Third Sunday after Pentecost – June 13, 2021 The Order of Worship at 9:00 am As the spread of COVID-19 in our community has slowed, we have gradually offered in-person, small group meetings like our Vineyard communion services with safety measures to protect all participants. At the same time, we have offered communion over Zoom for those who cannot gather in-person. As we open worship to in-person attendance, we will continue to exercise the same care that has protected us through the past year: limiting the number of people, the duration of the service, and providing safe seating. At the same time, we will continue to stream our services live for those who cannot be present. We will use the same bulletin for in-person and remote participants. 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 Standing Fully vaccinated congregants in the sanctuary are encouraged to sing while masked. Those who are not fully vaccinated should “sing in spirit” reading the words to our hymns and liturgy as they are sung by the choir/musicians.
HYMN 512
Lord, Let My Heart be Good Soil
Kneeling or seated
CONFESSION In the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit. | Amen. 2
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. Standing
PRAYER OF THE DAY O God, you are the tree of life, offering shelter to all the world. Graft us into yourself and nurture our growth, that we may bear your truth and love to those in need, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. | Amen. Please use the Prayer Request link on the webpage to submit your requests. Seated
CHILDREN’S SERMON 3
PSALM 88 A Reinterpretation of Psalm 88, written by the 8th grade class. Read by Fiona Peterson O Lord, God of my salvation, when I lie in bed at night and cry out for you, please hear me, hear my cry I’m anxious, I’m tired, I get older everyday I feel alone in my troubles, I’m weak. I have no one to turn to, like the poor and homeless, I feel forgotten It can’t get any worse. I feel like you are against me, and it crushes my heart. You turned my friends against me, and they hate me. They don’t return my texts. I cry my eyes out. Why won’t you answer me? Can you help anyone as miserable as me? Do the ignored praise and love you? Do the forgotten know you? I cry until the morning. Why are you ignoring me? All my life, I’m scared, lonely. I feel like I’m growing old. Your disappointment overwhelms me from all sides. Everyone I love is gone, darkness is my only friend. Standing
THE GOSPEL Mark 4:26-34 Jesus frequently uses parables to teach ordinary people as they are able to hear and understand. Images of sowing and growing show the vitality of God’s kingdom. The Holy Gospel according... | Glory to you, O Lord. [Jesus] said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would 4
sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.” He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”vWith many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples. The Gospel of the Lord. | Praise to You, O Christ. Seated
SERMON
Bishop Kevin Strickland
Standing
HYMN 635
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We Walk by Faith
Kneeling or Seated
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Let us come before the triune God in prayer. Holy God, you plant the seeds of faith in every nation. Enliven your church, so that the good news of your grace may root and grow throughout the world. We pray for Elizabeth, our Presiding Bishop, for Kevin, our Bishop, and for all who serve God in the church. Lord, in your mercy, | hear our prayer. Creator, even the trees, shrubs, and flowers delight in your goodness. From the depths of the soil to the highest mountain, bring forth new plants. Restore growth to places suffering drought. Lord, in your mercy, | hear our prayer. Judge of nations, we pray for our leaders and those in power. Grant them the ability to regard those under their charge with humility, dedicating their lives in service to others. Lord, in your mercy, | hear our prayer. Divine comforter, you show compassion to those in need and provide relief to those who call on you. Bless all who suffer, especially people trapped in cycles of poverty and homelessness. 6
Lord, in your mercy, | hear our prayer. Healing God, you provide comfort to those who are ill in body, mind, and spirit. Speak that comfort over all who are in need of your peace and healing. We pray especially for… Lord, in your mercy, | hear our prayer. Sovereign God, this house of worship belongs to you. We give thanks and pray for our church musicians, especially for Sarah, David, Eric, Bryan, Jerry. We dedicate to you the joyful noise that comes from this place; the cries of children, the melody of voice and instruments, and the songs from our hearts. Lord, in your mercy, | hear our prayer. Eternal God, we give thanks for our ancestors in the faith who are now at home with you. We pray for… We look forward to that day when we are reunited in your new creation. Lord, in your mercy, | hear our prayer. We lift our prayers to you, O God, trusting in your abiding grace. Amen. Please share a sign of blessing with your fellow worshippers while maintaining proper distancing.
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. Seated
GATHERING OF GIFTS Please use the Help and Give links to support the ministry of Redeemer. 7
MUSIC by Redeemer Jazz Trio OFFERING PRAYER Jesus, Bread of life, you have set this table with your very self, and called us to the feast of plenty. Gather what has been sown among us, and strengthen us in this meal. Make us to be what we receive here, your body for the life of the world. 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 The blessing of God, who provides for us, feeds us, and journeys with us, ☩ be upon you now and forever. | Amen.
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Standing
HYMN
I’ve Got Peace Like a River
SENDING Go in peace. You are the body of Christ. Thanks be to God. POSTLUDE by Redeemer Jazz Trio Following the postlude today communion is offered via Zoom Click Here
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LAST WEEK AT REDEEMER Worship attendance for June 6: Livestream 302, In-person 103 NEXT WEEK AT REDEEMER Fourth Sunday after Pentecost Job 38:1-11, Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, Mark 4:35-41 As we welcome back worshippers to the sanctuary, we need ushers and greeters to help with our homecoming. If you are willing to join the team, please contact rdurdin@redeemer.org CONGREGATIONAL MEETING | TODAY | 1:30 PM Webinar The meeting will serve as the Annual meeting of the congregation. The purpose of this meeting will be to approve the 2020 Annual Report which was emailed June 2, 2021.
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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 Hillary Nelson.......................................Youth Director, hnelson@redeemer.org Tawanda Searcy .......................... Receptionist and Wedding Director, ext. 200 Stacey Williams ......................................................................... Head of Security
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