Special Announcements
As the season of Thanksgiving approaches in the United States, Christians focus on Thanksgiving as a way of life: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18
We celebrate Holy Communion or “Eucharist” weekly. Eucharist is the Greek word which means "thanksgiving," and grounds our lives in the presence of Jesus, his spirit of thanksgiving and service. In Holy Communion, we give thanks for Jesus’ sacrificial love for all and the gift of forgiveness in his Body and Blood for our forgiveness. We build our lives on gratitude, not fear, and trust that Christ lives in and among us throughout the week. We draw encouragement from the communion of the saints who join us at the altar and walk with us by faith.
I am thankful for our life together as a congregation and the different ways that each of you express gratitude for God’s goodness. Thank you all who serve in the following ways:
- Lead and communicate God’s mission, including church council, and web page coordinator.
- Care for the building and grounds to be a safe and welcoming place to gather.
- Prepare and lead worship, including altar, music, office staff, ushers, lectors, and flowers.
- Contribute financially with tithes of gratitude to ensure that the mission continues.
- Lead mission projects such as the food pantry/holiday meals, project Christmas child, together we cope, and all of the recovery groups hosted on site every week.
- Pray for God’s guidance and comfort that we might be faithful, find comfort and peace.
- Invite, remember, and visit all who need hope and community in their lives.
Thank you all for responding to God’s love and participating in Jesus’ mission of hope and healing for the world. May the completion of this church year and the holy days of Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas center us on God’s steadfast love and birth among us.
In gratitude,
Pastor Soren Flessen
Redeemer’s family,
Greetings! And blessings to all. It’s hard to believe this is the last newsletter of the year~ where does the time go so fast? It has been another busy year for our congregation and minstries. I am proud and grateful for all the groups we help each year here at Redeemer’s by providing space for healing and meeting. We have 9 twelve step meetings that gather here for recovery each week, Anointed Word congregation that worships here on Sundays, a very active food pantry and various other gatherings that we provide space for thoughout the year. These are all forms of benevolence that we support continuously. I know that God is alive and thriving in this building and community!
We have had some financial challenges this year that had to be addressed and taken care of, but we met them head-on and dealt with them as a unified congregation. The council asked everyone to consider a “special” gift to help re-build our reserve funds by the end of the year. I am so very proud and grateful in the response we have received so far. Redeemer’s congregation has always responded when special needs are required with love and generosity, please keep it up till the end of the year. So far, with the sale of 2 of our burial spots and the extra gifts received so far, we have been able to raise close to $9,000 and we still have two months of the year left. Many thanks and gratefullness from your church council. May God continue to bless us all and show us the way.
By the time you receive this newsletter, you will have had a chance to review the proposed 2026 budget. On November 9th after worship we will have a short congregational Meeting to vote and answer any questions you may have on the proposed budget.
In closing, I would like to wish everyone a joyous and wonderful Merry Christmas. Let us all celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ and His love in this world.
Peace and Love,
Steve
CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT WORSHIP
WITH HOLY COMMUNION ~ 7PM
NEWS FROM THE CHURCH COUNCIL
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! We celebrate Thanksgiving and go into the advent season anticipating the birth of our Messiah, Jesus Christ. It’s the season of giving and no one does it better than Redeemer’s!
We are so extremely thankful to all who made the gift of benevolence to shore up our reserve funds and to that end, we have decided not to have a giving tree this year.
You may still purchase toys for Together We Cope, but you’ll have to deliver them. This is only for this year.
Once again, thank you for your support and dedication to our church, our home.
Blessed Christmas season to all.
Meet Saturday, November 29 at 9:30am- at Redeemer’s.
We will decorate the church for advent!!
