For more financial information, see our Budget and Expenses
page!
Contact us:
13564 St. Andrews Drive
Seal Beach, CA 90740
Phone: (562) 598-8697
Fax: (562) 598-8697
email: redeemer_lutheran@verizon.net
website: redeemersealbeach.com
Sunday Holy Communion Service is at 10:30 a.m.
St. Theodore of Canterbury Episcopal Church
Joins with us in Worship
Communiqué from the Interim Pastor
Tuesday April 9, 2024
Dear Members and Friends of Redeemer and St. Theodore,
A WORD ABOUT THE BIBLE STUDY continuing now on WEDNESDAYS 12:00 NOON. Here is what was decided…
We will meet in the Fellowship Hall, downstairs, around a large rectangular table near the kitchen. If you wish, bring your own lunch. Beverages will be available and provided. It will be helpful if we come a few minutes early to get our beverages and be seated so we might begin the Bible Class promptly at 12:00 p.m.
The class will be about 60 minutes, (75 minutes at the most,) so by 1:15 p.m., at the latest, we will be on our way. If people need to leave earlier, that is fine.
FOR THE NEXT TEN WEEKS, we will be studying ten (10) of Jesus’ 37 miracles. Some of you received a study booklet on Sunday. Please bring it with you, along with your Bible. We ordered more booklets. They have arrived and will be distributed on Wednesday to those who did not yet receive one.
THE FIRST MIRACLE OF THIS STUDY is actually Jesus’ first recorded miracle at the Wedding Feast in the village of Cana, where early in his first days of public ministry, Jesus turned water into wine. The primary Scripture text to be read in preparation for the study is: John 2:1-11
Any and all are welcome!
+Murray D. Finck
The Rev. Murray D. Finck, Bishop Emeritus
Communiqué from the Interim Pastor
Wednesday April 3, 2024
Dear Members and Friends of Redeemer and St. Theodore,
Do you hear it? The echoes from an empty tomb...
He is not here! He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
We had a wonderful celebration of the DAY OF RESURRECTION together this past Sunday. Thank you to all who did so much to make it a great celebration of new life in Christ! It was good to see so many of you, even in spite of the rainy and wet weather.
A REMINDER ABOUT THE BIBLE STUDY that we started during the Lenten weeks on Wednesdays. We are continuing now AGAIN STARTING TODAY AT 12:00 NOON. Today's discussion will be a wrap up time of our previous study to answer any lingering questions you may have had during those five weeks. The entire 10-page document we used for those discussions is attached. We will begin our class today with any and all of your questions regarding those conversations we had in February and March. Before we end the class today, we will decide on which direction we will want to go in the weeks ahead. There are endless options for us, including…
+a Biblical overview of both the Old and the New Testaments
+a verse by verse, chapter by chapter study of a particular Biblical book
+Historical studies such as…
…The Time of the Patriarchs
…The Time of the Kings
…The Time of the Prophets
---The Time the Apostles
…The first 300 years of Christianity
…The Reformation
+topical studies on various issues church and society is facing today
+comparative religions as we learn about our neighbors faith expressions
and so much more.
We will want to get and understanding today how to move forward in the weeks and months ahead. Let us also decide where and how we want to meet, whether it be in the sanctuary as we have been doing or downstairs in the fellowship area. Please come with some ideas of what will work best for you and for the others who join with us.
FOR THE NEXT SIX WEEKS in the calendar of the Christian Church, the Sundays are designated as the “Sundays of Easter.” The appointed biblical texts and the focus of these weeks might be summed up best with the words LIVING THE RESURRECTION as we followers of Jesus are encouraged in our faith to believe and to live as people given the gift and promise of new life. Please join us and invite neighbors and friends to share in the celebration that he has risen indeed.
God’s peace and safekeeping be with you all,
+Murray D. Finck
The Rev. Murray D. Finck, Bishop Emeritus
Communiqué from the Interim Pastor
Friday, March 22, 2024
Dear Members and Friends of Redeemer and St. Theodore,
I hope you are all well, staying healthy, and enjoying these first Spring days!
Everything is now ready for a wonderful day of celebration this Sunday, Palm Sunday, as we gather for our 10:30 AM worship service which will include Holy Communion. On Sunday, we will remember the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on the week that he would give his life for the sake of a world and people he so dearly loves. Please join us for worship as we sing the glad hosannas that the crowds sang as Jesus rode into Jerusalem those many years ago. While I have not heard of any new challenges or cases of the COVID virus, worshippers are encouraged to bring and wear a mask if they are comfortable doing so. If anyone does not have a mask, they will be available at the entry door of the sanctuary.
Three of the special joys of this worship service will be
a baptism,
the new member reception of
two people who will be officially joining the membership of the congregation, and
the reaffirmation of baptism and faith
by seven members who wished to do so after
attending the Christian Faith class that was recently completed.
All of these people have been faithfully involved in the life of the congregation as they now affirm and reaffirm their baptismal covenant and faith relationship with God. Let us come together in support of these our friends, and give thanks for them.
