Prayer

Did you know we have dedicated times of prayer throughout the week that you could connect with other praying saints, grow in your ability to pray, and feed your continual praying life?

• Sunday Morning - 9:00 am (before Sunday School)

• Wednesday Morning - 6:30 am (@RCTC)

• Thursday Morning - 6:00 am (@Poblo International Ministries)

• Friday Afternoon - 12:00pm (2nd - 5th Fridays) (@Plummer 12th Floor Library)

Contact your elders to get connected with these prayer groups.

Women

In February we started two Bible studies, one continuing from the fall on Wednesday mornings once a week and a new one in the evenings meeting every Thursday. We also discussed how many women we have in some sort of Bible study every week at our church. It is a very high percent. And for that we are so grateful to see our women teaching and being taught God’s word in many places with in our community.

We have about a dozen women attending the Bethlehem Women’s conference coming up in April in the cities.

We have a women’s event on Feb 13 that is focused on celebrating friendships hosted by ladies.

We have also lost one person on our team. But are excited and looking forward to what God is doing in the ladies of our church and on our team.

Missions

We have scheduled 4 trips to Central and South America this year partnering with missionaries to equip locals to build the church. 

• Roatan, Honduras (Feb. 24-Mar. 2; June 8-15; Nov. 2-9). These trips are centered around theological training for pastors and lay leaders as well as supporting a local clinic in a community ravaged by poverty and AIDS.

• La Paz, Bolivia September 11-21. This trip involves leading chapel services and interacting with students (elementary, middle-, and high-school age) from the local community at Highlands International School to teach them about Jesus and the gospel, and to apply it to their lives. We are also considering setting up a “pop-up clinic” with the school nurse to do basic health check-ups for indigenous families, equipping them with basic hygiene kits.

We hope to find a place for everyone to serve on these trips (including children). If you would like to know how you could be on mission with us, contact your elders or Rocky Coleman and the missions team for more information.

We are also asking our Community Groups to stay connected to the various long-term missionaries we pray for and support.

Be in prayer for the few members among us who are interested in becoming long term missionaries to the Middle East, Africa, South America, and Japan. Redemption member Jess Christy will be heading to Thailand in the next several months! Please find time to connect with her and hear about her ministry opportunity before she is sent out.

Continue to be in prayer for the Egyptian man we are interested in sponsoring to come and help us with Muslim outreach. Right now we are in the process of submitting a lot of legal paperwork. It will take many months to make this happen.

Sunday School

Currently running two classes.

1) What We Believe - This adult Sunday School class has been spending time considering Why We Are (or Why We Are Not) _____. This class is 7 weeks into a 20 week series taught by 10 different individuals. If there are any topics that you would like to hear addressed or taught on in the future, please let Justin (or another Elder) know.

2) Discipleship 101 - giving you guidelines on sitting down with a friend to explain our identity in Christ, among his people, and on mission in the world.

Church Planting

Joe Zayas and Patrick Porras are beginning an internship this year with us to build a core team and launch Grace City Church in SE Rochester in the Spring of 2021. They will be joining some elder meetings, preaching, fundraising, reading, and taking many classes. Please be praying for this intense learning process. If you want to be more a part of this effort, reach out to them and the elders.

Community Groups

We currently have 7 Community Groups that meet 5 nights of the week. Each has a different flavor, but all working to Make Disciples Together (both unifying disciples together, and in unity reaching out to bring disciples into the fellowship). We are working on a summary document to explain these priorities.

If you are not part of a Community Group, contact the elders to get details on each group so you can get connected.

College & Seminary

Pastor Adam and Rocky Coleman visited with the leadership of Bethlehem in January. At the meeting a process was discussed that would allow for a Rochester extension campus to start this Fall! There are still several approvals that must happen, but both sides are working get everything completed so that we can officially announce the extension campus soon! If you are interesting in learning more about the degree programs please speak with Adam or Rocky.

Pray also for Rocky Coleman as he is put forward as Campus Coordinator. He will go through an interview process by faculty including teaching a class and a vision interview with Chancellor Piper. Pray for Rocky’s heart to display an eagerness to spread joy in the supremacy of Christ through this endeavor.

School of Theology

Once a month we will host a 2-hour seminar on a topic to help you practically apply the gospel to your life. The goal is to give you a summary of the Bible’s teaching on the subject and give you practical tools to apply the Bible to your life and relationships.

• February 23 - Discipleship (6:30 pm @ Emmanuel Baptist Church)

• March 22 - Marriage

• April 19 - Vocation/Stewardship

• May 17 - Parenting

Local Ministry Partnerships

MN Teen Challenge - Pray for developing opportunities to disciple recovering addicts, both men and women!

Next Chapter - The SE Community Group has adopted this ministry and leads a weekly dinner and Bible study with former convicts.

Together for Good - A few Redemption families have committed to providing meals and fellowship with needy families in Olmsted County.

Navigators - Some Redemption members volunteer at this local college outreach ministry to mentor young people just finding their identity in life.