Sunday in the Heart of Cedar Falls
At 904 Bluff Street in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the congregation of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church gathers each Sunday at 9:00 a.m. for the Divine Service. The congregation describes itself as "Biblical, confessional, liturgical" and as "ministering to sinners with the forgiving presence of Christ." Its identity line, drawn from Psalm 32:1, sets the tone for every other ministry of the parish: "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."
The Sunday rhythm at Our Redeemer is built around two anchors: the historic liturgy at nine, and a full education hour that begins at 10:30 a.m. From June through August the Sunday School and Bible Study hour shifts slightly, meeting from 10:40 to 11:00 a.m. Between the two, the parish hall fills for conversation and coffee. The morning is unhurried. Greeters, member hosts, and pastoral staff work to make the experience approachable for first-time guests and longtime members alike.
The Divine Service
The 9:00 a.m. Sunday Divine Service follows the historic Lutheran liturgy. The setting is the remodeled sanctuary that was rededicated on February 16, 1992, the same day the current pipe organ was dedicated after replacing the older instrument that had served the congregation from its early years. The service places the preaching of God's Word and the administration of the Holy Sacraments at the center of worship.
In addition to the Sunday morning service, the congregation observes the major festivals of the church year: Midweek Advent services (offered in the evening and at noon), Christmas Eve, a Christmas Day service at 9:00 a.m., The Epiphany of Our Lord, Midweek Lent services (again in the evening and at noon), the Holy Week trilogy of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, the Ascension of Our Lord, and Thanksgiving Eve. On the second Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m., the congregation gathers for Corporate Confession and Absolution, a quieter service that emphasizes the Lutheran practice of confession and the absolution spoken by the pastor in the stead and by the command of Christ.
The Education Hour and Bible Study
Following the Divine Service, the education hour begins at 10:30 a.m. and runs until 11:30 a.m. Sunday School classes are available for children, and adults gather for Bible Study. The same hour continues through the summer, with the slightly compressed 10:40 - 11:00 a.m. window.
For adults, the parish also offers additional Bible study throughout the week. Looking Ahead to Sunday meets Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. to noon, with a focus on preparing hearts and minds for the upcoming Sunday's texts. On the first Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m., a Lutheran Confessions Study provides an hour-long walk through the historic confessions found in the Book of Concord.
The Pastoral Team
The Reverend Matthew Baker was ordained and installed as Senior Pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in July 2025, shortly after earning his Master of Divinity from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A native of South Dakota, Pastor Baker studied vocal music at South Dakota State University, where he met his wife, Pamela. Before entering the ministry, the Bakers spent five years in Rapid City, South Dakota, directing choirs and teaching music, and from 2013 to 2021 Pastor Baker taught elementary music in the Brookings public schools. He and Pamela homeschool their five sons: Logan, Camden, Brighton, Lincoln, and Jensen. He previously completed his vicarage year at Our Redeemer, placing him among the congregation's pastoral "sons."
The Reverend Michael Knox serves as Associate Pastor. He was Senior Pastor of Our Redeemer from 1996 until July 2025. A graduate of Concordia College - River Forest, Illinois, and Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, he was ordained on November 29, 1987. Before coming to Cedar Falls he served Trinity Lutheran Church in Campbell, Nebraska, and Zion Lutheran Church in Upland, Nebraska. While at Our Redeemer, he has also served Christ Lutheran in Waterloo (1998 - 2016) and Peace Lutheran in Shell Rock (2007 - present). Pastor Knox completed two terms as Second Vice President of the Iowa District East and Chairman of the District Board of Directors, and continues to serve as a Synodical Reconciler in the LCMS Dispute Resolution Process. He and his wife, Tammy, have four children, a daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren.
The Reverend Dr. Brian S. Saunders has served as Associate Pastor since June 2016. He earned a B.A. in Biblical Languages from St. John's College, Winfield, Kansas; a Master of Divinity in Exegetical Studies from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne; and a Ph.D. in Pastor and Historical Theology from Trinity Theological Seminary, Newburg, Indiana, in association with Christ Church College in Canterbury, England. He was elected President of the Iowa District East in 2009 and continues to serve in that capacity. Before coming to Cedar Falls, Pastor Saunders served congregations in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Muscatine, Iowa. He and his wife, Karen, have four children and twelve grandchildren.
