Redeemer East Side Update

Not too long ago, I read an Op-Ed piece in the New York Times entitled “Behind Our Anxiety, the Fear of Being Unneeded.” The title stuck with me because it made me realize that we begin to feel like we belong to a community when we feel that we are needed within it. We rarely ask dinner guests to stay behind to scrub pots and pans. But when family visits, everyone pitches in.

At Redeemer East Side we believe that each of us is meant to experience this kind of belonging in the imperfect community of the church. The church, with all its ordinariness and flaws, is the new community—comprised of fellow sinners—that Jesus himself is forming for the good of the world. In it, everyone is a gifted member, all are needed, and each is being formed to bear witness to God’s love for the world.

So, if you are new to the church—or maybe you’ve been around but have yet to get involved—I want to invite you to take a step toward the kind of belonging that can not only change your life, but one in which you are used to change the lives of others. So, join a Community Group, volunteer with Hope For New York, serve with our Children’s Ministry. But whatever you decide to do, know that if we are going to be the new community of God for the East Side, we can’t do it without you!

Warmly,

Rev. Abraham Cho
East Side Congregation Lead Pastor

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My husband and I attended Redeemer for about four months before we joined a Beta group. We hadn't yet made any strong connections in the church, and when we heard about Beta groups we thought it might be a good way to establish ourselves better in the community. I had been part of a community group when I was a grad student in the UK, so I felt pretty happy with the whole idea. My husband hadn't ever done anything like it before, but he was keen to see what it would be like. I confess I was more nervous for him than for myself! We went along to the first meeting thinking, "OK, we have no idea how this is going to go, so let's just try it and see what happens".

We were welcomed warmly that first night, even though at first the only real connection we had with each other was that we're all part of God's family. For the first while, that was sufficient. But over time it definitely felt like we were leaving behind the mere "group" part and growing more into the "community" part. I can almost remember the evening it happened - weeks and months of meeting, learning more about and praying with each other led to being more relaxed and honest with each other. This taught us a lot about love. Sometimes, just acting in brotherly love – being faithful to the group and sharing a little more week by week – can generate those feelings for real. Suddenly, we felt much more like a proper family than we had at the start.

Meeting up on a weeknight takes commitment! And to be completely honest, there are some days when we don't really feel like going, but those are the very times we know we won’t regret making the effort to go. Each week we leave encouraged after hearing about everyone's joys and struggles, discussing a Bible passage, and praying for one another. We also love how each person brings their own background, culture, and life experience to the group.

Beta Groups start this week, but it's not too late to join! More information here.

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