updates

Updates by Month

As announced last week, Divine Redeemer is in the silent buildup phase for a capital campaign for a new Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC). The theme of our campaign is "Forward in our Story, All for His Glory". This theme is fitting for the Divine Redeemer Lutheran Church and School community for two reasons. First, it allows us to honor our more-than-50-year history of building the Kingdom in Lake Country, while also calling to mind that our mission continues to propel us into the future. In conducting this campaign, we have the life-giving opportunity to write a new chapter in the story of Divine Redeemer. 

Second, the theme keeps the scriptural basis of all that we do in our minds. We deliberately chose this theme because it calls to mind 1 Corinthians 10:31b: “Whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” Paul exhorts Christians to seek the good of others, and thereby bring glory to God. While it is exciting to write a new chapter in Divine Redeemer’s story, that cannot be our only purpose. We cannot build a building just for the sake of a new building and a greater capacity for our ECDC, though these are good things. We must instead remember that we are doing these things to give God glory! A successful campaign will let us bring even more children and families into a relationship with Jesus, to remind even more of the people of Lake Country of God’s love for them. 

Please continue to pray for the campaign and take time to reflect with God on how He might be calling you to contribute. Please also pray for all the church leaders and volunteers working to bring the campaign to a successful outcome.  

Thank you to all who voted on a logo this week over on our Facebook group.  We had nearly 100 votes and option 1 (above) won.  

As many are aware, Divine Redeemer is in the planning stages of our "Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory" Capital Campaign before the public kickoff on September 10th. To conduct a successful effort, we need a strong volunteer team to visit with church and school families. 

We are thankful that several members of the Divine Redeemer community have agreed to help provide campaign leadership. The following members have said “yes” thus far to an invitation to serve as General Chairs, Honorary Chairs, or on the Campaign Cabinet: 

General Chairs: Rob and Chelsea Chandler, Jeff and Karen Lippert 

Honorary Chairs: Dick and Leslie Barkow, Christopher and Angela Batterman, Jeff and Christa Cardenas 

Campaign Cabinet: David Bahr, Andrew Byrne, Tracy Holt, Mike Johnson, Dan Kuehner, Tracey Markut, Mike and Kathy Oldenburg, Andrew and Sarah Portale, Ken Saydel, Tim Timmerman 

In their role, these leaders will play an integral part in implementing a successful campaign. One of their first responsibilities over the next month and a half, aside from helping us secure groundbreaking gifts, will be helping to recruit additional volunteers for making visits during the campaign’s public phase in the fall. If you are interested in helping during the public phase, please contact Ben Giles, our capital campaign manager, at bgiles@fellowshipdevelopment.com by July 21, 2023. 

You can help make a difference for Divine Redeemer Lutheran Church and School and its future! Please consider lending your talent to this important cause! 

Frequently Asked Questions 

As part of the preparation phase of our Forward in our Story, All for His Glory Capital Campaign, we will provide a series of FAQs to keep you informed about our exciting plans. 

What is the timeline of the capital campaign? 

Over the course of the summer, we are focusing on recruiting and training campaign volunteers and securing lead gifts. When school returns in the fall, we will move into the public phase of the campaign which will include events and appeals to all church and school families! Finally, in late October, we will wrap up the public phase and transition to pledge redemption and finishing construction of our new ECDC building! 

 

 
When will construction begin? 

Our hope and prayer are to have the new ECDC building completed in time to welcome students for the 2024-25 school year. To accomplish this important goal, construction needs to begin by the end of this summer. Our Board of Directors has stipulated that construction can begin as soon as we receive 20% ($1.2 million) of the total projected costs ($6 million). As a result, the silent phase of the campaign is focused on raising $1.2 million so that we can begin construction as soon as possible. 

I would be interested in giving a significant, Ground-Breaking gift to the campaign. How can I do that? 

If you are interested in giving a gift of this kind, please email Ben Giles, our campaign manager, at bgiles@fellowshipdev.com so we can make sure a member of our campaign team contacts you this summer.  


How can I ask questions or find more information about the capital campaign and project? 

The Vision page on Divine Redeemer’s website (drlc.org/vision) has a wealth of resources which will be updated throughout the campaign. You can also send your questions and comments to vision@drlc.org. 

We hope the campaign timeline in last week’s newsletter (and again below) is helpful to the congregation. A capital campaign is an out-of-the-ordinary process and a significant undertaking that rolls out over several months. The buildup continues in the silent phase, and we cannot wait to kick off the public effort in September! 

