2014 End-of-Year Giving Update

Dear Members and Friends,

As 2014 comes to a close, I do not exaggerate when I say that God has given Redeemer Presbyterian Church a banner year. Redeemer’s vision to be a church in the city and for the city is becoming reality. Looking back now on more than twelve years of ministry in San Antonio, God’s promise to bless his people and extend his kingdom could not be truer.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer. 29:11

After much prayer and effort, Redeemer completed the renovation of our downtown facility on St. Mary’s. On May 25^th Redeemer opened its new doors and celebrated the Lord’s faithfulness through two worship services and a church-wide banquet held in our newly minted fellowship hall. That Sunday witnessed Redeemer’s largest ever worship attendance, with well over 600 worshippers, many who were attending for the very first time. More importantly, this trend continues. Since transitioning to downtown, Redeemer’s attendance has increased by 23% or by almost 100 worshippers! Today, in its two morning worship services, Redeemer regularly hosts almost 500 worshippers. In addition, with November’s membership class, Redeemer looks to receive more than 100 new members in 2014!

Redeemer’s growth, though, is measured in more than these statistics. The Redeemer community is getting closely connected and growing deeper in the Gospel. Our congregation is now hosting more community groups than ever before. In them, real life-on-life discipleship is occurring and our members and attenders are learning the depth of God’s love and grace for his people. Recently, one of our newer community group leaders remarked, “The Lord perfectly orchestrated our group. I have never been part of a group that has gone so deep with one another so fast.”

Even more blessings could be recounted too. In fact, it would be easy for us to become nostalgic about the journey God has led us on thus far. As one of our deacons recently told me, however, “Redeemer is just getting started; there’s so much more for us to do in the city!” I could not agree more. It does not matter if you’ve been on the journey for a decade or for only a few months, the best of what God has for Redeemer’s ministry in San Antonio and beyond is still in the future.

God’s rich blessings upon Redeemer, then, can be interpreted in only one way: In the Gospel, by Word and deed, we have rich blessings to offer San Antonio! The scope of Redeemer’s ministry, the number of people we are ministering to and financial resources needed to fund it are only going to grow with each succeeding year.

Therefore, as this year comes to a close it is so important that we remember how essential our financial contributions are. Having already received $871,880 in tithes and offerings, 2014 is on pace for a record-breaking year. For that dream to be realized, however, the Session anticipates needing more than $350,000 for the remainder of the year if we are to meet all our targeted goals for 2014.  This represents roughly 27% of our operating budget, which is typical for these months.

Again, your contributions are vitally important. Please sacrificially and prayerfully consider what your year-end giving will be to ensure that Redeemer fulfills all of our commitments.

Finally, thank you for helping make 2014 a historic year in which we have seen God continue to deepen our grasp of the Gospel and to give us an even bigger platform from which to share the Gospel with our wonderful city!

For Christ our Redeemer,

Thomas C. Gibbs

Senior Pastor

• To find out more about Redeemer’s 2014 budget and approach to giving, please click here.
• If you would like to make your gift online, please click here.