The Women’s Outreach Ministry of the Church of the Redeemer in Sarasota recently donated $2,000.00 to the Evalyn Sadlier Jones Child Care and Learning Center at the Pines of Sarasota, to enable the Center to purchase four large, all-weather play tables for the children’s outdoor recreation and learning area. Two of the heavy-duty tables will be for “Tots” and two for “Toddlers” to use in outdoor arts and crafts and learning exercises.

Connie Snyder, Director of Child Care at the Center, said, “This will definitely enhance the children’s preschool experiences. We love to do art, have lunch and to do special projects outside. These tables will allow us to resume these activities with the children.”

The Women’s Outreach Ministry donated nearly $24,000 to local charitable organizations over the last year. The Ministry raises funds for local and global charities throughout the year by holding bazaars, plants and baked good sales, and through the operation of its ministry-run Episcopal Thrift House on Second Street in Sarasota.

The child care center at the Pines was originally created solely for the use of Pines’ employees, but has since opened its doors to the community, on a first-come, first-serve basis.

A Free Progressive Recital & Reception — Public Warmly Invited!

October 3, 2008 / Sarasota, FL — On Sunday, October 19, several downtown churches are hosting an “Organ Spectacular,” as part of an international event initiated by the American Guild of Organists and designed to celebrate the magnificent music of organs and the talented organists who play them.

Ann Stephenson Moe & Dan Cartlidge

The Sarasota Organ Spectacular will be a progressive recital of Widor’s Symphony No. 5, performed in five movements, by five area organists, on the organs of four downtown churches.
Charles-Marie Widor was organist of Saint Sulpice in Paris in the late 1800s. His organ symphonies were notable for the translation of orchestral sounds into organistic terms.

The community is warmly invited to this free recital, which includes an opening reception.

The Organ Spectacular will begin at 6:00 PM with a wine and cheese reception at the Church of the Redeemer, located at 222 South Palm Avenue; followed by a 7:00 PM Evensong service with the special work being the performance of the First Movement – Theme and Variations — of Widor’s Symphony No. 5, played by Ann Stephenson-Moe, Redeemer’s Organist/Choirmaster.

The recital will then progress to an 8:00 PM performance of the Second Movement — Allegro cantabile — at the First Presbyterian Church, 2050 Oak Street, performed by Carol Hawkinson, Organist.

At 8:25 PM, Dr. Robert Reeves, Minister of Music at St. Boniface Church on Siesta Key, will perform the Third Movement – Scherzo – at the First United Methodist Church, located at104 Pineapple Avenue.

At 8:50 PM the recital will progress to the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1031 South Euclid Avenue, where the Fourth Movement — Adagio — will be performed by Gregory Chestnut, Organist/Minister of Music and Fine Arts.

At 9:15 PM the recital will return to the Church of the Redeemer for a performance of the final Fifth Movement — the famous Toccata –by Daniel Cartlidge, Assistant Organist/Choirmaster for Redeemer.

With the exception of the 6:00 PM reception, all times given are approximate. A nightcap of coffee and dessert will be offered in Gillespie Hall at the Church of the Redeemer after the final recital.

For more information about this event, contact Ann Stephenson-Moe at the Church of the Redeemer (941.955.4263) or contact any of the churches and organists identified in the bio/background detail which follows this press release.

Sermon preached by the the Rev. Richard C. Marsden

The Church of the Redeemer — conveniently located in downtown Sarasota — is offering a fun, faith-filled, and educational Vacation Bible School session for young children throughout the Sarasota community.  Children who have reached age 4 by 9/1/08 through those entering 5th grade for school year 2008-09 are invited to join in the many wonderful activities offered during the one-week session which takes place Monday through Friday, 9 am to noon, August 11 -15. 

The theme of this year’s Vacation Bible School is “For I Know the Plans I Have for You.”  Activities include interactive study of lessons from the Bible, water-sliding, painting, singing, and more.

Don’t miss this opportunity to enroll your child in a stimulating, Christian “summer camp” environment conveniently located in downtown Sarasota.  The entire week-long session requires only a $10 registration fee and includes a mid-morning snack for the children.  Some scholarships are available to those in the community who have need of financial assistance. 

Advance registration is required and may be done by phone at 941.955.4263, or by visiting www.redeemersarasota.org/vbs.html, and following the instructions for registration.

Sarasota, FL / 05 July, 2006 – High school youth from the Church of the Redeemer in Sarasota recently returned from a week-long Senior High Mission Trip to Biloxi, Mississippi. The purpose of the mission effort, called “Building on the Bayou,” was to perform much-needed site-clean up at buildings and homes devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Continue reading ‘Redeemer Youth Group Returns from Mission Trip to Biloxi Building on the Bayou’ »

Sarasota, FL / 24 January, 2006 – Thanks to the inspiring talk given by Betty Gentry, co-founder of the Orphans Hope Project/Uganda, at a recent Episcopal Church Women’s meeting at the Church of the Redeemer, over $3,000 was raised in support of poverty-stricken orphans and widows in Uganda. The entire amount raised, according to Gentry, will go directly toward the Project.

Nearly 60 people from the church and Sarasota community attended the talk on Wednesday, 11 January, and many were moved to make donations to Orphans Hope on the spot.

Continue reading ‘Children at the Church Sew “Dolls of Love” for Ugandan children Church of Redeemer Women Raise $3,000 to Aid Orphans Hope Project/Uganda’ »

Sarasota, FL / 20 December, 2005 – Betty Gentry, co-founder of the Orphans Hope Project/Uganda, will speak about her experiences helping orphans and widows in poverty-stricken Uganda at the Church of the Redeemer on Wednesday, 11 January, 2006. Gentry is a life-long Episcopalian who has worked as a missionary in Uganda for over 22 years. She spends several months each year in Uganda working alongside her Orphans Hope Project co-founder and Ugandan native, Edward Gitta Mussisi.

Continue reading ‘Missionary to Uganda To Speak at Church of the Redeemer’ »

Sarasota, FL / 7 July, 2005 – A group of young people from the Church of the Redeemer’s Youth Program recently returned from a week-long mission in the Dominican Republic. Led by the church’s Youth Minister, Scott Merritt, the group traveled from Sarasota to the Dominican Republic to do mission work for the Santo Tomas Episcopal Church located in the small town of Gautier, about 30 minutes outside of Santo Domingo.

Continue reading ‘Local Church Youth Group Performs Mission Work in Dominican Republic’ »