In the meantime, please pray, pray, pray. Pray for the staff and volunteers working so diligently to make sure the campaign is a success, and we can open our new ECDC for the 2024-25 school year. Pray and begin discerning how God may be calling you to contribute. Pray especially for the mission of Divine Redeemer in Lake Country and that God will continue to bless us and help spread the Gospel.

 

“The excitement for our Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory Capital Campaign continues to grow! Please take a moment to view this short video from Pastor Seth and Principal Janet Bahr about how excited they are for what the future holds at Divine Redeemer!

Please also continue to pray, pray, pray. This campaign is, above all, for God’s glory. If we keep God at the center of it by moving through the process with prayer at every step, we will not only succeed, but God will work through the campaign in ways we cannot even imagine!”


Update - Appeal Letters coming in the next few months

Pastor Seth doesn't want the fact that you will be receiving an appeal letter to be a surprise, so he filmed a video message to tell you more about it.  Appeal letters will be sent out in waves in the next few months starting this month. Enjoy the happy voices of the kids currently in the ECDC playing in the playground outside his office!

The Appeal Letter will come in the mail. It will be signed by Pastor Seth. The mailing will also come with other campaign items for reference.

 

The Vision Page on the DRLC website was given an overhaul this past month. Check it out at drlc.org/vision. This page contains information including:

  • Communication Archives
  • Videos
  • Renderings
  • Updates
  • FAQs
  • More

As the first wave of appeal letters go out, it is a good time to reflect once again on our needs as a church and school. God is moving here, and it is such an inspiration that we have the opportunity to make sure we have facilities to accommodate God’s blessings for generations to come! Please watch this video below, and please continue to pray for Divine Redeemer, the campaign and all of the volunteers working to make it a great success!

Divine Redeemer Lutheran Church & School Full Campaign Video

 

Volunteers needed in September & October

We need volunteers! As we draw near to the new school year and the launch of the public phase of our Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory Capital Campaign, we need volunteers to help with personal visits during that public phase. The role is straightforward: each volunteer will meet with 8-10 families during the six-week public phase to answer any questions they may have and help secure a decision. These are not cold calls, and volunteers are not the ones asking for money. Instead, the volunteer’s role is to help the families they meet with decide how they will respond to the appeal they receive from Divine Redeemer.  

The more volunteers we get, the more visits we can conduct! This is an excellent way to build up the future of Divine Redeemer Church and School! If interested, please email Ben Giles, our capital campaign manager, at bgiles@fellowshipdev.com as soon as possible. 


BIG UPDATE TONIGHT

Tune in tonight at 8PM CST for an update. The link to our private DR Church Facebook group is HERE.

VOLUNTEER REMINDER 

We are looking for September volunteers for the Capital Campaign. The more volunteers we get, the more visits we can conduct! This is an excellent way to build up the future of Divine Redeemer Church and School! If interested, please email Ben Giles, our capital campaign manager, at bgiles@fellowshipdev.com as soon as possible. 

UPDATE 

Our Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory Capital Campaign continues! As of earlier this week, we have raised $2,624,319 in pledges and gifts. As we build up to the launch of our public phase, we praise and thank God for the provision He has already made for our vision, and we also look forward with excitement to how much additional progress we will make in the coming months! 

As an additional campaign reminder, we need volunteers! As we draw near to the campaign’s public launch, we need volunteers to help with personal visits during that public phase. The role is straightforward: each volunteer will meet with 8-10 families during the six-week public phase to answer any questions they may have and help secure a decision. These are not cold calls, and volunteers are not the ones asking for money. Instead, the volunteer’s role is to help the families they meet with decide how they will respond to the appeal they receive from Divine Redeemer.  

The more volunteers we get, the more visits we can conduct! This is an excellent way to build up the future of Divine Redeemer Church and School! If interested, please email Ben Giles, our capital campaign manager, at bgiles@fellowshipdev.com by Wednesday, August 16. 

Our Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory Capital Campaign continues! As of earlier this week, we have raised $2,795,357 in pledges and gifts, an increase of $171,038 in just one week! As we build up to the launch of our public phase, we praise and thank God for the provision He has already made for our vision, and we also look forward with excitement to how much additional progress we will make in the coming months! 

Don’t forget to mark your calendars: the public kickoff of our campaign is on Sunday, September 10th! This will be an occasion for great celebration on the part of our church and school community - we have the great blessings of being able to celebrate the Divine Redeemer's past, present and future through launching the public phase of our campaign! You won’t want to miss it! 

IT’S TIME!!! After months of prayer, planning, and behind-the-scenes hard work, we’re launching the public phase of our Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory Capital Campaign in just two weeks on Sunday, September 10th starting at 10:30 AM! We’re so incredibly excited, and we hope you are too! 