Repeated information about our services next week…
Maundy Thursday, March 28
Good Friday, March 29
Easter Sunday, March 31
will be available on Sunday morning and in another communiqué early next week.
God’s peace and safekeeping be with you all,
+Murray D. Finck
The Rev. Murray D. Finck, Bishop Emeritus
Communique from the Interim Pastor
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Dear Members and Friends of Redeemer and St. Theodore,
First of all, thank you, thank you for the warm and wonderful greetings you gave me this past Sunday on the eve of my 75th birthday. The song you sang, the cake you baked, the cards you signed for both Sharon Heck who had just celebrated her birthday and for me as I was about to celebrate another year of life, were all much appreciated! You lifted my spirit that day through the morning we had together, and that joy continued into the afternoon as Rhoda and I went home to pack for our trip the next day to Chicago where we are attending the 50th Anniversary of my seminary, Christ Seminary. These have been a few life-giving days for us reconnecting with friends, colleagues, a number of other retired Bishops and their spouses, and even some of my former professors who are still with us on this earthly journey. The amazing worship services, inspiring theological presentations, and blessed reunions have boosted our souls!
Secondly, we will be home late tonight and again together on Sunday. The lessons for this particular Sunday in the Easter season are some of my favorites. It is often called GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY, focusing on that well-known and caring relationship God has promised… leading us, guiding, nurturing us, protecting us, evening laying his life down for us. It will be yet another wonderful day together as we continue to “live the resurrection” as people daily made new in and through Christ Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Please join us. Invite a neighbor or friend. Come, let us worship the Lord!
Thirdly, as I knew months ago, Rhoda and I would be away during some of the days in April, May, and June. We have long ago planned this trip to Chicago, and also another time away to Virginia to be with our middle daughter, her husband, and their little one for his first birthday. I will also have the privilege of baptizing him on his first birthday. What a joy and honor! I will also be speaking at a congregation in Virginia Beach while we are there.
But then another situation arose that will take us away between these two long-planned travels. Rhoda’s sister, who lives alone in rural Nebraska on a small farm was recently told she needed open heart surgery immediately. A sister and brother-in-law are with her now, and we need to follow them in caring for Rachel when they have to go back home. So, we are going there for two weeks to care for her and take care of some matters around her home and property.
The Sundays are all pastorally covered for the next two and a half months. Here is the Sunday morning schedule.
April 21 Bishop Murray D. Finck May 26 Bishop Murray D. Finck
April 28 Pastor Steve Beckham June 02 Pastor Steve Beckham
May 05 Pastor Scott Fielder June 09 Pastor Steve Beckham
May 12 Bishop Murray D. Finck June 16 Bishop Murray D. Finck
May 19 Bishop Murray D. Finck June 23 Bishop Murray D. Finck
June 30. Bishop Murray D. Finck
Pastor Beckham is a retired ELCA pastor from Cypress. Pastor Fielder is an ELCA pastor from Long Beach. I know you will greet them warmly and welcome them into this wonderful community of faith.
A bit more problematic is covering the newly begun Midweek Bible Study on Wednesdays at 12:00 noon, where we started studying “Ten Miracles of Jesus.” Our travel schedules for the three trips take us away for four Sundays, but even more Wednesday. After considering the options with some of the members, it was decided that the class would meet a bit sporadicallyin April, May, and June, taking some weeks “off.” Pastor David Andersen is able to be with the class several weeks. So here is the on-again, off-again schedule for those months, which shows the Wednesday dates, who will lead, the chapters in our Ten Miracles of Jesusworkbook…
Wednesday Dates Leader “Ten Miracles of Jesus”
April 10 Bishop Finck Chapter One
April 17 No Class ----------
April 24 No Class ---------
May 1 No Class ---------
May 8 No Class --------
May 15 Bishop Finck Chapter Two
May 22 Bishop Finck Chapter Three
May 29 Pastor Andersen Chapter Four
June 05 Pastor Andersen Chapter Five
June 12 No Class --------
June 19 Bishop Finck Chapter Six
June 26 Bishop Finck Chapter Seven
As you can see, we will be having a few weeks off from our class, and then pick it up again on May 15th. We will keep you posted in the bulletin announcements and the newsletters.
I plan to send midweek communiqués during each of the weeks ahead, whether we are home or away. We will keep these connections going to keep you informed and to offer reminders.
The ongoing blessings and peace from our Risen Christ be with you all! Alleluia!
+Murray D. Finck
The Rev. Murray D. Finck, Bishop Emeritus
Communiqué from the Interim Pastor
Thursday April 25, 2024
Dear Members and Friends of Redeemer and St. Theodore,
May our good and gracious Lord God continue to bless and keep
you as a people of resurrection hope and promise.
First of all, our prayers and hearts are with Alma Zamzow, recovering at UCI in Los Alamitos following a fall. We pray for healing and restoration to full health soon.
Secondly, we give thanks for Pastor Steve Beckham from Cypress, as he come to Redeemer and St. Theodore of Canterbury as our guest preacher and presider this coming Sunday. Pastor Beckham is a gifted and faithful servant of Christ who years ago heard the calling toward pastoral ministry in the midst of remarkable career of creating and producing nationally known commercials and advertisements. He has also written well-known liturgies and hymns for the Church. It will be a blessing to have him for three different Sunday mornings in the next several months.
