Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 22, 2024
The Order of Worship at 9:00 am
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.
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.
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.
WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Standing HYMN 389
Christ is Alive, Let Christians Sing!
Text © 1975, rev. 1995 Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, who forgives all our sin, whose mercy endures forever. | Amen.
Let us confess our sin and come to God for healing.
Kneeling or seated
Gracious God, have mercy on us. We confess that we have honored you with our lips, but have harmed our neighbors with our tongues. The cravings at war within us cause conflicts and disputes. In our desire to be first we make distinctions among ourselves. We place the needs of the poor and the suffering last. In your great mercy, forgive us our sins. Draw near to us with grace in time of need, and turn us to follow in the way of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
God promises to forgive our iniquity and to remember our sin no more. By grace you have been saved. In the name of ☩ Jesus Christ, the source of eternal healing, your sins are forgiven. | Amen.
Standing PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you. | And also with you.
O God, our teacher and guide, you draw us to yourself and welcome us as beloved children. Help us to lay aside all envy and selfish ambition, that we may walk in your ways of wisdom and understanding as servants of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. | Amen
Please use the Prayer Request link on the webpage to submit your requests.
Seated
CHILDREN’S SERMON
Standing THE HOLY GOSPEL
Mark 9:30-37
Jesus’ teaching and action in this text are directed to the church whenever it is seduced by the world’s definition of greatness: prestige, power, influence, and money. The antidote to such a concern for greatness is servanthood.
Before the reading: The Holy Gospel according... | Glory to you, O Lord.
[Jesus and the disciples went on] and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.
Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”
After the reading: The Gospel of the Lord. | Praise to You, O Christ.
Seated SERMON
Standing HYMN
Pastor Mark H. Larson
Make Me a Servant
© 1982 CCCM Music; Universal Music - Brentwood Benson Publishing; Willing Heart Music
Kneeling or seated PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Each portion of the prayers concludes: Hear us, O God., | Your mercy is great. At the conclusion of the prayers: Amen
Drawn together in the power of the Holy Spirit, we pray with confidence for the church, God’s good creation, and all who are in need.
Loving God, you welcome all at your table of grace. Instill in your church a spirit of humility and curiosity, that we embrace all who seek you. We pray especially for ministries of hospitality and faith formation. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Creating God, you shape the world so there is more than enough for all. Curb our habits of overuse, and guide us toward more sustainable sources of energy, food, and water. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Gracious God, your peace brings justice and solidarity. Encourage peace among peoples, tribes, and nations; heal divisions in our country and local communities, that together we might cooperate for the good of all. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Faithful God, you draw near to you all who are in need. Bring healing and wholeness to all who suffer. We especially pray for the needs and concerns of this congregation, including...
Transform economic, political, and social systems that oppress vulnerable people, especially systems of structural racism and generational poverty. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Transforming God, you accompany all through changes and transitions. Help us to see where you are calling this community to new ways of living the gospel promise; assure us that even as change brings loss, it also brings hope and life. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Merciful God, you embrace us on our final pilgrimage from this life. Accompany all who have died, console those who mourn, and at the last, show us the way to eternal life in you. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great. We entrust these and all our prayers to you, holy God, in the name of your beloved child, Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.
Standing PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always. | And also with you.
Please share a sign of blessing with your fellow worshipers in whatever way is comfortable for you.
Seated GATHERING OF GIFTS
MUSIC by Redeemer Jazz Trio
Standing OFFERING PRAYER
Blessed are you, O God, source of every gift of your creation. By these gifts and with our lives, help us to serve one another and all in need, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. | Amen.
GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you. | And also with you. Lift up your hearts! | We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. | It is right to give our thanks and praise.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Honor and glory be to you, Lord God of all the ages; we give you thanks for the joy of your creation, and praise for your liberating love.
Searching and yearning God, you enter the wilderness and sweep the dark corners of our world because you hate nothing that you have made and long to draw us back to your heart. In Christ Jesus, you came into the world to save sinners, to welcome them, and to eat with them. You spread a table in our sight and invite us to join you in glory.
In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
After supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Now send down your Holy Spirit, that your people who have strayed like lost sheep may dwell in the paths of righteousness and that these gifts of bread and wine may be for us the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ;
Find those who are lost; reach any who have strayed; pursue all who seem determined to wander further and further from your fold.
Heal your earth; where the fruitful land is waste and void, where the mountains are quaking, and the birds of the air have fled, bring hope, transformation, and deliverance.
Redeem your creation in the power of your Spirit, and draw all thing through the free gift of your Son into the glory of your presence, now and forever. Amen.
