A Merger That Became a Mission
Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church sits on Druid Hills Road in Temple Terrace, a short drive from the heart of Tampa. The congregation took shape in 1984 when two Temple Terrace Lutheran churches, Christ the King and Our Redeemer, joined together under one name. The longer name was kept on purpose. It points to Jesus as the long-expected Christ, and to his work of rescuing, buying back, and redeeming people from sin and its consequences. That identity still guides everything the church does.
Christ Our Redeemer is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is part of the Florida-Bahamas Synod. Its mission, stated in the congregation's own words, is to be people of God gathered around Word and Sacrament, proclaiming the love of God in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit by worshiping, learning, supporting, witnessing, and serving.
Sunday Worship at 9:30
Sunday mornings begin at 9:30 with a single worship service built around Word and Sacrament. God's people gather to hear words of comfort, peace, joy, forgiveness, healing, and strength, then come to the altar for bread and wine, the body and blood of Christ given for forgiveness and life. Holy Communion is served every Sunday, and all baptized Christians who want to receive Christ's body and blood for the forgiveness of sins are invited to the table.
The service is offered in person and livestreamed on Facebook Live. A weekly bulletin is posted online, and past services remain available on the church's YouTube channel. Listening devices are available for those who need them.
Americana and New Orleans Jazz
On the first Sunday of each month, the 9:30 service takes on a different sound. The Americana service, described as "the cutting edge of liturgical bluegrass," features fiddles, guitar, banjo, mandolin, bass, and piano accompanying the liturgy. The aim is not strict bluegrass but a lively, distinctive sound offered to the glory of God.
Other Sundays rotate through additional musical settings, including a New Orleans Jazz service billed as "If Bach had been a Cajun." Trumpet, trombone, clarinet, piano, banjo, and upright bass bring a Dixieland feel to the liturgy and lift the Gospel in a memorable way.
A Music Ministry of Many Voices
Music is central at Christ Our Redeemer. The 35-member Parish Choir leads worship on non-Americana Sundays and for special services from September through the end of May, rehearsing on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Christ's Own Ringers, the handbell choir, rehearses on Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. and plays a full 5-octave set of Malmark handbells along with 3 octaves of chimes. New ringers are always welcome and are offered training.
One Accord is the ensemble that leads the Americana service each first Sunday. Made up of violin, viola, oboe, string bass, mandolin, guitar, banjo, piano, and a vocal quartet, the group brings energy and warmth to the liturgy. Music Director Chris Robinson and Organist Elizabeth Chester lead this program, supported by many other instrumentalists who share their gifts alongside the choirs.
Faith Formation for Every Age
Christian education is woven into Sunday morning. At 10:45 a.m., Sunday School classes gather for children, youth, adults, and seniors, with a break during the summer months. The Christian Education Ministry Team works with Deacon Tara Friedrichs, the Director of Faith Formation, to plan classes, Bible study groups, and intergenerational activities throughout the year.
Confirmation is offered for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Students meet twice a month on Sundays from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. and join Monday evening devotions from 8:15 to 8:30 p.m. The two-year path walks through Scripture, Baptism, Communion, and the teachings of Martin Luther, then leads students to make a personal statement of faith before the congregation. The program is built to be one step along a much longer journey of Christian life.
Youth, Campus, and the Wider Church
High school and middle school students have their own fellowship at Christ Our Redeemer, with a summer retreat, camping trip, and summer camp among the yearly activities. For young adults, the congregation hosts THE TABLE Lutheran Campus Ministry, a welcoming space to grow in relationship with God, explore calling, and connect through faith conversations, service, and fellowship.
Beyond its walls, the Social Ministry Team coordinates volunteers and giving for partners including Metropolitan Ministries, ELCA World Hunger, Feeding Tampa Bay, Lutheran World Relief, the Judeo-Christian Clinic, Lutheran Services Florida, and missions in Haiti and Sierra Leone. The Member Care Ministry maintains a food bank for members in need, hosts funeral receptions, delivers altar flowers, and organizes Senior Fest, new-member luncheons, and other gatherings that hold the congregation together.
Pastoral Leadership and Practical Details
Pastor Eric Friedrichs has served Christ Our Redeemer since 2017, after 14 years at Mount Hermon Lutheran Church in West Columbia, South Carolina, and a first call at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Springfield, Georgia. A graduate of Newberry College and Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, he is a musician, Eagle Scout, and black belt in karate who has served as Dean of the Tampa Conference and a member of the Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce. His wife Tara is an ELCA Rostered Deacon and the congregation's Director of Faith Formation.
Christ Our Redeemer welcomes weddings and funerals in its sanctuary, with written guidelines for each. Secure electronic giving is available through the church's online giving portal. The five-acre campus includes five separate buildings maintained by a property team that handles grounds, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, security, and safety. A crocheting, knitting, and cross-stitch circle meets the fourth Wednesday of each month from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. to make items for ministry projects.