|
 By
the mercy of Almighty God, Redeemer Evangelical
Lutheran Church in the Bronx, New York, was founded
in 1928.
Members of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Yonkers who
lived in the Wakefield section of the Bronx in New
York City believed that they could, by God’s grace,
start a mission east of the Woodlawn Cemetery
instead of traveling south and then west over the
233rd Street Bridge to get to St. Mark’s for worship
services. The first worship service for Redeemer
Evangelical Lutheran Church was conducted in the
afternoon on Sunday, April 15, 1928 in a rented
storefront at 686 237th Street, just west of White
Plains Road in the Bronx, New York City. Pastor
Adolf Meyer, the Pastor of St. Mark’s Lutheran
Church in Yonkers, conducted worship services and
served as the founding pastor. The small
congregation grew and raised funds to purchase
property and an adjacent building at the corner of
Barnes and Boyd Avenues, not far from the storefront
on 237th Street. A portable church building was
assembled in 1929 on the purchased property, and
Pastor William Bruening was installed as the first
pastor.
The original church building had no pews and no
undercroft. Folding chairs were used, and the
church building served the dual purpose of providing
space for worship services as well as for social
gatherings. Pastor Bruening and his family lived on
the second floor of the adjacent building that was
purchased and expanded by the congregation. The
first floor of that building was enlarged and
converted into a parish hall and used for Sunday
School classes, confirmation classes and a Boy Scout
troop. Today, that building is called, “The Parish
House.”
 In
1944, Pastor Bruening accepted a Divine Call to
Washington D.C., and Pastor Robert Haupt was
installed as Redeemer’s second pastor on January 7,
1945. The congregation continued growing, not only
gathering for worship services but also having a
thriving Sunday School, Senior Choir, Junior Choir,
Walther League (youth group), Married Couples’ Club,
Women’s Guild, Men’s Group, and much more.
In the 1940s, money was raised to build the present
beautiful edifice where worship services and
ministries are currently conducted. The cornerstone
was laid in 1950 for the main building. Worship
services were held at the Wakefield Theater, a local
movie house, until the new church edifice was
completed. Interestingly, the old portable church
building was disassembled, transported and
re-erected in Putnam Valley, New York, where St.
Luke’s Lutheran Church worships to this day. An
addition to Redeemer’s new building was added in
1964 that includes the current parish office,
pastor’s study and library. During Pastor Haupt’s
pastorate, a parsonage was purchased in Mount
Vernon, New York. Pastor Haupt accepted a Divine
Call to Smithtown, Long Island in 1963. Pastor
Donald Heitner accepted the Divine Call to serve as
Redeemer’s pastor from 1964 to June, 1967. Redeemer
then decided to sell the Mount Vernon parsonage. In
1969, Pastor Theodore Wittrock accepted the Divine
Call to be Redeemer’s fourth pastor.
During the late 1960’s and 1970's, Redeemer's
neighborhood in the Wakefield section of the Bronx
experienced a significant socio-cultural and
economic transition. Many of Redeemer's ethnic
European members moved from the Wakefield community
to the suburbs of New York City. New people from
diverse cultural backgrounds replaced those who
relocated. Many urban parishes did not adjust well
to similar changes, but, by God’s grace, Redeemer
did. This was in great part due to the
Spirit-inspired love and devotion of Pastor Wittrock,
his family and the many laypeople of Redeemer who
welcomed newcomers of every race, ethnicity and
culture. In the 1980s and 1990s, Redeemer remained
a beacon of hope in the north Bronx, hosting square
dances, potluck suppers, congregational dinners,
talent shows, “Festa Italiana” dinners, “Broadway in
the Bronx,” and other events, in addition to the
many baptisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals
with music from the Senior Choir, Junior Choir and
Guitar Choir. Our work with the Wakefield Taxpayers
and Civic League, the Wakefield Patrol, Al Anon,
Overeaters Anonymous, AARP, the 47th Precinct
Community Council and other groups has demonstrated
our ongoing Christian witness in the Bronx.
 To
celebrate our 70th anniversary, Redeemer made many
building repairs and renovations, including the
conversion of the former “Green Room” to “The
Wittrock Room” in honor of The Rev. Theodore and
Lenore Wittrock. Pastor Wittrock retired in
January, 2000 on his eightieth birthday and was
named “Pastor emeritus.” In 2004, as a part of the
75th anniversary celebration that was themed, “Jesus
Christ Is the Same Yesterday, Today and Forever,”
Boyd Avenue was renamed, “Rev. Theodore Wittrock
Crossing,” in honor of the then late Pastor Wittrock.
The street was dedicated by the President of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, the Rev. Dr. Gerald
B. Kieschnick.
After Pastor Wittrock’s retirement, Redeemer was
served by Pastor Henry Schriever. Other pastors,
including Pastor Roland Klauck, Pastor Bernard
Filbert, Pastor Peter Zadeick and Pastor Merlin Rehm,
served at Redeemer for extended periods at other
times in our history; we are thankful to God for
their work and service. Pastor Dien Ashley Taylor
accepted the Divine Call to be Redeemer's fifth
pastor and was installed on Good Shepherd Sunday in
2001. He continues to serve as our pastor to this
day. Pastor Taylor brought new energy to Redeemer
with worship attendance doubling in fewer than two
years. Our Lord guided many people to Redeemer
during Vacation Bible School in August of 2001. He
also led many people to our parish after the
horrific events of 9/11; our Sunday School theme for
that year, “God’s People Pray,” became a parish
motto and helped us to appreciate and treasure this
unique contribution that the Body of Christ offers a
sinful world. Much of the growth at Redeemer has
included young people seeking the Lord’s love in His
Word and Sacraments who desire to be part of the
Body of Christ. Moreover, many are also
participating in various Redeemer youth activities.
