Redeemer Lutheran Church was organized at a meeting in First Lutheran Church, December 12, 1964, and became a congregation on December 13, 1964, with our first pastor, Reverend Irvin H. Hohm, present at a special service.

 

When the congregation was officially organized on December 13, 1964, it consisted of 34 families; 73 confirmed members and 122 baptized members. (Half of these families are still members at Redeemer). Some people refer to Brandon as a transient city. We like to think that our Lord has sent people to Redeemer to help spread the gospel. Former members will always remain part of this congregation.

 

The first residents of Brandon from the Lutheran tradition came from Iceland shortly after 1880. They held services in a church on 13th Street and College Avenue until the 1920s. Around 1907, immigrants from Germany began to arrive in Brandon. They wished to worship in their own language, therefore in 1909, a congregation, First Lutheran Church, was organized. A church was built on the comer of Louise Avenue and Dennis Street and was in use until 1964.

 

In 1964, the Canadian Missions Committee decided to re-program. The Reverend J. C. Abs, who had served First Lutheran for eight years, was in the hospital and was no longer able to carry on an active ministry. It was decided that the congregation should be disbanded, a new church built on a new site and a new pastor be called.

 

The Canadian Missions Committee extended a call to the Reverend Irvin H. Hohm, then at Melville, Saskatchewan. He accepted the call and arrived in Brandon for the first service on the first Sunday of August 1964. By this time seven lots had been purchased for the building of a new church on Ashgrove Boulevard.

 

During August 1964, services were held in First Lutheran Church. An application for the use of Linden Lanes School auditorium for services and Sunday School was approved by the school board and on the second Sunday in September the congregation moved to this location. Services continued to be held in the school auditorium until the last Sunday in May 1965. This service was held in the new church building even though it was still not completed.

 

The church building has been used by the Boy Scouts, Cubs, Beavers, Girl Guides and Brownies since 1965. It has also been used by the Brandon Festival of the Arts for several years, the Icelandic Club, The Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church, 4H clubs, and by piano teachers for student recitals.

 

Significant milestones in our history include the following:

 

• July 3 to 7, 1978, Redeemer was the host congregation for the Sixth General Convention of the E.L.C.C.

• June 7, 1981, our Mortgage Burning Service was held.

• February 11 and 12, 1983, Redeemer hosted the Spring Convention of the Manitoba Conference of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada, commemorating the 500th anniversary of the birth of Martin Luther.

• June 13 to 15, 1985, Redeemer hosted the founding convention of the Manitoba-Northwestern Ontario Synod of the newly formed Evangelical Lutheran Church In Canada, at which G. W. (Lee) Luetkehoelter was elected bishop. The bishop was installed at the closing service held at Redeemer.

• May 15 to 17, 2015, 50th Anniversary

 

Our church has been served by these pastors:

 

• 1964 – 1972 Pastor Irvin H. Holm

• 1972 – 1978 Pastor John G. Andreasen

• 1979 – 1986 Pastor Don Engel

• 1986 – 2010 Pastor Ted Jannuska

• 2010 – 2014 Pastor Jason Zinko

• 2014 - 2023 Pastor Laurel Seyfert

• 2023             Pastor Jonathan Hoskin