The third word I offer this week is one of deep appreciation for all the many areas of ministry and service so many give to the mission of the congregation. Everything is always so “in order” as we gather on Sunday morning (and other times, too) -- well-chosen music and hymns, artfully crafted bulletins, talented choir members leading the singing, robed acolytes and altar assistants, readers giving voice to the Holy Scriptures and the Prayers of the People, ushers and greeters as we gather, money counters, council members, generous contributors, clean-up volunteers, providers of refreshments, altar guild persons, flower-providers, artists, and so much more. Your commitment and dedication are wonderful, and we are all thankful to those who are able to give over and above contributions of your time, talents, and treasures. Thank you! Thank you!
A final word is a concern for our fellow citizens in the Midweek. We had an uneventful trip to rural Nebraska yesterday to begin two weeks of caregiving and support for Rhoda’s sister, Rachel, following her recent open-heart surgery. She is beginning her recovery journey. We were last in this part of the country a year and a half ago. We were shocked by what we saw! The farmland is so dry! The many and beautiful lakes and ponds are almost completely gone—depleted! It is very windy and dusty! It is all so different than what we have seen and known over the years in this “Heartland of America,” in one of the “bread baskets” of our nation’s agricultural economy. We had heard about the lack of rain and snow, but seeing it now is so much more alarming and disconcerting. Let us pray for the people in the Midwest, especially for farmers and ranchers struggling to provide our nation and the world with food and produce. Let us pray for the blessing of much needed rain upon these drought-stricken lands.
God’s peace and safekeeping be with you all,
+Murray D. FinckThe Rev. Murray D. Finck, Bishop Emeritus
Communiqué from the Interim Pastor
Wednesday, May 01, 2024
Dear Members and Friends of Redeemer and St. Theodore,
I hope you are all well, staying healthy, and enjoying this first day of May!
Happy Mayday! Historians tell us that the Romans wrote about Mayday celebrations as early as the 2nd century AD. Many European countries have long histories of merriments and observances for the beginning of this month with feasts and festivals, dancing and music, may poles and floral arrangements, bonfires and evening revelries. However you observe these first days of May, I hope it will be the beginning of a blessed month of good health, joy, and peace.
Our prayers continue for those with special needs for healing and strength, especially Alma, Pastor Gil, and Pastor Lisa.
Sunday worship. It was good to hear, as was expected, that all went well this last Sunday. We give thanks again for Pastor Steve Beckham who came to be with the congregation. I trust it will also be a wonderful Sunday on May 5th (Cinco de Mayo) with Pastor Scott Fielder. This past Sunday I worshipped in an early morning service at Faith Lutheran Church in Seward, Nebraska and then I “attended” another service online later that morning at the Washington National Cathedral. I first heard a sermon about the Vine (Jesus) and the Branches (his people, his church). Then I heard another sermon about the inclusivity of the Gospel as the disciple Philip brought the Good News to a man with whom he had so little in common. The two crossed over the barriers of skin color, language, ethnicity, countries of origin, social and class standing, differing religious beliefs, wealth and poverty, and other distinct differences. The Holy Spirit was at work! The Gospel story of Jesus broke through any and all barriers. The Ethiopian believed, was baptized, and went home to his family, friends, co-workers with a new faith and a story to tell. Simon Peter said, “God shows no partiality,” and Jesus commission his followers to, “teach and baptize all people of all nations.” This coming Sunday the appointed Scriptures will tell a story about the spread of the Gospel to the Gentile community, and we will hear how, through Jesus, God has made us “a chosen people.”
Last week I wrote about the drought in the part of Nebraska where we are staying with Rhoda’s sister. It is a disconcerting phenomenon for the people, especially the farmers, in this particular area. While there have been flash floods and torrential downpours 50 miles away, the land where we are is getting almost no moisture. The fields, ready for seeds to be planted, are dry. The lakes and ponds are almost depleted. At the same time, every day the meteorologists are warning of potential tornadoes, sizable hail, and very strong winds. Communities not far from us have been devastated by tornados and winds of more than 150 mph. With the changing weather patterns and climate conditions, life for some has been extremely challenging in the part of the world. May we hold our Midwestern citizens in our hearts and prayers. Rhoda’s sister, Rachel, by the way, received a very good three-week report from her heart surgeon. Everything seems to be progressing in a positive way, for which we are all thankful. We continue to stay close by to her at this time, taking on the household duties, the cooking and cleaning, and tending to some issues and needs on her property. Even without very much rainfall this spring, the grasses, dandelions, and weeds are growing. I have been able to return to something I did in my more youthful days 60 years ago … as you can see in the picture below... How fun it has been to “get back on the farm!” We are midway through our time with Rhoda’s sister and next week, providing all continues to go well, we will be heading back to California.
God’s peace and safekeeping be with you all,
+Murray D. Finck
The Rev. Murray D. Finck, Bishop Emeritus
