History
How did the Beloved Community get to be … a community? Here’s a timeline of key events:
2016
Early 2016: Discussions about common worship are held between Redeemer Lutheran’s Pastor Anne Edison-Albright, Church of the Intercession’s Priest Mother Jane Johnson and their respective leadership teams.
June 2016: Pastor Anne accepts a call to be chaplain at Luther College. Pastor Chuck Tews serves as interim pastor.
Summer 2016: Mother Jane meets with Redeemer council members to discuss continued ministry sharing between the two churches.
September 2016: The two churches combine their Wednesday-night worship and education for the 2016-2017 school year. Pastor Chuck and Mother Jane work with Redeemer’s education team on worship and education.
Oct. 16, 2016: Intercession decides to leave its building and asks Redeemer if they could nest (share space) in their building.
Nov. 16, 2016: Redeemer’s approves Intercession’s request at its quarterly meeting. Intercession creates transition teams to start the move process.
2017
February 2017: Redeemer and Intercession begin nesting negotiations. Cathy Cowling and Pastor Amy from the East Central Synod of Wisconsin meet with the two leadership teams on the transition process. Timelines are developed starting in March.
April 2017: Following meetings with bishops from both congregations and the sharing of each church’s histories, both churches start working groups to discuss how spaces will be managed.
Spring/Summer 2017: After interviewing Jane Johnson in late March, Redeemer votes to call her as their part-time pastor. Intercession votes to allow Jane to accept the part-time call.
Early Summer 2017: The churches worship together once a month. Leadership checks with other Episcopal/Lutheran churches to see how their partnerships work. Decisions are made on budgets (separate), expenses (some shared), customs, practices, shared ministries, and shared policies for weddings, funerals, building usage, and more.
August 2017: The two churches begin using the name The Beloved Community of Intercession Episcopal and Redeemer Lutheran (listed alphabetically), share a phone number and create a shared website.
Aug. 20, 2017: After finalizing the selling of its buildings (church, parish hall and rectory) in late July, Intercession Episcopal holds its final Sunday service at 1417 Church St., with several Redeemer members as well as Pastor Amy and Cathy Cowling in attendance. The move into the Redeemer building at 900 Brilowski Road is completed the next day. Bishop Gunter deconsecrates the Church Street building Aug. 23.
Aug. 27, 2017: The first Sunday Service for both churches at 900 Brilowski Rd. Red film is put on the entrance doors by Redeemer members as a welcome to the “church with the big red doors” – Intercession’s unofficial name for years. A big WELCOME sign is hung above the sanctuary entrance.
September 2017: The first two-year covenant is signed by Senior Warden Pat McVeigh, President Judi Cumley, and the Rev. Jane Johnson. Jane begins serving both congregations, each half time.
Nov. 1, 2017 (All Saints’ Day): Jane Johnson is officially installed as Redeemer’s pastor.
2018
January 2018: At the annual meeting the first election of officers is held under the plan established in the new covenant, with each church’s at-large members going from six to three. Redeemer elects a president, vice president and three at-large members, plus a secretary and treasurer. Intercession elects a Senior Warden, Junior Warden and three at-large members in addition to a secretary and treasurer (approved by Vestry), who would have a voice but no vote at joint meetings.
Spring 2018: Leadership creates a vision statement for Beloved Community: A welcoming community of joy, worship, and compassion bringing God’s love to the world.
Summer 2018: An outdoor block party is held to celebrate the first anniversary of Beloved Community and Redeemer’s 25th anniversary as a congregation.
2019
2019: The Beloved Community begins sharing most expenses equally, except for purely denominational expenses. Joint leadership agrees to combine youth funds for mission trips and youth gatherings (like ELCA’s national gathering and the Episcopal Youth Event), and creates a shared summer camp scholarship fund. Funds and expenses are equally shared. Redeemer challenges its people to pay down the mortgage. Due to this, Redeemer’s mortgage is decreased by $118,264 by the end of 2019.
Summer 2019: Jane goes on sabbatical. The cost is split 70% Intercession and 30% Redeemer, and only one Sunday service is held each week, with Pastor Karen Rendall alternate styles of worship every other week. This schedule continues into fall, as does the smaller contemplative evening service led by Linda Schubert. Living Compass study groups led by facilitators from both congregations meet to build relationships and grow faith. Leadership approves the updated draft of the next two-year covenant.
Fall 2019: Wednesday-night education begins with two learning groups for children – pre-K-3rd grade and fourth through sixth grade – as well as adult and youth combined education. The original covenant between the two congregations is updated to include more details and clarifications for the Mutual Ministry team, plate donation distribution, employer clarification and salary reimbursement, exclusions to the 50/50 financial agreement, and capital improvement funds and procedures.
2020
March 2020: The COVID pandemic closes the building. Staff works from home and services move online. Jane begins a daily online morning prayer message for adults and an evening bedtime story for children.
Summer 2020: Jane shares an online service/liturgy for children called StoryChurch. A Payroll Protection Loan was applied for and approved. $32,000 is split evenly between the two churches. A Mevo camera and iPad for better livestream quality are bought using Crafticopia funds.
Summer/Fall 2020: Community outreach efforts are expanded. Members from both congregations provide direct help for Stevens Point/Plover community members. The Compassion Response Team works with the Good Samaritan Fund and Neighbor’s Supply Closet, and help deliver Farmshed’s meals to residents of the Point Motel and the Turn of the Century home.
September 2020: Episcopal Confirmation is held in person for families only, with all present masked and distanced.
Nov. 1, 2020: Online worship is moved to Zoom, providing a more interactive platform.
Winter 2020: The Payroll Protection loan is forgiven, with remaining funds applied toward expenses.
2021
January 2021: The annual meeting is held online via Zoom. Attendees vote to allow the same leadership team to stay on through the pandemic. The budget is presented as a Beloved Community budget, with columns for RLC and IE denominational expenses. Staff returns to working in the building, though the building remains closed to others.
March 28, 2021: In-person attendance was allowed, limited to 25, with masks required and physical distancing observed.
Lent 2021: Hybrid worship is held on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday with some in-person ministers. An in-person outdoor Easter service is held with unlimited attendance, though with masks and physical distancing required.
Spring 2021: After Easter, limited in-person services return with some Sundays – like Pentecost and confirmation – having outdoor services. Indoor services are moved into the gym, with masks and distancing required. The Compassion Response Team once again helps Farmshed deliver fresh produce boxes to community members.
May 2021: BC moves to two services – 8:00 a.m. (more formal) and 9:30 a.m. (more informal). Sign-ups are still required in order to limit capacity.
July 2021: Mask-optional services are tried, with those unvaccinated asked to wear masks. This did not require online sign-up since the safely distancing was possible with the numbers that were attending.
August 2021: BC returns to masking by all people in the building, vaccinated or unvaccinated.
Fast-forward to … 2024
Oct. 13, 2024: BC members vote to become a Union Congregation: one church of two denominations!
Oct. 30, 2024: We are one – an ever-widening expression of the Body of Christ!