Save the Date:
IN NOVEMBER
- Nov 1 All Saints Day
- Nov 2 All Saints Sunday
- Nov 9 Short congregational meeting
- Nov 12 7 pm, Council meeting
- Nov 24 7pm, Book club at the home of Connie Martin
- Nov 29 9:30 am, Decorate the church
- Nov 30 Advent begins & the new church year
IN DECEMBER
- Dec 24 Candlelight Christmas Eve in the Sanctuary: 7 pm
🥂🎉🎊🎆🎈🥂🎉🎊🎆🎈
NOVEMBER
BIRTHDAYS
- Nov 1 Jerry Marquardt
- Nov 7 Mike Ellul
- Nov 8 Sten Hult
- Nov 13 Nancy Ulloa
- Nov 14 Charlotte Grossi
- Nov 19 Dominick Grossi
- Nov 24 Fern Schara
NOVEMBER
ANNIVERSARIES
- Nov 3 Terry & Linda McHugh
- Nov 6 Robert & Gina Graniczny
- Nov 8 Frank & Erin Caswick
- Nov 19 Traci & Mike Stephens
- Nov 30 Bill & Deb Cummens
✝️ 📖 🙏 🕊️ ✝️ 📖 🙏 🕊️
NOVEMBER
READERS
- Nov 2 Jerry Marquardt
- Nov 9 Dan Frawley
- Nov 16 Deb Nowlan
- Nov 23 Andrew Ogarek
- Nov 30 Erica Strojny
🥂🎉🎊🎆🎈🥂🎉🎊🎆🎈
DECEMBER
BIRTHDAYS
- Dec 2 Erin Caswick
- Dec 8 Rachel DeLeeuw
- Dec 11 Gary Miller
- Dec 22 Art James
- Dec 25 Jesus
- Dec 29 Leatrice Miller
✝️ 📖 🙏 🕊️ ✝️ 📖 🙏 🕊️
DECEMBER
READERS
- Dec 7 Steve Nowlan
- Dec 14 Bob Hecht
- Dec 21 Tony Ogarek
- Dec 24 Steve Nowlan
- Dec 28 Gary Rickert
Updated per newsletter.
Blessings:
God's blessings on the congregation at Redeemer's, and their families throughout the fall season!
OUR CURRENT SELF HELP GROUPS’ MEETINGS
- SUNDAY~ AA 7pm
- MONDAY~ AA 10:30am/ NA 7pm
- TUESDAY~ ❖
- WEDNESDAY ~AA 10:30am/ OA 7:30pm/ NA 7pm
- THURSDAY ~TOPS 5:30pm/ NA 7pm
- FRIDAY ~ SSACNA 2nd Friday/month 7:30pm
- SATURDAY~ NA 10:00am
Woman to Woman:
Come join me in entering into the holidays without the teeter and totter in our emotions. Here’s how:
- Set more-sane house goals. Better to plan less and accomplish more than to fall short of your ideal and start your holidays feeling disappointed.
- Shop early, and buy a couple of generic emergency gifts. (unlike some kitschy socks, a box of fine chocolates holds general appeal).
- Settle on a reasonable budget before going into the stores to prevent falling victim to strong sales tactics (which include Christmas mood music that plays on our nostalgia, sale-sign seduction, and plastic explosives in the form of credit cards.
- Sow the seeds of goodwill, but don’t expect every “Scrooge” in your Christmas circle to embrace your efforts…. Or you, for that matter. Don’t snowball your own emotions by expecting love from people who can’t give it. (History in a relationship is usually a good benchmark of his or her ability.)
- Seek some silence. Balance your busyness with moments of meditation. Don’t allow all the flashing lights on the outside to distract you from the inner light of His presence. Even a short silence each day will give a greater semblance of order to your emotions and schedule. So, in case you’re still feeling a little overwhelmed, here’s some suggestions to celebrate simply:
Make a snow angel, drink eggnog, write a forgotten friend, decorate a snowman, go caroling, bake cookies, share tea with a friend, hug a child, hug an oldster, read the Christmas story out loud and, lastly, sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.
