Our Redeemer's Blog

Social Justice Report

written by Elizabeth Dickinson

It has been a whirlwind month as I have started to become acquainted with the vibrant people, worship and social justice at Our Redeemer’s! I was introduced to worship through the interview between journalist Niels Running and Bill the Donkey. I have received a thorough tech download from Katlin. I have met with Our Redeemer’s staff and Social Justice partners and the Racial Justice team, and had conversations about social justice at Our Redeemer’s with Eric and Stephanie Running, Mandy Neill, Marie Brissette, Nancy and Paul OldenKamp, and Rebecca Butler… with more to come I hope. Tom Bernard has given me a tour of the Ballard Commons, and Karie Stearns a tour of our Road2Housing sites. I watched in awe as Emilie Purvine, Diana Myers, Max Myers and two high school friends created and served 50 banh mi meals for Ballard Sunday Dinner. And I have joined Lars Sveum-Hanson, Dana Wright and Val Tung in the start of the Synod-sponsored “Interrogating Privilege” workshops. Whew! Thank you for your warm welcome! 

What will be happening in May around Our Redeemer’s social justice ministries? 

• By the time you read this, handmade quilts and personal care and school kits for Lutheran World Relief will have been gathered in for sharing with people in refugee camps and disasters. 

• Social Justice partners will be gathering on May 2 to discern how to use congregational Gifts for the World for the thriving of God’s creation and people.

• Ballard Sunday Dinner takes place on May 16. Join in by cooking, serving or cleaning up!

• Racial Justice Advocates will be developing education and action opportunities for our congregation. 

• Some of us will be collaborating with other faith communities in the Faith Action Network to create policies for affordable housing, food security, earth care and more.

• Look toward an e-cycling event in early June!

• Behind the scenes, I hope to be making more connections with our guests and contracted partner, the Urban League, as we seek to make our parking lot available to more people without homes. And starting to explore with you how we can faithfully respond to crises of climate change and immigrant children at our borders. 

Anything here pique your interest? 

Please contact me—outreach@ourredeemers.net or 206-498-4654 and let’s talk! 

Ballard Sunday Dinner Needs You! 

Every third Sunday of the month members from Our Redeemer’s head over to Ballard First Lutheran Church to prepare a meal for the community’s population in need. We always need at least 6 volunteers to put together around 50 meals to go, hand them out, and then clean up after ourselves. You can sign up for meal prep and serving, from 3:00 to 6:00 PM, or clean up from 5:00 to 6:30 PM or so. Meal prep and clean-up are relatively COVID-safe, exposing you only to a small group of Our Redeemer’s members. The next dinner is May 16th. Sign up online at this LINK or email Elizabeth Dickinson, outreach@ourredeemers.net if you want to help out. 

Racial Justice Advocates Adopt Vision Statement

The Racial Justice Advocates team of Our Redeemer’s has adopted a vision statement, and we want to share it with you here. Special thanks go to Marie Brissette and Dana Wright for drafting this thoughtful, faith-inspired and hopeful statement. Racial Justice Advocates is meeting every two weeks to educate ourselves and plan education, reflection and action opportunities for the congregation. Please join us if you feel so moved!

Vision Statement of Our Redeemer’s Racial Justice Advocates

(adopted 4/12/2021)

In response to the Condemnation of White Supremacy and Racist Rhetoric Social Policy Resolution CA19.04.18, the Racial Justice Advocates of Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church sees a future in which we are fully cognizant of the struggles of our members and neighbors due to racial inequality and we pledge to partner with them to rectify this egregious situation. We are strategizing and coordinating efforts within our congregation to repent of this sin and live into the vision of the beloved community now.

Theological/Biblical Justification

The Racial Justice Advocates of Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church witnesses to a future grounded in our biblical and theological identity as a prophetic and priestly community (Ex. 19:4–6; 2 Pet. 2:9–11) and as a penitent (repentant) people (Matt. 4:17; Acts 2:37–9) called to the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18; Acts 2:40–47; Eph. 2: 11–21; 3:7–21) in the world to work for the peace and well-being of all (Jer. 29:7). We pledge therefore to work to be more fully cognizant of the enduring unjust conditions in our society that bind our members and neighbors, and to expose the injustices stemming from racial bias in our nation’s history of white supremacy fostering chronic and systemic inequality (Eph. 5:8–14). We also pledge to partner with our members and neighbors and other agencies that work to rectify this egregious situation by working for true peace in and throughout the world (Jer. 29:7). In this ministry of reconciliation we anticipate and witness to God’s vision of the “beloved community,” Martin Luther King’s shorthand for “the reign of God” revealed in Jesus Messiah (i.e., Matt. 12: 28) and in Paul (Gal. 3:28–9).