Christ the King Sunday – November 22, 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, to-go 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. 1
PRELUDE
Two settings of Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor Wilbur Held and Ralph Vaughan Williams
WELCOME
GATHERING The Holy Spirit gathers us in unity on the first day of the week, the day of Christ’s resurrection.
Recorded 2019
HYMN 634
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All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name
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. Recorded 2019
KYRIE In peace let us pray to the Lord.
For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord. 3
For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
Help, save, comfort and defend us, gracious Lord.
HYMN OF PRAISE
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PRAYER OF THE DAY O God of power and might, your Son shows us the way of service, and in him we inherit the riches of your grace. Give us the wisdom to know what is right and the strength to serve the world you have made, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. | 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 5
FIRST READING Bob Gibeling, Lector
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
Because Israel’s kings proved to be bad shepherds, Ezekiel declares that the LORD will assume the role of shepherd in Israel. The LORD will also set over them a shepherd-messiah, “my servant David,” who will feed and care for the people. Thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice. Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken. PSALM 95:1-7a We are the people of God’s pasture and the sheep of God’s hand. (Ps. 95:7)
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Come, let us sing | to the LORD; let us shout for joy to the rock of | our salvation. Let us come before God’s presence | with thanksgiving and raise a loud shout to the | LORD with psalms. For you, LORD, | are a great God, and a great ruler a- | bove all gods. In your hand are the caverns | of the earth; the heights of the hills are | also yours. The sea is yours, | for you made it, and your hands have molded | the dry land. Come, let us worship | and bow down, let us kneel before the | LORD our maker. For the LORD| is our God, and we are the people of God’s pasture and the sheep | of God’s hand. SECOND READING Ephesians 1:15-23 In this passage, God is praised for revealing ultimate divine power in raising Jesus from the dead. The resurrected, exalted Christ is Lord of both the church and the entire universe, now and in the age to come. I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
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GOSPEL Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus compares himself to a king who moves among his subjects to see how he is treated: what is done for the least of those who belong to his family is truly done for him. [Jesus said to the disciples:] “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” The Gospel of the Lord. | Praise to You, O Christ. SERMON 8
Pastor Ron Bonner
Recorded 2019
HYMN 431
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O Christ, What Can It Mean for Us
NICENE CREED We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Each petition concludes: Hear us, O God. | Your mercy is great. 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. 10
Recorded 2019
ANTHEM
My Eternal King The Redeemer Choir
Jane Marshall
My God, I love Thee; | Not because I hope for heaven thereby, | Nor yet because who love Thee not | Must die eternally. Thou, O my Jesus, Thou didst me | Upon the cross embrace, | For me didst bear the nails, and spear, | And manifold disgrace. Why, then why, O blessed Jesus Christ, | Should I not love Thee well? | Not for the hope of winning heaven, | Or of escaping hell; Not with the hope of gaining aught, | Not seeking a reward; | But as Thyself hast loved me, | O everloving Lord! E’en so I love Thee, and will love, | And in Thy praise will sing; | Solely because Thou art my God, | And my Eternal King. From a 17th century Latin poem
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. 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. 11
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.
INSTALLATION OF NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS BLESSING May the God of all creation, in whose image we are made, who claims us and calls us beloved, who strengthens us for service, give you reason to rejoice and be glad! The blessing of God, Sovereign, ☊ Savior, and Spirit, be with you today and always. | Amen. Recorded 2019
HYMN 855
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Crown Him with Many Crowns
SENDING Beloved of God, go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God. POSTLUDE
Fanfare
John Cook
Liturgy from Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2013 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #21979.
