Wednesday, Nov 2, 2022 - order of worship at 7pm

Contemplation with the Saints – November 2, 2022

The Order of Worship at 7:00 pm

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.

As always, we pray that worship at Redeemer is a blessing for you, even as your participation blesses us, whether we are 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.

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INTRODUCTION

God’s word, proclaimed and reflected upon, and the prayer it calls forth from us are the heart of this contemplative service. Every Wednesday we will turn aside from our busy routine day to worship our triune God together, alongside faithful women and men of the past: apostles, martyrs, renewers of the church and society those whom we call saints.

Where God’s rule has penetrated man’s heart and life, so that the divine love and righteousness become the main factor, we speak of a saint….Here I give my only definition: a saint is he who reveals God’s might. Saints are such as show clearly and plainly in their lives and deeds and in their very being that God lives.

Nathan Sӧderblom, The Living God

Through the service, there will be periods of silence. Silence makes room to breathe deeply, time to still the heart and quiet restless thoughts. Sometimes of silence will last no longer than a deep breath; some will be more spacious. A bell will be rung to mark the completion of the silent period. Before worship begins, keeping silence invites the community into the unhurried pace of prayer. May this be a place for you to listen and rest in the presence of God, “like a child upon its mother’s breast” (Psalm 131:2).

GATHERING

The Holy Spirit gathers us into a community of prayer.

Welcome. We gather this evening in silence. Please prepare your heart, body, and mind for worship. Release the day; receive what God is prepared to give you.

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please us this prayer request link to submit your prayers or use the prayer card in your pew.

HYMN In God Alone

GREETING

The divine love of God, the enduring peace of Jesus Christ, and the abounding joy of the Holy Spirit be with you all. | And also with you.

Text

music ©

Ateliers et Presses de Taizé, admin. GIA Publications, Inc., giamusic.com. All rights reserved. Onelicense.net

Let us pray,

Eternal God of great compassion, we give you thanks that you have raised up your faithful servants Theodor, Frederike, and Karonlina Fliedner to revive the ancient order of deaconesses for the work of your church; and we pray that you would grant to all whom you have set apart for the work of serving love such understanding of your gospel, firmness of purpose, diligence in service, and beauty of life in Christ, that they may be a convincing sign of the meaning and power of Christian love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God, now and forever. | Amen

WORD

God speaks to us in scripture reading, silence, reflection, and song.

SCRIPTURE READING Acts 8:26-40

Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over to this chariot and join it." So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" He replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:

"Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth.

In his humiliation justice was denied him.

Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth."

The eunuch asked Philip, "About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?" He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

SILENCE

SILENT REFLECTION

If you are worshiping online, you may share your reflection here

• Who has walked alongside you in your life of faith?

• Where have you found the Holy Spirit at work in the world?

COMMENTARY ON Frederike, Theodor, and Karolina Fliedner

Written by Pastor Tim Brown, Writer and Director of Congregational Stewardship for the ELCA*

PASTORAL RESPONSE Deacon Mary Houck

RESPONSE

HYMN 686 We Give Thee but Thine Own

PRAYER

The Holy Spirit prays with us and through us. Following each bidding prayer, you may speak aloud or silently your own prayers before the sung response. In Christ Jesus we meet the God who knows our weakness and bears the wounds of the world. Therefore, let us be bold as we pray, trusting that God draws near to those in any kind of need. Sung Response

For deaconesses…prayers may be spoken…let us sing, Sung response

For the increase of vocations to the diaconate…prayers may be spoken…let us sing,

Sung response

For those in prison…prayers may be spoken…let us sing,

Sung response

For the sick and the forgotten…prayers may be spoken…let us sing, Sung response

For the spirit of joyful service…prayers may be spoken…let us sing, Sung response

O loving God, you know the needs of all the world. By your Spirit, grant that we, having turned to you in prayer, now might turn to one another in peace, tend and keep what you have made, and love our neighbor with the love of Jesus, in whose name we pray. | Amen

LORD’S PRAYER

Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray, 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 with Christ, to enter more fully into God’s love for and work in the world. This is our prayer “without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

BLESSING

May Christ Jesus dwell richly in your hearts through faith as you are being rooted and grounded in the love of Jesus, strengthened by the Spirit, and filled with the enduring peace of God.

Let us go in peace, sharing a sign of divine peace with one another and all whom we meet this week.

*Pastor Tim Brown used Philip H. Pfatteicher's New Book of Festivals & Commemorations for historical references.

THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER

731 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30308 www.redeemer.org | 404.874.8664

The Rev. Mark H. Larson

The Rev. Dr. Ronald Bonner

The Rev. Jonathan Trapp

The Rev. Jenny McLellan

STAFF

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