The History of Our Redeemer
Second 25 Years: 1982-2007
| Aug. 1983 | Steve Niermann, first native-born ministerial candidate from Our Redeemer, placed in vicarage at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Flint, Michigan. |
| Jan. 1984 | Voters authorized call for an associate pastor beginning August 1984, requesting that the congregation’s present vicar be assigned the call. |
| June 1984 | Vicar Robert Pfeil assigned as associate pastor beginning August 1, 1984. Pastor Niermann received a call from St. Paul Lutheran Church, Amhurst, Ohio. |
| July, 22 1984 | Pastor Niermann's final service at Our Redeemer. |
| July 29, 1984 | Ordination and Installation service for Associate Pastor Robert Pfeil. |
| Sept. 1984 | Voters call Pastor Robert Bailey, who at the time was serving in Springlake, MN. |
| Nov. 11, 1984 | Installation of Rev. Robert Bailey as senior pastor. |
| June 1985 | Church morgage retired. |
| Apr. 13, 1986 | Rev. John McKiness appointed as visitation pastor. |
| June 1986 | Payments on house at 511 Melrose completed. |
| Sept. 28, 1986 | 30th Anniversary services. Guest speaker was Pastor Hedtke from St. Paul's, Marion, Iowa. |
| 1987 | Prayer chapel completed; elevator installed; grand piano purchased. |
| Aug. 7, 1988 | Deaconess Donna Gage installed as Director of Youth Activities. |
| Jan. 1989 | Marc Easley hired as half-time DYA (Director of Youth Activities). Voters moved to enter an ongoing vicarage program. |
| Mar. 19, 1989 | Dedication of stained glass windows in the church. |
| Aug. 25, 1991 | Installation of Kurt Mews as DCE (Director of Christian Education). |
| Mar. 31, 1992 | Pastor Robert Bailey's final Sunday service at Our Redeemer. |
| Jan. 10, 1993 | Installation service for Pastor Timothy John Zimmermann. |
| Feb. 21, 1993 | Celebration of the 35th Anniversary of Our Redeemer congregation. |
| Sept. 12, 1993 | Stephen Scheer commissioned as he enters Volunteer Youth Ministry Program with plans to serve in Japan. |
| Jun.-Sept. 1994 | Kent Hunter Honest Assessment. |
| Fall 1994 | Formation of VMA-2007 Committee. |
| Dec. 14, 1994 | Ratification of Revised Articles, By-laws, Administrative Regulations. |
| Feb. 1995 | Formation of Architect Committee Neumann Monson, P.C. was selected. |
| 1995 | Building Committee was formed to work with the architect and the congregation to develop a Master Plan for the purpose of building/remodeling. |
| 1995 | A committee was formed to research and gather funds for the building expansion project. The name of this committee is SJS Development Committee. |
| Jan. 7, 1996 | Pastor Philip James Scharnitzke installed as Assistant Pastor. |
| Jan. 21, 1996 | Installation of Judy Campen as Minister of Music, a newly created position. |
| Feb. 4, 1996 | The Master Plan was presented to the congregation at a special voters' meeting by the architecct and building Expansion Committee. It was unanimously approved. |
| Mar. 1996 | Cargill Associates retained to help us assess our abilities to carry out a buiding/remodeling program from a financial perspective. |
| Sept. 1, 1996 | Farewell event for Pastor Phil Scharnitzke. |
| Jan. 16, 1997 | Congregation approved $1.6 million building expansion project and its financing. |
| Apr. 27, 1997 | 40th Anniversary celebrated. |
| Jun. 1, 1997 | DCE Jen LaCroix commissioned and installed as Minister of Youth & Education. |
| Summer 1997 | Ground-breaking for building expansion. |
| Sept. 14, 1997 | Pastor Jonathan Offt installed as Assistant Pastor. |
| Sept. 13, 1998 | Dedication of new facilities. Rev. Wayne Knolhoff preaching. Congregational potluck and open house. |
| Jan., 1999 | Reached $700,000 in donations for Building the Vision. |
| Oct. 31, 1999 | Building the Vision Concluding Celebration - over $850,000 received. |
| Dec. 19, 1999 | Building on Blessings Commitments Dedicated - $702,000. |
| April 30, 2000 | Farewell for Pastor Jonathan Offt. |
| July 30, 2000 | Farewell for MYE Jennifer LaCroix |
| Nov. 19, 2000 | Installation of Hannah Zimmermann as MYE |
| Sept. 9, 2001 | Installation of Pastor Robert Gebel |
| April 28, 2002 | Celebration of Our Redeemer's 45th Anniversary |
| January, 2003 | Beginning of With Grateful Hearts two-year campaign |
| May 19, 2003 | Hired congregational member Larry Freeman as part-time Bookkeeper |
| May 21, 2004 | Pastor Robert J. Gebel received the degree of Master of Sacred Theology at the St. Louis Seminary |
| June 13, 2004 | Minister of Youth and Education Hannah (Zimmermann) Petersen resigned her position at Our Redeemer. |
| October, 2004 | Installed new church sign in front of church. Kaja Heinecke, Director of Youth Ministry, joined our staff. Abbey Almelien, Parish Nurse, joined our staff. |
| December, 2004 | With Grateful Hearts campaign concluded after receiving $257,000. Pioneer Club celebrated its 10th anniversary. |
| 2004-2005 | Building up the Body completed (read through the Bible) |
| December 27-30, 2005 | Pastor Zimmermann and Carol traveled to Biloxi, MS on mission work to aid those in need due to devastation by Hurricane Katrina. This was ORLC's first mission effort to Mississippi. |
| August 25-29, 2005 | Second Mission Team traveled to Biloxi, MS. |
| March, 2006 | Mission Team traveled to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| March 11-18, 2006 | Third Mission Team traveled to Biloxi, MS. |
| June, 2006 | "Soles for Souls" campaign sent over 3,000 pairs of shoes to Kyrgyzstan |
| August 27, 2006 | Stephanie Robinson, Director of Children's Education joined our staff. Construction renovation work completed on ORLC and Preschool. |
| October 14-21, 2006 | Fourth Mission Team traveled to Biloxi, MS. |
| December, 2006 | Parish Nurse Abbey Almelien left Our Redeemer and moved to Minnesota. |
| January 14, 2007 | Pastor Zimmermann's 37th Anniversary of ministry service. |
| March 4, 2007 | Lutheran Service Book dedication. Re-dedication of organ on its 30th Anniversary. Marilyn Paetz's 20th Anniversary as organist. |
| March 10-17, 2007 | Fifth Mission Team traveled to Biloxi, MS. |
| March 25, 2007 | 25th Anniversary of Preschool. Dedication of east wall. |
| April 15, 2007 | Joyce Roberson, Our Redeemer congregation member, installed as Parish Nurse. New audio-video equipment installed in the Sanctuary. |
| April 29, 2007 | Our Redeemer's 50th Anniversary. |
| May 20, 2007 | Spring Fling and Talent Show as part of 50th Anniversary celebration. |
| November 11, 2007 | Pastor Gebel preached last sermon at Our Redeemer, prior to moving to Milwaukee, WI. |