The Music Ministry
Music is woven deeply into the worship life of Our Redeemer. The adult choir carries on a strong tradition of liturgical music that is a part of every worship service, sharing its time and talents twice a month and more often when the church year calls for it. Rehearsals are held on Wednesdays from September through May. All who are high school-aged and older are welcome. Small vocal ensembles and soloists also contribute regularly.
Sheryl Dekutoski serves as Organist, Accompanist, and Choir Director, bringing close to forty years of experience in church music, music education, and choral singing. Roxann List also serves as Organist and Accompanist. The Children's Choir is directed by Jamie Knox, who has served as Children's Choir Music Director since 2025. A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, Jamie is in her second year of teaching music at Southdale Elementary and works with the children of the congregation from preschool through high school, rehearsing hymns and choral music sung at services throughout the church year.
Sixty Years on Bluff Street
The history of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church reaches back to the late 1950s and early 1960s, when it became clear that the existing College Hill Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls could not meet the long-term needs of both the campus community and the city's more established residents. Members of College Hill, working with the leadership of the Iowa District East, agreed to establish a daughter congregation.
On October 25, 1961, a meeting was held to discuss the possibility and process of organizing a mission congregation. A week later, on November 1, the proposed congregation held its first meeting and elected a steering committee of five members, with the Reverend Marcus Zill representing the District as advisor. The first service of the new congregation, named Our Redeemer, was held on Ash Wednesday, March 17, 1962, in the American Legion Hall in Cedar Falls, with Rev. Zill serving as pastor.
The present facility was purchased from Nazareth Lutheran on August 17, 1962, and the first service in the building was held on September 16 of that year. In the years that followed, the church building was renovated and then completely remodeled, with the dedication of the remodeled facility taking place on February 16, 1992. As part of that work, the old pipe organ was replaced, and the present organ was dedicated on the same day. The old parsonage was removed and a new one built, dedicated on May 22, 1977.
The congregation has been served by a series of called pastors since its founding: Rev. Erwin M. Meyer (1962 - 1968), Rev. George Perlich (January - November 1969), Rev. Norbert Firnhaber (1970 - 1974), Rev. Theodore Will, Jr. (1976 - 1988), Rev. Jerry Storm (1989 - 1996), Rev. Michael Knox (Senior Pastor 1996 - 2025, then Associate Pastor), Rev. Brian Saunders (2016 - present), and Rev. Matthew Baker (2025 - present).
Across those decades, the congregation's identity has stayed constant. As the congregation's own history puts it, "Today, Our Redeemer is a congregation with an identity that is conservative, liturgical, confessional, and sacramental. She is a Christ-centered congregation which means that she draws her life from Christ, who is present in her midst through the preaching of His Word and the administration of the Holy Sacraments."
Pastoral Formation and the Vicarage Tradition
Our Redeemer has long participated in the formation of new pastors. The third year of seminary training at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne is the vicarage year, a period of supervised pastoral training in a parish. Our Redeemer has hosted vicarage placements under the supervision of Pastor Michael Knox in nearly every year of recent memory. Vicar Harvey Peters served in 2024 - 2025, Vicar Matthew Baker in 2023 - 2024, Vicar Joseph Goodroad in 2022 - 2023, Vicar Mark Zieroth in 2021 - 2022, Vicar Emmett Bartens in 2020 - 2021, Vicar Tanner Post in 2019 - 2020, Vicar Nathan Wille in 2018 - 2019, and Vicar Willie Grills in 2015 - 2016. Earlier placements include Phillip Bolen (2003 - 2004), David Zimmer (2002 - 2003), and David Markworth (2001 - 2002).
The congregation can also count among its "sons" several men who grew up in the parish and went on to serve as LCMS pastors: Rev. Steven Bagnall, Rev. Michael Bagnall, Rev. David Bolte, Rev. David Hasselbrook, Rev. Preus Hasselbrook, and Rev. Silas Hasselbrook.
Books, Reading, and Conversation
Reading and discussion shape a surprising amount of congregational life at Our Redeemer. The Book Club began in 2017 and has continued to meet on Wednesday mornings at 10:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall, except during the summer months. The group has worked through titles by Lutheran authors and beyond, including works by Arthur Just, Bryan Wolfmueller, John Kleinig, John Pless, Alvin Schmidt, Phillip Cary, Klemet Preus, Carl Trueman, and John MacArthur, exploring topics from the proper distinction between Law and Gospel, to the Sacraments, to the cultural forces shaping modern identity.
