Albert Armand Liabastre December 13, 1939 September 9, 2022
Albert Armand Liabastre was born in Manhasset (Long Island), New York to the late Albert Liabastre and Catherine Leonard Liabastre. His family later moved to Savannah, Georgia, where he attended Benedictine Military School and Savannah High School. Following graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army and was assigned to the 176th Signal Corps in Germany. Upon discharge from the Army, he returned to Savannah, Georgia. He worked there as a Police Officer and later as a Building Inspector. He attended Armstrong State College, where he earned his Master of Science in Chemistry. He met the love of his life, Catherine Wylly Hext. They married and moved to Atlanta, Georgia. He attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, was a member of the Alpha Chi Sigma fraternity, and earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry. Following graduation, he remained on the Georgia Tech staff as a Research Scientist in the School of Chemical Engineering. He began his career at Fort McPherson as the Quality Control Program Chief for the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine. Over the years, collaborating with a superior team of colleagues, he was honored to be recognized for his achievements by being presented with the Department of the Army Commander's Award for Civilian Service, the Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service, and the Army Superior Unit Award. Additionally, he enjoyed a fulfilling career as a Lead Auditor for A2LA Laboratories, traveling in both North America and abroad for over 20 years.
In 1968, he and his family became members of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. He later moved his family to the Atlanta suburbs and became a member of St. Matthew Lutheran Church. He was active in youth programs there. In the 1990's, Al and his family returned as members of Redeemer, where
he was active for the remainder of his life. He served as a member of the Community Outreach Committee. His most cherished activity at Redeemer was as an "Angel Buddy" for the Special Needs Children's Program, which he attended with his beloved grandson, Samuel Albert.
His interests included gardening, holiday decorating, and the beach sport of kite flying. He was well known by many people as "the Kite Man" of South Forest Beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. His greatest passion, without a doubt, was his family.
He is survived by his wife, Catherine Hext Liabastre, daughter Barbara Johannaber (husband Earl), daughter Dawn Mathews (husband Daryl), daughter Suzanne Aldridge Dean (husband Johnny), grandson, Samuel Albert Aldridge, and brother Armand Liabastre (wife Mary). He was preceded in death by his sisters, Valerie Loomis Cadden and Alma Liabastre Hoyle.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Lekotek of Georgia, 1901 Montreal Rd, Suite 126, Tucker, GA 30084 (Lekotekga.org), a Non Profit for Children with Disabilities.
GATHERING
Welcome in the name of Jesus the Savior, who died and was raised to new life by the grace of God. We are gathered here to worship, to remember before God our brother, Albert Liabastre, to give thanks for his life, to commend him to our merciful redeemer, and to comfort one another in our grief.
THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM
When we were baptized in Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his death. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
ACCLAMATION
Eternal God, maker of heaven and earth, who formed us from the dust of the earth, who by your breath gave us life, we glorify you.| We glorify you.
Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life, who suffered death for all humanity, who rose from the grave to open the way to eternal life, we praise you. | We praise you.
Holy Spirit, author and giver of life, the comforter of all who sorrow, our sure confidence and everlasting hope, we worship you. | We worship you.
To you, O blessed Trinity, be glory and honor, forever and ever. | Amen.
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.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
O God of grace and glory, we remember before you today our brother, Albert. We thank you for giving him to us to know and to love as a companion in our pilgrimage on earth. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see that death has been swallowed up in the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may live in confidence and hope until, by your call, we are gathered to our heavenly home in the company of all your saints; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. | Amen.
Seated SCRIPTURE READINGS
Isaiah 40:1-11
Robert Whitaker, brother-in-law Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.
A voice cries out:
"In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
A voice says, "Cry out!"
And I said, "What shall I cry?"
All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!" See, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.
Romans 8:31 39
What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Standing THE HOLY GOSPEL
John 14:1-7
The Holy Gospel according to St. John the 14th chapter | Glory to you, O Lord.
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."
The Gospel of the Lord. | Praise to You, O Christ.
Seated SERMON
Art
Pastor Jenny McLellanAPOSTLES' CREED
God has made us his people through our Baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope, we confess our faith.
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 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
Let us pray.
Almighty God, in holy baptism you have knit your chosen people together into one communion of saints in the body of Christ. Give to your whole church in heaven and on earth your light and your peace.
God of mercy, | hear our prayer.
Grant that all who have been baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection may die to sin and rise to share the new life in Christ. God of mercy, | hear our prayer.
Give courage and faith to all who mourn, and a sure and certain hope in your loving care, that, casting all their sorrow on you, they may have strength for the days ahead. God of mercy, | hear our prayer.
Grant to us who are still in our pilgrimage, and who walk as yet by faith, that, where this world groans in grief and pain, your Holy Spirit may lead us to bear witness to your light and life. God of mercy, | hear our prayer.
Help us, in the midst of things we cannot understand, to believe and trust in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection to life everlasting. God of mercy, | hear our prayer.
God of all grace, we give you thanks because by his death our Savior Jesus Christ destroyed the power of death and by his resurrection he opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Make us certain that because he lives we shall live also, and that neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come, will be able to separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. | 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.
GREAT THANKSGIVING
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Savior Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead, and in whom our hope of resurrection dawns. The sting of death has been removed by the glorious promise of his risen life. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
You are holy, O God of majesty, and holy is your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. He lived as one of us, and knew our joy, our pain and sorrow, and our death.
By his death on the cross you revealed that your love has no limit. By raising him from death you conquered the last enemy, crushed all evil powers, and gave new life to the world.
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.
Again, 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.
Remembering your gracious acts in Jesus Christ,
we take from your creation this bread and wine and joyfully celebrate his death and resurrection, as we await the day of his coming.
Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us, and upon these gifts of bread and wine, that the bread we break and the cup we bless may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ. By your Spirit unite us with the living Christ and with all who are baptized in his name.
Remember our brother Albert, whose baptism is now complete in death. Bring him into your eternal joy and light, together with all who have died in the peace of Christ; through whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty God, 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
The risen Christ dwells with us here. All who are hungry, all who are thirsty, come.
Standing POST COMMUNION PRAYER
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. | Amen
Let us pray. | Almighty God, we thank you that in your great love you have given us a foretaste of your heavenly banquet. Grant that this sacrament may be to us a comfort in affliction and a pledge of our inheritance of life eternal where there is no death, neither sorrow nor crying, but the fullness of joy with all your saints; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. | Amen.
COMMENDATION
Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Albert Armand Liabastre. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.
HYMN 504 A Mighty Fortress is Our God
DISMISSAL
POSTLUDE
The committal in the Redeemer Columbarium and a reception in the Sims Atrium follow the service.
The Altar flowers are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Albert A. Liabastre by his family.
Officiants, The Rev. Jenny McLellan and The Rev. Jonathan Trapp Organist: Sarah Hawbecker