Leadership Transition in Children's Ministry.

Redeemer is pleased to announce that Amy Pastoor will join the staff as Director of Children’s Ministries in January. Melanie Hsieh, who has served as Director of Children’s Ministries since 2019, will work alongside Amy for several months to provide support and create a smooth transition for this vital ministry at Redeemer. Melanie’s title during this time will be Children’s Ministry Coordinator.

Amy is a native of Colorado. She and her husband Kevin have two children, William, 4; and Caleb, 9 months. They started attending Redeemer in 2021 after moving to San Antonio with the Air Force. On the Pastoor family’s first Sunday at Redeemer, they were so impressed with the offerings for children and families that they never visited anywhere else. 

Amy has a professional background in theater, both in performance and in education, and has taught children of every school age in theater productions, workshops and classes. She is looking forward to bringing her passion for teaching to the children’s program at Redeemer.

“I’m so excited to come alongside the parents and the kids of Redeemer to serve them in learning the Gospel and helping them cherish the gift of grace we receive in Jesus,” Amy says. “I look forward to being in the trenches with our parents to help equip them and grow with them in the great adventure of parenting and shepherding young people in the way of the Lord.”

Melanie and David Hsieh and their daughters, Cecelia, Leyla and Maggi have been members at Redeemer since 2018. Melanie joined the staff in 2019. In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the temporary closure of Redeemer’s in-person ministries, Melanie rose to the occasion, learning new and complex technical skills in order to create videos of music, Scripture memory and Bible lessons to equip Redeemer’s families while they worshipped from home. She mailed devotionals and other resources to members’ homes for the Advent season of 2020 and Lent season of 2021, and led the in-person reopening of the Training in the Pews and children’s Christian Education programs.

Melanie also introduced two new large group assembly times in the Children’s Christian Education program, developed devotionals for families for the Lent and Advent seasons, and implemented a new Scripture memory plan for children in CE.

RPC Co-Lead Pastor Matt Beham said Melanie’s work has made the children’s ministry of Redeemer stronger for the future.

“Words cannot express how thankful I am for Melanie and her work with our children,” he says. “Melanie has served our families faithfully. She has grown our teaching teams, advanced our TIP curriculum, and fostered a loving atmosphere for the least of these. I am grateful for Melanie’s labor and her continuing ministry as she graciously passes the torch to Amy. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us next!”

Amy’s first day on the Redeemer staff will be January 1^st. Please join us in thanking Melanie for her leadership and service at Redeemer, and in welcoming Amy to her new role!