Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost – November 8, 2020 The Order of Worship at 11:00 am To mitigate spread of COVID-19 in our community, on-site activities— including worship services—have been cancelled. Many activities continue, but in different formats: ZOOM for interactive small groups and classes, togo meals for the Food Ministry, and streaming worship services and music from the archives. Our gathering policies will continue to respond to changes in the best public health data available to us. Worship will be Livestreamed from Redeemer with only leaders present. Throughout worship, participants will be masked even as they speak and sing, and each will remain in an area designated for them alone. Similar protections will probably be required when we are able gradually to open worship further, but for now we are glad return to the familiarity of Redeemer and the musical and technical options it provides us. Thanks to all of the lectors and musicians who have led us during the past weeks as we worshiped from home. Please use the links available on the viewing page to let us know that you are worshiping from home, to offer any prayer requests, to let us know if you need help or are available to help a neighbor, and to continue to give to support the ministries that continue, socially distant for the common good. As always, we pray that worship at Redeemer is a blessing for you, even as your participation blesses us, even though we are not together in person. As you are comfortable, we encourage you to sing the hymns and to sing or speak the congregational portions of the liturgy in bold type. This bulletin contains content protected by copyright and is provided only for you to participate in worship. Please delete or destroy any physical or digital copy of the material following the service.
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PRELUDE
Intermezzo from Sonata no. 8 in E minor Josef Rheinberger
WELCOME GATHERING The Holy Spirit gathers us in unity on the first day of the week, the day of Christ’s resurrection. HYMN 880 David Hansen, cantor
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O God Beyond All Praising
CONFESSION In the name of the Father, and of the ☊ Son, and of the Holy Spirit. | Amen. Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Let us confess our sin in the presence of God. Most merciful God, | we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen. In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the ☊ Son, and of the Holy Spirit. | Amen. GREETING The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. | And also with you.
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KYRIE
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HYMN OF PRAISE
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The Lord be with you. | And also with you. PRAYER OF THE DAY O God of justice and love, you illumine our way through life with the words of your Son. Give us the light we need, and awaken us to the needs of others, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. | Amen. Please use the Prayer Request link on the webpage to submit your requests.
WORD God speaks to us in scriptures read, sung and preached. CHILDREN’S SERMON FIRST READING Amos 5:18-24 Karin Mayo, Lector In the days of Amos, people thought that the day of the LORD would be a time of great victory, but Amos announced that it would be a day of darkness, not light. He said liturgy is no substitute for obedience. The LORD demands justice and righteousness in the community. Alas for you who desire the day of the LORD! Why do you want the day of the LORD? It is darkness, not light; as if someone fled from a lion, and was met by a bear; or went into the house and rested a hand against the wall, and was bitten by a snake. Is not the day of the LORD darkness, not light, 6
and gloom with no brightness in it? I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. PSALM 70 You are my helper and my deliverer; O LORD, do not tarry. (Ps. 70:5) Be pleased, O God, to de- | liver me; O LORD, make | haste to help me. Let those who seek my life be put to shame | and confounded; let those who take pleasure in my misfortune draw back and | be disgraced. Let those who say to me “Aha!” and gloat | over me turn back because | of their shame. Let all who seek you rejoice and be | glad in you; let those who love your salvation say forever, “Great | is the LORD!” But as for me, I am poor and needy; come to me quick- | ly, O God. You are my helper and my deliverer; O LORD, | do not tarry. SECOND READING 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Some of the Thessalonians are worried that dead Christians will be excluded from the resurrection to eternal life when Christ comes again. Paul reassures them with the word of hope that all Christians, living or dead, will be raised into everlasting life with Christ. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, 7
through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. GOSPEL Matthew 25:1-13 Jesus tells a parable about his own second coming, emphasizing the need for readiness at all times. [Jesus said to the disciples:] “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” The Gospel of the Lord. | Praise to You O Christ. SERMON
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Pastor Mark H. Larson
HYMN 244
Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers
APOSTLES’ CREED I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. 9
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Each petition concludes: Lord, in your mercy, | Hear our prayer. At the conclusion of the prayers: Amen PEACE The peace of Christ be with you always. | And also with you. Please let us know you worshiped with us today by using the I’m Worshiping link as you would the attendance pad at church. THANKSGIVING GATHERING OF GIFTS Please use the Help and Give links to support the ministry of Redeemer. MUSIC
Blessed Assurance setting by Franklin D. Ashdown
THANKSGIVING FOR THE WORD Let us pray. Praise and thanks to you, holy God, for by your Word you made all things: you spoke light into darkness, called forth beauty from chaos, and brought life into being. For your Word of life, O God, | we give you thanks and praise. By your Word you called your people Israel to tell of your wonderful gifts: freedom from captivity, water on the desert journey, a pathway home from exile, wisdom for life with you. For your Word of life, O God, | we give you thanks and praise. Through Jesus, your Word made flesh, you speak to us and call us to witness: forgiveness through the cross, life to those entombed by death, the way of your self-giving love. For your Word of life, O God, | we give you thanks and praise. 10
Send your Spirit of truth, O God; rekindle your gifts within us: renew our faith, increase our hope, and deepen our love, for the sake of a world in need. Faithful to your Word, O God, draw near to all who call on you; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever. | Amen. LORD’S PRAYER Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. SENDING God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world. BLESSING Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. God, the creator, ☊ Jesus, the Christ, and the Holy Spirit, the comforter, bless you and keep you in eternal love. | Amen.
