The Church of the Redeemer has its roots in the hearts of a small group of people that had been praying for some time for renewal in the North Shore area of Chicago. They desired to grow in their own faith and to reach out in care and compassion to others. So in 1998 they began meeting on Sunday evenings in a living room in Wilmette, along with the Rev. William Beasley, the group’s first pastor. William and Anne had long been involved in beginning new churches in the Chicago area and brought strong leadership to the new congregation.

In November of 1998 the group outgrew the living room, and moved to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. There Church of the Redeemer began to grow, mostly by word of mouth, drawing people from throughout the region, including the city of Chicago. Its ministries were concerned with inviting all to a relationship with Jesus Christ, and worshiping the Lord in word and sacrament.

From its earliest days Church of the Redeemer has had a strong connection to its sponsoring church in Rwanda, and has worked to strengthen these relationships even as it reaches out to the North Shore area. The annual fundraiser for the Sonrise School in Ruhengeri Rwanda involves hundreds of people from across the region and covers a significant portion of the school’s annual operating expenses.

In August 2005 Church of the Redeemer relocated to Highland Park, and in September of 2006 called the Rev. Jay Greener to serve as Rector.

Church of the Redeemer is now strengthening its various ministries across the board for the church and the broader community, and looking expectantly to the Lord for the next season of mission. We invite you to join us in this exciting journey.