2025 Annual Report

From the Elders

Stephen Murphy, 2025 chairman of the board

It’s hard to believe that another year has already passed in the life of our congregation. We are entering our third year and excited to see what the Lord brings – especially at the new 1st Street campus!

But first let’s take a look back at our second year which was full of God’s rich blessing and mercy.

We have expanded our use of 1802 to include three adult Equip classes. Our Third Sunday meals push the capacity of the back of the sanctuary to its limits. Each members’ meeting we are adding almost the same number to our congregation as the core group of believers that started Redeemer in 2023.

We have had 14 babies, 7 baptisms, 10 Bible study and local small groups across the region, our membership is now 151, and we average more than 250 (70 in Redeemer Kids) on Sundays!

One of the consistent themes we hear from people applying for membership is that the teaching is rich with truth, the worship is reverent and pure and that the people of Redeemer welcome visitors with a genuine love.  What an encouragement it is to read some of the membership applications that confirm your adherence to the exhortations of Peter and Paul in their letters to the church. Here are a few unattributed excerpts from the applications this year in:

“We have experienced the expression of Christ’s love through the members of the church. We’ve learned so much about the importance of established biblical doctrine. We want to be a part of this local church.”

“I appreciate the simple worship that helps us focus more on Christ. The people of the church are loving and have such a desire to grow deeper in their relationship with the Lord.” 

“Redeemer reminds me of what a church should be as declared by the book of Acts, and the epistles.”

“We have seen fruitful teaching, efforts at solid biblical education, and sweet fellowship and engagement at Redeemer, and it’s refreshing.”

“I wanted a church that prioritized God and His glory more than people’s feelings or trying to “entice” people.”

“The dedication to following Scripture for teaching, preaching and living out the Christian life has been refreshing to our family.”

“The preaching is biblically based and sound. The congregational led worship. The heart for a gospel-centered community and heart for the whole area we are in.”

As elders our goals will never be tied to adding numbers to the congregation. Whoever comes and decides to stay is up to the Lord. Our role is to watch over those placed under our care (1 Peter 5:1-4) and as elders we do that through a focus on whole-life discipleship, sound teaching, and protection from false teaching.

You will see a renewed effort on this in our third year with the addition of regular individual communication with members of the flock, more events for us to fellowship and learn together, more articles and position papers to share with the church on theological challenges the elders want to address, and the addition of new elders and deacons to ensure our faithfulness to these values remains steadfast and sure. 

As we seek to renew our efforts in leadership, I want to encourage you also to look inward and challenge yourself anew this year. You loved what you saw in this church when you joined.

What you saw was a result of the Spirit strengthening us in our convictions: clear gospel, Biblical preaching, holy worship, deep discipleship, intentional simplicity, covenant membership, plural leadership, radical hospitality, and thoughtful mission.

Renew a commitment to these convictions with us in our third year. Commit to reading God’s Word and meditating on His truth throughout each day. Pray without ceasing. Deliver the gospel to friends and neighbors. Serve each other. Volunteer for something new in the church. Be fruitful. 

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. (2 Peter 1:5-9)

There is much labor ahead of us in the coming year – both physical and spiritual. We will change locations and with that will come at a huge logistical effort which will require all of us.

I am excited about the chance for us to be a light in that part of our city – a new embassy for the Kingdom ready to get to work for its King. We rejoice that God has seen fit to put this work in our hands and it is by His strength that we will continue to glorify Him in this city.

I look forward to serving with you all this year!

To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever.