Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church sits on a corner in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, a brick building recognizable from blocks away and surrounded by the kind of urban energy that defines the area. Since 1944, when a small group of mostly Scandinavian immigrants began gathering to worship at Loyal Heights Elementary School, this congregation has lived out a calling to faith and service in one of the city's most distinct neighborhoods.
In the years since, the community has earned a reputation as one of the most welcoming congregations in the Pacific Northwest. As a Reconciling in Christ congregation in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Our Redeemer's embraces people of every race, ethnic background, social status, physical condition, sexual orientation, and gender identity at its communion table, in its community, and in its life together. "Jesus invited people to love, not purity; to wholeness, not perfection," the church teaches. "There are no dotted lines to sign at Our Redeemer's, and we offer more dialogue than dogma."
Sunday Mornings at Our Redeemer's
From mid-September through mid-June, the church offers two Sunday services. At 9:00 a.m., an Informal Worship service takes place in person. With a band of roughly four to seven musicians leading a mix of traditional hymns and contemporary music, the atmosphere is relaxed and intergenerational. "During informal worship the neighbor to your left or right might be a young child, a grandparent or maybe the pastor," the church explains. A bulletin with songs, prayers, and event information guides attendees through the hour-long service, which includes prayer, communion, and a thoughtful message. Children are welcome, and a staffed nursery is available for little ones.
At 11:00 a.m., the Traditional Worship service unfolds with liturgy rooted in the Lutheran tradition, familiar hymns, prayer, and communion at an all-welcoming table. This service is offered in person and live online through Zoom and Facebook Live, allowing members and visitors to participate from wherever they are. A virtual Coffee Hour follows the 11:00 service online, and the in-person version gathers in the Fellowship Hall after the 9:00 service. Phone participation is also available for those who prefer to listen in.
From mid-June through mid-September, the two services combine into a single 10:00 a.m. summer service.
The church's Bible philosophy is refreshing for visitors who have felt excluded by stricter traditions. "We take the Bible seriously, but not literally. Jesus, who best reveals God and God's grace, is our lens and filter for what to make of the rest of the Bible. Therefore, we see no inherent opposition between science and faith."
Music at the Heart of Worship
Music is described as a vital part of worship and community life at Our Redeemer's. Three choirs, a worship ensemble, and seasonal hand bell and orchestra programs offer many ways to participate, whether a person has years of choral experience or simply wants to lend a voice.
The Adult Choir sings a wide variety of music each Sunday and rehearses Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday mornings from 9:45 to 10:15 a.m. Director Karen Lee, who holds a master's degree in choral conducting from the University of Washington, has led the ensemble since 2007 and also directs the Youth Choir. The Youth Choir welcomes girls and guys in 6th grade through high school and performs on a regular basis alongside hand bell pieces. The Junior Choir, for children in kindergarten through fifth grade, rehearses with a treat at the end and sings during services about once a month.
At the 9:00 a.m. service, a small ensemble of musicians drawn from the congregation plays percussion, bass, guitar, and piano under the direction of Worship Music Director Gianfranco Foddai, who goes by Gian. Originally from Italy and trained at the Conservatory of Music of Sassari, Gian plays piano, guitar, accordion, percussion, and synthesizers, and he sings. He also teaches for Fingerprint School of Music and works as a live performer throughout the Seattle area.
A hand bell ensemble and orchestra rehearse in preparation for Christmas Eve and Easter performances, and on a Saturday before Christmas, carolers of all ages visit homebound members to sing. "Music in worship helps me process, connect, and understand," reflects Beth Davis, the church's former Informal Worship and Music Director. "It opens a wall in me that would otherwise remain closed, forcing me to become vulnerable. When my lungs and my voice are engaged, I am making room for my heart to follow, and for God to cut through my cynicism."
From a School Auditorium to a Corner Church
The story of Our Redeemer's begins in 1944, when a small group of mostly Scandinavian immigrants in Ballard began gathering to worship at Loyal Heights Elementary School. Two years later, they were joined by Bethel Lutheran Congregation to become Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church. Construction began on a sanctuary, which still hosts the traditional worship service today, and meeting and work spaces were added in 1952 and 1972.
The congregation's roots in service to Ballard run deep. After World War II, members provided shelter and jobs for immigrant families arriving from war-torn European countries. They helped establish Neighbors in Need, which later became the Ballard Food Bank. They also provided land for one of the first City of Seattle P-Patch community gardens, which still thrives on the church property.