There are so many reasons to come to the kickoff! Not only do we have the chance to celebrate Divine Redeemer’s past and future, but the festivities include breaking ground on our new building! The ceremony will include shovels and an excavator to mark the start of construction of a facility that gives our ECDC desperately needed room to expand and gives more spaces for our ministries to flourish! 

In addition to groundbreaking, the event will have an Oktoberfest celebration with live German music, pretzels, brats, root beer floats,  bounce houses, and more. It’ll be a blast for the whole family!  

Mark your calendars for September 10th from 10:30-2:30 (with Ground Breaking ceremony at noon), because you will not want to miss the celebration of the next chapter in the Divine Redeemer story as we continue to give God glory! 

THIS IS A SHORT, TO THE POINT UPDATE (you are welcome)! Come to the Oktoberfest Event on the 10th and don't miss the HISTORIC Groundbreaking at NOON.That is all.

UPDATE

IT’S HERE!!!!! This weekend marks the public launch of Divine Redeemer’s Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory campaign – a critical effort to help fund a new building for our Early Childhood Development Center as well as renovations of the ECDC’s current spaces to give us more spaces for our ministry needs. 

Earlier this week, everyone was mailed a packet of materials. A case booklet is enclosed, along with a letter from Pastor Seth requesting a pledge to the effort. Over the coming weeks, our team of volunteers will be reaching out to families to discuss the campaign, answer questions and seek your support. Due to our large database of church and school families, we may not be able to personally contact every family – but we do hope and pray that all families will choose to participate in this important effort, in any prayerfully discerned way.DON'T FORGET WE HAVE A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT THIS WEEKEND AT SERVICES AND THE GROUNDBREAKING!

WE MADE HIS-STORY

This past weekend was such a joy! God was glorified through it all!  The Church Ministry year kicked off with a red-carpet welcome and beautiful worship. Kids connection and Confirmation started.  The groundbreaking ceremony was so awesome and exciting and the Oktoberfest was a great way to have fellowship and celebrate.  Even the local newspaper covered our historic event!  Praising God that we are embarking upon having more SPACE to do more for our community including school, prayer, Bible study, sports and more! We made history, but more importantly we are moving forward "HIS" "STORY" through our church and school.  In Church this Sunday, we will watch a recap video of the Oktoberfest & Ground-breaking!

 

UPDATE

It's hard to put into words how to summarize Sunday, September 10th.  God was at work. Many families and individuals were blessed to spend time in prayer during the 24-hour vigil. There were nearly 700 worshipping at church.  We had hundreds on the field for the ground-breaking ceremony and the Oktoberfest was a time of fellowship and fun! We are NOW officially in the PUBLIC PHASE of the capital campaign.  What does that mean? Well, it means that we are asking everyone to prayerfully discern their pledge to the campaign. We are grateful for the success of the silent phase of the campaign and thankful to ALL who were able to provide literal GROUND-BREAKING gifts! But there is much more to raise for this phase.  

Our database has over 1,500 individuals. Our silent phase included gifts from about 100.  We want EVERYONE to be able to be a part of this work God is doing here! The size of the gift does not matter!  All gifts glorify God!  All gifts bring us closer to walking in faith by giving the blessings we have received back to God to further His kingdom here in Lake Country.  

Pledge Sunday is October 22nd.  We are hoping to have all pledges in by this time for the 3-year campaign. There are options to give a one-time gift or spread your gift out over 3 years.  We announced the AMAZING news on Sunday that all money RECEIVED up to 1 MILLION dollars will be matched by an anonymous donor! Praise God!  

In this section of our newsletter as well as outside of the church and gym, we will be updating the thermometer now WEEKLY until Pledge Sunday. You can always learn more about this project at drlc.org/vision.

RECENT FAQs

Now that the public phase of our Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory campaign is underway, we wanted to take a moment to address some common questions circulating in the community.

  • How does the matching grant during the public phase work? 

The donor’s goal in making this matching grant is to drive participation in the public phase, especially among people who might not otherwise participate, by providing the chance to double the impact of gifts. Keeping that in mind, they are applying the match to money received by Divine Redeemer on pledges made during the public phase (i.e., after kickoff on September 10th). That means that payments made on pledges from before kickoff are not eligible for a match. It also means that just making a pledge will not trigger the match – that only happens as a pledge is redeemed during the pledge period. 

  • We keep hearing references to Pledge Sunday coming up on October 22nd. What is Pledge Sunday, and how will it work? 