A separate Women's Book Club meets in the Parish Hall on Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m., and the Wednesday Book Club keeps a parallel pace during the week. Members describe the gatherings as a mix of serious theological discussion and lighthearted conversation that frequently goes "way off track" in productive ways.
Men's Club, Women in Fellowship, and LWML
The Men's Club is a recent incarnation of a once-active group at Our Redeemer. Its primary objective is to deepen knowledge of theology and to encourage Christian men living in a secular world. Activities include the study of Scripture and other quality literature, honest conversation, the cultivation of good habits, and shared activities. All Christian men ages 16 and up are welcome. The group typically meets in the Parish Hall at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday mornings, with special events held at other times and venues.
Women In Fellowship is intended to foster friendship and encouragement among women of all ages, providing opportunities to connect, share experiences, and support one another. The group meets one Saturday morning a month.
The congregation also hosts a unit of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML), an official auxiliary of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Since 1942 the LWML has affirmed each woman's relationship with Christ, encouraging and equipping women to live out their Christian lives in active mission ministries and to support global missions. The mission of the LWML is to joyfully proclaim Christ, support missions, and equip women to honor God by serving others.
Children, Youth, and Vacation Bible School
Sunday School meets during the education hour and is open to children of all ages. Children's Choir meets on Sunday mornings before Sunday School, giving young people a chance to grow in faith through music. For older youth, the congregation offers a full catechesis program. Youth Catechesis meets on Wednesdays from 5:15 - 6:15 p.m. from September through May, followed by a youth meal and Bible study from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Confirmation students work through the Six Chief Parts of Christian doctrine under the guidance of the pastoral team.
Vacation Bible School is a yearly highlight. The week-long program runs for five mornings and includes a Matins service, a lesson, music, crafts, games, and time spent studying the Catechism and memory verses. The program is free, with donations appreciated, and is open to children between the ages of 3 and 11.
The RepORter and the Wider Church
The RepORter is the congregation's newsletter, published on a regular schedule and made available as a printed PDF. Its articles draw from the pastors' writings, theological reflections, announcements, and congregational news. Recurring columns include Pastor's Post from Pastor Baker, Shepherd's Speak from Pastor Saunders, and Reverend's Reflections from Pastor Knox, alongside features on parish life and the church year.
The congregation links itself to a wider network of LCMS institutions and resources, including The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, Iowa District East, Concordia Publishing House, Higher Things, Issues, Etc., Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca, the Evangelical-Lutheran Liturgical Congregations, and the Association of Confessing Evangelical Lutheran Congregations. These affiliations reflect an intentional identity within confessional Lutheranism.
What We Confess
Our Redeemer describes itself as a congregation committed to the inerrant, inspired Word of God and its right interpretation, the Lutheran Confessions. The congregation is a member of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and the Iowa District East, and looks to the Book of Concord as a faithful summary of Christian doctrine.
The congregation's teaching centers on Christ and the Sacraments. Baptism brings the forgiveness of sins and new life in Christ. The preaching of the Word and the Lord's Supper are the chief means by which Christ comes to His people. Repentance and forgiveness mark the Christian life, and the Office of the Keys - the authority Christ gave to His Church to forgive and retain sins - is taught and practiced at Our Redeemer. The congregation emphasizes that the Christian life is lived in the daily dying and rising of baptism, finding its joy not in earthly happiness but in the assurance of salvation won by Christ.
What to Expect as a Visitor
First-time visitors can expect the historic Lutheran liturgy in its traditional form, with preaching centered on the inerrant, inspired Word of God and the administration of the Holy Sacraments. The Sunday morning service runs from 9:00 a.m. until about 10:30 a.m., with the education hour following immediately afterward. Sunday School is available for children, and the parish hall opens for coffee and conversation between the two. Services are held in English.
The congregation's worship takes place at 904 Bluff Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. Office hours for the church office are Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Visitors and members can reach the office by phone at 319-266-2509 or by email at secretary@theforgivenessplace.org. Giving is available online, and recordings of services are posted on the church's YouTube channel.