Redeeming Anxiety
April 24 & 25, 2026
at W83 Ministry Center, 150 W. 83rd St.
A recent article in The Atlantic noted that at any given time, more than 40 million adults—not to mention adolescents—experience some form of anxiety. Modern technologies, political polarization, and epidemic loneliness have increased restlessness, worry, and fear. We are living in an age of anxiety.
You’re invited to join us at Redeemer West Side for our spring conference called “Redeeming Anxiety.” Over two days, we’ll explore the unique resources Christianity offers to help us identify, articulate, and grow in and through the big and small things we worry about.
This conference will feature teaching from pastoral leaders and trusted Christian leaders with experience in theology, pastoral care, and mental health. There will also be practical exercises, community building, and worship, as we together not only learn what God says about anxiety, but experience him gently meeting us in our anxiety.
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7
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speakers | location | schedule | registration | faqs
speakers
Dr. Alan Noble
Alan is Associate Professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University, a fellow at the Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics, and author of four books, including: To Live Well: Practical Wisdom for Moving Through Chaotic Times, On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden and Gift of Living, and You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World. Dr. Noble has published articles at The Atlantic, The Gospel Coalition, First Things, and Christianity Today. He lives in Oklahoma City with his wife and three children.
Ellen Lee, LMHC
Ellen Lee is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over 25 years of experience, specializing in the areas of anxiety, trauma, attachment, and marital counseling. She previously served at Redeemer Counseling Services for 15 years as a clinical supervisor and the director of training. Ellen received her master’s degree in counseling psychology from Columbia University and has an advanced certificate in biblical counseling from the Christian Counseling Educational Foundation. She offers a holistic approach to helping people heal and grow by integrating the understanding of psychology, neurobiology, and the gospel. She attends New Hope Fellowship with her husband and son, and enjoys traveling, classical music, and good food.
John Alsdorf
The child of missionaries, John spent most of his formative years in Japan. After college and graduate school, he entered the corporate workplace with three years at IBM, followed by 29 years at Pfizer, before retiring in 2002. Throughout most of his career, John led a variety of management development programs; he also directed a computer system design project and was instrumental in early adaptation of web technology for employee benefits communications. John was widowed in 2008 after nearly 42 years of marriage to his first wife, Joelle, with whom he raised three children. Mutual friends introduced John to Katherine Leary, and they were wed in 2010. John and Katherine are members of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, and both have served on the Board of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Today, John focuses his energy on helping adults of all ages live more thoughtfully and intentionally in light of our shared mortality—a reflection of both his theological background and his personal experiences with life’s transitions.
Sandi Taylor, LCMHC
Formerly on staff with Redeemer Counseling Services, Sandi is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor now in private practice in New York City. She specializes in working with adolescents and their parents as they navigate the challenges of the teen years, and she also counsels women facing depression, anxiety, disordered eating, body image concerns, and relationship difficulties. Sandi enjoys speaking and teaching about how the gospel brings freedom, hope, and healing amid the pressures of today’s culture. She loves to run and has been married to her husband Bill, an elder at Redeemer West Side, for 25 years. Together they have three daughters—Abby (21), Hannah (18), and Margaret (17)—and a sweet golden retriever named Cooper.
Rev. Dr. Drew Hyun
Drew Hyun is the Founder and Lead Pastor of Hope Church NYC, a diverse church with three locations in New York City. Drew is also the President of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship, an organization that aims to transform church culture through the multiplication of deeply changed pastors and leaders. He regularly speaks at churches, conferences, and college campuses throughout the United States and abroad. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Fuller Theological Seminary (D.Min.) and is the author of Beautiful, Disappointing, Hopeful: How Gratitude, Grief, and Grace Reflect the Christian Story.
Rev. Dr. Bijan Mirtolooi
Bijan serves as the Senior Pastor at Redeemer West Side. Before returning to Redeemer, he served as lead pastor for Reality Church London. While in London, he also served as the Faith and Work Catalyst for The London Project. He holds degrees from Fuller, Princeton, and Westminster seminaries. Bijan loves being a part of the Upper West Side community of Manhattan with his wife, Michelle, and their two children.
location
W83 Ministry Center
150 W. 83rd St. (between Amsterdam and Columbus Ave.)
Nearest Subway Stops
79th St. (1) and 81st St. (B, C)
schedule
Friday, April 24, 2026
6:30 pm | Doors Open
7 pm | Talk 1
Identity and Anxiety | Alan Noble
8 pm | Talk 2
When Jesus Meets Anxious People | Bijan Mirtolooi
Saturday, April 25, 2026
9:30 am | Doors Open; Coffee and Pastries Available
10 am | Talk 3
The Physiology of Anxiety | Ellen Lee
11:30 am | Breakouts Round 1
Tools to Reduce Anxiety in Your Body | Ellen Lee
Reducing the Anxiety of a Medical Crisis | John Alsdorf
The Work of Growing Up: Understanding Anxiety in Teens and How to Support Them as They Grow | Sandi Taylor
Practicing Sabbath in an Anxious Age | Drew Hyun
12:45 pm | Lunch Break
2:15 pm | Breakouts Round 2
Tools to Reduce Anxiety in Your Body | Ellen Lee
Reducing the Anxiety of a Medical Crisis | John Alsdorf
The Work of Growing Up: Understanding Anxiety in Teens and How to Support Them as They Grow | Sandi Taylor
Practicing Sabbath in an Anxious Age | Drew Hyun
3:45 pm | Q&A with Speakers
4:30 pm | Talk 4
Prayer and Anxiety | Speaker TBD
5:30 pm | Dismissal
registration
Join us! Register here for Redeeming Anxiety.
Early-bird rate:
Available through Monday, April 6 at 11:59 pm
Standard rate:
$40
Student rate:
Available for those currently enrolled in an educational program
Scholarships:
We never want cost to be a barrier to participation. Financial assistance is available upon request.
To request a student discount or scholarship, or if you have any other questions about registration, pricing, or accessibility, please email melanie.kent@redeemerws.com. We’d love to support you in joining us.
To help us plan well, registration is required in advance. Registration closes at 11:59 pm on April 22, two days before the event.
frequently asked questions
At this time, there is no plan to provide a video recording. An audio recording will be made available to anyone who has registered.
No, the conference will not be livestreamed. This is an in-person event only.
Please register here in advance, as day-of registration will not be available. Registration closes two days before the event, at 11:59 pm on April 22, 2026.
Coffee and pastries will be provided Saturday morning. Lunch will be on your own from 12:45 pm to 2:15 pm on Saturday. Information about nearby food options and places to gather will be shared closer to the event.
Childcare will not be available.
Given this conference’s subject, we encourage high school students to attend, but we ask that younger children not attend. Each person attending must be registered.
No, you do not have to be a congregant of a Redeemer Network Church to attend. Given the relevance of this topic for everyone in our city, we invite all to attend.
Yes. We never want cost to be a barrier to participation. Please email melanie.kent@redeemerws.com, and we’ll be glad to connect with you.
Yes! We’re glad to offer a discounted student rate. Please email melanie.kent@redeemerws.com for details.
Yes! The early-bird rate (20% off) is available through Monday, April 6 at 11:59 pm.
We’re happy to help. Please email melanie.kent@redeemerws.com, and someone from our team will be in touch.