Pledge Sunday is meant to represent the culmination of the public phase. However, as we wind down the public phase leading up to Pledge Sunday, we want to ramp up the levels of participation. Pledge Sunday gives us the chance to honor the many families who have helped our church reach this point in the campaign, while offering everyone a final chance to invest in the future of Divine Redeemer. It will take the form of an in-service appeal during all services that Sunday, when we will take a few minutes to ask everyone to fill out a pledge card in the pews and turn them in For those who have already pledged, a separate card will be available that read, "I/we already pledged or I/we will continue to pray. This approach brings our commitments to the campaign and to Divine Redeemer’s future together as one community within the context of prayer, where we offer up that future to God. 

  • What if I have already pledged before Pledge Sunday? 

We strongly encourage all families to make their pledges before Pledge Sunday. However, any families that have not done so will have the chance to make their pledge as part of Pledge Sunday. If you have made a pledge, there is no need to worry – the cards we use that day will have an option for you to indicate that you have already pledged. Including this option allows everyone to submit a card and make Pledge Sunday truly an act of the whole community. 

 

Capital Campaign Corner

 24 DAYS UNTIL PLEDGE SUNDAY


Our Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory Capital Campaign continues to grow! As of earlier this week, we have raised $3,668,904 in pledges and gifts towards a new ECDC building and expanded ministry spaces for our community.  

Just before kickoff, everyone was mailed a packet of materials with information about campaign goals, a call to join in this effort and information on how you can do so. We continue to ask that every family make a pledge – we will only be successful if everyone joins us in the spirit of a cheerful giver. We will be grateful for every gift, no matter the size, and every single one makes an impact! If you lost track of your pledge card and need another, let us know! We have extras! Or, if you prefer, you can go online to drlc.org/pledge. 

Also, don’t forget that we have an active matching opportunity that allows those who make a pledge during the public phase to have their gift doubled! If anyone makes a pledge during the public phase, an incredibly generous, anonymous donor will match payments made on those pledges up to $1 million! The donor’s intention in making that matching grant is to encourage widespread participation in the campaign, so if you’re looking for an extra reason to join us in this effort, look no further! Thank you so much for your generosity in supporting the future of Divine Redeemer! 

 17 DAYS UNTIL PLEDGE SUNDAY

After months of hard work and prayer, Divine Redeemer Lutheran Church and School is quickly approaching the final weeks of the public phase of our Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory campaign. Thank you to the many volunteers and donors who have stepped up with extreme generosity and sacrifice. As of earlier this week, our campaign total is over $3.7 million! 

As our community winds down this important effort, we’d like to ramp up the level of participation. If you haven’t had the chance to join us in this important campaign, it’s not too late! Next Sunday (October 22nd), during all services, we will celebrate Pledge Sunday. This event allows us to honor the many families who have helped us reach this point in the campaign, while offering everyone a final chance to invest in the future of Divine Redeemer. Please prayerfully consider supporting this critical effort. No gift is too small!  Every gift is doubled (with a match) right now too!

To build our new ECDC and make needed expansions to our ministry spaces, we need your help! Join us for Pledge Sunday next weekend and don’t forget about our ongoing matching opportunity! If you are eager and ready to make your pledge now, you don’t have to wait! Visit drlc.org/pledge today! 


 10 DAYS UNTIL PLEDGE SUNDAY

PLEDGE SUNDAY PRAYERS WERE OFFERED UP

Last Sunday was Pledge Sunday. It was a beautiful site watching DR families prayerfully submit their commitments and pray over them. WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAD AN OUTPOURING OF GENEROSITY AND LAST WEEKEND ALONE OVER $900,000 WAS RAISED IN CASH AND PLEDGES!! We are tabulating our final totals, as pledges are still being given, and WE will have another update next week.  It is not too late to pledge! If you were not able to pledge yet, you can find pledge cards in the cafeteria and narthex or ask an Usher. You may place pledge cards in the offering plate as it comes by or give to an usher. We want everyone to be a part of backing this campaign and project with your pledges and/or prayers.


THANK YOU! The public phase of our Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory Capital Campaign has been a great success! As of today, we have raised a grand total of $6,016,910 in pledges and gifts towards a new ECDC building and expanded ministry spaces for our community. That success is a remarkable testament to the generosity of our people and their commitment to our mission. To all of you who have pledged to the campaign: thank you so much! Your gift truly makes a difference in our ability to continue building God’s Kingdom in Lake Country, and we are grateful to God for every gift, no matter the size! (If you recall, our Readiness Assessment results projected that we would be able to raise approximately $4.5 million - $5 million. Go God!)

