Redeemer Announcements & Prayers of Intercession | November 27, 2020

GIVING TUESDAY on DECEMBER 1st // Tuesday, December 1st, is international Giving Tuesday and we invite you to give a gift to Redeemer and/or invite your friends and family to match your gift, through our online giving portal or through our GiveMN site to support our ongoing ministry through this unprecedented time.

WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Advent Wreath Lighting & Reading // Please register online or email Amy to sign up to record yourself and/or your family speaking the assigned lectionary readings and/or light Advent candles while speaking Advent blessings (2 for Dec. 6th, 3 for Dec. 13th, or 4 for Dec.20th) for our prerecorded worships during the season of Advent and Christmas. Know that you can speak aloud the readings linked on the sign-up or from a children’s or other translation in your home. Candle Lighting blessings are also linked on the sign up.

EDU-YOUTH MINISTRY INVITATIONS // Along with lighting the Advent candles and speaking lectionary readings, Redeemer’s Edu-Youth team has some exciting opportunities for your families and children to partake of this Advent season! 
>> THIS Sunday, November 29: Advent Kit + Holy Communion Instruction -- Come to the church backyard at noon (and bring your Desmond Tutu children’s Bible or Action Bible along!) for Holy Communion instruction with PK, and/or pick up prepared Advent Kits from the EduYouth team between 12-2pm.
>> Sundays Dec. 6 & 20 at 10:30am: Family Zoom Craft Time with ECLC -- Join ECLC and other congregations around the area for half an hour of fellowship and craft time. Join here. 
>> Virtual Christmas Pageant -- This year, Redeemer is teaming up with ECLC and St Paul Lutheran (in South Minneapolis) to create a children’s Christmas Pageant for Christmas Even worship. Multiple scenes mean many families from different congregations can participate, and Redeemer is seeking at least four families to volunteer to do a scene from home! Please contact Anna or Lonna for more information and instructions! 

PRE-ORDER YOUR “REDEEMER BELIEVES BLACK LIVES MATTER 2020” TEES // Redeemer’s Service & Advocacy ministry partnered with the Northside’s Juxtaposition Arts to create a brand new 2020 “Redeemer Believes Black Lives Matter” shirts. They are now available for pre-order for a suggested donation of $10 or more which will fund the ongoing work of the S&A committee! Please contact Amy or Holly to pre-order yours! 

PROVISIONS for NEAR-NORTH HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT // A new homeless encampment has moved to near north within blocks of Redeemer and they need a lot of provisions: Firewood, consistent propane refills, winter gear, hand warmers, meals, and more. If you would like to help, you may visit the signup genius or text organizer Kristen (or contact her via Signal) for more information at 760-898-4004. (She responds quickly to text message but does not answer calls from unknown numbers.)

WEDNESDAY ADVENT 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-2020, where you’ll find this and the coming weeks’ meditations set to the ancient Advent hymn, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” 

SUNDAY MORNING ZOOM FELLOWSHIP // Throughout this Advent season 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 December 13th // 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!


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 this Doodle 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.*

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.

First Sunday in Advent: Readings & Gospel
Isaiah 64:1-9, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 & Mark 13:24-37

This coming Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. Christ is “advancing” towards us. In the past, God came to us in the life of Jesus. In the present, God comes especially in word and sacrament. In the future, even if there is disaster, God will come to gather us into life. This Sunday we light the first candle on our Advent wreath, and we begin a year-long reading from the Gospel of Mark.

God of power and might, tear open the heavens and come quickly to this weary world. Hear our prayers for everyone in need -- 

We pray for the ministry we share in Christ’s name with new Redeemer members, the Lutters, Jenny,  Annika and Pastor Paul and as we seek a pastor joining our open hearts to your call for justice, peace, and healing, these needs of the world, as you draw near. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

We pray for your renewing this planet and restoring relationships within devastated habitats, polluted waters, blazing fires, and swelling floods in Central America, Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

For any leaving home because of armed conflict, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Belarus and the Church in the Holy Land,  for those without homes facing seasonal hurricanes, for any unemployed or underemployed, and for any in poverty or facing food insecurity supported by Metropolitan Community Church of Christ. Fill with compassion and just power all who care for others in our neighborhood and around the world by relieving burdens, sustaining bodies, and easing minds by the help of our hands for any in crisis 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, Cheryl, Cindy, Linda, Kathy, Samantha, Shoonie, Edina Community Lutheran Church and the family of Pastor Jeff Sartain . . . Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

We give thanks for the lives and witness of those who died Arlene, John, and Mary as well as any waiting for justice, peace, or healing, those whose names we know and those whose names are known only to you. Sustain all who still yearn for the completion of your redeeming work. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

Draw near to us, O God, and receive our prayers for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.