HOLY BAPTISM following the service We celebrate today with Maximillian Jacubowsky and Sofia Cevallos as they bring their son, Lucas Joachim Jacubowsky for the sacrament of Holy Baptism. His godparents are Ferdinand Povel and Victoria Cevallos. We pray that God will bless this family and strengthen them in a life of faith. PRESENTATION God, who is rich in mercy and love, gives us a new birth into a living hope through the sacrament of baptism. By water and the Word God delivers us from sin and death and raises us to new life in Jesus Christ. We are united with all the baptized in the one body of Christ, anointed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, and joined in God's mission for the life of the world. Who presents this child to be baptized? 13
SPONSORS: We present Lucas Joachim Jacubowsky for baptism. Parent and Parent, Called by the Holy Spirit, trusting in the grace and love of God, do you desire to have Lucas baptized into Christ? PARENTS: We do. As you bring your child to receive the gift of baptism, you are entrusted with responsibilities: to live with him among God's faithful people, bring him to the word of God and the holy supper, teach him the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments, place in his hands the holy scriptures, and nurture him in faith and prayer so that he may learn to trust God, proclaim Christ through word and deed, care for others and the world God made, and work for justice and peace. Do you promise to help Lucas grow in the Christian faith and life? PARENTS: We do. Ferdinand and Victoria, as his sponsors do you promise to nurture Lucas in the Christian faith as you are empowered by God’s Spirit, and to help him live in the covenant of baptism and in communion with the church? SPONSORS: We do. People of God, do you promise to support Lucas and pray for him in his new life in Christ? LECTERN: We do. PROFESSION OF FAITH Parents and Sponsors, I ask you to profess your faith in Christ Jesus, reject sin, and confess the faith of the Church. Do you renounce the devil and all the forces that defy God? RESPONSE: I renounce them. Do you renounce the powers of this world that rebel against God? RESPONSE: I renounce them. Do you renounce the ways of sin that draw you from God? RESPONSE: I renounce them. LECTERN: With the rest of the gathered people of God, let us confess our faith: Do you believe in God the Father? ALL: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 14
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God? ALL: 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. Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit? ALL: 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. THANKSGIVING AT THE FONT PRESIDER AND LECTERN: The Lord be with you. | And also with you. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. Blessed are you, O God, maker and ruler of all things. Your voice thundered over the waters at creation. You water the mountains and send springs into the valleys to refresh and satisfy all living things. Through the waters of the flood you carried those in the ark to safety. Through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery to freedom. In the wilderness you nourished them with water from the rock, and you brought them across the river Jordan to the promised land. By the baptism of his death and resurrection, your Son Jesus has carried us to safety and freedom. The floods shall not overwhelm us, and the deep shall not swallow us up, for Christ has brought us over to the land of promise. He sends us to make disciples, baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Pour out your Holy Spirit; wash away sin in this cleansing water; clothe the baptized with Christ; and claim your daughters and sons, no longer slave and free, no longer male and female, but one with all the baptized in Christ Jesus, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. LECTERN: Amen 15
BAPTISM PRESIDER AND LECTERN: Lucas Joachim Jacubowsky, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. ALL: Amen We give you thanks, O God, that through water and the Holy Spirit you give your daughters and sons new birth, cleanse them from sin, and raise them to eternal life. Sustain Lucas with the gift of your Holy Spirit: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in your presence, both now and forever. ALL: Amen The parents make the sign of the cross on the forehead of the baptized. Lucas Joachim, child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever. ALL: Amen WELCOME A lighted candle is presented to the family. Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. LECTERN: Let us welcome our new brother in Christ. We welcome you into the body of Christ and into the mission we share: join us in giving thanks and praise to God and bearing God’s creative and redeeming word to all the world. The minister invites the congregation to welcome the newly baptized with acclamation.
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CONGREGATIONAL CARE We express our sincere sympathy to Jenny and Peter McLellan and at the death of Jenny’s grandfather, John Hinman on November 14 in Colorado. May God comfort them in their time of grief. We express our sincere sympathy to Cheryl and Whitney Smith at the death of Cheryl’s mother Ina Braun, on November 17, in Hickory, NC. May God comfort them in their time of grief. LAST WEEK AT REDEEMER Worship attendance for November 15: Livestream 329, Facebook Live 64 WEDNESDAY EVENING Pastor Mark’s Class | Zoom | 6 pm Worship | Livestream | 7:15 pm NEXT WEEK AT REDEEMER First Sunday of Advent Isaiah 64:1-9, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Mark 13:24-37 CONGREGATIONAL MEETING | December 6 | 12:30 PM Webinar (link will be sent Saturday, Dec. 5) This meeting will have multiple purposes. 1. Approval of the 2021 Spending Plan 2. 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 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.
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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. 3. 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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