, as he kept saying, “Please, just one more presentation.”)

The kids amazed the crowd with their cultural dances (see blurry Chinese New Year dance at right). Liz and I have been teaching 2nd Grade music since there is no Elementary Music teacher this year. The kids sang “How Great is Our God” in English, Amharic, Italian, and Romanian. We could not have been more proud of them.

Cub Scouts Rule!

Last week I led our Wolf Scouts on a brief hike on Mount Entoto. The boys were especially interested in the massive grasshopper and abandoned hyena den we found! Scouting in Ethiopia definitely has its advantages. Pray for us as we work to expand the program to the broader community this fall.

Easter Heart Cards

Sundays, beginning March 18th

Bring hope and encouragement to an inmate this Easter by sending a Heart Card. Cards are available at the Prison Ministry table in the chapel hall on Sunday morning. This is a very easy way to touch a life and bring a lonely person the love of Christ. If you have questions, contact Lauri Fusco at laurifusco@cox.net.

Holy Week Services

Come worship with us during Holy Week at Redeemer. See our service times and details below. If you are new to Redeemer, then click here for more information about what to expect.

Palm Sunday | March 25

On this day we celebrate the King who rode a donkey, yet acknowledge the pain to come.

First Worship Service
8:45-10:00 AM, Chapel

Second Worship Service
11:00 AM-12:15 PM, Chapel

Children’s Ministry
We will offer sermon-time classes for children through 5th grade and nursery childcare for children under 3 years during both worship services.

Middle Hour classes will not meet on Palm Sunday due to the Men’s Retreat that weekend.

Maundy Thursday | March 29

This beautiful and solemn service will focus your mind and grip your heart through singing, silence, scripture, and a powerful Lord’s Supper experience. Read more >

Worship Service
8:00-9:00 PM, Chapel

Due to the late start time, childcare will not be provided during the service.

Resurrection Sunday | April 1

Our Easter service is a rich celebration of joy, where the despair of death flees before the bursting forth of new life.

First Worship Service
8:45-10:00 AM, Chapel

Middle Hour
10:10-10:50 AM, Chapel Hall and Lawn
Join us for an Easter Celebration! All are invited for some light refreshments in the chapel hall and our children are invited to participate in an Easter egg hunt on the lawn.

Second Worship Service
11:00 am-12:15 PM, Chapel

Children’s Ministry
We will offer sermon-time classes for children through 5th grade and nursery childcare for children under 3 years during both worship services. All children are invited to participate in our Easter celebration during Middle Hour.

Angel Tree is Here

Sundays, November 26-December 17

Share the love of Christ with children of prisoners this Christmas by sponsoring a child from our Angel Tree. Let’s make sure no child is forgotten. Sign-up at the Prison Ministry table in the chapel hall. Please turn in wrapped gifts by Sunday, Dec. 17th, to be delivered the week before Christmas. Contact Lauri Fusco, laurifusco@cox.net, with questions or if you want to help deliver gifts.

Children's Ministry Volunteer Training

We’re excited about our Children’s Ministry programs for the upcoming 2017-18 school year. We are so grateful to our faithful volunteers who share their time and talents to help support our families at Redeemer. In order to help prepare for this coming year, we will be offering 2 training sessions during middle hour in August:

• August 13 – Specific training for SUNDAY SCHOOL teachers and assistants
• August 20 – Address from Pastor Adam for ALL teachers, and specific training for SERMON TIME teachers and assistants

If you are interested in volunteering with our Children’s Ministry, we still have open spots available for both Sermon Time and Sunday School teachers and assistants. We strongly suggest that every family who has children in the program sign up for 3 months of Sermon Time teaching or assisting, or at least 2 sessions of Sunday School assisting. Note that we also need substitute teachers for both Sermon Time and Sunday School hours.

Contact Amanda Knox, amandak@redeemeroc.org, if you are interested in becoming a volunteer or have questions.

