November 14th, 2020

SIGN UP to SPEAK the READINGS! //  Please register online for speaking aloud the assigned readings and recording yourself as well as those in your household for our prerecorded worships during the season of Advent and Christmas. Know that you can speak aloud the readings located on the website or from a children’s Bible in your home.

WEDNESDAY ADVENT PROJECT MEDITATIONS // During the seven weeks leading to Christmas, Redeemer is participating in the Advent Project which follows the early church’s seven-Sunday celebration of Advent. You may follow the meditations each week at www.redeemermpls.org/advent-project-2020, where you’ll find this and the coming weeks’ meditations set to the ancient Advent hymn, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” 

ZOOM FELLOWSHIP RESUMES THIS SUNDAY // As we end the season of parked-car worship, we invite you and your families to once again join us Sunday mornings at 9:30am via zoom for a time of fellowship and sharing! Click here to join the meetings! 

SAVE THE DATE: 2021 MEMBERS’ BUDGET MEETING // Members! Mark your calendars and save the date for our annual budget meeting to be held via zoom on Sunday, December 13th (Third Sunday in Advent). A link will be provided in future emails!

CALL COMMITTEE REQUESTS //Firstly, please continue to review the Ministry Site Profile and email Amy Koopman any feedback you may have by Friday, November 13th. She will forward it along to the call committee. Secondly, we are currently accepting pastoral recommendations to be passed along to the Minneapolis Area Synod. Please send any potential pastoral candidates as well as two hyperlinks about each candidate to Kent Goodroad by November 20th.

DRIVE-THRU HOLY COMMUNION DISCONTINUED // Drive Through Communion discontinued  due to the Minnesota Governors’ mandate of a 10-person limit for indoor and outdoor gatherings, and all social gatherings will be limited to members of three households or less. We will continue to update information as we move into winter and anticipate more directives from the CDC, Governor Walz, and the ELCA. 

STEWARDSHIP BRAINSTORMING // Stewardship minister Kristin Gilbert invites each of you to join her for a meeting to dream and brainstorm about stewardship in the coming year, to align our stewardship plan with our values during this time of Covid, the Minneapolis uprising, and the election, as well as a pastoral transition. Do you or others you know want to be a part of this 1-hour conversation? If so, complete thisDoodle poll so we can find a time that works best for the group. Let her know if you have questions or would like to share your thoughts but can't make the meeting.

CELEBRATING ADVENT and CHRISTMAS: Seasons of Gratitude // Given that we are gathering online (live and pre-recorded) rather than inside of Redeemer Lutheran for celebrating the seasons of Advent and Christmas, here are some invitations for sharing your household faith expressions with Redeemer Lutheran (and visitor viewers) in quarantine:
>> Send your online (video recorded) Advent and Christmas songs, poems, devotionals, and greetings to Redeemer that we can include in our pre-recorded worships. Maybe we will receive enough videos to make a montage!
>> Share gratitude with greetings and making ornaments. We welcome your biodegradable ornaments for the ornamental tree of gratitude at Logan and Glenwood. Take a snapshot for sharing on Facebook.
Expect more invitations for celebrating these seasons of the church year that commemorate the calendar year.

IRA CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTION // We invite you to prayerfully consider sharing with Redeemer Lutheran Church your qualified charitable distribution from your Individual Retirement Account. Basic requirements and limitations for a Qualified Charitable Distribution include: The donor must be at least 70½ years of age at the time of the distribution; The distribution must be from a Roth or Traditional IRA; And the distribution must be made directly from the IRA administrator to a qualifying charity such as Redeemer Lutheran Church. Qualified Charitable Distributions are limited to $100,000.00 per individual per year (a spouse who qualifies may give a similar amount from his or her IRA). Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) benefits include: A QCD from a traditional IRA uses pre-tax dollars; Generally, a QCD is excluded from taxable income*; and a QCD can be applied to required minimum distributions, if applicable.*

GIFTS of THANKS TO CHRISTINE BELFRY JOHNSON and KENDRICK HALL // Would you like to send a gift of thanks or encouragement to Christine or Kendrick? You may view their October 11th conversation from October 11th online, and contact Amy in the church office to receive their personal contact information if you'd like to send encouragement! Expect to hear from these seminary graduates again.

GOT QUESTIONS? Call the Redeemer Lutheran office on Wednesdays when Amy can point you to the answers, or email her any time at admin@redeemermpls.org.

HEALTH COMMONS at the LIVING ROOM currently offers Zumba in Redeemer’s backyard, Book Club Discussions, and Health Q & A's online or in-person -- all with social distance and masking. Follow them on Facebook to get current schedules, events, and other resources: Health Commons at the Living Room.

MENTAL HEALTH CONNECT is a local non-profit based out of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in South Minneapolis offering free, non-biased support for anyone seeking mental health resources. Visit MHC’s website to learn more or contact Mali, Redeemer's MHC ambassador.

*The SECURE Act, which became effective January 1, 2020, raised to 72 the age for beginning required minimum distributions, but retained the age of 70 ½ for making QCDs. It also authorizes tax-deductible contributions to IRAs after age 70 ½ if the IRA owner is still working. If a tax-deductible contribution is made to an IRA after age 70 ½, the amount that may be excluded from income for a later-made QCD may be affected. Please consult your tax advisors for more information about this and other questions regarding IRA QCDs.

Lectionary 33 / Advent Project Readings & Gospel:
Amos 5:18-24, Psalm 70, 1 Thes. 4:13-18, & Matthew 25:14-30

Some people do a good job of using their talents to benefit others, but some persons, never employ their talents to the full. Come to worship this coming Sunday. Hear the parable about talents; receive God’s blessing; and at the table be strengthened to become an ever more creative and faithful servant in God’s kingdom.

Intercessor: Longing for Christ’s reign to come among us, we pray for the outpouring of God’s power on the church, the world, and all in need...

Lord of the church, by the fire of your Holy Spirit, unify us across ministries, congregations, and denominations  especially as we call a pastor, and refine us to participate in your activity throughout the world. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

Lord of creation, we stand in awe at the works of your hands and praise you for the beauty of nature especially Theodore Wirth Park as an example of the blessed earth for your glory and restore its integrity where exploitation has caused ruin. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great. 

Lord of the nations, sound forth your justice in the ears of all leaders, increasing their concern for those who are most vulnerable especially the people of Nicaragua, and Honduras, Belize, Guatemala and El Salvador in the aftermath of Hurricane 
Eta, the people of Ethiopia, Lebanon, Belarus and the Church in the Holy Land, for siblings across the US who are experiencing violent unrest, by  cooperating for international trade agreements and ending human rights abuses. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

Lord of all in need, search out all who cry to you in distress Ione, and Sarah, living in care with Bill and all receiving hospice, our local and global siblings living with surging COVID-19 and accompanying lockdowns with quarantines, for first responders as well as disaster volunteers, the unsheltered campers at 2nd Ave North and Van White Memorial Blvd, brothers James and Bobbie, Cindy, Linda, Kristen, MarySue, Shoonie, Edina Community Lutheran Church and the family of Pastor Jeff Sartain … Scatter the heavy clouds of depression, chronic illness, unemployment, and loneliness with your radiant light. Send us as encouragement and signs of your healing. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

Lord of the stranger, stir up holy restlessness in us to extend love to those at the margins. Release our desire for control and open us to learn from the perspectives of others as we interview pastors for our call. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

Lord of the living and the dead, we give you thanks for all the saints at rest from their labors, Arlene and Mary. Rouse us to live by their example, that saints yet to come may also know your love. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

Receive our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior, until that day when you gather all creation around your throne where you will reign forever and ever. Amen.