Redeemer News

Our Davidson youth group will be going to Regina for this youth event on Friday, January 21st from 7 to 10pm. It will be held at Avonhurst Pentecostal Assembly. Cities Under Fire and Brian Westnedge will in concert and ministry. Other youth groups may be present. There will be icebreakers, worship/ministry, a concert, prizes, and food to follow. The cost is $10 at the door, plus $5 for fuel to help with the driving…total is $15 for each youth.  Please meet at the New Life Pentecostal Church, Davidson at 5:00pm. We’ll arrange rides to leave for Regina in time for the 7:00pm start.

Avonhurst Pentecostal has also offered to allow out-of-town youth groups to stay overnight at the church so as not to drive home too late. Please prepare some personal items to bring, e.g., sleeping bag, personal items, bible. If the weather does not permit or if our youth group must return home the same night, we will decide return the same night.

Cities Under Fire is a Christian Alternative Rock Band from North Battleford, Saskatchewan. They have performed at various festivals, youth retreats, and concerts from British Columbia to Ontario.

Pastor Boyd Hopkins of Spoken Word Ministries (former pastor at Rock of Ages Lutheran Brethren Church), will be exploring the cycles of unforgiveness and of forgiveness . We will be teaching on knowing the heart of God and learning how to break through to real freedom from guilt and anger related to past betrayals and failures.   There is no charge for this course.  A freewill offering will be taken.

Freedom through Forgiveness on Feb 4,5,6 - 2011
TCU Place
#35 - 22nd St E
Saskatoon

Feb 4 Friday - 7-10pm
Feb 5 Sat. 9:30-12 and 1:30-4
Feb 6 Sunday 2-5pm

For further information, please call 306-361-3733
Website: www.spokenwordministries.ca

Saskatoon & Area Children's Ministry Conference is here on February 12, 2011. Join in networking, encouragement, and training with others serving God in ministry to children and junior youth Brought to you by C-NET Saskatoon Children’s Ministry Network.  Website: www.cnetsaskatoon.ca

When: FEBRUARY 12, 2011 in SASKATOON
Host Location: EBENEZER BAPTIST, 107 McWillie Ave., Saskatoon

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE:
8:30am Registration
9:00am Main Session 1
10:30am Break
10:45am IMPACT Workshop A
11:45am Lunch (provided)
1:00pm Main Session 2
2:15pm IMPACT Workshop B
3:15pm Break
3:30pm Main Session 3
4:30pm Conference Closes

Letter to the churches, parents and youth in Davidson and area:

Pastor Russell Sparks and Pastor Kevin Sam are starting a Christian youth group for the community of Davidson.  We envision this as a joint effort of the churches in Davidson.  We plan on having a lot of fun together, playing games and having awesome outings. We will have a lot of fun but the purpose of this youth group is to encourage spiritual development in young people. Our aim is to encourage their devotion to Christ.  We welcome everyone regardless of one’s faith, and history of church experience, or lack thereof.

We want the work of Christ to remain central, rather than, deal with specific denominational doctrines.  When, and if, issues of denominational doctrines arise, we will point the youth to their church leaders/pastors, but we will try to present the range of perspectives fairly and with sensitivity.  Having volunteers from our various churches present would benefit any discussions.

You might be wondering what a typical weekly youth group night might look like. The location of the first Friday of each month will be at the Lutheran Church, and the other Fridays of the month will be at the Pentecostal Church.  A youth night would typically run from 7-10PM.  This would be a typical example of our format:
•    Welcome time with snacks (hot chocolate, pop, chips, cookies, etc.)
•    Opening prayer
•    Games (team-building type)
•    Sharing Highs and Lows  (sharing high and low points of your week)
•    Praying for our needs
•    Praise & worship songs
•    Message

Including in youth group events, we would also have special outings, which would differ from this regular format. We will try to have special outings every 1-2 months.  Examples of such outings would be tobogganing, gym night, bowling, or a concert.  We will try to keep costs to a minimum, but these special outings will often have a cost associated with them.  When there are, we will ask parents to contribute to the costs of these events, but if the cost is a prohibiting factor, our churches will make sure that everyone can come.

We are looking for volunteers who are committed Christians and have a desire to see young people develop spiritually.  If you know of someone please discuss this with them, and then pass their names to us.

Please encourage your youth to come out to our first event on Friday, January 14, 2011 at 7:00PM at the Lutheran Church. Games in the Dark! Kick off at the Lutheran Church

• Jan 21st “Cities under Fire” Concert in Regina at Avonhurst Pentecostal Assembly! Meet at 5:00 at New Life Pentecostal in Davidson.  (Tell Pastors Russ or Kevin if you want to come so we can plan rides!)

• Jan 28 Photo scavenger hunt

For more information, contact:

Pastor Russell Sparks, Davidson, SK, Phone: 567-4238
Pastor Kevin Sam, Davidson, SK, Phone: 567-2827
See Youth webpage

We will have another Christmas Pageant on Sunday, December 19th.  Time: 11:00AM.  Immediately following the pageant, we will have dinner downstairs.  Come and join us and celebrate Christmas-- the birth of our saviour Jesus!

