Our Redeemer Lutheran Church and School sits on West North Avenue in Wauwatosa, a city just west of Milwaukee, where a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregation has gathered for generations. The church is known for offering three distinct styles of worship under one roof, hosting a Pumpkin Patch each October that benefits area nonprofits, and partnering with Wauwatosa Lutheran School on the same campus.
Three Doors, One Congregation
Worshipers at Our Redeemer choose how they want to gather. On Saturday at 4:30 PM, a blended service draws together classic liturgy and contemporary song. On Sunday morning, a contemporary service begins at 9:00 AM, and a more traditional service follows at 10:30 AM. Both Sunday services are livestreamed for those at home or on the road. Communion is served at all three services on the first and third weekends of each month.
Vacancy Administrative Pastor Randy Raasch welcomes newcomers and longtime members alike. The worship space is set up with hand sanitizer stations throughout the building, and masks are available upon request. An Altar Guild faithfully prepares the worship space for each service, caring for the vessels, linens, and seasonal paraments that mark the rhythms of the church year.
A midweek rhythm complements Sunday worship. On Thursday mornings from September through May at 9:30 AM, Pastor Wayne Schroeder leads a verse-by-verse Bible class in the cafeteria. The class has walked through books like Ecclesiastes, Ruth, Hebrews, Esther, and Matthew in a lecture format that still leaves room for questions, and a video archive of past studies is available online.
A Lutheran Heart for Scripture
Our Redeemer is a member congregation of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The church teaches that the only absolute truth is written in the Bible, and that this truth centers on the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three Persons in one God, a mystery clearly taught in Scripture and confessed by the church since the Apostolic age.
The congregation believes that God the Father created all things, that Jesus Christ is the only Savior of the world, and that no one can believe these truths or be saved without the working of the Holy Spirit in the heart and mind. Faith, the church teaches, is a gift: born in sin, people cannot earn God's favor. The gift comes through Baptism and is strengthened through the forgiveness of sins, especially in the Lord's Supper.
Five core values shape daily life here. The Bible is held as God-breathed, inerrant, and infallible, the only way to know salvation through Jesus Christ. Worship is Christ-centered, loving the Word, and rooted in the Lutheran confessions of Grace alone, Faith alone, and Scripture alone. Followers care for one another's physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, growing as they learn more about Christ. The Holy Spirit strengthens the faith of those living in Christian community, teaching believers how to pray, how to understand God's word, and the importance of forgiveness. And the message of the cross remains always relevant: people of all ages and backgrounds are welcomed to celebrate Christ together, and humble disciples meet others where they are.
The church's mission is simply put: Serving God by Serving Others, drawn from Matthew 20:25-28. Its vision is a community of believers energized and equipped for active discipleship, sharing the message of Jesus' love and salvation to the glory and honor of the heavenly Father.
Faith for Every Generation
Family Life ministry at Our Redeemer aims to grow everyone, regardless of age or family status, into more faithful disciples who disciple others in turn. Children, parents, married couples, singles, widows, and widowers all belong because of Him.
Children's Church, formerly called D.I.G., welcomes children from age 3 through 6th grade during the 9:00 AM Sunday worship. After starting the service with their families, kids head to Children's Church for a Bible lesson in child-friendly language that connects to the sermon topic. Teachers bring them back into the sanctuary before the final blessing.
Confirmation is a two-year faith formation program for all 7th and 8th grade students. The class meets on Sunday mornings from September through April in the Media Center, walking students through Scripture and Luther's Small Catechism as they prepare to publicly confess their faith and step into the body of believers. Students bring a Bible, the Small Catechism, and a workbook to class each week.
The MomCo, a mothers of preschoolers group, gathers on Tuesdays from September through May, 8:30 to 10:30 AM, for conversation, encouragement, time in the Word, and fun activities. Twice a month the group meets around coffee and real talk about the beautiful and exhausting work of raising little ones.
A year-round slate of Bible studies serves women, men, youth, couples, families, and seniors. Some studies walk through a book of the Bible; others focus on a topic. The Thursday morning class with Pastor Schroeder sits alongside these, and a sermon archive is available online.
