Seventh Sunday of Easter – May 24, 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. 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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Livestreamed… WELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 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. 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
In peace, let us pray to the Lord. | Lord, have mercy. For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord. | Lord, have mercy. 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. | Lord, have mercy. For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord. | Lord, have mercy. Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord. | Amen. PRAYER OF THE DAY O God of glory, your Son Jesus Christ suffered for us and ascended to your right hand. Unite us with Christ and each other in suffering and in joy, that all the world may be drawn into your bountiful presence, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. CHILDREN’S SERMON PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Each portion of the prayers concludes: Lord, in your mercy, | hear our prayer.
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Pre-recorded FIRST READING Acts 1:6-14 Today’s reading is part of the introduction to the narrative of the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost. These verses tell of the risen Lord’s conversation with his disciples on the eve of his ascension, in which he promises that they will receive the power of the Holy Spirit. When [the apostles] had come together, they asked [Jesus], “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers. SECOND READING 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 Our faith in Christ does not make us immune from the scorn of others. Nevertheless, we are to resist the designs of evil when we experience disparagement from others because we trust God’s grace will strengthen and guide us. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called 4
you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen. GOSPEL John 17:1-11 On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus prays to his heavenly Father, asking that those who continue his work in this world will live in unity. After Jesus had spoken these words [to his disciples], he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.� After the reading: The Gospel of the Lord. | Praise to You O Christ. SERMON
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Pastor Jonathan Trapp
HYMN
Loving Spirit
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, 6
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. GATHERING OF GIFTS Please use the Help and Give links to support the ministry of Redeemer. MUSIC 1
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I Come with Joy The Englert Family
arr. Zebulon Highben
I come with joy, a child of God, forgiven, loved, and free, the life of Jesus to recall in love laid down for me, in love laid down for me.
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I come with Christians far and near to find, as all are fed, the new community of love in Christ's communion bread, in Christ's communion bread.
The Spirit of the risen Christ, unseen, but ever near, is in such friendship better known, alive among us here, alive among us here.
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Together met, together bound by all that God has done, we'll go with joy, to give the world the love that makes us one, the love that makes us one.
As Christ breaks bread and bids us share, each proud division ends.
The love that made us, makes us one, and strangers now are friends, and strangers now are friends.
Text: Brian A. Wren, b. 1936 Text Š 1971, rev. 1995 Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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 selfgiving love. For your Word of life, O God, | we give you thanks and praise. 7
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. BLESSING May the One who brought forth Jesus from the dead raise you to new life, fill you with hope, and turn your mourning into dancing. Almighty God, Father, ☊ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. Amen SENDING Christ is risen, just as he said. Go in peace. Share the good news. Alleluia! Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
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HYMN
Christ is Alive! Let Christians Sing
POSTLUDE The Earl of Oxford’s March William Byrd The harpsichord played today was bequeathed in 2010 to Redeemer by Dr. H. Bruce Dull, a longtime active member of Redeemer who was instrumental in the acquisition of the church’s Letourneau pipe organ and in the formation of the Friends of Music. The instrument was built for Dr. Dull in London in the 1960’s.
LAST WEEK AT REDEEMER Worship attendance for May 17: Livestream 531 WEDNESDAY EVENING Pastor Mark’s Class | Zoom | 6 pm Worship | Livestream | 7:15 pm 9
NEXT WEEK AT REDEEMER Day of Pentecost Acts 2:1-21, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b, 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13, John 20:19-23
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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 Member Care, ext. 224 STAFF Martha Barth ........................................................................................ Organ Scholar, ext. 234 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 Maria Welsh .......................................................... Kitchen and Hospitality Manager, ext. 210 Stacey Williams .............................................................................................. Head of Security
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