January 2015

Redeemer Lutheran Church, Atlanta, GA e-newsletter

An opportunity to share stories of faith, inspiration, community-building, and mission.

	Make it A Day On, Not a Day Off

	2015 MLK DAY OF SERVICE! \| January 19 \| 8am Please join us for a day of service, fellowship, and loving your neighbor! Utilizing our Outreach Ministry Partners, as well as other meaningful ministries, there will be several service projects for people of all ages. Projects will include serving in the Food Ministry, putting together hygiene kits for the homeless, building a sandbox in our playground, making door snakes, creating cards and care packages for our homebound members, and more! Breakfast will be provided beginning at 8a.m.with a brief worship service at 8:45 a.m. To learn more and to sign up, please visit www.redeemer.org.

	Team Nicaragua Mission Trip \| January 10-18, 2015

	From Ali Swanson, Team Leader: "We are a team of 21 from Redeemer and various other churches across the USA. We will be traveling January 10-18 to the RAAS Region of Nicaragua. This is a very underserved area along the eastern Caribbean coast. We traveled to this region a few years ago. These areas are somewhat remote and therefore require boats to get there. We will be showing Christ's love by caring for the physical and spiritual needs of these individuals. We will work closely with local pastors to support them in their ongoing work in these communities. We anticipate treating 250 - 400 people per day. We will be updating our blog daily as wifi service allows. We also have a facebook page - Team Nicaragua Medical Missions. We want to thank everyone for their prayers and support for this mission."

Dear Myra,

I have a friend who used to be a member at Redeemer. Her daughter rented the nave last year for her wedding and paid all her deposits, but then she was terribly disappointed when told that her wedding couldn't be what she'd always dreamed and planned. She had hired a wedding planner with whom she had already worked out all the details, but then she ran into a wall with Redeemer's wedding guidelines for music, liturgy, photography. She had already asked a Baptist pastor she knows to officiate, only to be told that a Redeemer pastor had to be present as well. I think this is outrageous when the whole church is struggling to attract and retain young people, and then we turn around and ruin their wedding plans for them. My friend said they would move the wedding, but they've already paid deposits for the reception nearby and have ordered their invitations. Must we be so rigid about our guidelines? After all, at the end of the day, this is the bride's wedding, not the church's, right?

--Bea Trothal

Read Myra's response

	Adult Faith Stepping Stone \| Apostles' Creed

	Sunday, January 4, 11, and 18 \| 9:30am - 10:30am \| Rudisill Hall A three-week Sunday class on the Apostles' Creed taught by Mike Medford and Kristin Guthrie will look at how we understand the Apostles' Creed and confess what we believe. Does the Apostles' Creed reflect what you believe? How does what you believe effect how you live?

	Beyond Words

	*What I Know For Sure, by Oprah Winfrey Led by Pastor Melody* Simpkins Jan. 7, 14, 21 \| 6 pm - 7 pm \| Room 121 More Details... *The Devi Wears Nada: Satan Exposed!* by Tripp York January 28, Feb 4 and 11 More Details...

	Children's Church beginning Sunday, January 11

	We are offering Children's Church during the 11:00 traditional service. Children's Church is a time when children leave the worship service just before the sermon and return during the passing of the peace. During this time the children explore the scripture of the day in a fun, kid-accessible way, share prayers with one another and learn a fun song! We are excited to offer this for the children and families at Redeemer and can't wait to worship with your whole family! If you are interested in helping with this ministry, please contact Sandra Bohlken at sbohlken@redeemer.org.

	Guest Choir Concert \| The Illinois College Choir

	Wednesday, January 14 \| 7:00pm Hosts are needed! The Illinois College Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and the Women's Chorale are under the direction of Dr. Abby Musgrove. Illinois College is an independent four-year liberal arts college located in Jacksonville, IL. Hosts are needed to house the singers following the concert (a minimum of 2 students per home). If you can provide accommodations (including a light breakfast), please contact shawbecker@redeemer.org. Hosts must be able to transport students back to the church on Thursday, January 15 by 8:00 a.m.

Interested in joining the Redeemer family?