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SENDING Go in peace. Christ is with you. | Thanks be to God. POSTLUDE
Te Deum
Jean Langlais
Liturgy from Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2013 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #21979.
CONGREGATIONAL CARE We express our sincere sympathy to Allison and Dan Englert, Grace and Hope on the death of Allison’s father, Neal Ritchie on October 29 in North Carolina. May God comfort them in their time of grief. LAST WEEK AT REDEEMER Worship attendance for November 1: Livestream 626, Facebook Live 179 WEDNESDAY EVENING Pastor Mark’s Class | Zoom | 6 pm Worship | Livestream | 7:15 pm NEXT WEEK AT REDEEMER Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18, Psalm 90:1-8 [9-11] 12, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Matthew 25:14-30 The Council Nominating Committee would like to thank those of you who submitted names for consideration and to those of you who expressed an interest in serving Redeemer. This year’s Council nominees are: Michael Adamson, Wren Carlson, Susan Cordell, Creston Herold, Erin Hull, Karin Mayo, Jeff Merkel, John Pearson, Richard Spady, and Roxann Thompson. Ballots will be emailed on Sunday, October 18. Hard copy ballots to those registered as not able to receive electronic communications will be mailed by post the following day. If you have questions regarding your ballot, contact Robin Durdin rdurdin@redeemer.org. The election concludes on Sunday, November 8, at 12:45 pm.
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CONGREGATIONAL MEETING | November 8 | 12:30 PM | Webinar The purpose of the meeting will be to vote on incorporating the following amendment into the constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer: C13.01. The Executive Committee shall consist of the president of the Council, the vice president, the secretary, the treasurer, the financial secretary, and two Council members, who are elected at large by written ballot at the first meeting of the Congregation Council each year. Each at-large member shall be individually elected and must receive a majority of the votes cast. The senior pastor also serves as a member of the Executive Committee. The duties and powers of the Executive Committee are specified in the continuing resolutions. If approved, this change will be presented to the congregation for a ratification vote on December 6. If ratified, this change shall go into effect upon notification that the synod has approved it at the next Synod Council meeting in January 2021. Note: The amendment vote for C12.01 affirming called deacons as voting members of the Congregation Council has been rescheduled to the congregation meeting on December 6. The recommendation for approval from Council will include a related change that will be needed in C12.02. CONGREGATIONAL MEETING | December 6 | 12:30 PM | Webinar This meeting will have multiple purposes.  Approval of the 2021 Spending Plan (emailed by November 27, 2020)  For ratification C13.01. The Executive Committee shall consist of the president of the Council, the vice president, the secretary, the treasurer, the financial secretary, and two Council members, who are elected at large by written ballot at the first meeting of the Congregation Council each year. Each atlarge member shall be individually elected and must receive a majority of the votes cast. The senior pastor also serves as a member of the 13
Executive Committee. The duties and powers of the Executive Committee are specified in the continuing resolutions. If this change is ratified by the congregation on December 6 it will go into effect upon notification that the synod has approved it at the next Synod Council meeting in January 2021.  For approval • Be it resolved, that the following 2019 recommended changes in the ELCA Model Constitution for Congregations be incorporated into the constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia. C12.01. The voting membership of the Congregation Council shall consist of the called pastors, the called deacon(s), the financial secretary, the treasurer, and not more than 15 members of this congregation, who are elected as provided in C12.02c. C12.02. b. Except as provided in C12.03, no person, other than the pastors, the deacons, the financial secretary, and the treasurer, may serve consecutive terms on the Congregation Council. An outgoing Council member shall not be eligible to serve on the Council for the next three years after the conclusion of that member’s term. These changes will become effective upon approval by the congregation.
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THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER 731 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30308 www.redeemer.org | 404.874.8664 | Emergency Line: 404.874.9759 The Rev. Mark H. Larson ................................................Senior Pastor, ext. 201 The Rev. Ronald Bonner ............. Pastor for Community Engagement, ext. 203 The Rev. Jonathan Trapp ........................... Pastor for Faith Formation, ext. 233 The Rev. Jenny McLellan ...................Pastor for Congregational Care, ext. 224 STAFF Bob Boyd ......................................Director of Operations and Finance, ext. 232 Seth Brown .............................................Facilities and Media Director, ext. 218 Robin Durdin .......................................Office Administration Director, ext. 204 Kate Elkins............................................................... Preschool Director, ext. 252 David Hansen .................................................... Adult Choral Director, ext. 236 Sarah Hawbecker ..................... Organist & Children’s Music Director, ext. 206 Deacon Mary Houck .............. Children & Family Ministries Director, ext. 227 Jennifer Isaacson ................................. Financial Information Director, ext. 237 Karen Medford ..... Parish Nurse, and Adult Faith Formation Director, ext. 230 Hillary Nelson.......................................Youth Director, hnelson@redeemer.org Tawanda Searcy .......................... Receptionist and Wedding Director, ext. 200 Stacey Williams ......................................................................... Head of Security
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