Til next time, nice chatting with you…………………..Jan Strojny
New address:
Pete and Jackie Muscarella
15440 Alameda Av. Oak Forest
708-250-7949
Pete and Debbie Animagi
10820 W. 183rd St. Apt 325
Orland Park, Il 60467
Crisis Center:
We had a presentation in March by Jennifer Kanacki to educate the congregation on the Crisis Center of South Suburbia. During this time, envelopes were passed out so that members could make a donation to this worthy cause. We will be accepting donations until Easter. Please make checks out to Redeemer’s and put a comment on your envelope about the amount and write Crisis Center, so that it will be directed to them. Thank you for your support.
Domestic Violence Outreach Services
(Crisis Center for South Suburbia)
- 24-hour hotline~ 708-429-SAFE (7233)
- Live Safe Patient Advocacy
- Law Enforcement Victim Outreach
- Community Education
All services are free and confidential
WWW.crisisctr.org
If you are interested in providing an artificial flower arrangement for the altar, please contact the office, or see Deb Frawley.
Little Free Pantry:
Once again I will be doing Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas dinners/w stockings for the kids. The Thanksgiving event will be held on Saturday the Nov. 22nd, and the Christmas event will be held on Saturday the Dec. 20th. Rather than put a list in the newsletter, I’ll have Deb put them in the weekly bulletin. For the Christmas stockings, they will be for children from 1-12. The Dollar store is a great place to find things, or small denominations of gift cards from McDonalds or the like, are welcomed These events are so needed in the community and people count on them to make their holidays easier. I am truly blessed to be able to have the support to do these events.
Marilyn
Please continue to donate graciously!
Samaritan's Purse
A small shoebox can have a big impact. What goes into the box is fun, but what comes out of it is eternal. Be a part of changing children's lives all over the world in Jesus' Name through the power of a simple gift with Operation Christmas Child. Once again we will be filling shoe boxes- plastic or cardboard with small gifts to send to a boy or girl overseas. There are direction & idea sheets available from Linda McHugh. Please bring the boxes to church anytime until November 16. Then they will be delivered to the drop off point. Let’s show the children around the world that we care.
BOOK CLUB. . .
NOVEMBER
BOOK CLUB
NOVEMBER SELECTION~ "James" by Percival Everett
James begins in the town of Hannibal, Missouri. Jim, an enslaved man, is waiting at the home of Miss Watson for a plate of cornbread to bring back to his wife, Lizzie, and daughter, Sadie. During this first scene, it becomes apparent that the enslaved people speak erudite, standard English among themselves but code-switch into dialect around their enslavers, conscious that white people view them as inferior and would be puzzled to hear them use grammatically correct English. While Jim is waiting, the young Huck Finn stops by. Although a racial divide separates the two, Jim has a soft spot for the boy, whose abusive father regularly subjects him to beatings.
Join us, Nov. 24, 7pm at the home of Connie Martin for discussion and refreshments
📚 📙 📖 👨🏫 🎒 📙 📔 📘 🔖 📕 📖 📗
DECEMBER
BOOK CLUB
AS ALWAYS, WE WILL BE TAKING A BREAK IN DECEMBER. PICK A BOOK TO READ FOR PLEASURE~ SEE YOU IN 2026!
Help:
THRIVENT MEMBERS Please contact Deb Frawley or Marilyn Fisher to find out how you can help the Pantry and/ or church out financially!
Things To Do:
Announcement coming soon!
Please Pray for. . .
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
Fern Schara, Pat Kropack, Diana Carr, Mike & Traci Stephens, Lottie White, Pete & Debbie Animagi, Gus Scott, Joanne, John, Ryder Conrad, Carole, Tom DeLeeuw, Noah Coyle, Kevin, Nick, Percy, Tommie, Steve S, Ralph, Virginia Drogula, Carol Burge, Bev, Silvia Magana, Howard Doyle, Chris McAuliff, Mike, Bob Graniczny, Kris Neumann, Kristen Richardson, Kim Wisnewski, Gary Miller, Russ; Amber, Tim Dragoon, Jim Mueller, Ralph Mueller, Sommer Trella, Jennifer J, Courtney Flynn, Blake Murphy, Scott & Brandy, Phil Peloquin, Hayley Jeralowicz, Cheryl, Matt Kuh, Joan Coyle, Greg, Dave Dau, Steve Kryl, Brett, Billy Mueller, Laura Beschowek, Wayne Kaleziak, and those in your hearts. . .
🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏
Please inform the office for any name removals or additions. Thank you
Please remember to donate food, money and other resources to your local organizations who are supplying those in need.
Also, don’t forget-- to help Marilyn in supplying her pantry. Any large donations, please put in bag and leave by the back door, or contact Marilyn at 708-687-2432 and she can meet up with you. Monetary donations are always accepted and can be sent to church. If you are sending a check, please make it out to Marilyn Fisher.
Kind Words
Dear Redeemer’s Lutheran Church,
Thank you for your gift of $300 to help individuals and families escape homelessness this Spring season. As you know, we sheltered in place and followed CDC and State government guidance in response to the COVID 19 pandemic. Your support helped us pivot services to keep homeless individuals and families safe at local hotels, as all congregate shelters closed, while continuing to provide essential lifesaving services. Thank You!
Sincerely,
Rohit D’Souza,
Philanthropy Manager, PADS
I pray this letter finds you and your congregation hopeful and enjoying the waning weeks of summer during these unprecedented times. As always, thank you for your generous support of the ELCA, the synod, and our shared ministry. The impact that our congregations have in the world is truly amazing! I am proud to be a part of this effort and look forward to working with all of you in finding new, faithful ways to continue this inspiring work of Kingdom Building.
Many blessings of thanks!
Heather Haynes,
Executive Assistant to the Bishop
Dear Redeemer’s Lutheran Church
Thanks be to God for YOU! Your support through your benevolence and other giving is a blessing.
Please keep Bishop Curry and the MCS staff and all congregations of the synod in your prayers as we continue to press through this new way of being.
In Christ, Heather Haynes (Executive Assistant to the Bishop)
To the Redeemer's Family!
Connie Martin
TRIPLE BERRY CRISP
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ c. fresh blackberries
- 1 ½ c. fresh raspberries
- 1 ½ c. fresh blueberries
- ¼ c. sugar
- 2 c. all-purpose flour
- 2 c. rolled oats
- 1 ½ c. packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ c cold butter, cubed
👩🏻🍳🍴🍽️🍛🥗😋🍕🥤🍔👨🏻🍳👩🏻🍳🍴🍽️🍛🥗😋🍕🥤🍔👨🏻🍳
- preheat oven to 350
- Gently toss together all the berries, and white sugar in a large bowl; set aside.
- Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a separate large bowl.
- Cut in butter with 2 knives or a pastry blender until crumble mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Press ½ of the crumble into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.
- Cover with berry mixture. Sprinkle remaining crumble over berries.
- Bake in the preheated oven until fruit is bubbly and the top is golden brown. 30-40 minutes.
- Serve with whipped cream. Enjoy!
The Redeemer's website is maintained by Jerry Marquardt
New to Redeemer's? Here are some common questions
You’ll find everything from jeans to casual clothes to business suits at our worship experiences. At Redeener's, we don't care about what you look like or what you wear. We want you to be comfortable.
If you are visiting us for the first time, we will not ask you to stand up or ask you to give money. Many people want to check out a church and “be anonymous” for a while. That's ok by us!
It can be a intimidating visiting a church for the first time. So we will do our best to welcome you. We are dedicated to making sure you feel right at home. We'll answer any questions you have and make sure you get a hot cup of coffee and know exactly where to go.
When you get here, just head straight upstairs (or take the elevator) to our narthex to sign in! Your family is in good hands!
Giving is entirely up to you. If this is your first visit, we don't want you to feel any obligation to give. You are our honored guest. Also, if you start attending regularly, you'll only be expected to give what you feel you should.