First Sunday of Advent, November 29, 2020
Mark 13:24-37

The holy gospel according to Mark. Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus said: ²⁴“In those days, after that suffering,

   the sun will be darkened,

         and the moon will not give its light,

   ²⁵and the stars will be falling from heaven,

         and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

²⁶Then they will see ‘the Son-of-Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. ²⁷Then the Son-of-Man will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

²⁸“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. ³⁰Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. ³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

³²“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. ³⁴It is like someone going on a journey, who leaving home and putting the slaves in charge of their own work, commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. ³⁵Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the lord of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, ³⁶or else coming suddenly, the lord may find you asleep. ³⁷And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

“Almighty God grant us a quiet night and peace at the last.” That’s how Compline, or Night Prayer, begins. Compline is the last prayer office of the day in the monastery before monks return to their cells for sleep. Night Prayer begins the period of Great Silence, when no talk is undertaken until silence is broken the next morning.

This opening statement of Night Prayer asks for a good night’s rest. But it also points to the end of life, our death. Each day in the monastery spiritually is a mini life cycle when retiring for bed is a symbol of our own death.

Another version of the opening sentence of Night Prayer is more abrupt: “The Lord Almighty grant us a peaceful night and a perfect end.”

The remembrance of our mortality is a healthy feature of the Christian spiritual life, especially when such acknowledgment deepens our faith and trust in almighty God. Night Prayer is not just for monks – we can pray it, too, and there is an order for Night Prayer in Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Likewise, we all, not just monks, need reminders of our mortality to be spiritually healthy.

Outdoor Worship

Join us outdoors (with facial covering and maintaining appropriate distance) on Sunday, November 29 at 12:15 on the Potomac Street side of the church for a brief service of worship in conjunction of the food collection for AFAC. This brief service includes an order for confession and forgiveness, a reading and reflection, prayers of intercession, the Lord’s Prayer and a blessing. This has become an important way that we can safely gather as church during the pandemic.

Advent Evening Prayer via Zoom

Mark your calendars now, for we are planning to gather at 7:00 pm via Zoom on the Wednesdays in Advent for Evening Prayer: December 2; December 9; December 16; and December 23. If you are interested in this remote, but live experience of daily prayer during Advent, please let Pastor Linman know: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Advent Devotional Reflections

Watch your Home Worship Constant Contact messages on coming Saturdays for links to Advent devotions written by members of Resurrection. There will be a written reflection and invitation to prayer for each of the four Sundays in Advent based on selected verses from each Sunday’s first reading from the lectionary. Many thanks to our members who have generously offered their time, energy and creativity to serve our communal devotions during Advent.

Advent Wreaths for your Home

To aid your home worship during Advent, supplies for making Advent wreaths for your home will be provided for pick up this coming Sunday, November 29 in conjunction with the AFAC food drive. Many thanks to Angie for arranging for this opportunity.

Gifts of Hope for Advent 1

1st Sunday in Advent: Hope

“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” -Proverbs 23:18. Gifts of Hope, a program within our local ELCA Synod, helps give hope. Our congregation’s support of this program is translated into direct service by local and global organizations that help those in need. Many choose to give in honor of someone they know and end up changing the life of another they don’t know. This Advent season, will you consider giving a gift of hope? Visit www.giftsofhopedc.org for more information.

Home Christmas Decoration Photos for our Christmas Home Worship Video

We are envisioning creating a digital collage of photos of Christmas trees or other Christmas decorations from your homes for inclusion in the Home Worship video for Christmas. If you want to join in this project, please send a digital photo of your trees or decorations at home by Wednesday, December 16 (if indeed your decorations are up by that time!). You may email your photos to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Burmeister Family Farewell and Godspeed via Zoom

Mark your calendars now so that you can participate in a Farewell and Godspeed occasion for the Burmeister family who are now settled in their new home in Colorado. This virtual event will begin at 7:00 pm Eastern on Saturday, December 12. Plan to join us as we thank the Burmeister’s for their time with us in our congregation and for their leadership during important times of transition here. A Zoom link will be sent in a special Constant Contact message on a day preceding this occasion on December 12.

Your Giving Intent is Important

Despite the challenges we currently face, we have so much to be thankful for this holiday season. As we begin a new church year, we’re all more aware than ever of the importance of God’s love and how much our church community means to us, even when it’s hard for us to be together in person. If you haven’t done so already, please take a few minutes to share your intention to support Resurrection’s worship, ministries and programs in the coming year. Just mail the intent card you received to the church office or use the online giving intent form. Our congregation leaders need to know your giving plans as they try to prepare for the coming year.