Even though we have had Pledge Sunday, the campaign is not over. We now enter the pledge period and encourage everyone to be diligent about fulfilling their pledges! We also understand that, especially with a three-year pledge period, circumstances may change and affect a family’s pledge – that is ok! All we ask is that you inform the church office of any changes in your pledge or payment schedule.

We are also excited to say that we are over 90% of the way to our $6.5 million goal, with only $485,000 to go! If you have not joined us in this important effort yet, you still can! Pledge cards can still be turned in, and our online link remains active. Help us get across the finish line!  Any funds raised in excess will go towards future phases.

Online Pledge HERE - STILL OPEN
Give one time
You can now view CONSTRUCTION CORNER updates on the Vision website page weekly at drlc.org/vision.  You can also look out at the field and see progress too, but if you want to know more details on what stage of the process the construction is in, check into our CONSTRUCTION CORNER 
Construction Corner Updates

CAN WE REACH $6.5 MILLION PLEDGED BY JANUARY 1st??? WE ARE SO CLOSE!!!-94% PLEDGED-

Online Pledge HERE - STILL OPEN
Give one time & Give towards your pledge
Giving Options + Information

We broke ground!

Mailings / Important Information

We hope you are able to find all information related to the Campaign and Expansion easily!  

Hello DR Family! Thank you for your continued partnership in the Gospel as we move forward with our Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) building and renovation project. You completed the Readiness Assessment in January, you heard the results in March, and in April our congregants voted. In that vote, the Capital Campaign for expansion was approved by 97.3%.  So, what's going on with the campaign now?  Here is the answer in a nutshell:

  • We have hired Fellowship Development, a Division of the Steier Group, to facilitate our capital campaign.
    • They have been onsite since mid-May working hard to get the campaign up and running and they are doing a great job.
  • We have recruited volunteers for Capital Campaign committees (see last week's church newsletter with details.)
  • We have chosen a logo, theme verse and created a Capital Campaign prayer. For details about the meaning behind these selections, visit drlc.org/vision for the story behind the STORY/GLORY campaign.
  • We have set the timeline for the Campaign (see graphic below):

So what can you expect?Here is what you can expect during the campaign process:

  • A lot of Prayer! Come pray with us on the site of the future ECDC after outdoor worship on July 8th and August 12th. 
  • An Appeal Letter will be sent to you directly in the next few months.
  • Updated Vision Page - The website drlc.org/vision will be updated by July 1st with a Capital Campaign overhaul.
  • A Capital Campaign brochure, called the Case Statement booklet, will be provided along with the appeal letter.
  • Your questions will be answered.
    • Continue to use vision@drlc.org with any questions.
    • Reach out to Pastor Seth.
  • A Public Kick-off Fun Event on September 10th, 2023 - please save the date!!! (more details to come)
  • Your prayerfully discerned pledge should be completed no later than Pledge Sunday 2023 (October 22nd).

Tomorrow, you can expect some Frequently Asked Questions to be included in the Weekly Church Newsletter. Please be sure to read the newsletter each week as it has a dedicated space for the Capital Campaign updates.

The Impact Your Gift Can Have

At Divine Redeemer, our unwavering focus is on Jesus, and this campaign reflects that commitment. Inspired by the example set by Jesus Himself, we recognize the profound significance of giving. By participating in this campaign, we have a unique opportunity to encounter Jesus. In giving, we acknowledge the abundant blessings bestowed upon us and express our gratitude. It is through this act of gratitude that our blessings multiply and bring about an even greater Kingdom impact.  

Your gift to the campaign is powerful. Not only does it benefit Divine Redeemer and its mission in Lake Country, but it also strengthens and enriches your own relationship with the Lord as you are drawn even closer to Him through your stewardship. 

 

Hello DR Family! Thank you for your continued partnership in the Gospel as we progress with our Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) building and renovation project.In June, we provided you an update on the progress of the Capital Campaign and Building Project - you can view that update here.Today, we'd like to provide further updates on the following:

  • Progress on the Capital Campaign
  • Progress on the Two New Classrooms (Summer Project)
  • Progress on the Building & Renovation Project
  • *NEW* Exciting Current Building Possibility - Scroll to bottom

As you can see in the timeline graphic below, we are nearing the end of the Silent Phase of our Capital Campaign and approaching the big Public Campaign Kick-off Event on September 10th.  All donations given prior to September 10th we have deemed as "ground-breaking".  The pledge deadline, or pledge Sunday, will be October 22nd.  

