Third Sunday of Advent – December 13, 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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WELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS HYMN 438
My Lord, What a Morning
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. 2
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. BLESSING AND LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH
Three candles are lit. Lila, Tom, and Colin Cooperider Blessed are you, God of hope, for you promise to bring forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse who will bring justice to the poor, who will 3
deliver the needy and crush the oppressor, who will stand as a signal of hope for all people. As we light these candles, turn our wills to bear the fruit of repentance, transform our hearts to live in justice and harmony with one another, and fix our eyes on the root of Jesse, Jesus Christ, the hope of all nations. O people of hope, come, let us rejoice in the faithfulness of the Lord. Amen. Sung O come, O Wisdom from on high, embracing all things far and nigh: in strength and beauty come and stay; teach us your will and guide our way. PRAYER OF THE DAY Stir up the wills of your faithful people, Lord God, and open our ears to the words of your prophets, that, anointed by your Spirit, we may testify to your light; 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. CHILDREN’S SERMON GOSPEL John 1:6-8, 19-28 John’s gospel describes Jesus as the “light of the world.” John the Baptist is presented as a witness to Jesus, one who directs attention away from himself to Christ, the true light. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did 4
not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ ” as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing. After the reading: The Gospel of the Lord. | Praise to You O Christ. SERMON HYMN 266
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Pastor Jenny McLellan All Earth is Hopeful
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. 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: 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. 6
Please let us know you worshiped with us today by using the I’m Worshiping link as you would the attendance pad at church. GATHERING OF GIFTS Please use the Help and Give links to support the ministry of Redeemer. MUSIC by Redeemer Jazz Trio THANKSGIVING FOR THE WORD Holy God, the Beginning and the Ending, our Hope as we wait, we praise you for joining us to your people of old. We bless you for your prophets who call us to righteousness and promise a new earth with peace for all. For the Word of your covenant, we thank you, O God. We thank you, O God. We praise you for the coming of Jesus our Lord, who lifts up the lowly, heals the suffering world, and proclaims your way of mercy and truth. For your Word who is Christ, we magnify you, O God. We magnify you, O God. Send your Spirit on all who receive your Word. Nurture our faith with your grace, accompany us with your might, and empower our zeal for your justice and joy. For your Word through the church, we praise you, O God. We praise you, O God. All praise to you, holy God, today, tomorrow, and forever. Amen. 7
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 The Creator of the stars bless your Advent waiting, the long-expected Savior fill you with love, the unexpected Spirit guide your journey, ☊ now and forever. | Amen.
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HYMN 439
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Soon and Very Soon
SENDING Beloved of God, go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God. POSTLUDE by Redeemer Jazz Trio Congregational Care We express our sincere sympathy to: † Lori and John Hickman on the death of John’s mother, Sharon Fisher Hickman-Besch, November 11, 2020. † Jannean and Dan Bello and their son Patrick on the death of Jannean’s mother, Marian Hogue, on December 7, 2020. May God comfort them in their time of grief. Congratulations to Kristen Turner and Patrick Bello, on their marriage, December 12, 2020 in Lexington, KY. We pray that God will bless them in their new life together. LAST WEEK AT REDEEMER Worship attendance for December 6: Livestream 420, Facebook Live 64 WEDNESDAY EVENING Pastor Mark’s Class | Zoom | 6 pm Service of Hope & Healing | Zoom | 7:00 pm
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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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