The Olive Branch, 10/3/11

Accent on Worship

When was the last time you gave away every single thing you owned and dedicated your life to God’s work? Or maybe when was the last time you shared the Gospel with a bird or a wolf?

These are examples from the life of Francis of Assisi, a man who many know as Saint Francis.

Francis was baptized as Giovanni, but his father renamed him Francesco di Pietro di Bernardone. When he was about twenty years old, he fought in a war but was taken captive for a year, got sick, and had a vision that, along with several other similar events, turned him from soldier to another path.

One of Francis’ first tasks was to restore a chapel in San Damiano. (Pastor Crippen has a reproduction of the crucifix from that chapel just inside his office door. It is worth taking a look.) in the process of getting the money to pay for the chapel’s restoration, Francis renounced worldly goods and family.

Francis loved the Eucharist, and also learned to read Latin in school, so he could read the Bible and took very seriously Philippians 2:7, which we just heard in our Sunday readings recently: [Christ] emptied himself, taking the form of a servant. Francis’s goal was to live the life of a servant of Christ.

A deep appreciation for all God’s creation and all God’s creatures is one of the great gifts which the Church and the world has received from Francis. In the canticle he wrote (which is part of our Blessing of the Animals service this Tuesday, October 4, at 7 PM) he gives thanks -- and so do we -- for all the gifts of creation. You may hear some echoes of Dr. Fretheim’s recent education hour: For Francis, as for Dr. Fretheim, sun, moon, water, fire, and Earth itself are creatures who tell us something about God.

For Francis, for our pets, and for all the varied creatures of God, we give thanks; they bless us with their presence, they keep us humble, and they give us opportunities to serve.

- Vicar Erik Doughty


Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Blessing of Pets, 7:00 p.m.

Bring your pets for this annual service of blessing. The service will be held in the Nave.


Sunday Readings

October 9, 2011 – Ordinary Time: Sunday 28
Isaiah 25:1-9 + Psalm 23
Philippians 4:1-9 + Matthew 22:1-14

October 16, 2011 – Ordinary Time: Sunday 29
Isaiah 45:1-7 + Psalm 96:1-9[10-13]
I Thessalonians 1:1-10 + Matthew 22:15-22


Feast of St. Luke
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Holy Eucharist with Rite of Healing
7:00 p.m.


This Sunday’s Adult Education
9:30 am in the Chapel Lounge

The second of a 2-part presentation by Cantor David Cherwien: “Chant in the Church’s Worship.”


Book Discussion

For their meeting on October 8, the Book Discussion group will read Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton, and for the November 12 meeting they will discuss The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot.

Mount Olive’s Book Discussion Group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. All readers welcome!


Congregation Meeting

The semi-annual Congregation Meeting of Mount Olive Lutheran Church will be held on Sunday, October 23, at 9:30 a.m. The purpose of this meeting is to approve the budget for 2012. All members of Mount Olive are encouraged to attend.


Leipzig Group to Visit Mount Olive; Home Hosts Needed

Mount Olive will be a part of the Minneapolis Area Synod’s welcome to a group of 17 church music directors and pastors in October, and host homes are needed for the three guests who will spend several days at Mount Olive.

Homes are needed for the nights of October 15 to 19. During those days our guests will meet with Pr. Crippen and Cantor Cherwien and talk about the intersection of liturgy and culture and the world in our context. The whole group will worship at congregations throughout the synod, so some of the others will likely come to Mount Olive. Five other congregations will host parts of the group as Mount Olive is doing. The Leipzig District of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony, Germany, is a companion synod of the Minneapolis Area Synod.

Please contact the church office if you are willing and able to provide room for one of our guests. This is going to be an exciting opportunity for the congregation to learn and share!


Tutoring Help Still Needed!

At this writing the Way to Goals Tutoring Program has ten elementary students and five tutors. We could add up to five more students if we had enough tutors. The waiting list is growing and the need is great. If you feel a tug in your heart to help one or two children succeed in school call Donna at church. We meet on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. The first hour is spent in tutoring and the last half an hour is a snack and activity time.

If you do not have the time or inclination to be a tutor, but would still like to help, the snack chart is now up on the Neighborhood Ministries bulletin board outside of the Coordinator's office downstairs. You are invited to sign up to bring a snack and beverage for 15 to 20 persons participating in Way to Goals. If you have any questions please call Donna at 612-827-5919.


An Invitation: Berg-Jacobson Wedding

Steve and Dixie Berg invite Mount Olive members to share in the marriage of their daughter Hannah to Andrew Jacobson on Saturday, October 15. The liturgy will be at Mount Olive at 3:30 p.m., with a brief champagne and hors d’oeuvres reception following in the Chapel Lounge.

Members of Andrew’s home congregation – Grace University Lutheran – have also been invited to share in this event. No gifts please! If you can’t attend, Andrew and Hannah appreciate your prayers and best wishes!


Keep Us In the Loop!

If you have recently moved, have a new or different phone number or a different email address, please remember to contact the church office and give us your updated information! Updated directories of members and friends are published about twice monthly (and are always available in the church office) Notifying us of updated contact information will help us keep directories current and help to keep you informed.


Sign up, Sign Up for Coffee!

Volunteers are needed to serve coffee following both Sunday morning liturgies for the next several weeks. If you are willing to serve, please sign up at coffee hour on Sunday – or call the church office to be signed up!


Brunch, Anyone?

Mount Olive shares a small tri-fold flyer with the names and addresses of several local restaurants which serve Sunday brunch. We are in the process of updating that brochure and are eager to include any of YOUR recommendations! Have you enjoyed a Sunday brunch at a local restaurant recently? If so, please drop a note to Susan Cherwien at scherwien@aol.com within the next couple of weeks, and we will include your recom- mendations in the updated flyer.


ELCA National Youth Gathering

This year we hope to bring Mount Olive Youth to New Orleans for the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering, "Citizens With The Saints." ELCA Youth Gatherings are exciting, challenging, faith-deepening events. Vicar Erik Doughty will be calling youth to see who may be able to participate. Additional information about the Youth Gathering is available online at: http://www.elca.org/ELCA/Youth-Gathering.aspx.