In the 1960s, Pastor Oscar Rolander joined Father William Treacy and Rabbi Raphael Levine on a weekly television program called The Challenge to discuss controversial topics from different religious perspectives. That tradition of interfaith engagement continues today through events like a Muslim-Christian dialogue, a year-long Lutheranism and World Religions class, and middle-school visits to other faith communities as part of faith exploration.
In 2001, during an interim between pastors, declining attendance prompted a deep look at the congregation's past and future. From that reflection came the vision statement that still guides the church today: "In the model of Christ and for the life of the world, we are an inclusive, devoted, caring and spiritual community that accepts challenges, takes risks and grows." To bring the new vision to life, members called Katherine Hawks, the congregation's first female pastor. In 2004, the congregation voted to publicly welcome individuals of all sexual orientations and gender identities by becoming a Reconciling in Christ congregation. In 2014, a strategic plan set three main goals: deepening community, transformative spirituality, and ministry-focused outreach.
The Vision-Aligned Building
By 2020, the building that had served the congregation for decades was ready for a new chapter. The Vision-Aligned Building (VAB) Team, working with SHKS Architects, designed a renovation to support the church's worship, community, and outreach work. The congregation approved the project at the Annual Meeting on July 12, 2020, with a design and budget of $3,695,669, plus authorization for up to $800,000 in borrowing from the ELCA Mission Investment Fund or other sources to cover the gap.
Construction began in autumn 2020, just as a bank loan from Verity Credit Union finalized the purchase of a portion of the church property by the Ballard P-Patch partnership, permanently preserving the historic community garden on the site. The renovation, completed in 2021, transformed the interior and the way the church connects with its neighbors.
The design objectives were concrete: a flexible worship space that uplifts both formal and informal services, clarity of arrival, an environment that fosters community and expresses diversity, fully accessible spaces, and office space that is functional, collaborative, and volunteer-friendly. The Fellowship Hall was completely remodeled in the summer of 2017, with new carpeting, flooring, lighting, and a dedicated handicap-accessible restroom, providing over 2,500 square feet for gatherings. The Sanctuary itself retains its stained glass windows, with a pipe organ, grand piano, and a new sound system, and seats up to 250 people. Adjacent to the Sanctuary sits a small prayer chapel with candles, stained glass, and devotional resources.
Forming Faith at Every Age
The church welcomes children as full and contributing members of its community, from collecting thousands of socks for the homeless to helping with communion. Kids' programming includes Vacation Bible School, a beloved Christmas Pageant, and Sprouts, a class for ages 2 to 4 that meets at 9:10 a.m. on Sundays for songs, a Bible story, and playtime. Nursery childcare for children four years old and younger is available during the same time slot.
For families, Bible Workshops give children in pre-K through 5th grade their own Bibles and introduce the stories inside. Baptism and Communion Workshops gather parents and kids together for reflection and preparation. Family Sabbath gatherings, Family Movie Nights with popcorn and pizza, and baptism celebrations, with a handmade baby blanket from a church member, round out the year.
Youth programming centers on building community, serving neighbors, and discovering identity as children of God. Middle and high schoolers participate in Confirmation during 7th and 8th grade, exploring God, faith, and the wider world through workshops, service projects, social events, and visits to other faith communities. The annual week at Camp Lutherwood is the highlight of the year. Older youth gather quarterly for service projects and social events, attend retreats, and travel together on accompaniment mission trips.
Young adults gather over brunch, hikes, and mindful service projects. "Other young adults at Our Redeemer's are fun and always up for opportunities for fellowship and service," shares Marie B. "They're just cool people!" Adults of all ages find community through Bible studies, book groups, retreats, and the Library, an in-house collection of resources for digging into the backstory of a Bible passage, finding a children's book, or picking up a piece of challenging non-fiction.
"We are so lucky to be part of such a caring and thoughtful community," share Genny and Adam, parents of one-year-old Mateo. "In Kids' Church I learn what happened in the Bible," adds Colin, a fifth grader. "I want to understand God more so that I can do what God wants me to do, like love one another and take care of other people."
Serving the Neighborhood: Food, Shelter, and EarthCare
Service is woven into the rhythm of the congregation. Our Redeemer's describes its work in three connected areas: feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and caring for the environment.
