Our History

Our Redeemer Lutheran congregation came into being in October of 1964 as a result of the mission-mindedness of the members of St. John’s Lutheran Church and of the Indiana District Mission Board. Thirty families felt that, due to expansion in the northeastern section of Lexington and due to the number of Lutherans in the Winchester and Berea areas, a mission congregation should be established on the northeastern edge of Lexington. These families worshiped at Deep Springs Elementary School. The first service in the school was October 25, 1964. Deep Springs Elementary School is not more than a mile from our present location on Eastland Parkway.

Charter members of Our Redeemer were: the Bagley family, the Carter family, the Chiles family, the Froehlich family, the Gruber family, the Henkel family, the Hornback family, the Katzenmaier family, the Kiblinger family, the Kohnle family, the Meyer family, the Monthie family, the Reynolds, family, the Roder family, the Ruehling family, the Schow family, the Villoz family, and the Vogel family.

The Reverend Rolland R. Bentrup, pastor of St. John’s and vacancy pastor of the new congregation, officiated at our first service in the school. Prayers of the congregation were answered for our first minister, Pastor Arthur E. Otto was installed on August 8, 1965. Pastor Otto and his family moved into the new parsonage at 625 Hi-Crest Drive.

Plans for a permanent church building, began in May 1965 with the purchase of 2.8 acres in the Dixie Plantation. A Building Committee was formed and a full report was presented to the congregation in September 1966. The firm of Johnson-Romanowitz was contracted as architects, plans were drawn up and approved, bids were let, and groundbreaking took place on November 19, 1967. The hexagonal motif is carried out in the shape of the central altar, communion rail, skylight, and baptismal font. The altar area, raised about six inches was carpeted in gold tweed. The altar and communion rail are constructed of red oak, and the top of the altar is polished travertine marble. Doing double duty, the Honduras mahogany and silver processional cross slipped into a holder at the rear of the altar, becoming the altar cross. The Cornerstone Laying Service was held on May 12, 1968. Dedication of the completed structure was celebrated on September 22, 1968.

The pulpit area is raised 18 inches above the floor. Behind the pulpit was also carpeted in gold tweed. This provided an equal balance of importance between the preaching and the liturgy of the church. Behind the lectern, fitted to the wall, are three unemphasized crosses, painted the wall’s light cream color. To either side of the crosses was a cork sectional wall, behind which are areas for the vestal robes, and preparation of the sacrament. Extending around the central worship area is a hallway of varying widths, used for recreation, education and fellowship. The pastor’s study and a utility room was also sectioned off in this area.

In April 1985, ground was broken for our Education/Fellowship building. Many members did much of the interior and utility work. This helped us to complete and occupy the entire building in the spring of 1986. The building housed a fellowship hall, classrooms, a kitchen and a new Pastor’s office along with a working secretary’s office. A double classroom across from the Pastor’s office could double as a staff or meeting room.

The years have brought many blessings in areas other than construction. Some members of Our Redeemer were the nucleus of a mission congregation in Winchester, Kentucky formed in 1978 and named Grace Lutheran. Our Redeemer has faithfully supported the work of District and Synod, and in 1989 began participation in “Together in Missions” program.

For the congregation’s 10th anniversary, the sanctuary was remodeled as you see it today. Then, during the summer of 2000, the original gold Plexiglas windows, both in the adult bible class area and the narthex, were replaced with the double pane tinted glass. Recently, all of the doors were replaced. The front doors have etched on the glass the Missouri Synod Cross.

We thank God for the many blessings which He has bestowed on Our Redeemer and may our sanctuary always be filled with praise, prayer and worship. Former ministers of Our Redeemer:

The Reverend Arthur E. Otto 1965 - 1971
The Reverend Gerald L. Wittmaier 1971 - 1973
The Reverend Emmet C. Rogness 1974 - 1976
The Reverend Raymond C. Huddle 1976 - 1987
The Reverend Patrick J. Bayens 1988 - 2002

We look forward, with great eagerness, to work in God’s kingdom with our new
shepherd, The Reverend Dr. Richard P. Bucher, Th.D. Welcome to Our Redeemer!

Updated August 2003