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The Life We Share
Redeemer Lutheran Church
January, 2013
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"The Life We Share" e-newsletter gives the people of Redeemer an opportunity to share stories of faith, inspiration, community-building, and mission.
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Dear Myra,
I understand the importance of taking care of the least of these among us as a major part of our Christian mission. I just worry sometimes that we've been emphasizing that at Redeemer to the detriment of caring for our own members. We can't "give ourselves away" entirely, or we'll have nothing left for us! Your thoughts?
--Mia Furst
Read on...
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Our Refugee Family
by Carol Swisher
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Inner Treasures & Overlooked Secrets
by Cathy Vogel
EPIPHANY
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Redeemer Lenten Small Groups
Mark Your Calendars!
Beginning the week of February 10, Redeemer members will gather in small groups all around Metro Atlanta to spend time in fellowship, discussion, and prayer. This year we will use a book by Timothy Keller entitled The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith to guide our discussions about "home." Books will be available for pickup beginning January 13. Groups will meet weekly from February 10 - March 23. Look for small-group signups in the Sims Atrium on January 20.
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Wellspring Living Angel Tree
The Power of Community
 Over 300 people flocked to the Wellspring Living Angel Tree and returned with an overwhelming number of gifts. Due to the great generosity of Redeemer members and friends, over 600 gift items and over $1,700 in store gift cards were donated for the girls at Wellspring Living! Read On...
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WELCA Annual Convention benefits
Wellspring Living for Girls
by Jennie Mae Hill
This year, at the WELCA Convention held at Callaway Gardens, we collected cleaning items for Wellspring Living for Girls, this year's In-Kind Project beneficiary.
Read on...
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Tree of Hope
As a sign of faith in God's plan for the future, and in response to the Mayan Calendar theory of the end of the world on December 21, Redeemer planted a tree of hope on December 19.
Read On...
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Christmas Day Immersion Walk
by Jonathan Trapp
While much of Atlanta was inside on a chilly Christmas morning, about thirty Redeemer members came together to carry sandwiches, soup, fruit, and snacks to some of Atlanta's homeless in the Midtown area through one of the House of the Rock led Immersion Walks.
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Lutheran Day at Georgia Tech Basketball
Mark your calendars, sports fans: Lutheran Services of Georgia invites you to join us at the Georgia Tech basketball game on Saturday, January 12, at 2:30 p.m. You will see the Yellow Jackets take on the Virginia Tech Hokies while LSG raises money for its programs with each ticket sold. Bring your kids, friends, parents, and all other basketball fans with you to watch the battle between these ACC heavyweights. It's the perfect way to spend an afternoon on a chilly January day! Buy your tickets for $23 by contacting Mary Kay Kates at 678-686-9601 or at mkates@lsga.org.
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Community Outreach Spotlight
Lutheran Campus Ministry
The Challenge is set!
by Pastor Matt Simpkins
Fellow members of Redeemer! Greetings and peace to you all! This is an exciting time of the year as we prepare to shape the lives of our young people in Lutheran Campus Ministry. We started with 4 students two years ago and are now over 10 times that size. Young people are seeing themselves as leaders in their communities and are beginning to see their gifts more than ever before. In addition they are practicing those gifts for later use in congregations. It is imperative that we be a catalyst right now in their lives.
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Wrapped, Sorted, and Prepared for Delivery!
News from LSG's Angel Tree Program
The industrious elves of the North Pole who manage and package all the gifts that Santa delivers never really get the credit that they deserve. During the second week in December, volunteers from Redeemer worked as assiduously as elves to help Lutheran Services of Georgia staff collect and sort hundreds of gifts from LSG's Angel Tree program. In addition to turning the Schroeter Building at Redeemer into a kind of Santa's workshop, where presents filled each room like furniture, these volunteers grouped gifts by town, apartment complex, and family. As a result of their effort, LSG's case managers were able to easily find the gifts to deliver to the children of refugee families who eagerly awaited their arrival. Thank you, Redeemer volunteers, for your work, and thank you as well to all at Redeemer who bought a gift for one of LSG's clients!
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Youth Christmas Caroling at Lutheran Towers
On December 16, Redeemer's youth went Christmas caroling at Lutheran Towers with brass accompaniment from Todd Larsen, William Roberts, Conrad Paetz, and Nicholas Paetz. After caroling, the 25 youth and adults enjoyed a Christmas party and white elephant gift exchange, then heard the Christmas story read from Luke 2. The event ended with going around the circle, each person sharing a favorite family Christmas tradition.
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On December 19, the Cherub Choir and the Redeemer Singers presented the musical, Light of the World.
With narration, drama, and song, the children told the story of how Jesus came to be the "Light of the World" over 2,000 years ago. At the conclusion, with the lighting of candles, the children invited the congregation to "take the Light" out into the world.
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Paths to Ministry
Melanie Johnson
 Longtime Redeemer member Melanie Johnson is following her calling to serve at the intersection of the church and the world as a diaconal minister, where she works to communicate the needs of the most vulnerable to the church, and then helps the church to reach out in service and mission. Diaconal Ministry is a form of rostered leadership ministry that helps enable the ELCA to effectively fulfill its mission of service in the world.
Read on...
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Lutheran Volunteer Corps Highlight
Meet Constance Mithelman
Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa
College & Majors: Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois. Double major: Religion and Women's & Gender Studies.
Placement in Atlanta: Teacher's Assistant at the International Community School in Decatur.
I'm with 2nd grade during the school day and then 1st Grade for afterschool programming.
Read On...
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Small Group Highlight
Marriage Small Group: Staying in Love
By Laura McDonald
Just months after our first wedding anniversary, Scott and I joined a Bible study on marriage led by Amber Koter-Puline. Along with about fifteen other couples, we explored God's message of love, commitment, and trust in our marriages. As recent newlyweds with relatively few challenges in our daily lives, the material seemed easy at the time, but we really enjoyed the insights and camaraderie of the other couples in our diverse little group.
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Inheritance:
Creating a Sticky Faith in Your Kids!
Jess Isler reflects...
I recently attended the parenting small group sessions about creating "Sticky Faith" in our children, and there are a lot of things I could tell you about it. I could tell you about its core principle of trying to create a personal faith in our kids that will last even as they ask tough questions, will mature with them as they grow up, and will be relied upon (and not run from!) as they make big mistakes.
Read On...
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MLK Day of Service Monday, January 21, 2013 Gather with Redeemer for the 3rd annual Martin Luther King Day of Service on January 21, 2013. There will be service opportunities on-site and off-site for children, youth, friends, and family. Projects will include cleaning, painting, rice packing for Lutheran Service of Georgia, and crafting. Details and registration will be available on the Redeemer website. Over 150 people participated last year! Contact melodysimpkins@redeemer.org with questions.  |
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New Year
New Opportunities
The time for New Year's resolutions is upon us once again. It seems natural that most of us find ourselves reflective at the change of the year. As you think about what 2013 might look like for you, consider how you can steward the many gifts God has given you. See if there is a place in a ministry of Redeemer for your talents. See if there is some time in your schedule for serving. There is probably a little more in your wallet that you might be able to give to our efforts to do God's work here in our community and around the world. Don't be shy-take stock of all you have, and discover the great joy of giving.
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Redeemer Reporter, Amy Carpenter, looks forward to receiving your ministry highlights. Email her by the 15th of the month at
Many thanks to
Ian Sheffield, editor, and Susan Lindsey, writer.
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