April 20, 2026
Dear fellow redeemed,
The Scripture readings for this Sunday describe God as our Shepherd, and we as His sheep. The Shepherd knows his sheep. He lives with His sheep. He cares for and protects them. He leads them and provides for all their needs. He knows His sheep, and they recognize His voice. The Good Shepherd is willing to face the enemies of His sheep, even to sacrifice Himself for them. He keeps His sheep safe, and when one is lost he will search for it until he finds it. (For more on this, see Psalm 23, John 10, Luke 15:3-7, and other passages of Scripture, as this is a common image of God and His people).
So what is our Lord, the Good Shepherd, doing with us today? How is He leading and providing for us? Where is He leading us?
Yesterday in our worship service at Redeemer we addressed these questions as we watched the video, “A Different Way to be Church”. (If you want to see it again, or you missed this past Sunday, you may go the “Greater Milwaukee Synod” website, go to “Resources for Congregations”, “Mission and Innovation”, “Adventures in Renewal”, video #2. )
To summarize the message from yesterday, we see that God is at work among us, and in our world today. And we are invited to join God in His work in us and among our neighbors.
So how do we do this? How do we join God in His work of love and mercy for all people? The video gives us a process that will answer these questions. We simply need to 1) listen to God and one another; 2) try activities that are responding to what we hear; where people are, and what people need; 3) reflect on what we have tried; and 4) share with one another our experiences; repeating this over again and again.
No, this isn’t going to promise to increase attendance at worship services, or bring immediate growth in fd life in Christ. It simply is a way to find God and His work in and among us, and in our neighborhood and world. The thinking here is that we need to be doing, and not just talking about things.
To follow this process, I plan to be sitting down with you in the upcoming months, listening and learning, trying new ideas, reflecting and sharing them. And I invite you to do the same. I look forward to listening to you as you are invited to share updates on your faith and life in Christ; asking you how I and Redeemer congregation can help you; and asking how we can join God in His work among us and in our community.
Please join me in prayer and conversation and in the ministry that God will lead us to do.
Looking forward with you,
– Pastor Steve
Pastor Steve’s 2-Minute Devotion – 4/22/26
Pastor’s Monthly Update – May 2026
Dear fellow redeemed,
I need your help!
Here’s what I’m referring to: God is at work among us, and in our community. And I want to join you in learning where God is at work, and joining Him as we serve our Lord, and one another. So let’s get together and listen to God and one another; try things that can reach our neighborhood; reflect on how it is going; and share with one another.
And this is what I pray will happen: we will see God’s work, and we will be led to follow the Holy Spirit as He leads us to be an encouragement and service to one another.
Here’s a few ways that we can do this:
1) Join us for Sunday services, where we will hear God’s Word, receive the Sacraments, and have opportunity to listen to one another.
2) Take other opportunities to listen to the Scriptures, in daily devotions, in the Bible studies at RLC, and in podcasts and conversations with one another.
3) I sincerely want to meet with each of you, one on one, and listen to how God is at work in your life; ask how I and our congregation can help you; and join you in ways that we can serve our Lord.
4) Pray! Ask God to bless us, to lead us to join Him in our community, and to be with us, our congregation, and community.
With you and our Lord,
– Pastor Steve
Redeemer Lutheran Church - Hartford, WI 