Officer nominations are held once a year. Redeemer Downtown members are able to nominate other Downtown members to the Diaconate (men and women) and as elders (men only). For more information about the nomination process, including qualifications, please click below:
From the moment we first meet our clients (we call them clients, but they are our sisters and brothers in Christ), we acknowledge that we cannot effectively help anyone spiritually or otherwise without Jesus Christ.
Our client work is temporary and short-term in nature, our goal being to see a client’s situation change over time until the client no longer requires our assistance. Deacons and deaconesses generally work toward this end by guiding clients to manage their budgets responsibly, plan for the future, seek employment, resolve conflicts, mend relationships, seek God’s community, and know and obey God in all areas of their lives. As clients grow closer to the Lord, we hope they will find the strength, wisdom, and grace to experience deeply changed lives.
The Diaconate is funded entirely by the donations of individuals at Redeemer Downtown. We are, therefore, accountable to the congregation to be wise stewards of the resources God has given us through his people. Because our funding is limited, we direct financial support to the neediest within the congregation.
You can reach us at 917-206-1452 or you can fill out the form on our Care & Assistance page.
The Diaconate leadership team determines whether to accept you as a client based on a list of criteria such as Redeemer Downtown affiliation, type of need, and asset information.
You will be assigned a deacon, deaconess or a pair of deacons and deaconesses, depending on your needs once you have been accepted as a Diaconate client. Our goal is to partner with you and see your situation change over time until you no longer need our assistance. This partnership is a two-way street. We expect you to be honest with us and to make full disclosure of your financial situation. You can expect us to strive to understand you, encourage and love you in Christ, provide for your basic needs when appropriate, and pray for and with you.
Redeemer Downtown congregants have given generously over the years to enable the Diaconate to provide financial assistance to those in our church community who are in need.
For clients seeking financial assistance, we will first ask to go over your budget. Requests will be considered based on a client’s basic living needs. Each request for financial assistance goes through a review process sometimes involving several people. Clients may be asked to consider letting go of nonessential living expenses before assistance is approved. Financial assistance may continue over time, however, it would be with the intent of reducing and eventually discontinuing our financial assistance when appropriate. The Diaconate occasionally provides long-term financial assistance but does not provide loans under any circumstances nor does it compensate for individual business risks. Please understand that financial assistance is not guaranteed, and that the Diaconate is not always able to provide it.
“During this time, as the disciples were increasing in numbers by leaps and bounds, hard feelings developed among the Greek-speaking believers—’Hellenists’—toward the Hebrew-speaking believers because their widows were being discriminated against in the daily food lines. So the Twelve called a meeting of the disciples. They said, ‘It wouldn’t be right for us to abandon our responsibilities for preaching and teaching the Word of God to help with the care of the poor. So, friends, choose seven men from among you whom everyone trusts, men full of the Holy Spirit and good sense, and we’ll assign them this task. Meanwhile, we’ll stick to our assigned tasks of prayer and speaking God’s Word.’” — Acts 6:1-4, The Message
