Sunday 8 AM, 9 AM, 11 AM and 5 PM

  2944 Erie Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208  ·   (513) 321-6700  ·         Give

The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
  • Welcome
    • Children
    • Service Times
  • About
    • What We Believe
    • Vision Statement
    • Community Covenant
    • The Way of Love
    • Our Clergy & Staff
    • Vestry
    • Calendar
    • Latest News
    • Wedding Guidelines
    • Contact Us
  • Worship
    • Our Worship
    • Worship Online
    • Worship Weekdays
    • Bulletins
    • Music
    • Families in Worship
    • Children's Liturgy
    • Sermons
    • Prayers of the People
    • Ministry Scheduler
  • Serve
    • Mission Ministries
    • Mission Minded Forum
    • Reconcilers
    • Ministry Discernment
  • Care
    • Healthy Church
    • Stephen Ministry
    • Creation Care
    • Dementia Inclusive Cincinnati Initiative
    • Obituaries
  • Learn
    • Family Ministry
    • Redeemer Preschool
    • Book Group
    • Downtown Bible Study
    • Library
    • Theology Circle
    • Thursday Morning Bible Study
    • CoR After School
  • Connect
    • Holy Week 2023
    • Events
    • Church Directory
    • StorySharers
    • Becoming Beloved Community
    • Scotland Pilgrimage and Choir Residency
    • Second Half Ministry
    • Young Adults
    • Membership
    • Calendar
    • Contact Us
    • Giving
    • Planned Giving
    • CoR Portal
  • Media
    • Redeemer Online
    • Rector's Blog
    • Podcasts
    • Annual Report
  • Give
    • Commitment 2022
    • Stewardship
    • Endowment Fund

Rector's Blog: Your Commitment in 2021

This blog is also available as a podcast.

I’m writing to you today about how I’d like you to make a financial commitment to Church of the Redeemer in 2021. If this makes you uncomfortable, I hope you stick around anyway: Your understanding of what’s going on at your church matters a great deal.

I’ve written a lot in the last couple years – some would say exhaustively – about the spiritual aspects, theological reasoning, and personal benefits of giving to your church. I’m not going to do that today (though if you want to read more of that, check out my blog posts from July of this year). Today, I want to speak on a simple, practical level with you about why your commitment to Church of the Redeemer is so important in the upcoming year.

The vast majority of giving to Church of the Redeemer goes towards our staff. When you give, you are helping to support the work of a number of faithful servants who have been doing brave, difficult, creative, life-giving work during the most difficult time in our collective memory.

When we abruptly shut the doors of our building this past March in response to the coronavirus pandemic, nobody stopped working. Nobody took a vacation. Our team immediately moved Church of the Redeemer completely online, transitioning the bulk of our ministries, programs, and communications to accommodate our forced isolation, and to maintain the strength of our connections. In the midst of unprecedented uncertainty, Church of the Redeemer has remained a source of hope, transformation, and strength.

We mobilized dozens of parishioners to create neighborhood groups, helping us to stay connected and be community. We continued with our Sacred Ground class, our Bible Studies, our Theology Circle, Stephen Ministry, Children’s Liturgy, Inquirers’ Classes – the list seems endless in retrospect. Speaking personally, I am so proud of this church. I’m so proud of the work we’ve done together in the last year.

We don’t know what next year will bring, but we do know that Church of the Redeemer will be here to walk alongside you and guide you into deeper connection with God and your neighbor. And we know we will need your help for this to happen. Your giving equips us for the work God is giving us to do.

In what’d we’d call more normal times, we collect offerings, both pledged and non-pledged, every Sunday during worship services. Our custom is to estimate how much we will receive in non-pledged giving and build that into our budget. This amount makes up nearly 10% of our budgeted giving. In 2020, we have not collected regular plate offerings since early March, and we don’t know when we will again, or what they will be like when we do. As you can imagine, this strongly impacts our budget. We need to make up for this gap and create a more sustainable system. We need your help. Your financial contribution makes a difference to your church.

For 2021, we ask that you make your commitment through regular scheduled electronic giving. Whether it be weekly or annually, giving electronically is a safe and sustainable way to ensure your continued financial support. Some of you already do give in this manner (I know I do!) and we encourage you to continue doing so. For those of you who have not tried this method, we ask that you commit to doing so for your 2021 gift. Instructions can be found on our website.

I know some of you have been negatively impacted by the economic ramifications of the pandemic. We understand if you have to reduce your giving. But for those of you have maintained economic stability (or even growth) during this time, it is my fervent hope that you will either continue or increase your giving from last year. In March, we made the decision to keep the staff intact – to commit to them that we’d continue their employment as long as possible. They’ve responded powerfully, engaging us all with thoughtful, experiential, and dynamic ministry. Put simply, I want to us to continue our commitment to this staff, and to keep building on the excellent work Church of the Redeemer has been doing.