The "Forward in our Story, All for His Glory" Capital Campaign is in the Silent Phase.  We announced last week in church that we have met AND exceeded the ground-breaking threshold of $1.3 million. Praise God!  Hence, our Capital Campaign Kick-off Event will now also serve as our official Ground-Breaking Ceremony on September 10th at noon, as we truly will be "breaking ground" on the 10th!See the graphic below for the current project financial update as of August 1, 2023. Keep in mind we haven't even publically kicked off the campaign and God is already generously providing through His people. 

This summer, Anderson Ashton and crew have been busy creating two new classrooms and two bathrooms in our 2nd story loft space.  Much progress has been made and we are nearing the end of the project within a week.  We also want to thank the following individuals for their donations and/or above and beyond service towards this project including:

  • Bill Goodman, Wallboard Inc
  • Paul Schwoegler, Owner of Lake Country Electric 
  • Brian Weerts, BP Sheet Metal 
  • Many others
As a result of all of hard work and the generosity of God's people, we will be adding two 3rd-grade classrooms. Teachers Mrs. Katy Root and Mrs. Katie Stoltenberg will be teaching in these rooms on the first day of school, August 23rd.
We invite the congregation to come view the new classroom spaces any time after services on the morning of August 27th, which falls during the time of our Ministry Fair! 

By God's goodness and grace, He has led His people to generosity in so many ways as we have reached (and exceeded) the financial amount in hand necessary to break ground. Anderson Ashton is in the final stages of permitting for the project and that process is almost complete. We are excited that our Ground-Breaking Ceremony will take place on Sunday, September 10th at noon!Sunday, September 10th is a special day for us at Divine Redeemer. It is our Ministry Kick-off Sunday.  We will give glory to God at all three of our services at 8am, 9:15am and 10:30am with special music, mega-bands and more.  September 10th is the day that our Kids Connection and Confirmation programming kicks off.  Our Bible studies start that week.Our Capital Campaign Kick-off event will take place September 10th from 10:30 - 2:30pm. The event will have programming at noon for the Ground-Breaking and during the other portions of the event, there will be music, food, bounce houses, beer from Brewfinity, information tables, fellowship, and more!

*NEW* Exciting Current Building Possibility

We are moving forward with contractor conversations and permitting requirements on the possibility of adding two additional single-stall restrooms in the lower middle school level. With appropriate approvals from permitting bodies, we may be able to start this project as early as this month and it could continue during off-hours until completed. Please stay tuned on this potential project. 

What you can do. Pray. Pledge. Pray.

Please, most importantly, continue to pray for the capital campaign process.  We want prayer to be our main strategy and God to be our leader.  Please feel free to grab a Campaign Prayer card from our visitor centers. 

PLEDGEWe want everyone to be able to take part in giving to the campaign through a pledge and donation. This sacrificial process is not just about money, but about moving closer to the Lord in faith through giving.  Please prayerfully consider what God is calling you to give so that His ministry may move forward at Divine Redeemer. Whatever you are able to give, no matter how big or small, is valuable. 2 Corinthians 8:12 says, "For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have."You will receive an appeal letter in the mail and this will provide the instructions for making your pledge on the pledge card or at drlc.org/pledge.  As a reminder, the pledge process will take place now through October 22nd, Pledge Sunday.PRAYWe continue to keep prayer at the center of all that we do at DR and especially this building project. We would like to invite you to a 24-hour prayer effort where members of the DR community can enter the Sanctuary at all hours from 7am to 7am Saturday, September 9th through Sunday September 10th so that we can lift this entire process up in prayer - all to HIS glory. Yes, we will be praying non-stop for 24 hours leading up to the Ground-Breaking on September 10th!Stay tuned for a sign-up for one-hour increments during this prayer time.God's Blesssings!

 

THE BIG DAY IS COMING UP ON SEPT 10TH!!!

Hello DR Family! Thank you for your continued partnership in the Gospel as we progress with our "Forward in Our Story, all for His Glory" Capital Campaign supporting the build of an Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) building and subsequent renovation of the vacated space.In June, we provided you an update on the progress of the Capital Campaign and Building Project - you can view that update here.In August, we provided you with the great news that the groundbreaking threshold had been met (and exceeded) and that we would break ground on September 10th. You can view that update here. Today, we are less than 2 weeks out from the public launch of the Capital Campaign and Groundbreaking ceremony and want to make sure you have ALL of the information:

PRAYER VIGIL - SIGN UP

Yes, we will be praying non-stop for 24 hours leading up to the Groundbreaking on September 10th!

As we embark on the public phase of our capital campaign,  we are having a 24-hour prayer vigil in the church. We will begin at 7am on Saturday and schedule people to come into the sanctuary to pray for DR every hour until 7am Sunday.  There is no limit to how many people you can bring with you for your slot and the church doors will be open all night. Please sign up for 1-hour increments by tapping the button below.