Interested in becoming part of the Redeemer community? Join us for the Inquirers Class in January! At this class we'll get to know each other better, talk about our Lutheran historical and theological roots, our worship practices, our sense of mission, our spiritual gifts, and what it might mean to be a follower of Christ through the Redeemer community. If you're not sure about becoming a member at Redeemer, we'd still love for you to join us to learn a little more about yourself and about the congregation. The class is open to all who are interested in learning more about Redeemer and anyone wanting to become members. The group will meet for class in the Reception Room, located just off the Sims Atrium, from 10 am-2 pm on Saturday, January 24^th(coffee and lunch will be provided), with a brunch and installation on Sunday, January 25^th. If you have questions or would like to learn more, please contact Pastor Seyward (sask@redeemer.org). All are welcome!

Ethiopia Mission Trip

February 2015

Gary Bowman is surrounded by Ethiopian school children in 2013.

The Ethiopian mission team is in the final stages of preparing for its 2015 trip - the 5^th trip to Ethiopia. The mission trips have been very successful. We have had 15 water pumps installed which serve over 30,000 people. These pumps were placed in areas where there was no standing water and women had to walk up to 10 miles carrying 40-60 pounds of water to keep their children alive.

	Life Line Screening \| February 2

	Life Line Screening, a leading provider of community-based preventive health screenings, will host their affordable, non-invasive and painless health screenings. Five screenings will be offered that scan for potential health problems related to: blocked arteries which is a leading cause of stroke; abdominal aortic aneurysms which can lead to a ruptured aorta; hardening of the arteries in the legs which is a strong predictor of heart disease; atrial fibrillation or irregular heart beat which is closely tied to stroke risk; and a bone density screening, for men and women, used to assess the risk of osteoporosis. More Details & Registration Info...

	Celebrate Our Pipe Organ's 12th Anniversary!

	Friday, February 6 at 7:30 p.m. This year's Organ Anniversary Concert features Christopher Jacobson, newly appointed organist of Duke Chapel. Plan now to invite your friends to attend this unforgettable evening. The concert is free; donations to the "Friends of Music" will be accepted at the door. A dessert reception will follow the concert.

	DMST Lobby Day at the Capitol \| February 12

	Join Georgia Cares, Street Grace, Wellspring Living, and youthSpark to raise our collective voice in the fight to end Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking. This year's legislative agenda will include advocating for the passage of a Safe Harbor Law and we need you to stand with us in support. Having this law in place will ensure that children who have been victimized by child sex trafficking are not charged as criminals but are provided with necessary services. This is an important time to encourage and thank our legislators for their hard work and commitment to this issue and, in this session, your voice will be more important than ever! To register for the event, transportation, and lunch, visit http://ow.ly/FmwQ0. Members of Redeeming GRACE will gather at Redeemer and attend the event together. For questions, contact Redeeming GRACE co-chair Amy Carpenter at amy.carpenter@comcast.net. Lobby Day Instructions

	Wellspring Living Angel Tree

	A Heartfelt Thanks to the Angels of Redeemer! The many angels of Redeemer contributed over $2,700 in store gift cards and cash which will be used in 2015 for the benefit of the girls in the care of Wellspring Living. These gifts greatly exceeded the amount given last year. The gifts will be used for school and craft supplies, meals, clothing and special outings. Wellspring Living's Girls Residential Program (ages 12-17) securely houses and serves girls who are survivors of DMST (Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking) with a focus on trauma therapy, education, life skills, and confidence. In addition to the Advent Angel Tree, Redeemer continues to be actively involved with this ministry through the committee Redeeming G.R.A.C.E. which hosted, for the third year, "Thankmas" - a reunion of the past graduates of Wellspring Living. Also, four girls will graduate from the program this month and Charissa Schultz and Amy Carpenter will spend New Year's Day working with them on their graduation speeches. Questions about Wellspring Living may be directed to either of the Redeeming G.R.A.C.E. co-chairs, Katy Hurley at hurleykaty@yahoo.com or Amy Carpenter at amy.carpenter@comcast.net.

	Beer and Hymns

	Advent was celebrated on December 15 at Smith's Olde Bar with the House of the Rock band leading the singing. The winner of the "tacky sweater" contest was Dick Cordell! The HOTR website describes Beer and Hymns: "We are a gathering of seekers, sinners, and saints. We don't have it all figured out, but singing and sharing a drink together seems like a good place to start. All are welcome, and ALL MEANS ALL!" For information about the next Beer and Hymns, contact Karen Slappey at kslappey@redeemer.org.