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Friday, Dec. 24 at 7:30 pm

Come join us for our Christmas Eve Candlelight service where we sing and read scripture about the Messiah's arrival into the world.  Pastor Kevin will give a stirring message about the world's greatest gift yet to be opened by many.

Sunday school begins again for 2010-2011.  It's a time when children come to worship, learn the bible and its stories, and grow spiritually in the community of Christian believers. You're invited to bring your kids and their friends.

For more information about Sunday school, or if you would like to involve your children or be more involved yourself in children`s ministry, please contact Susan Heinrich at: (306) 567- 4633.

Confirmation begins again this year and takes place on Sundays 1:00 - 3:00 pm. Below is our schedule for 2010-2011.  Our confirmation ministry is a two-year program for youths in grades 7/8 (ages 13-14). Our confirmands will be challenged to learn basic bible knowledge, and about the basics of our Christian faith, according to Luther's Small Catechism.  See our curriculum outlined at the bottom of the web page.  It is done together with youth from Skudesnes Evangelical Lutheran Church.  If you would also like your youth to take part in confirmation, please contact Pastor Kevin Sam.  Please see the youth-confirmation webpage for details.

Schedule 2010 - 2011 September 19, 2010 September 26 October 24 November 7 November 14 November 28 December 5

January 9, 2011 January 23 February 6 February 13 March 6 March 13 March 20 April 10 April 17 May 1 May 15

We are starting a bible study on Hebrews. We have six sessions scheduled for Wednesday evenings at 7:30PM. If you would like to join us, please let Mary Lynne Golphy or Pastor Kevin know. The dates will be:

• Sept. 15
• Sept. 22
• Oct. 13
• Oct. 27
• Nov. 3
• Nov. 10

I came back from the ELCA Mission Developer Training Conference in Minneapolis, MN on July 29 – Aug. 2.   I was blessed to be able to attend this event.  Its missional focus really got me pumped.  Its overall purpose was to help “engage leaders in the formation of evangelizing congregations that make disciples for Jesus Christ who use their gifts for God’s Reign in the Church and in the world.”   At this particular conference, there were over 130 Lutheran mission developers/pastors from across the USA-Canada (including 10 pastors from Canada (AB, SK, ON).  Sask Synod sent two pastors including myself and your former pastor, Pr. Fred Schneider

Many there were starting new ministries or congregations; and some like myself, were there to renew existing ministries. Our common purpose was to help develop a healthy and missional mindset within congregations that results in the multiplication of leaders and new ministries.

Yes, we all know that the Lutheran church and other mainline denominations are on a decline, but this conference showed me that there is still hope if we remain open and avail ourselves to God’s purpose and power.   There are glimmers of hope shining in every denomination–even ours.  By evangelizing, teaching, discipling, and shepherding (which is really the exercise of Word and Sacrament), we are doing our part in fulfilling the Great Commission of Matthew 28.  As a congregation, I hope we can work together in this labor of love to renew and strengthen God’s kingdom in our community.

Grace to you,
Pastor Kevin Sam

Confirmation Sunday was on May 30, 2010. In May 2010, our confirmation students were given a comprehensive test (written and oral) in order to encourage them to learn and understand the confirmation material and the bible. Everyone passed.

I would like to thank all you confirmands for your efforts and participation in confirmation class (and thank you to all you parents who faithfully brought your kids to confirmation class).  I am proud of all of you and appreciate your willingness to learn and grow.  I hope you will continue to learn and mature in faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and complete your journey of faith and service to the Lord as you live out your baptism until your final days in Christ Jesus. Remember that the essence of our Christian faith is about forgiveness of sins. Jesus loves you :)

Blessings to all of you!!

Pastor Kevin Sam

Our quilters Phyllis M., Kristine C., Elaine S., Nina G., Carol S., Mary W., and Helen M. worked hard together to make at least 60 quilts and sewing kits.  They were sent to Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) to be given to someone around the world who could use one of these quilts.

During the service of blessing-dedication, each person took a quilt, and placed it on the altar.

Pastor's message:
The quilts we dedicate today are representative of the many items which your servants have put together over the last year. We commend the women of our church who so faithfully have met together to make these beautiful quilts. We thank God for their devoted service and through their work have gathered items to stitch together these quilts. We pray that they will continue to use their talents to create beautiful messages of love to the people in God’s world who may be desperately seeking your word of grace and comfort.  We pray that God would renew our Christian calling in God`s mission to help those in need–-to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, comfort the weary and outcast, welcome the stranger and be a loving neighbor to all the people of the earth.

Then a prayer of blessing was said...

Redeemer Lutheran Church has Holy Communion on the fourth Sunday of each month.  Pastor Kevin is giving communion classes this week for kids who are age 8 and older who would like to be able to receive the Lord's Supper but who are not yet confirmed.  The 6 kids in this class look forward to receiving the Sacrament of the Altar in the future.

On Friday - Sunday, March 5 - 7, our youth will be heading up to Camp Kinasao at Christopher Lake, SK for the Confirmation Retreat.  The weekend would involve fun and fellowship with approximately 80 other confirmation students from the Saskatoon conference.  The itinerary would include indoor and outdoor activities, as well as, time for bible study, music and worship.