The Sanctuary doors will be unlocked. There will be a prayer guide available to assist you. May we all seek God during this time!  To God be the glory!

Sign-up for 1 hour prayer spot

MINISTRY KICK-OFF SERVICES 9/10

Join us for special services at 8am, 9:15am, and 10:30am on Sunday, September 10th.Sunday, September 10th is the Kick-off of our 2023-2024 Ministry Year at Divine Redeemer and we will literally be rolling out the red carpet. There will be Sterling & Brass at the 8am and 10:30am sanctuary services and the megaband during the 9:15am contemporary service. Sunday school starts on September 10th as well as Confirmation classes!

We begin a sermon series called, "Our Story, His Glory" which will take place from September 10th  - October 29, 2023. This Sermon Series will focus on the foundations on which Divine Redeemer is built. Each week will focus on a different foundational element and will feature a member video telling "Our DR Story" while giving God all the glory. This sermon series includes Serve Sunday on October 15th (9am service only) and Pledge Sunday on October 22nd. It concludes with Reformation Services on October 29th. 

OKTOBERFEST EVENT

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW!!!!

Date: Sunday, September 10thTime: 10:30am - 2:30pm (Don't worry the Packer game isn't until the afternoon!)Location: East of the building near and on the soccer fieldsFood & Drink: 

  • Brats & Hot Dogs (cooked up by the awesome Elders)
  • Root Beer Floats (thank you Culvers Hartland for the ice cream donation)
  • Brewfinity Beer 
  • Pretzels with Cheese/Mustard
Cost: Event is FREE! All food is free-will donation besides the beer (which you can purchase)Fun: There will be 4 bounce houses for children to play on as well as 9 square, gaga ball, and more.Music: Enjoy live German Music from 11-2pmWe can't wait to celebrate the kick-off of the Capital Campaign with our family and community on Sunday the 10th! Please use the hashtag #storyglory for all photos on the 10th!!!

GROUNDBREAKING PROGRAM DETAILS

We will break ground at NOON on Sunday, September 10th for the first time in 24 years!!!The Groundbreaking Ceremony will take place on Sunday, September 10th at noon in the field where the location of the future Early Childhood Education Center (ECDC) will be. The program will be about 20 minutes and will include prayer, worship, and blessings.  After the ceremonial groundbreaking, anyone will be able to grab a shovel for a dig! We will supply kids with plastic construction hats and shovels. Please use the hashtag #storyglory for all photos on the 10th!!!Don't miss being a part of this historical event!

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS

Due to the large crowd we are expecting, much help is needed!We are still looking to fill quite a few slots in our sign-up genius including:
  • Food Runners
  • Bounce House Supervisor
What's GREAT about these slots, is that they are a short 1-hour commitment so that the other 3 hours, you may enjoy the event! The bounce house supervision is easy. Bring a chair and just set the timer for 5 minutes before rotating kids.  You can even bring your Brewfinity beer with you for this job :)Thank you for helping us - we are expecting a large turnout!
Sign-up to help

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT

We will be sharing a huge, incredible announcement regarding the campaign next week at all 3 services and just prior to the Groundbreaking Ceremony at noon.   

Nope, we aren't going to tell you today, but we are excited to share with you today that we have something to tell you next week - it's worth the wait!!!! 

 

Blessed October to you DR Friends and Family! 

Exodus 20:6: “…and showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” 

What a great text to remind us of how the Lord works, right?  His work impacts not just the generation that gets the honor of being in ministry in the present, but every generation thereafter is blessed by that ministry for years and years to come!  This is how DR’s leadership sees our Early Childhood Development Center.  It will be a blessing in ministry now, but for years and years of faithful ministry in the future! It is hard to believe that it was just 7 months ago when the congregation voted to move forward with the Capital Campaign and Early Childhood Development Center. During this time, we’ve been working and praying diligently to illustrate progress on both the Capital Campaign and building fronts.   

We’ve been praying fervently for our DR community to respond graciously to our project through the Capital Campaign.  In regard to progress, by God’s grace, we were able to surpass the groundbreaking threshold set by our Board of Directors.  This was celebrated and announced at all worship services as soon as the goal was met!  At the writing of this email, through gifts and pledges, we’ve already surpassed half of our fundraising goal!  On top of this we have an incredibly generous donor, promising a dollar-for-dollar match up to a million dollars for all gifts and pledges made after our public kick off (Sept. 10).  Praise Jesus!   

