Reflections

Reflections by Former Youth Pastor Mark Ellingson
One year, while attempting to bring a trailer full of building supplies across the border, we found we had spent too much money in proportion to the three people we were bringing into Mexico. The corrupt, local Federales wanted some personal money from us. It was late in the day and there was nothing we could do. I was elected to stay with the supplies in a cheap motel until the next morning, when additional team members came to get me and the supplies.

Despite the many times I had been there, Tom Lamoureux and I got lost, meandering through parts of Reynosa only a drug lord would know. Because we went to the same church year after year, we established great relationships with the people. One winter we paid for one of their bilingual regulars, Yolanda, to come see snow for the first time. She spent several days here, including a trip to our winter retreat.

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Reflections by Dale Erickson 
From its first beginnings, the founders of Redeemer Covenant Church had a plan to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ the center point of their message. They knew that the teaching of the Gospel, God’s Word, was paramount in their purpose and essential to what God had called them to do.

Christ and the Word of God are one. John 1:1-2,14 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning…the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” The Bible, the Word of God, became the center of the preaching and the teaching at our newly formed church. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is God breathed and useful in teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

So, to teach Scripture is to teach Christ and the new church took every opportunity to do so. Early on, they started Sunday school classes. At first, they developed Sunday school programs for the younger children and then adult teaching as well. Some of the first teachers were Arnie and Mae Stolberg, Dorothy and Don Gustafson (who the Memorial Room is dedicated to), Willis Rogers, and Bert Johnson. Does anyone remember Edith Mellon’s Bible verse memory program for children before AWANA became an essential part of the church’s children’s teaching and outreach?

As the church grew in attendance, Sunday mornings became vibrant and packed with new people eager to be in God’s house and learn about Him. People volunteered their time for service because the church had a growing need for key leadership positions. One such person of dedication was Carole Metcalfe, who for 20 years was the Children’s Sunday School Superintendent. Such dedication was a hallmark of devotion to the calling of Redeemer as a church. During the mid 80s, there was a period of time when Sunday school attendance was nearly 700 strong and our 5th and 6th graders were bused to North Hennepin Community College because we simply could not handle the numbers of people attending Sunday School. Our very own Eileen Mechtel drove a school bus to and from the college every Sunday. The bus company was owned by a Catholic family, and they never charged us for use of the bus. Some of the dedicated people who are still here at Redeemer and served long-term and devoted themselves to this Christian education effort include Vone Bosch, Rod and Donna Salo, Julie Laudal, and so many more.

One of our pastors developed a format for a three-year confirmation program that was put forth as a standard for confirmation throughout the Covenant denomination. It has been a drawing point to Redeemer for people all over the area. Confirmation has provided young people in their teens with a firm foundation for their faith in Jesus. It is truly one of the finest “discipleship” programs ever implemented here at Redeemer.

In more recent years, the adult ministry program called “Discipleship University,” or DU, has provided a broad-based biblical teaching of the Gospel to strengthen and encourage our adults in their faith walk. Many devoted teachers and pastors have contributed to this successful, ongoing program.

Yes, Redeemer has met the call to Christian education as God has directed and we look forward to his continued blessing and guidance.

Reflections by Julie Laudal
I can remember as soon as I was in the seventh grade being excited because I could go to winter retreat. That was the feeling for a lot of the youth, I'm sure, growing up at Redeemer. This was a weekend to spend with your friends and get away for some winter fun. When retreat started, it was held at Camp Courage. Friday night, we would load the busses and head on out for a fun weekend. Once we arrived, the buses were unloaded and then it was time to find your cabin. For girls, the challenge was to walk to our cabins without getting pushed into the snow bank by the boys. The boys’ cabins were always first along the path so it was very convenient for them to accomplish this.

The weekend was filled with lots of activity. We looked forward to hearing the speaker the first night as he introduced what was to be spoken about the rest of the weekend. During free time, there was a broomball tournament, swimming, and gym time. Everyone who wanted could play broomball: all they needed was an old pair of tennis shoes or boots and their mom’s old broom, wrapped with tape. Each grade level had a team, made up of girls and boys. There is the unforgotten year that the 9th graders beat the college-age group; Jim deWeerdt can confirm this. To this day, broomball is still a favorite activity at retreat. At Camp Courage, we also enjoyed using the swimming pool and sauna. After sweating in the sauna, the challenge was to run outside, roll in the snow, then jump back into the pool to warm up.

The highlight of the weekend was the Saturday skit night. These were presented by cabins or grade levels. We had some very talented people, or should I say creative people!

Winter retreat was a lot of fun but it also gave youth time to look at their personal walk with Christ. It was a chance for lives to be changed: to recommit your life and even be a witness to friends who came for the fun and were introduced to a life with Christ. It was, and still is, a time to worship with great music and singing. There have been many good speakers through the years. There was one particular year that I'm sure many will remember when it was set up ahead of time that the bus would stop and pick up a hitchhiker along the way to camp. Only a few knew what was going on. By now, retreat had been held at Covenant Pines for some years. So along Highway 65, the bus picked up this man who looked very scruffy, dirty, and kind of scary. I've been told that the bus grew very quiet, with only soft whispers heard. That evening at camp, the man got up and spoke. The youth were kind of questioning his character until they were told who he was and that he was actually their speaker for the weekend. Does anyone remember who the speaker was?

Well, I could go on about how important retreat was, and still is, for the youth of Redeemer. It is nice that the youth of a couple other sister churches join as well. I think of all my memories at retreat and I am so thankful that my children were able to experience retreat as well with great memories. As I close, I would like to say thank you to the counselors who have served and made retreat special for the youth. I hope that the tradition and importance of winter retreat continue on so that they may continue Growing the Dream here at Redeemer.

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Reflections by Dorothy Rogers
January has always been the month in Minnesota you just want to “get through.” Not at Redeemer Covenant Church because January brought School of the Bible. This was an exciting time for us. As the holidays drew to a close, we contemplated what class we would sign up for. There was usually a choice of two or three short courses taught by professors from Bethel and Northwestern Colleges.

Now we also had a spaghetti dinner just before we started. One year when Arne and Mae Stolberg were in charge of the supper, they decided to have chow mein instead of spaghetti. Mae and Arne went over to the Bamboo House to check out prices. They inquired about chow mein for 300 people. The young girl looked at them with her eyes wide. “Tonight?” she said. We laughed about that for years. The chow mein didn’t go over very well so the next year we went back to spaghetti.

School of the Bible made each Sunday night one of anticipation, and the coldest month of the year passed quickly by.