Redeemer Lutheran Church (Denver, Colorado) Records

During 1929-1930, Mr. Henry M. Johanns, a member of the Colorado District Board, canvassed the area southwest of Denver. He encouraged the Mission Board to begin a mission there. He offered to pay a pastor’s salary for two years, donated a parsonage, and bought three lots for a chapel. Candidate Martin C.W. Elz of Concordia Seminary (Saint Louis, Missouri) was called as the first pastor of the Adam’s Garden Evangelical Lutheran Mission. A portable chapel was purchased and dedicated on November 2, 1930. However, services began on September 28, 1930. Due to growth, it became necessary in 1937 to build a new church building. This building was dedicated on November 14, 1937. A new parsonage was built in 1938 on an adjoining lot. The congregation officially organized in 1938 and selected the name “Redeemer”. This area grew rapidly during the 1940s and was annexed to Denver in 1946. The congregation then purchased additional lots, and a new and larger basement chapel was added and dedicated on November 9, 1952. The upper structure of that building was completed several years later and dedicated on March 13, 1955, the 25th anniversary year of the congregation. The 35th anniversary was celebrated in 1965. The fortieth anniversary was celebrated on November 15, 1970, and the 50th in 1980.

A Christian day school opened in the fall of 1944 and flourished. Groundbreaking for the first school building was held in April 1963 and was dedicated on September 29, 1963. The school closed and property was sold in August 2020.

Rev. Ray H. Beins was called to the mission congregation in 1933, after Rev. Elz’ resignation after two years of service. Pastor Beins served the congregation for 37 years until his death in 1971. In the meantime, one of the three vicars who served the congregation, Duane M. Reetz, was called to be Assistant Pastor and installed on July 31, 1960, the year of the congregation’s 30th anniversary. He served until 1976. After Pastor Reetz became Senior Pastor, another former vicar, Rev. Arthur M. Newhouse, was called in 1972 as Assistant Pastor. Both pastors resigned in 1976 after the period of doctrinal differences in the Synod and congregation. Many families left Redeemer at that time to form a new synod and congregation. Redeemer called Rev. Donald R. Vetter in 1977, and the congregation continued until 2021. The closing service was held on February 28, 2021.