That being said, Pledge Sunday is coming quickly. I would ask that you and your family would prayerfully discern what you would be willing to provide to partner in this goal and see us meet our funding goal.  How amazing would it be to finance as little as possible (OR nothing at all)?  As the Lord provides, this is possible as we move forward together on Pledge Sunday, October 22nd at all services!  You’ll have the opportunity to place your pledge, pray over it, and then it will be brought to the Lord’s altar for blessing. 

Also on September 11, we were able to ceremonially break ground!  We’ve seen almost a month go by with a flurry of activity behind the scenes which soon will be evidenced by everything you’d expect to see in building progress: fences, signage, excavation, concrete being poured, and material drop-off.  We did have a brief delay with an additional traffic study request, but the Lord has seen fit to resolve this issue safely and much quicker than originally anticipated.   

I would ask for your prayers as our local municipality’s common council will meet on Monday, October 16th.  If we’re approved that evening – dirt will begin to move!   Other than that, contracts are signed, term sheets with our lender have been signed and submitted, and partnerships with our local city have been fruitful! 

I am very excited for you to see progress on the ground preparations and building later this month! But for now, I think I’ve run out of exclamation points due to all that the Lord has provided in His great grace, so I will ask that He continues to guide us to move forward in our story, BUT all for His glory! Amen! 

God’s peace, 

Pastor Seth    

Video Message From Pastor Seth, Janet Bahr and Ally Spors

---> Watch 'til the end!!!

Things to note:
  • Are you a school family? No need to make a formal pledge, just give at drlc.org/storyglory. 
  • Every dollar helps and right now every dollar is MATCHED.
  • Think this phase of the building project doesn't affect you?
    • Bible study space will be created
    • Older grade classrooms will be created
    • Youth Space will be created
    • More people will be able to attend DR, which creates a lot of JOY knowing kids will be brought to Jesus through teachers and baptisms
 
Pictured above: The signing of the contract with Anderson Ashton on October 11th, 2023. Notice on the wall in the background the original charter. What a cool moment!
 
 
 

How Will Pledge Sunday Work?See the graphic below.

 

Is God at work?Oh yes!  

God is moving in mighty ways here at DR.  There are so many evidences that He is behind this project.  Over 200 in our congregation this fall are doing a study called, "Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table".  This book has been so very appropriate because wherever God's people are moving in faith, the enemy wants to disrupt. Thanks be to God that the ultimate Victory is ours through Christ Jesus! The earthly battles belong to God too and every hurdle to humans is a platform for God where He can show His glory and power. To God be the glory through this story He is writing at DR!!!Pictured above is DR Church & School Staff at the altar praying over their pledges made on the all-staff training day in August. This was a very special time and makes us look forward all the more to Pledge Sunday.

We are ALL so excited!

Learn more about the Building Project

Blessed Adventide in Christ to your entire family!   

What an amazing year of blessings we have had as a congregation to look back upon and give Jesus all of the thanks, honor, and glory!  As the Word says in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”  We have been given much and so we can celebrate with great thanksgiving God’s incredible grace and return all glory to Him.  As you know, the words from Paul's letter to the Corinthians above were often spoken within our recent capital campaign.  The campaign is going very well as we continue to climb over the 6 million dollar marker.  You can also see the progress of the building team as parking lots are being prepared and foundation footings are being poured.  Again, to Him be all the glory for His work!  

As a note about this campaign toward the ECDC expansion project, our Divine Redeemer team wanted to send you a note about how you can view and review your giving and pledge progress.  As a note, you will receive your official 2023 year-end giving letter as is our normal custom in January 2024; however, in this note, you will find directions on how you can monitor your progress in 2023 thus far towards your giving and pledges within our CCB  (church database) system.  Those step-by-step details are found at the bottom of this message and are straightforward, but we are here to help if needed.

Perhaps as we approach the end of the year and you review your pledges, may I ask that you prayerfully consider further support of the ECDC program? It would be a great blessing to conclude this campaign and project with as much ministry opportunity as possible with as little debt taken on as possible.  We’re almost there! 

Again, may you and your family in this season of Advent remember not only the birth of Jesus but also His second Advent, that is, His second coming when He resurrects the faithful in glorified bodies and makes all things new.  I can think of no better Christmas gift! 

God’s peace,

CCB LOGIN LINK (Church Database)
Regular Giving Link
Give to the Campaign or Give towards your Pledge
Make a Pledge (it's not too late!)
Learn more about the Endowment Fund Legacy Circle
STAY IN THE LOOP WITH THE EXPANSION PROJECT IN OUR NEW CONSTRUCTION CORNER,CLICK HERE.
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