At the invitation of The Rev. Dr. David H. Benke,
the President of the Atlantic District of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, Redeemer’s Youth
Choir both opened the Atlantic District Convention
to a standing ovation in July, 2003 and sang at the
100th Anniversary Banquet of the Atlantic District
in June, 2006. To celebrate our 75th anniversary,
Redeemer began Homework Help, an after school
tutorial program, in the same spirit of outreach
that characterized Redeemer’s founding.
During our 75th anniversary celebration, we were
delighted to welcome The Rev. William Meyer, the son
of our founding pastor, to preach during festival
Liturgies. We were also thrilled to have The Rev.
Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick, the President of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, preach at other
festival liturgies during our 75th anniversary
celebration.
 Redeemer
Evangelical Lutheran Church continues to grow by
God’s grace. In 2001, there was one Liturgy of the
Holy Eucharist that was conducted on Sundays at
11AM. As the congregation has grown, we now have
four weekly Liturgies: Saturdays at 7PM; Sundays at
8AM; Sundays at 11AM; and Wednesdays at 7:30PM. As
our neighborhood has experienced an influx of
speakers of Spanish, our congregation incorporates
the Spanish language in hymnody and liturgical
rites. Baptisms, weddings, confirmations and
funerals have been conducted in Spanish as well as
in English as the Gospel of Jesus Christ is shared
with many people. As the congregation has continued
to grow, a young adults group, “HEARTS,” (Here,
Eager And Ready To Serve) was formed that
complements the Youth Group, Women’s Guild, LIPS
(Ladies In Prayer and Service), LEGS (League of
Extraordinary Gentlemen in Service) and other
entities of the parish as all are using their gifts
to tell the Good News about Jesus.
Christ continues to be confessed at Redeemer
Evangelical Lutheran Church. With conservative
Biblical preaching, orthodox Lutheran catechesis and
liturgical sacramental worship, this congregation is
a confessional, evangelical catholic communion in
the Lutheran tradition. With a strong emphasis on
worship, the congregation continues to grow in
Christ’s mission. In addition to organ and piano
music, we are blessed with four choirs, three
liturgical dance troupes, many soloists, an
instrumental ensemble and a percussionist. Music
from all over the world enhances our gathering as we
celebrate the rich diversity of the Body of Christ
in our midst. Over the years, Redeemer has been
blessed with many musicians who have served God’s
people, including The Rev. Dr. Oswald Hoffman, Dr.
M. Alfred Bichsel, Dr. Maura Mitrushina, Timothy
Fink, Martin Ganshau, Donna Dixon, Richard Duncan,
Joan Harkness, Mary Merle Faulkner, Arlene Oplinger,
Ruth Cunningham, David Greatrix, James Taglauer,
Edgar Aufdemberg, Christopher Losee, Dr. Jean
Boehler, Daniel Leguizamon and The Rev. Dr. Dien
Ashley Taylor.
The one-year adult catechumenate and two-year youth
catechumenate continue to be ways by which new
people are welcomed into this praying community of
service. Private confession with Holy Absolution
is offered and embraced at Redeemer Evangelical
Lutheran Church as people grow in the grace and
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We continue to
host weekly fellowship hours after the Liturgies,
congregational dinners (many times in different
locations because we have outgrown our undercroft),
talent shows, trips to religious productions,
retreats to Camp Koinonia, worship services on the
beach and other fellowship activities while we
engage in servant events in New York and beyond.
Bible studies and doctrinal studies on The Book of
Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church attract many people who desire to grow in
their knowledge of Christ and His Holy Church.
 Our
80th Anniversary theme, “Witnessing the Living
Christ,” gives us an opportunity to reimagine our
life as the Body of Christ as we continue to be a
parish of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod where
"God's People Pray." Redeemer congregation is
blessed with gifted members who, by God’s grace,
dedicate themselves to the mission of Christ Jesus.
Our 80th anniversary celebration has included an
anniversary banquet and reunion in April, 2008;
former members of Redeemer attended this event and
they were joined by friends of Redeemer, current
members of Redeemer, President Gerald Kieschnick and
President David H. Benke. During the summer of
2008, our sanctuary was renovated, complementing the
air conditioning of the sanctuary that was completed
a few years earlier. The 80th anniversary
celebration will also include the renovation of our
undercroft and kitchen, in addition to other
property-related projects. We are also assisting
other congregations and organizations in our area as
part of our celebration. Redeemer is specifically
working with Trinity Lutheran Church in the Castle
Hill section of the Bronx to help them as they
receive and share God’s gifts. We are humbled that
our Lord has moved us to love, serve and lead
countless people in the New York metropolitan area
and beyond. As “God’s People Pray,” we are
“Witnessing the Living Christ,” because “Redeemer
Evangelical Lutheran Church, by God’s grace, is a
praying community of service that receives, teaches,
celebrates and shares Christ Jesus.” |