You have heard me say throughout these last months that we’re in it together. And we are. We are united to each other in relationships of holy connection and communion. One way we show this unity is in our commitment to our worshiping community, and I'm asking you to make that commitment today.


Tags: Rector's Blog

Sermons

  • Mar 20 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    The Present Past
  • Mar 12 | Tym House
    Direct Access to Grace
  • Mar 6 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Being Righteous
  • Feb 27 | The Rev. Melanie W. J. Slane
    Two Sides of the Same Coin
  • Feb 20 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Superman Transfigured

Rector's Blog

  • Mar 24 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, When God Feels Like It
  • Mar 17 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, But Through Me
  • Mar 10 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, Conversions - Part 2
  • Mar 3 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, Conversions - Part 1
  • Feb 24 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, Better Not Easier

© 2023 The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
2944 Erie Ave. · Cincinnati, OH 45208
(513) 321-6700
Privacy Policy · Powered by Membership Vision

  View Entire Post

Service Times

We welcome you to join us at the church building or online.

Learn more about our worship services using the button below.

Our Worship

Please join us online by using the button below!

Online Worship

Location

The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
2944 Erie Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45208

Contact Us
(513) 321-6700

Newsletter Signup

Welcome Children Service Times Membership Contact Us

Welcome to Church of the Redeemer! We invite and welcome ALL to join us in worship and community. In addition to worship, we have a vibrant music community, a fun and welcoming community for children and youth, plus offerings for everyone from young adults to seniors, covering many varied interests.

The Rev. Philip DeVaul, Rector

WHAT WE BELIEVE

We love children, and children love Church of the Redeemer!

Children are at the heart of life at Church of the Redeemer. Children learn about the word of God through our Children's Christian Education programs; they are involved in worship services, they play music in our services, and they form lifelong friendships with each other through their experiences.

LEARN MORE

On Sundays we have an 8:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite I service, a 9:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite II service (which is also livestreamed), an 11:00 am Banquet Eucharist service and a 5:00 pm Celtic Eucharist service.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we offer Morning Prayer on our Online Worship Podcast.

On Wednesdays, we offer Holy Eucharist, Rite II at 6:00 pm in the Chapel.

LEARN MORE

The community of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer welcomes you! We are glad that you have chosen to explore your faith here and hope that this document can answer some of the questions you may have about Church of the Redeemer. We seek to be an open, inviting community. Our invitation to you is to join us as we grow in faith and reach out in love to others. At Church of the Redeemer we are always seeking to know Jesus and grow in love. We hope that in whatever ministries you undertake will strengthen your relationship with him through your ministry and fellowship here.

LEARN MORE

PARKING: Parking is on the street. Please pay attention to the signs indicating proper parking zones. Handicapped parking is available in the front on Erie, in the back parking lot, and on the south side of Raymar.

ACCESSIBLE REDEEMER: The front entrance has a ramp and there is an elevator inside the back door and to the left. Accessible restrooms are located in the Lobby inside the front entrance.


CONTACT US
Make a Donation Altar Flowers Endowment Fund Commitment 2023 Planned Giving

Thank you for supporting the mission and ministry of Church of the Redeemer!

To give a one time gift, click the button below. To make a financial commitment for 2023, use the Commitment 2023 tab above.

Donate

Flowers in our holy worship spaces are a beautiful gift to God and those who attend services at Church of the Redeemer as well as those being honored or remembered. A contribution to the Flower Fund is a meaningful way to honor or remember a loved one for special life events such as birthdays, anniversaries, baptisms, confirmations, thanksgivings, or in memory of a loved one.

Donate

The Church of the Redeemer is blessed to have received special gifts from parishioners who wanted Redeemer to have permanent savings to care for our facilities and to supplement our pledge income.

Such permanent savings are often called an “endowment.” The endowed funds are permanently set aside by donors or by the Vestry. Some of our donors have specified uses for their endowment gifts. A limited portion of the funds is distributed each year to supplement our general budget. All funds are invested with professional advice.

LEARN MORE

What about your connection to Redeemer changes the way you live in this world? Your financial commitment is a response to the work that God is doing with you here. It is a practical way to ensure that others are able to experience the relationships of holy connection and communion that are shaping your life.

For 2023, we ask that you make your commitment through regular scheduled electronic giving, if possible. Whether it be weekly or annually, giving electronically is a safe and sustainable way to ensure your continued financial support.

MAKE YOUR COMMITMENT NOW

Your planned legacy gift to the Church of the Redeemer is a practical way for you to empower generations to come. It is a powerful witness of faith, love, and gratitude. This type of gift recognizes the heritage left by those who came before us and acknowledges that we bear a responsibility to the future faithful - to insure the continuation of God’s work within and beyond Church of the Redeemer.

Read More