For Your Prayers at Home:

In addition to our usual prayers of intercession in our home worship, we encourage your prayers throughout the week for the following: the family of Don Oaks (Dave Oaks’ father) who died in Christ earlier this month; Barb Jensen; Charlotte Boeck; Don Hansen; Gretchen Zeltner; Lynn Kiewel; John Beston; Frank Fuelling; Carl Lacey; Heidi Dech; Father Phillip Swingler; Sandy Browne; Angie; Kyler; Debbie; Kat; Jeanne; Russ; Jamie..

Prayer Requests

Should you desire to make prayer requests for persons you care about, or desire prayer for other concerns, please contact Pastor Linman with those requests: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 703-972-2076. Pastor will make certain that the names you provide will be included in the Prayers of Intercession for Sundays, and they will also be included in a listing of names in the midweek announcements to invite your prayers throughout the week. Making your requests known to Pastor Linman will allow him to follow up with you directly – as your requests for prayer help set the agenda for our Pastor’s ministry at Resurrection Church.

Coming in January: Elections for New Members of the RELC Congregation Council!

Elections for new members of RELC's Congregation Council will take place as usual at our Annual Congregational Meeting in January. The Congregation Council serves as a core team of leaders for our congregation as we undertake together as a local church God’s mission in the world. These are both exciting and challenging times for our church, for our nation, and for our world. If you have passion about the future directions of Resurrection Church’s mission, and if you sense the possible nudges of God’s call to you to serve on Council, please engage in prayerful discernment about becoming a nominee for election to the Council.

You may contact members of this year's Nominating Committee for more information, to express interest in being nominated or to enquire about how to nominate someone else:

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Bible Study on Selected Passages from Matthew via Zoom

Join us on Monday evenings at 6:30 via Zoom to delve into the Sermon on the Mount in studied and devotional ways. Each session will last about an hour. If you are interested in participating, please contact Pastor Linman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to express your intent to join in this new Bible Study during the remaining months of this liturgical year’s focus on Matthew’s Gospel.

Another Opportunity for Bible Study, Lectio Divina, and Supportive Conversation

Join us for about an hour every other Thursday morning at 11:00 am on Zoom for Bible Study, lectio divina and conversation about the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel reading. Pastor Linman leads these occasions. Spending time with our appointed Gospel readings promises to enrich the experience of Sunday Home Worship. The next such occasion is Thursday, December 3.

On the alternating Thursdays, this group gathers for fellowship, checking in and supporting each other, as well as spending time discussing the reflection questions from the previous Sunday sermon.

If you are interested in joining these Thursday conversations, please contact Cindy Reese: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Faith in Action — Social Ministry Update

In order to deliver the holiday donations in a timely fashion, the collection dates for during the holiday season will be November 29, December 6, and December 20. RELC will continue collecting food donations for AFAC. In addition, since due to safety concerns brought on by the pandemic we are not collecting toys and Secret Santa items as we have in past years during the holiday season, we request that you support OAR, A-SPAN and other non-profits in Arlington in the “Bring a Neighbor Holiday Joy” fundraising initiative. Your donations will be used to help each participating organization purchase and distribute gift cards, allowing the children and families in our programs to safely purchase their own holiday gifts and resources. Contributions can be made online by using the “Donate Now” button on the RELC website (choose “Project Winter Cheer”) or bringing your donation to the collection at the Potomac Street entrance (note “Project Winter Cheer” in the memo line). Online donations can be made on the Volunteer Arlington Website. If you wish to donate items, Doorways welcomes new, unwrapped toys for children under ten years of age in addition to gift cards (especially Target, Giant or VISA gift cards). They would especially like toys such as “Leap Frog” and other learning toys. More information is on their website. If you have any questions, contact Edd Nolen (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 703-533-2953.

Words of Thanks from Non-Profits We Support

We recently received letters of thanks from the following social service organizations which Resurrection Church supports under the auspices of our Social Ministry Committee:

• National Capital Treatment and Recovery (Patient Assistance Fund)
• Fellowship Square (for the benefit of Fellowship House senior residents)
• New Hope Housing (homeless shelter)
• A-Span (serving the homeless)
• Arlington Food Assistance Center (for our hundreds of pounds of donated items)

Children’s Ministry

ZOOM time with Ms. Angie and the kids will take a break through the end of September. An email will be coming shortly so we can plan the best time for our continued ZOOM's, that will fit everyone's schedule, now that school is in session. Our Wine and Whine event for parents continues every other Friday, beginning at 7:30pm. If you do not receive emails from me and are interested in any of the above, please reach out to Angie Brooke at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. OR call 703 972-2086.

Youth Ministry

Provided is a Home Faith Formation Calendar, updated each week with the following week’s recorded content. For those who couldn’t tune in live, see those resources available to you now. Check out too suggestive home activities, lectionary readings, and resources for racial justice for all ages.