Hands That Reach Out
The Missions and Outreach ministry lives out the church's call to repent, believe, and follow Jesus' teachings. Believers pray, give, disciple, and welcome others to join in a mission that reaches and transforms lives through the knowledge of the truth.
Sisters in Christ (Sisters InC) meets on the second Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 AM. The group fosters the love of Jesus in the lives of children and their families, hosting varied fundraisers that benefit Vacation Bible School, the Tosa Cares Food Pantry, and tuition assistance. The women encourage and support one another, spend time in Bible study, and enjoy social outings together.
A quilting group gathers on the first Saturday of each month at 9 AM. Through a partnership with Orphan Grain Train, the quilters assemble blankets that bring warmth and comfort to those in need, and no sewing experience is required to lend a hand.
Volunteers pack bag lunches throughout the year to bless the homeless through a partnership with Milwaukee Rescue Mission. Volunteer groups also serve lunch (10:45 AM to 12:30 PM) and dinner (3:45 to 6:00 PM) at MRM. Teams of three to five, ages 10 and up, are welcome to sign up.
Lutheran Women in Mission (LWML) serves as a connection point for outreach. The group coordinates school supply drives for LUMIN, a network of Lutheran schools sharing resources with underprivileged urban students, currently serving 8 schools, 1,400 students, and 112 staff. LWML also sends handwritten Christmas cards to overseas troops, sews dresses for Haitian girls, and hosts guest speakers throughout the year. A Shrove Tuesday prayer service opens the season of Lent with self-reflection, confession, and absolution.
The church partners with sister congregations Hope Lutheran and Mission of Christ Lutheran in the City of Milwaukee, providing GriefShare volunteers, financial support, and participation in a Giving Tree.
Missionaries hold a vital place in the church's prayer and giving. The Shauen and Krista Trump family in Africa, supported through LCMS, is held in weekly prayer, as is Missionary Jon and his family.
Care for the Brokenhearted
A prayer team lifts people in prayer daily. Prayer requests can be sent to prayers@orlctosa.org, and anyone who wants the pastors to include a prayer in public devotions and worship can request that with the submission.
GriefShare meets on Saturdays from 9:30 to 11:30 AM. Stand-alone topics invite anyone grieving the loss of a loved one to join at any time. GriefShare also offers one-session workshops throughout the year, including Loss of a Spouse and Surviving the Holidays.
Stephen Ministry provides one-to-one confidential care for those facing a difficult life challenge, such as job loss, illness, grief, or relocation. Stephen Ministers are trained in caring relationships and bring Christ's love to people navigating hard seasons.
A School on the Same Campus
Wauwatosa Lutheran School shares the Our Redeemer campus and grounds. The school partners with the church in shared facilities, ministry opportunities, and mission.
A Front Lawn of Pumpkins
Each October since 2017, the church's front lawn has become a Pumpkin Patch, with thousands of pumpkins sold and 100% of the proceeds blessing various nonprofits. Recent beneficiaries have included the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative, foster families, and Afghan refugees resettling in Wisconsin. The volunteer-led effort needs more than one hundred individuals each autumn to connect the community to Jesus through caring relationships and cultural relevancy.
A Fall Fest celebration joins the Pumpkin Patch each year, with trunk-or-treat, food, local artisans, face painting, and fellowship on the front lawn.
When Storms Come
During difficult seasons, the church points to Mark 4:35-41, where Jesus calms the storm with a word and asks, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" The teaching draws on C.S. Lewis's observation that pain insists upon being attended to, that God whispers to us in our pleasures and speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. Those who believe in Jesus, the One who conquered sin and death on the cross, are released from fearing the moment and can lean outward to serve others.
Building for the Future
The "Now is the Time" capital campaign is nearing completion of Phase One. The building remodel ensures the future of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church for generations to come, and the congregation has worked together to support the project.
Generosity continues to play a vital role in the life of the church. Online giving is available through a secure portal, and the church continues to show up as a people of God even as it works to provide innovative ways for the faith community to stay connected. Rightnow Media is available to the congregation for online Christian videos, Bible studies, sermons, and family-friendly programming.
The church office sits at 10025 W North Avenue in Wauwatosa and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. The phone number is 414-258-4555.