April 14, 2021

Redeemer Lutheran Church
3606 S. Schafer Road
Spokane Valley, WA 99206

Dear Redeemer Friends and Family,

As we advance our visioning work, we want and need your participation. 

We invite you to join us on Sunday, May 2 at either 9:30 am or 11:30 am in rooms 120/121 to learn, ask questions and provide input directly to our Visioning Task Force leaders. We’ll be meeting immediately after each Worship service. The team from ALSC Architects will kick-off the meetings, sharing the most current conceptual plan. 

Please register for the meeting at this link.

Related to the conceptual plan, last month a mix of church leaders and Visioning Task Force members received a sneak peek. In follow-up, we asked those members for feedback for use in refining and defining what you will see and hear on May 2. I’ve attached the results from that survey to this invitation.   

I encourage you to connect with our Visioning Initiative Co-chairs -- Herb Sanders and Rod Wolff -- with questions and/or to get involved. Herb and Rod can be reached at visionteam@redeemeralive.org or by calling the Church Office (509)926-6363. 

We are on this journey together with God. Together we can achieve our mission -- living out the Word and healing ministry of Jesus in the community.

With His Promise,
Redeemer Visioning Initiative
Quarterly Update
April 2021

As part of our ongoing Redeemer Visioning activities, we're committed to providing in-depth quarterly reports. Last quarter, Redeemer Board of Directors President, Tim Horlacher, delivered a “State of Visioning’ report, including a history and timeline of our visioning activities going back to the creation of Redeemer’s strategic plan in 2017. This quarter, we share results of a survey issued to 100+ Visioning Task Force members and Redeemer church leaders. 

The survey was issued in the follow-up to a presentation of the Conceptual Plan created by ALSC Architects. While the Conceptual Plan is just that -- conceptual -- the survey was designed to gather input on what members of our congregation consider to be priorities for both:
  • maintenance/improvements to the existing church/school facilities
  • opportunities for the development of the 30+ acres of undeveloped property behind the church

Following are highlights from the survey. 
Our first question to task force members and church leaders was -- does our visioning work align with Redeemer’s Mission, Vision and Core Values.
“The focus on building a community rather than just housing aligns directly with Redeemer’s core value stating -- the Gospel travels on the platform of relationships.”

The repair/maintenance/upgrade of our existing facility is the immediate priority of our visioning work. We asked respondents which areas of the existing facility should receive prioritized attention. 
“When buildings are 20+ years old it’s time to start a regular maintenance/upgrade program. Actually, we should have started this process 10 years ago!” 

Beyond the must-do repairs and maintenance, we also asked for input on the top “wants” -- upgrades that can directly and positively impact Redeemer’s mission and vision. 

The following upgrades were mentioned 2x as often as any other suggested upgrade:
  • Expanded Classroom/Meeting Space for both the Church and School
  • Remodeled/Updated Bathrooms
  • New Carpeting
  • Enhanced Church Entry/Lobby

Beyond our current facility, the Conceptual Plan provides a detailed vision for how we might develop the 30+ acres of land behind the church/school building to advance Redeemer’s mission, vision and direction. We asked survey respondents WHO they see a potential housing community serving.
“I like all of the categories suggested, in particular, the idea of seniors still being involved with families and children as well as affordable housing.’

“I see a combination of all populations, scattered evenly throughout the property.”

For background, the Conceptual Planning process is guided by both:
  • Redeemer’s mission, vision and core values
  • 2019 Congregational Survey feedback

The 2019 survey identified the following uses for Redeemer’s undeveloped land:
  • Housing
  • Community Center and Green Space
  • Memorial Garden and Columbarium

When Visioning Task Force members and Church leaders were asked about the purpose of a potential Community Center and shared green space, Redeemer’s mission echoed in the responses.
“A Community Center provides an opportunity to connect with the Ponderosa neighborhood and Greater Spokane Valley in new and different ways.” 

“Green space for green space doesn’t provide a lot of value. It needs to stand out as a destination.”

“Warm and welcoming.” “Open to all people.” “No fences to encourage community-building.”

“A social gathering place that supports Redeemer’s ministries.” “A catalyst for creative worship experiences.’ 

Beyond these highlights, if you’d like a copy of the full survey please call the Church Office (509-926-6363) or email visionteam@redeemeralive.org

Again, we hope to see you on May 2 at either 9:30 am or 11:30 am. You can register for the meeting at this link.