A backbone of that work is the long-standing partnership with the Ballard Food Bank. Our Redeemer's helped start Neighbors in Need, the predecessor of the food bank, and members continue to serve on its board and as drivers and volunteers. The second Sunday of each month is Food Bank Sunday, when donations of non-perishable food, hygiene items, and financial gifts are collected. Several times a year, donations are collected outside local grocery stores, and church members volunteer at the food bank all year long. Members have also participated in the food bank's backpack program, which provides weekend food for food-insecure children.
Ballard Sunday Dinner, organized by five area congregations and hosted at Ballard First Lutheran Church, provides a hot meal every Sunday evening from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Our Redeemer's leads the effort on the third Sunday of each month, with volunteer positions for setup, cooking, greeting, and cleanup.
On the shelter front, Our Redeemer's helped start the Road to Housing program, run by Urban League, which welcomes homeless individuals and families living in vehicles to stay overnight at church parking lots around the city, with hosts offering a bathroom, limited kitchen facilities, and case management. The church also sheltered homeless families in its Fellowship Hall and hosted a Share shelter in years past.
EarthCare ministry begins at home. The EarthCare team tends the Peace Garden in the church's parking lot and coordinates twice-yearly recycling events that collect hard-to-recycle items like Styrofoam, electronics, and bikes. Around thirty to forty members of all ages join Lutherans across the country twice a year for God's Work. Our Hands. Sunday, identifying neighborhood needs and showing up to do whatever is required, whether that's cleaning the Compass Men's Shelter or collecting non-perishables from grocery shoppers.
Accompaniment Beyond Our Borders
For more than a decade, the small town of El Cacique in the Dominican Republic has been a second home to high school youth at Our Redeemer's. Members describe the work as accompaniment mission: a way of relating as equals, sharing and learning alongside companions, grounded in mutual respect rather than charity. "In our international mission work, as in our local ministries, Our Redeemer's seeks to build meaningful relationships with individuals and communities beyond our doors. Grounded in interdependence, openness and mutual respect, accompaniment mission is not a temporary project but an ongoing commitment to real care and connection."
The congregation serves as the Lutheran World Relief loading site for quilts and kits assembled by other churches throughout northwest Washington, and partners with ELCA World Hunger and Faith Action Network to advocate for justice and serve neighbors near and far.
Pastoral Leadership
Pastor Thomas Voelp is the pastor of Our Redeemer's. A native of California who grew up around San Diego with Temecula as his home, he completed his education at Pacific Lutheran University and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary before settling in Western Washington. He has engaged in ministry with communities advocating for people living with housing insecurity, hunger, mental illness, trauma, and immigrants and refugees. He blends Lutheran identity with English hymnody and high church practices. Outside of ministry, he enjoys entertaining at home, concerts, ballet, kayaking, and caring for his dogs and rabbits.
Pastor Gretchen Mertes is named in the church's worship and music ministries as the preacher at the 11:00 a.m. service, where members hear her thoughtful message each Sunday.
Karen Lee has served as Traditional Worship and Music Director since 2007. She directs the Adult Choir and Youth Choir, co-directs the Junior Choir with Marie Nordquist-Lessard, chairs the Worship Team, and provides musical leadership for Kids' Church and the traditional service. She earned her B.A. in Music Education from Pacific Lutheran University and her M.A. in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington, and has taught chorus at Issaquah Middle School since 1988.
Gianfranco Foddai directs the music at the 9:00 a.m. service, having served previously as Music Director of Saint John's Episcopal Church in Kirkland. He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Sassari in Italy and moved to Seattle in 2017.
Kenna Hight serves as Faith Formation Coordinator. Originally from Atlanta, she moved to Seattle in 2021 to attend grad school at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, where her focus is on Womanist Theology.
Visiting Our Redeemer's
The church building sits at 2400 NW 85th Street in Ballard, north of Larsen's Bakery. The parking lot is just west of the church. Office hours run 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
Gifts can be made through the church's secure online giving portal, by credit card via mobile app, by check, or by donation of stock, and can be directed to any of the church's ministries.
Emmaus Visitors are available to bring communion and companionship to those unable to attend worship. Weddings for people of all sexual orientations are happily performed and fully supported, with non-member ceremonies welcome on the calendar up to ninety days in advance. The building hosts a preschool co-op, Scouts, AA groups, and the P-Patch gardeners on a regular basis, and is available for community use as well.
As the church says each Sunday before communion: "We've all experienced rejection at some time. But this is Christ's table. And He invites and welcomes everyone without exception. You will not be turned away here."