	Inner Treasures and Overlooked Secrets

	The Season After the Epiphany - Season of Light The name "Epiphany" comes from the Greek word Epiphania, and means "to show, make known, or reveal." For the Church, the Epiphany represents a responsibility to reveal Jesus as the Divine Son and Savior sent by God the Father to atone for the sins of mankind. The color for the Season After the Epiphany is green to symbolize growth and life. White is the color for Sundays that commemorate events in Jesus' life; therefore, white is the color for the Baptism of Our Lord, Transfiguration Sunday, and the Epiphany itself. Read More...

	Get to Know The Redeemer Brass

	One of Redeemer's newest ensembles is Redeemer Brass. Have you wondered who they are and and what other roles they play? In the accompanying photo beginning with the back row on the left is Todd Larsen the leader of the group who is an attorney in estate and business law and who has served as Redeemer Council President in 2014. Next to Todd is Jeff Richards who runs a consulting company and who met his wife (also a member of the group) in high school while playing in a pit orchestra for a community production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Next to Jeff is Conrad Paetz who also plays in the youth handbell choir and serves as an acolyte and crucifer. Next to him is his older brother Nicolas Paetz. Nicolas is a senior in high school and plans to attend college in the fall. On the far left in the first row is Kate Elkins who is also the director of our Midtown Lutheran Preschool. Next to Kate is David Smith who is in the Men's Breakfast Bible Study Group, is President of the Board of Directors of Lutheran Campus Ministry, and works in research at Emory University School of Medicine. Barbara Richards played in small brass groups with her husband Jeff in congregations in Michigan prior to coming to Atlanta. She is a Research Analyst at Southern Company. Richard Williams is a freelance hornist and private teacher in the Atlanta area, horn instructor at the Westminster Schools, and adjunct faculty member at Columbus State University. He became involved at Redeemer after reaching out to David Hansen seeking a place to practice. Redeemer Brass rehearses on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. and welcomes new members. For those interested but do not have an instrument, financial assistance may be available. Contact Todd Larsen at tlarsen@boycelarsen.com.

Preschool -Tell Your Friends!

	Lutheran Studies in Atlanta

	The Lutheran Studies Program at Atlanta is designed to support candidates for ordination in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The program has two components: activities and conversational workshops supporting formation for ministry and courses recommended by the ELCA Southeastern Synod Candidacy Committee for students attending non-ELCA seminaries. All Courses are open to members of ELCA congregations. Read More...

	Check Out The "New" Redeemer Library!

	Come by the library and see the new children's area and comfortable seating for adults. The library has had a makeover! And check out a book while you are there. We will add many new titles to the library in the next few months so keep coming back for more. Currently we are featuring our daily devotions. This is a great time to start a new habit. Find a new devotional book to help you spend time daily with God. You can check it out for the whole year.

	Redeemer Life Passages

	We thank Alan Carpenter for his 5 years of dedicated service. Only seen by worshippers in the balcony, Alan has been the primary operator of the Redeemer sound board. A life-long member of our congregation, Alan was baptized and confirmed by Pastor Bob Sims. Inspired by his role at Redeemer, Alan is completing a degree in Music Technology at Georgia State University. We Celebrate January Birthdays Congratulations to Jessie and Gabriel Dean on the birth of their son, Wilder Roseland Dean on November 18, the first grandson of Kevin and Linda Dougherty. Congratulations to Michael and Elizabeth Roke on the birth of their daughter, Maron Elizabeth Roke on December 8. We thank God for the gift of new life. We express our sincere sympathy: Eda and Art Matthews at the death of Eda's father, Erich D. Ryllon November 26 in California. Joan and Jim Vernor and Liz and Bill Alexander on the death of Joan's mother and Liz's grandmother, Viola Henningsen on Dec. 14 in Wisconsin at the age of 104. Heidi Couch on the death of her sister-in-law, Anne Brophy on December 6. Jean Brannon and family on the death of her husband Travis Brannon on December 4. May God comfort them in their time of grief.