VIEW THE SCHEDULE AND SIGN UP NOW

New Youth Ministry Hire

We are excited to announce that the Session of Redeemer has hired Demi Richardson as our new Girls Discipleship Coordinator for Youth Ministry! Demi is an Orange County native who just graduated from Indiana University in Pennsylvania and is thrilled to be back in California and working with youth. Over the past four years Demi has worked with Young Life mentoring youth girls in their faith and doing outreach by building relationships with students on high school campuses. Demi’s role as Girls Discipleship Coordinator will be one that will focus on providing spiritual care, teaching, discipleship, and mentoring for our girl students, alongside our other girl youth leaders and Josh Cooper (our Pastoral Assistant for Youth Ministry), while also focusing on outreach to our students’ friends, and providing youth ministry administrative support. Pastor Adam Feichtmann will continue to oversee our youth ministry as he provides vision, direction, leadership development, and pastoral care for parents of our students.

Summer Youth Programs

Jr High and High School students, mark your calendars for our summer get togethers and events.

Weekly

• Donuts & Discipleship – Sundays, 6/25-8/6, Middle Hour, 10:10-10:50 am
• Pizza & Psalms – Thursdays, 7/6-8/24, 6:00-7:30 pm, Pitfire Artisan Pizza in Costa Mesa READ MORE

Activity Nights

• Beach Bonfire Nights – Thursdays, 6/29, 7/27, and 8/31, 6:00-7:00 pm, Corona Del Mar
• Jr High Lawn Chair Movie Night – Sunday, 7/23, 7:00-10:00 pm, Cooper’s Home in Costa Mesa READ MORE
• High School BBQ & Game Night – Sunday, 7/30, 6:30-8:30 pm, Feichtmann’s Home in Costa Mesa READ MORE

Trips

• San Onofre Beach Day & Campout – Saturday-Sunday, 7/15-7/16 READ MORE & SIGN UP
• Santa Barbara Trip – Friday-Sunday, 8/11-8/13 READ MORE & SIGN UP

Forms and information for our overnight trips are also available on the Redeemer Book Table Sunday mornings.

Click HERE to view the Youth Summer Calendar for specific dates and times. Contact Josh Cooper, joshc@redeemeroc.org, or Demi Richardson, demir@redeemeroc.org, with questions about our youth ministry programs.

Summer Children's Programs

Middle Hour | Children’s Book and Crafts Club

Sundays, June 26 – August 6, 10:10-10:50am

While the adults and youth group students participate in their respective classes, your children in Preschool (age 2 and potty-trained) through 4th Grade* will engage in a time of worship that includes singing, story books, lessons, discussion and crafts.

Preschool – Kindergarten: Singing, God’s Story lesson, Crafts and Coloring

1st – 4th grade: Singing, Listening to Ligonier Ministries Story Books (including The Donkey Who Carried a King, The Priest with Dirty Clothes, The Prince’s Poison Cup, and John Knox), Discussion, Crafts and Coloring

Sermon Time |  Pilgrim’s Progress Elementary Program

Sundays, June 25 – September 3, During 8:45am and 11:00am Worship Services

This summer, your children in Grades 1-4* will embark on a journey with Christianwhile learning important truths of the gospel and gaining a richer understanding of Christ’s work in the life of a believer. They will listen to a dramatic reading of the adapted version of the book in class and will be given their own copy of the book to enjoy at home at the end of the summer program.

Using the Children’s Pilgrim’s Progress Curriculum published by Great Commissions, children will discover many important biblical truths, including:

• A deeper understanding of Christ and the gospel
• The necessity of God’s Word, the Holy Spirit, and other believers for teaching, instruction, encouragement, and support
• The true definition of a Christian
• A picture of the Christian life… a pilgrim’s journey with ups and downs, distractions, difficulties, and even feelings of being cut off from God as a believer presses toward the grand end
• Insight into the heart and character of Christians and those who only claim to know Christ

*This includes 4th Grade students who will enter 5th Grade in the fall, 2017. However, 5th Grade students who will enter the 6th grade this fall are invited to join the Jr. High Donuts & Discipleship groups during Middle Hour, and worship with the adults during the service.

Bible Drive

Our children are invited to participate in raising funds to provide bibles for the OC jails. READ MORE.