For more info contact: kayla@redeemermodesto.com

Hundreds of children in our area enter foster care every year with nothing or with just a few items in a garbage bag. We are partnering with Love Our Kids to provide a comfort kit filled with items to meet both physical and emotional needs during this life-changing transition. We have committed to donating 75 teen reusable water bottles and 75 teen blankets. We will be collecting donations every Sunday!

Here are some ways to get involved:

• Community Groups: We are encouraging our community groups to go shopping together and to pool resources together.

• Family: If you desire to donate more, you can provide an entire comfort kit with your family. CLICK HERE

• Christmas Comfort Kit Drive, Dec 3: Join us at Centenary Church to help assemble the comfort kits. CLICK HERE

• Donate: You can donate money towards the comfort kits by going to our Give page by CLICKING HERE

For more info contact: Jennifer Hutton at jennhutton11@gmail.com

October 23, Young Life Banquet: We would love for Redeemer to fill 2 tables in support of this amazing organziation. Purchase tickets here: https://ca578.younglifetickets.com/young-lifes-you-were-made-for-this-banquet

Monday nights: We are looking for volunteers that are willing to help with one of these needs: mentorship for teen moms, childcare, dinner for mentors and teens, and monthly financial supporters.

We believe God calls us to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14), to walk humbly, to do justice, and to love mercy (Micah 6:8). To that end, Redeemer wants to engage in a gospel centered approach to social justice for the glory of God, the edification of our community, and our own joy. We recognize the pitfalls of both engaging in social justice without engaging the gospel (Revelation 2:2-4), and ignoring the work of social justice while claiming to teach God’s word (James 2:15-16). Both sides of this are ‘a form of godliness but denies its power’ (2 Timothy 3:5). To avoid either slide of this slippery slope, we want to humbly submit that we are continuously becoming aware of the issues and needs in our society, studying these issues, asking God for wisdom, and then making appropriate responses as we are led. We invite you into this journey as a fellow learner with us. We do not expect to always get our responses right, but we do commit to having attitude of humility, always listening, learning, lamenting and grieving where appropriate, living in transparency and confession, repenting and changing, and acting. These steps will be done in a spirit of prayer and action.

As Christians, we see the world through the Biblical story of creation, fall, redemption and restoration. We believe God created us to be in relationship with him, but in the fall, we all chose to go our own way, thus destroying this relationship with God. God provides Jesus as the redeemer in mending this relationship, and as we put our faith in Jesus, we are made into new creations, full of the power of the Holy Spirit, ready to have our hearts restored as we learn to live in this loving relationship. Through this Biblical story, we see this broken relationship with God is at the center of every problem in society, including all social justice issues. The relationship issue is the root (cause) and the consequences are the fruit (symtoms). While we are thankful for the many efforts of so many organizations and individuals seeking to make the world a better place, we believe that unless we deal with the root issue of mending the relationship with God, no permanent lasting remedy will be found.

Below are topics we have identified as important to the heart of Redeemer and our immediate community. As you feel led by God and called to engage, you are invited to get involved in one or more of these concerns. If there is an issue you have identified that is not on this list but would like Redeemer to consider, please let us know. Here’s the email for your next step: socialjustice@redeemermodesto.com.

These short descriptions do not constitute our entire view on these matters. We trust you will read them knowing our intentions are to glorify God, love people, and build purposeful relationships inside and outside the church so we can speak the love of God, the gospel, into one-another’s lives.

Since Adam and Eve’s sin in the garden, there has always been oppressors and oppressed in society (Genesis 4:1-16). While Jesus said the poor will always be with you (Matthew 26:11), we also believe God has called us to engage to help the oppressed (Jeremiah 22:3). We believe in helping by forming partnerships that help transform communities through proper approaches to housing, banking, economic education, and alleviating deceptive lending and oppressive and discriminatory economic policies. Our partners include, City Ministry Network , Self Help Credit Union, Christian Community Develop Association, and local government.

We regretfully admit racism (racism in all forms: ethnic favoritism, prejudice, and racism) is in our own hearts, our church, and in our community. We admit this is individual, relational, and structural; it is systemic in our church*, culture and community. Because we do not understand each other’s cultures and traditions, we know some parts of racism are unintentional, but because of our sin nature, other parts of racism are fully intentional and proliferated. We believe racism in any form is evil and will destroy both perpetrator and the victim. Therefore, with humility, listening, learning, lament, confession, repentance, and action towards reconciliation, we will engage and respond. Our partners include NAACP of Stanislaus County, Christian Community Development Association, and Victory in Praise Church.

