Sunday, October 30, 2022 - Order of worship at 11am - Lutheran Church of the Redeemer Atlanta GA USA

Reformation Sunday – October 30, 2022

The Order of Worship at 11:00 am

We continue to monitor the latest information regarding the spread of COVID 19 in our community.

At this time, the wearing of face coverings onsite is optional and left to personal preference. Knowing that individuals and families have varying needs at this time, the balcony is reserved as a mask-required area.

Please use the links available on the viewing page to let us know that you are worshiping with us, to submit any prayer requests, to let us know if you need help or are available to help a neighbor, and to continue giving financially to support the ongoing ministries of Redeemer.

Our 11 AM worship service is Livestreamed in Rudisill Hall for anyone who needs “to take a break” from worship in the sanctuary. Please ask an usher if you need directions.

As always, we pray that worship at Redeemer is a blessing for you, even as your participation blesses us, whether we gathering in the name of Christ in person or online. 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.

PRELUDE Prelude and Fugue on “A Mighty Fortress” James Denton Organ

A Jubilant Peal Michael Helman The Redeemer Ringers

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Today on this Reformation Sunday, we are using a Chorale Service of Holy Communion, modeled after Martin Luther’s tradition of the German Mass, in which he replaced parts of the liturgy with hymns. Everything we sing today is also found in our red worship book, Evangelical Lutheran Worship. The Kyrie (“Lord, have mercy”) is a simple plainsong. The hymn of praise, All Glory Be to God on High, is one of the classic settings of the Gloria in excelsis Deo, and dates back to Luther’s time.

The Gospel acclamation, Now to the Holy Spirit Let Us Pray, dates back to the 13th century, and Luther added stanzas to it. It has appeared in Lutheran hymnals since 1524, and used in various places in the service, including between the epistle and gospel readings. Our offertory response is a stanza of the hymn, O Lord, We Praise You. This is another pre existing text from the mass that Luther adapted. We as Lutherans are fortunate to have such a rich treasure of texts and tunes. You are invited, as always, to sing enthusiastically!

GATHERING

The Holy Spirit gathers us in unity on the first day of the week, the day of Christ’s resurrection.

Standing HYMN 504 A Mighty Fortress is Our God

2 WELCOME and 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.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Kneeling or seated 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.

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Standing 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.

KYRIE Seraphim Choir, cantor

HYMN OF PRAISE

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Text

PRAYER OF THE DAY

The Lord be with you. | And also with you. Almighty God, gracious Lord, we thank you that your Holy Spirit renews the church in every age. Pour out your Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep them steadfast in your word, protect and comfort them in times of trial, defend them against all enemies of the gospel, and bestow on the church your saving peace, 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 here or on the webpage to submit your requests.

WORD

God speaks to us in scriptures read, sung and preached. Seated ANTHEM God is Our Hope John Bertalot (Text from Psalm 46) Cherubim & Seraphim Choirs

CHILDREN’S SERMON

THE FIRST READING Jeremiah 31:31 34 Cliff Burt, lector

The renewed covenant will not be breakable, but like the old covenant it will expect the people to live upright lives. To know the Lord means that one will defend the cause of the poor and needy (Jer. 22:16). The renewed covenant is possible only because the Lord will forgive iniquity and not remember sin. Our hope lies in a God who forgets.

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband,

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says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

Word of God, word of life. | Thanks be to God.

THE SECOND READING Romans 3:19-28

Paul’s words stand at the heart of the preaching of Martin Luther and other Reformation leaders. No human beings make themselves right with God through works of the law. We are brought into a right relationship with God through the divine activity centered in Christ’s death. This act is a gift of grace that liberates us from sin and empowers our faith in Jesus Christ.

Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For “no human being will be justified in his sight” by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.

Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.

Word of God, word of life. | Thanks be to God.

Standing GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Please sing stanza 1 before the Gospel and stanza 4 following the Gospel

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THE HOLY GOSPEL John 8:31-36

Jesus speaks of truth and freedom as spiritual realities known through his word. He reveals the truth that sets people free from sin.

The Holy Gospel according... | Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?”

Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”

The Gospel of the Lord. | Praise to You, O Christ.

651 Oh, Praise the Gracious Power

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Seated SERMON

Pastor Tim Brown

Standing HYMN

Seated 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.

Kneeling or seated PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

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In gratitude and humility, let us join together in prayer on behalf of all of God’s creation.

Keep your church steadfast in your word, reforming God. Deepen our faith and increase our love in Jesus’ name. Further ecumenical dialogue and partnerships such as Redeeming Grace, Georgia’s Ending Mass Incarceration coalitions, and Midtown Assistance Center, and equip us for unified witness and service in the world.