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray…
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.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Jesus welcomes you to this table. Come, here is your God. Seated
All who seek to meet the Risen Christ in the bread and wine are invited to receive Holy Communion. Those who are worshiping online can join the pastors on Zoom for communion following the postlude. Link
Standing
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. | Amen
Let us pray. | Holy God, you have welcomed us to this meal and fed us with dignity at your table. Send us now to welcome others and to be at peace with one another, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
SENDING
God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world.
BLESSING
God all mighty, God most merciful ☩ bless you, keep you, and give you peace.
LAST WEEK AT REDEEMER Attendance for Sept. 15: In person:214, online 155 NEXT WEEK AT REDEEMER - Sunday after Pentecost
Congregation Council Nominations
Nominations are open for Congregation Council for the 3-year term starting in 2025. Each voting member may submit up to five nominations via the instructions sent by email or paper mail on September 6, 2024. Before nominating someone, please confirm the member is willing to serve if elected. Nominations are due by 12:30 pm on Sunday, September 22, 2024. Please contact the Nominating Committee with any questions or concerns: Lew Engle (chair), Karen Cramer, Richard Spady, Erin Hull, and Derek Peterson.
Rejoicing Spirits Resumes Today
It’s time to rejoice again!! This special worship service is designed to be accessible to people of all abilities- yes, that means you! We are all beloved children of God with strengths and weaknesses. People with disabilities and their caregivers need the support of their faith community. We all need to be reminded that whatever our abilities, we are enough. Come to be a friend and make some amazing new friends!
Meet in Rudisill Hall from 10:15 - 10:45 (before or after attending your usual service!)
Created to Be Generous
As part of our annual Stewardship Drive, during the month of October, we will once again be gathering in small groups at church, in people’s homes, and in local gathering spots for fellowship, relationship building, prayer, and dreaming about the future of our congregation. Sign-ups for gatherings are beginning in the Sims Atrium today, and more times and places will be added soon.
CHILDREN AND FAMILY
Sunday school is Back!
We can’t wait to learn and grow in faith with your family this year!! You can register at this link, scan the code, or speak to Deacon Mary with any questions. Sunday School is for ages 2- 5th grade. Interested in volunteering with Sunday School? Speak to Deacon Mary about volunteer opportunities.
ADULT FAITH FORMATION
“The Difficult Words of Jesus” – Meanings and Contexts
Led by Ed Scherlacher with Don Noland | Sundays 10 AM | Room 121
Inspired by Amy-Jill Levine’s book “The Difficult Words of Jesus,” this class will review sayings of Jesus that have been misinterpreted and used to marginalize “others” in history.
“From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians” Sundays 10 am | Conference Room | Through October 13
Come join us to watch and discuss a multi-part PBS documentary on the early church. Shaped by theologians and historians this series is an intellectual and visual guide to the new and controversial historical evidence which challenges familiar assumptions about the life of Jesus and the epic rise of Christianity.
Be Still and Journey, Open to anyone interested
Led by Pat Cornwell | Sundays 10 AM | Room 119
“Shaped by the Word, The Power of Scripture in Spiritual Formation” by M. Robert Mulholland, Jr. For those who hunger for a deeper relationship with God and often struggle with barriers that keep us from being able to meditate and listen to God.
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
Led by David Ott & Don Noland | Tuesdays | 7 AM | Reception Room and Zoom
Currently studying 1st & 2nd Samuel Everyone is welcome either 1/ in person in the Reception Room with a full breakfast serving from 7 am, or 2/ via ZOOM link found on the Redeemer website each Tuesday. Our study and discussion is from 7:30 - 8:30 am. Please join us any Tuesday morning!
Book Study with Pastor Jonathan
Tuesdays | 5 PM
Join Pr Jonathan on Zoom as the group discusses 'The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory' by Tim Alberta. Alberta is a practicing Christian and the son of an evangelical pastor, paints an expansive and profoundly troubling portrait of the American evangelical movement. Through the eyes of televangelists and small-town preachers, celebrity revivalists and everyday churchgoers, Alberta tells the story of a faith cheapened by ephemeral fear, a promise corrupted by partisan subterfuge, and a reputation stained by perpetual scandal. Reading is always encouraged but not required, your presence is enough!
Early Bird Bible Study led by David Ott
Wednesdays | 4 PM | Reception room | Study on 1 and 2 Chronicles
Pastor’s Class led by Pastor Mark
Wednesdays | 6 PM | In-person and online
“Singing the Church’s History”
Every Sunday morning, we sing words that have a history. Yet many of our hymns are so familiar that we rarely notice where the words come from. As we sing together, we are singing church history, and, as a singing church, we have a history. This class will explore that story. Through singing and examining the words of our hymns, we will learn church history, right down to today, while enriching our hymn singing with glimpses into the lives and contexts of those who wrote them. Everyone is welcome, but bring your singing voice!