AFAC Food Collection
When: November 29 from 11:00am – 1:00pm
Where: Washington Blvd. Entrance

RELC will continue collecting food donations for AFAC every two weeks. Our next collection will be Sunday, November 29 from 11:00am to 1:00pm, at the Washington Blvd entrance. Due to the pandemic, the need for food is increasing daily. AFAC needs canned vegetables , cereal (low sugar), canned tuna, canned tomato products (stewed, diced, paste), and peanut butter (in plastic jars). Members of the Social Ministry Committee will be there to assist you with your donation. Monetary contributions, which enable AFAC to purchase more perishable items are accepted and welcomed. All donations will be delivered to AFAC Monday morning. We will also collect for Doorways and A-SPAN. Doorways and A-SPAN especially need protein bars, cereal bars and household items including cleaning sprays, paper towels, trash bags, masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and full-size toiletries. Monetary contributions, (checks made payable to AFAC, Doorways or A-SPAN) are welcomed. RELC offerings will also be accepted. Any questions? Contact Edd Nolen , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 703-533-2953.

Financial Update

November Financial Update. The below chart is a summary of RELC’s finances for the year to date as of September 30, 2020. The columns titled “(a) YTD Giving,” “(b) YTD Expenses” and “(c) Giving minus Expenses” provide key data for our three primary financial funds. This data shows that our giving is below our actual expenses for the YTD and well below our giving levels for this time last year. We continue to see the negative impact of the cancellation of Sunday services on our giving and slowed giving common during the summer months. Please continue to send in your weekly contributions which can be made through Simply Giving, by using the “Donate Now” button on RELC’s website or by sending your contribution check to the church office in the US Mail.

Please prayerfully consider what this information means to you as we work together to support RELC’s ministries. 

RELC Offerings

Our community is facing a challenging time as it continues to deal with the coronavirus pandemic and the economic damage resulting from business closures, now compounded by the suffering of racial injustice. Despite our separation, it’s important for us to maintain our financial support for the church and its ministries in the community – and, if possible, to considering increasing that support to address our neighbors’ immediate needs. As our church determines how it can best serve the community, please ensure that it has the resources needed to provide that help. You can make your offering by using the “Donate Now” button on the RELC website or by mailing your offering to our office at 6201 Washington Blvd., Arlington, VA, 22205.

The best ways to contact Pastor Linman

Here are the best and most direct ways to contact Pastor Linman. The email address given for his professional and pastoral use is: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Pastor Linman’s direct dial phone number in the church office is: 703-972-2076. Please leave a message there if Pastor does not answer. He monitors and responds to his messages throughout the day even when he's not in the office. Thank you. I look forward to hearing from you.

Other Announcements?

Should you have announcements that you wish to communicate in this weekly message as committee chairs or those responsible for other ministry initiatives at Resurrection, please contact Monika at the office (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) by late Monday mornings for inclusion in the message for the coming Wednesday. Thanks!

Week of Christ the King 2020

Dear Friends in Christ:

Thanks to all who responded to our recent survey concerning our life together as a congregation during this difficult time of the pandemic. Paul Bastuscheck, who faithfully oversees our Constant Contact communications efforts, has helpfully summarized the results of this survey to members of the congregation. His overview is as follows:

“A survey was administered to RELC Members by email on November 1 and they were given one week to respond. There were 44 total respondents. Overall participants felt that RELC was doing a good job adapting to a virtual worship-at-home format. What they said they missed the most was social interaction of in-person worship and a sense of community. People indicated that they wanted more connections with fellow members with virtual coffee hours, and introducing more Zoom groups to attend. Respondents also indicted they wanted more outdoor, socially distanced worship, communion and ways to meet in-person with Pastor Linman and other members. When asked, 55% of members said they would be willing to return to indoor worship with safety precautions. 68% of members also indicated that they would not be interested in a virtual 5K run for Thanksgiving.

Members generally gave Pastor Linman good reviews and appreciated the way he has guided the church during the past 8-months. Many also indicated that they wanted more in-person outreach to get to know the pastor better. Ideas included Virtual Zoom meetings, phone calls, in-person socially distanced meetings using the front porch of the parsonage, walks in the neighbourhood and Pastor led classes in appropriate formats.”

I am glad for this helpful overview and summary even as I am thankful for the particular comments of individual respondents. These responses both in summary and in particular will guide my own discernment about how we can undertake life together in Christ in the coming weeks and months. Some very good ideas were offered in the responses, even as the survey results will also serve as a foundation for future creative ideas and approaches.

Here is a listing of some current and future plans for initiatives which address many of the concerns and desires expressed in people’s responses. Some of what follows was already in the planning works. Other items are new possibilities based on the survey results.