A Lutheran Congregation in Englewood, Florida
Redeemer Lutheran Church sits on a shared campus along Mineola Road in Englewood, a small community in Charlotte County on Florida's Gulf Coast. The congregation belongs to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), a denomination founded in 1847 that today operates the largest Protestant school system in the world. Redeemer is best known locally for the child care and after-school center that has shared its grounds since 1998, serving families from across the Englewood area.
Child Care and After-School Care on Church Grounds
Redeemer Lutheran Child Care & After School Center opened in August 1998 and has been part of the church's ministry to families for more than twenty-five years. The center is licensed by the state of Florida (#C20CH6468) and is open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, year-round, with closures only on specific holidays.
The program serves children from infancy through fifth grade. Infant rooms provide daily learning time, play, and meals in a safe, Christ-centered environment. One-year-old and two-year-old classrooms follow age-appropriate daily schedules that include devotions, meals, rest time, and play both indoors and on the playground. Three-year-old rooms add a faith-based curriculum along with monthly chapel services and field trips. A state-funded Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) program typically runs from August to March, with wrap-around care available for children who stay the full day.
For elementary-age students, the center offers before- and after-school care for kindergarten through fifth grade, with scheduling tied to the Charlotte County school calendar. During summer and holiday breaks, the program shifts into a full-day camp format. Children whose schools close for teacher work days or single-day holidays can attend for an additional daily fee.
Director Samantha Espinoza-Margarito leads the program. Staff members are selected for their love of children and their professional training; teachers hold Child Development Associate (CDA) certification, and all non-certified staff complete forty clock hours of child care training within their first year. Every staff member is certified in infant and child CPR and first aid, and the team participates in annual in-service training and conferences on childhood development.
Families can choose full-time care or part-time care, which consists of three full days per week on predetermined days. Enrollment begins with a visit and conversation with the director, followed by submission of the child care application and required health forms. A physical and immunization form must be on file for every child ages zero to five, with physicals updated every two years. Tuition is set on a weekly rate that stays the same fifty-two weeks a year, and each family is entitled to one week of vacation credit per year.
Sunday Worship
The church gathers each Sunday at 9:15 a.m. for Divine Service, followed by Bible study at 10:30 a.m. Communion is celebrated every Sunday, a rhythm that reflects the congregation's Lutheran confessional life. The child care center encourages the families it serves to participate in worship and Sunday school regularly, and extends a standing invitation to anyone in the community without a church home.
Growing in Christ Curriculum
Classrooms use the Growing in Christ curriculum from Concordia Publishing House, the publishing ministry of the LCMS. The curriculum integrates early childhood educational standards with Old and New Testament stories, prayer, and Christian song and hymnody. Daily circle time in every classroom incorporates these elements, giving children regular exposure to Scripture and the language of worship.
Weekly chapel is a required part of the program for all children, regardless of religious background. The center teaches the love of Jesus to every child in its care. Nationwide, about half of the students in Lutheran schools come from non-Lutheran families, and Redeemer follows the same open approach, welcoming children from a wide range of religious backgrounds.
The Campus
The child care center operates from 6970 Mineola Road, on the campus of Redeemer Lutheran Church. The church building is at 6465 Mayport Street. The easiest route is from County Road 776, also known as South McCall Road; Gulfstream Boulevard runs along the west side of the campus and Spinnaker Boulevard along the east. A recognizable nearby landmark is Babcock Furniture on South Access Road, just east of Mayport Street. Turning south on Mayport from CR 776, the church appears one block ahead on the right.
An Open-Door Philosophy
The center's educational philosophy is rooted in the conviction that God created each child with a distinct personality, infinite curiosity, and a great capacity to love. The program is designed to nurture the physical, spiritual, and emotional development of every child, encouraging individuality and building self-esteem. The center's own mission, shared with the church, calls for a safe, quality, Christ-centered environment for children that assists the church in carrying out its mission of proclaiming the Gospel and teaching the Word, trusting that the Holy Spirit works through the hearing of God's word.
Redeemer admits students of any race, color, nationality, and ethnic origin to all programs and activities. A written non-discriminatory policy governs admissions and every other aspect of the school's administration, and families of all backgrounds are warmly welcomed.