WS Update: The Lord’s Supper
Augustine, a fourth-century church leader, described the Lord’s Supper as a “bond of love.” When Christians eat the bread and drink the cup, they are nourished by Christ as they experience their union with him. And the supper also reminds Christians that they are bound to each other–that the church is a family. Beginning on…
WS Update: Shalom Lab
During this season, Redeemer West Side is leaning into our value of “Pursuing and Promoting Shalom.” Together, we’re seeking the flourishing of our city. As you consider what taking your next step in pursuing shalom might mean, I invite you to pray about joining our Shalom Lab. Beginning on February 8, the Shalom Lab will…
WS Update: Deepening Our Practice of Prayer
On Thursday evening, our church will gather to deepen our understanding of and practice of prayer. The following illustration challenges me when I think about the importance of prayer for my life and for our church family: Imagine for a moment that you’ve been given the location of a buried treasure. You’ve been told where…
WS Update: Yesterday was Vision Sunday!
One of our values as a church is pursuing and promoting shalom–holistic flourishing–in and for our city. In dependence on the Spirit, we are doing that through: What’s the next step you can take to join with God in how he is bringing his renewal and healing into our city? Click here for our Vision…
WS Update: Prayer Training with John Onwuchekwa
In Jeremiah 29, God tells his people to seek the shalom—to work for the good—of their city. One of the ways they were to seek that shalom was through prayer. As a church, one of our values is pursuing and promoting shalom in and for our city. However else we seek the good of our…
WS Update: Prayer as We Begin a New Year
John Wesley was an 18th-century pastor, and at the start of each new year, he would encourage the churches in his network to pray this prayer: Gracious God,I am no longer my own, but yours.Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will.Put me to doing, put me to suffering.Let me be…
WS Update: Christmas Eve
Reflecting on the wonder of what Christmas means, theologian J.I. Packer wrote, “The Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby… needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child… The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as this…
WS Update: Generosity
The Christmas season is a time when we remember and reflect on the most amazing act of generosity in the history of the world: that God sent his Son, Jesus, that we might live through him (1 John 4:9). One way that Christians respond to God’s generosity is to live generously themselves. To give sacrificially…
WS Update: Lessons & Carols
In East London, there’s a famous fire station. Over the garages in big block letters are the words: LOVE IS THE RUNNING TOWARDS. That’s an apt motto for firefighters, and also a very fine summary of what Christians believe Christmas is all about. The coming of Jesus Christ as a baby in Bethlehem was love…
WS Update: #GivingTuesday
Tomorrow is #GivingTuesday. As a church, our goal this year is to raise $20,000 to support our church’s neighborhood engagement initiatives that will, we hope, enable our entire community to flourish as we pursue and promote renewal in our city. These initiatives are our efforts to care for neighbors in need: people who live around…