*In the church, white supremacy is not really the issue but rather white normalcy. When we fail to see that our ‘normal’ (worship styles, preaching styles, hospitality, and community) is based on a cultural bias of the majority culture, we fail not to invite others in (no church would say ‘you are not welcome here’), but rather to be a welcoming community that helps each person express praise to our infinite God who created an infinite expression of His glory through people, the imago dei. Our one desire in challenging white normalcy in our church is that we would see God’s glory.

We believe God created male and female in his image (Genesis 1:27). We believe both men and women are to submit to one-another as unto the Lord (Ephesians 5:15-33). We believe the only distinction between male and female is unique abilities, gifts, and personalities he has given them so they can accomplish their God given role. We believe there are specifics roles only women can fulfill, as well as roles only men can fulfill. We realize that the role of women in the church (and in society) has been seen as secondary. We are grieving this error and asking our women for forgiveness. Our stance to promote both men and women into the highest roles God has designed for each of them, celebrating and submitting to his Lordship in these areas. We also recognize that narrow and unbiblical definitions of masculinity and femininity have risen within the church and have caused much confusion in both the church and the world causing gender dysphoria. While still believing that there are specific genders given by God to both men and women, we want to help men and women alike discover how God has made them unique in their personality and expression. We are currently searching for local partners in our responses to Gender Equality, and would welcome your recommendations. We have been encouraged in our journey by the work of Preston Sprinkle.

If you have had an abortion, talked a partner or child into having an abortion, or if you are considering an abortion or encouraging someone to get an abortion right now, we want you to know you are loved. We believe there is nothing that can separate us from God’s love except for unbelief in that love given through Jesus. Our hearts break for those who have felt like their only option because of judgment, finances, season in life, or other circumstances is to move forward with abortion. Our role as a church is to speak the love of God into each other’s lives, helping us see as we put our hope in him, he is the one that provides alternatives to abortion. If an abortion has already taken place, our role is to assist in God’s gracious work of healing through forgiveness and grace. We believe every child is a precious gift from God, no matter the nature of that child or the circumstances of their origin. We believe that every women is a precious person made in the image of God, equally as important as the child. Our Partners Include: Modesto Pregnancy Center, Bethany Christian Services, and local government.

God tells us he is the God of the poor, the widow, the immigrant and the oppressed (Psalm 146:9). He tells believers to take care of the immigrant knowing we were once immigrants (Exodus 22:21). We believe since God has promised to give us everything we need to be godly and content (2 Peter 1:3), we are able to give generously and love those who are in need. As our mission field (Matthew 28:18-20) moves into our city, we want to be the first to greet them, make them feel welcome, and love them as the neighbors they have now become. Our goal is to partner with organizations resettling refugees, as well as organizations helping immigrants (documented or not) to care for these people who God is bringing into our lives so we can speak the love of Jesus into their lives. Our partners include: World Relief, Modesto Junior College ESL, International Rescue Committee, Learning Quest.

If you identity as LGTBQ+ and have been hurt by Christians responses, we first want to say, we are sorry and we grieve with you. We believe for all people our identity is found in knowing the love of the God who created us (John 3:16), knows everything about us, and loves us (John4:1-26). We believe any identity put above this identity (whether that be heterosexual, homosexual, transgender, or other) is a destructive identity and will ultimately lead to more brokenness (Romans 1:18-32). We welcome all to come and discover and grow in the primary identity of being a son and daughter of God (1 John 3:1). Our hope is you will know the love of God and the kindness of his people while you are with us. Our partners include: The Messy Grace Group. We are currently searching for local partners in our responses to LGBTQ+ justice, and would welcome your recommendations.

We believe there are many reasons parents cannot continue to parent their children. As such, we have the enormous privilege and opportunity to step in and help. Our Father tells us ‘he is a Father to the fatherless’ (Psalm 68:5-6). If we want to stand for life, we must also support life. It is no use to say ‘I will pray for you but not do anything to help (James 2:15-16). We want to partner with people who want to start the adoption process and/or fostering. We also want to support those who have adopted and are fostering. As a church, we believe our role is to come alongside families to enable them to be as successful as possible in their journey. If you are deciding to start fostering or adoption, please let us connect you with people who have real life experience. We also have financial scholarships available. Our partners include: Bethany Christian Services, Safe Families, CASA, and local government.