Accent on Worship
Pentecost 21
“Connectedness and inter-relatedness are inter-woven throughout the entire fabric of creation,” wrote theologian and Roman Catholic priest Diarmuid O’Murchu in his book Quantum Theology. Father O’Murchu is one of a number of Christian theologians who see Jesus as wisdom incarnate, the cosmic Christ, and as the God who dwells within all of creation. The kingdom of God is within us and we continue to nourish and sustain the kingdom of God when we eat the body and drink the blood of Christ in the Eucharist.
Jesus could be no more intimate with humankind than to become a part of our own body and blood. For this is the longing of God, the One who created interdependence to be essential for life.
But the mystery of life comes from the Spirit. “It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless” said Jesus in the Gospel for Pentecost 21. Our Creator dwells within all that has life. Without the indwelling of the spirit, there is no life. For us the intimacy of the physical eating and drinking of the Eucharist mirrors the intimacy of the Spirit. The work of Jesus cannot be separated from the spirit of God. Both body and spirit are needed for the work and witness to the God of love in this world. The outcome of Jesus’ indwelling of our bodies and spirits gives us the privilege to become co-creators with God toward a world of compassion, justice and peace, a world where God’s creation is respected and sustained. In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus’ words are hard, but what he calls us to be as his followers in the world are harder still.
- Donna Pususta Neste
Dusting and Polishing Day
The Altar Guild is hosting a chancel-cleaning event this Saturday, August 25, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Bring your favorite duster and polishing rags, and help spiff up our worship space for the fall. Questions? Contact Beth Gaede at bethgaede [at] comcast [dot] com.
Help, Help, Help!
Our next Community Meal, free to all who come in our doors, will be held on Saturday, September 1. Some of our regular Community Meal workers will be on vacation that day. If YOU can help with the meal (prep, feeding our guests, or clean up) please call Carol Austermann at 612-722-5123.
Regular Worship Schedule Resumes Soon
Our summer schedule of one liturgy each Sunday will end on Labor Day weekend, September 2. Beginning the following Sunday, September 9, we will resume our regular worship schedule of two Eucharists each Sunday morning, at 8:00 and 10:45 a.m.
Vicar Cannon Arrives Sunday
We welcome our new vicar to Mount Olive on Sunday, Aug. 26. Neal Cannon, a student at Luther Seminary, will serve his internship at Mount Olive for this next year. He and his fiancée Mary will be at worship Sunday, where we’ll commission his Internship Committee for the year and commit to work with him and support him as a congregation. Neal is a graduate of Augustana College, and grew up in Illinois, Ohio, and Utah. He worked as youth director at Roseville Lutheran Church for six years prior to entering seminary. He and Mary will be married on Sept. 8.
On Sunday, Sept. 2, the Internship Committee will serve the coffee, and Neal will be at the Forum where he will introduce himself and the congregation will have an opportunity to talk with him and get to know him. Members of the Internship Committee for next year are Steve Manuel, Miriam Luebke, Ro Griesse, John Crippen, Peggy Hoeft and Warren Peterson.
Book Discussion Group
Mount Olive’s Book Discussion group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. For the September 8 meeting they will read The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell. For the October 13 meeting they will read Remarkable Creatures, by Tracy Chevalier. All readers welcome!
Garden Party and Picnic
Mark your calendars now for Wednesday, August 29, the date set for the annual Mount Olive Women Garden Party and Picnic, to be held at the home of Gail Nielsen, 4248 12th Avenue South, Minneapolis, starting about 4:30 p.m. In order to plan for enough food, please RSVP to Leanna Kloempken at 952/888-1023, or to the church office, by or before Monday, August 27. And yes, Gail says "men are welcome too!"
New Olive Branch Publication Schedule: Fridays in the Fall
When The Olive Branch publication schedule returns to weekly issues after Labor Day, the publication date is moving from Mondays to Fridays. The result will be that members will receive news of the congregation and other information just prior to Sunday’s liturgies and fellowship, which is more timely, and copies of the newsletter may also be given to visitors at worship and still be fresh information that morning.
Eat Local, Eat Organic
Community Table Cooperative is a food cooperative made up of Twin Cities farmers markets, farmers and small businesses in partnership with the Alliance for Sustainability. The vegetables are locally and organically grown.
Community Table Cooperative is now selling shares for 16 or 8 pounds of fresh produce every Saturday for 10 weeks that is dropped off at various locations. The closest one to the church is at the Global Market. The full or half shares will be pro-rated for you, because pick-ups started on August 4.
If you would like to participate in this food share you are invited to sign up online at www.communitytable.coop or www.afors.org, or call Paris Dunning at 952-994-3746. Also, there are two sheets of information on the Neighborhood Ministries bulletin board directly down the stairs near the elevator that you are invited to take.
This is not only a wonderful way to eat locally and organically, but also to help support our local Hmong, Latino, and African farmers!
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