Thursday afternoon Bible Study no class 9/26
Thursdays | 3 – 4:00 PM | Reception room/ Zoom
Sunday, October 6th | 9:45 am | Rev. Ana L. Lugo, ELCA Regional Gift Planner for the Southeastern Synod, will be in the Reception room to lead a special session on thoughtful giving, a presentation on the opportunities each of us have to create life giving plans to ensure that successful and lasting legacies are passed on to loved ones and the ministries we care about. As a resource for our church, Pr Ana will include an overview of how to make informed decisions, and to share how each of us can plan for a meaningful gift for the current and future ministry of our church. Pr. Ana’s
presentation will offer helpful information, tax-wise giving tips, and resources for responsible planning.
We encourage you to join us.
Keystone September 26th at 12PM (La Petite Violette – Clairmont Rd): Monthly Lunch Fellowship
A National Coming Out Day Worship in Atlanta
Sunday, October 6, 2024 | 5:00 PM | 7 Stages Theatre, 1105 Euclid Ave.
The Collective is excited to partner with Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Midtown Atlanta to host a joint “National Coming Out Day” service of worship and storytelling. Come enjoy special musical performances from queer artists and hear powerful testimonies from queer Christians about the ways that coming out has allowed them to embrace Christ’s unconditional love for them.
Blessing of the Animals | October 6 | 2 PM
It's the Feast of St Francis! All creatures, great and small, are invited to join Pr Jonathan on the Redeemer Green for a short service and a blessing of your animals! If you have any questions, please contact Pr Jonathan at jtrapp@redeemer.org
Grief Summit led by David Kessler
October 8 | 7 PM | Releasing the Pain of Grief and Finding Hope & Meaning October 9 | 9 AM | Your Loss Matters
Cathedral of Christ the King | For more information & to register visit, cathedralctk.com/grief
Mark Your Calendar!
2nd Annual Block Party | Oktoberfest
Enjoy live Polka music, traditional foods, beer, dancing, and children’s games on Saturday, October 19th from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at 4th & Peachtree Street
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Scan the QR code to signup!
Contact Don Noland, dfnoland@gmail.com or Don Cornwall
WOMEN’S RETREAT REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
All ladies are invited to join us at Lutheranch from Nov. 15-17 for a retreat focused on flourishing faith! The cost is $329 (single room) or $240 (double room) and partial scholarships are available. Check out the Redeemer Newsletter to register. Also check out an intro to one of our sessions for the weekend below:
Flourishing Presence (Hebrews 10:19-25) – In a world where our presence is demanded by friends, family, and vocation, how do we stay connected and present in our relationship with God and from that relationship remain present with those around us? Join us for the Women’s Retreat as we explore intentional ways to be present to our faith life and with one another. We’ll focus on ways this transforms our time and invites us into more intentional relationships with others.
Calendar for September 22 – September 28, 2024
Visit https://www.redeemer.org/blog/this-week/ for Zoom Links Sunday, September 22, 2024
Event Time Location Worship
J.O.Y. choir
HS Faith Formation
Confirmation (6th & 7th)
Confirmation (8th)
Children’s Sunday School
Rejoicing Spirits
Pr. Jonathan Class
Difficult Words of Jesus Be Still & Journey
Monday, September 23
Carillon Ringers
Tuesday, September 24
Morning Bible Study
9:00 AM (Jazz) 11:00 AM
Organ & Choir
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
9:45 AM – 10:15 AM
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM 10:15 AM – 10:45 AM
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
In-person/ On-Line
Room 211
Youth Lounge
Fireside Room
2nd floor Office
Various Rooms
Rudisill Hall
Conference Room Room 121 Room 119
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM Hinely Music Hall
Pr. Jonathan Book Study 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday, September 25
Early Birds Bible Study
Wednesday Night Dinner
Seraphim Choir Pastors Class
Redeemer Ringers Worship
Thursday, September 26
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
7:00 PM – 7:30 PM 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Rudisill Hall/Zoom Zoom
Reception/Zoom Sims Atrium Room 204
Rudisill Hall/Zoom Room 202 Sanctuary
Keystone Lunch Tolkien Group 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM Off Site Zoom
Friday, September 27 - - -
Saturday, September 28 - - -
The Rev. Mark H. Larson Senior Pastor, ext. 201 The Rev. Dr. Jonathan Trapp Pastor for Faith Formation, ext. 233
STAFF
Seth Brown ................................................................... Facilities and Media Director, ext. 218
Brandon Davis ................................................... Director of Operations and Finance, ext. 232
Robin Durdin ............................................................ Office Administration Director, ext. 204
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
Nate Humpherys Youth Director, ext. 230
Larry Lowe Security Officer
Stacey Williams Head of Security