The Olive Branch, 10/2/13

Accent on Worship

     During the celebration of the Eucharist in worship I sometimes do not sing but simply watch those going to the feast.  It becomes clear to me that we are many but numbered as one when we eat and drink the body and blood of Christ.  Our worship together reminds me that we are God’s beloved called to love God’s creation and each other with a passion and trust that is as deep as the center of the earth.  Perhaps this is what St. Paul meant in Colossians when he addressed the letter to the faithful brothers and sisters who are ‘in Christ.’

     Our life together in Christ also brings me to the depth of despair due to the beauty and love I see and experience in worship, especially when we pass the peace to one another, but which is NOT lived out right here in Minneapolis and over the creation.

What I see and experience driving our culture is a community defined as ME - WRITTEN LARGE.  I hear it in conversations as I walk the skyways and hear people in discussions which clearly reveal the lack of listening to each other but each swaying and persuading the other to their viewpoint or conviction.  I see it on ads on TV selling us stuff, working to convince us that only with this stuff will we be happy.

     I believe one of the “sins” we have fallen victim to, is greed, turning us from depth and purpose and power for good to looking out for number one, filling our “barns’ with as much as possible and overfilling them, thus deforming human desire into an insatiable drive for more.  Increasingly when a small part of the people of God has the greatest wealth and the majority have the leftovers, the community created by God for life and joy erodes.

     The ramifications of this are all around us which includes enormous spiritual hunger, for many today have no spiritual center or community which holds them in love and care but rather urges them on to self-satisfaction, self-preservation, and above all financial security.  Trust in God’s care is foreign and meaningless to many today.

     As I watch worshippers going to receive the food of God, I see trust in God’s care, seeking the common good, making of community, freedom of vulnerability, reveling in God’s ceaseless generosity, and trusting this even in the face of adversity.

     Mount Olive is in a Visioning Process and Pastor Crippen has repeatedly used this phrase – “We must pray about this.”  As God’s people we are a praying lot from whom come ideas, and direction and hope.  I hope we can discuss this as part of asking “How does Mount Olive live in the world today and what is our mission/vision/hope/joy?

- Elizabeth Beissel




Sunday’s Adult Forum

• October 6: “What to Say When You Don't Know What to Say,” All of us have encountered conversations in which the news we hear is so tragic or shocking that we just don't know how to respond. Allen Dundek, Chaplain and Clinical Pastoral Educator, will talk about the skill and art of compassionate listening from psychological and theological perspectives.



Book Discussion Group

     Mount Olive’s Book Discussion group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. at church. For the October 12 meeting they will discuss The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, and for November 9, Parade's End, by Ford Madox Ford.



Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
Blessing of Animals
This Friday, October 4 + 7:00 pm

Bring your pets and your friends (and your friends’ pets!) to this annual service of blessing.



New Members To Be Received This Sunday

     New members will be received on October 6, 2013, during the second liturgy.  A welcome brunch will follow the liturgy for new members, their guests, and Mount Olive members. If you are interested in becoming a member of Mount Olive, please contact the church office by phone (612/827-5919) or by email to welcome@mountolivechurch.org. You may also speak with Andrew Andersen, Director of Evangelism, or contact him at andrewstpaul@gmail.com or 763-607-1689.   Pastor Crippen is also available to discuss membership. He can be reached at 612.827.5919 or via e-mail at pastor@mountolivechurch.org.



Notice of Congregation Meeting

     The Fall semi-annual congregation meeting of Mount Olive Lutheran Church will be held after second liturgy on October 20, 2013, in the Undercroft.  Included on the agenda will be a vote to approve the congregational budget for 2014, and updates on the Neighborhood Ministries Visioning Process and the Capital Campaign approved at the Spring congregation meeting.  If you are a member of Mount Olive, please plan to attend.



Budget Preview Session
     There will be a 2014 budget preview session after the second liturgy on Sunday, October 13.  Copies of the proposed budget will be available a week before this session, so bring your coffee and come with any questions that you have about the budget.  Members of the Vestry will be available to answer questions.



Freedom of the Christian: Bible Study on Thursday Evenings

     The first Thursday Bible study series of this year began last Thursday, Sept. 19, and it runs for six weeks.  Meeting in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Pr. Crippen is leading a study of the book of Galatians, one of Paul’s most vital and important letters.  As usual, there will be a light supper when we begin.  All are welcome to this study opportunity!



Mount Olive Greeting Cards

     A set of three greeting cards with photographs taken around Mount Olive Lutheran Church have been designed by Paul Nixdorf and are available for purchase at church on Sunday mornings.

     Single cards are priced at $2.50 each.  For quantity of five or more the purchase price is $1.75 each.  Pricing covers production costs. The cards are being made available through sponsorship by the Evangelism Committee.



Theology on Tap

     Theology on Tap is a group at Mount Olive that meets once a month at local bars/restaurants to enjoy a good beverage and dialogue about faith and life (no preparation or book reading is required, only your personal insight).  Everyone is welcome to join in the conversation!  Contact Lisa Nordeen (brwgrl@gmail.com) if you would like to join us or have questions about Theology on Tap!

 Upcoming Event Details:
Where: Mosaic Cafe, 3019 Minnehaha Avenue just south of East Lake Street
When: Thursday, October 3, 7:30-9:30pm
Discussion Topic:  Prayer - scripted, contemplative, spontaneous...
Facebook: Mount Olive Theology on Tap - "Like" the page to get more updates!



Follow Mount Olive on Facebook and Twitter

     Have you liked Mount Olive on Facebook yet? Are you following us on Twitter? If not, we encourage you to! We are now using these sites to spread the word about events, sermons, Bible studies, and other things happening at Mount Olive. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MountOliveMpls or on Twitter at twitter.com/MountOliveMpls.



The Snack Chart is Up

     Way to Goals Tutoring Program has begun for this year, and the snack chart is up for those who would like to support our tutoring program by signing up to bring a snack and beverage for 25 students and tutors.  You will find the chart on the Neighborhood Ministries bulletin board by Donna Neste's office downstairs.  If you have any questions, feel free to call Donna at church 612-827-5919.



Final Ten Days for Photos!

     Sunday, October 13 is the final day to have your photos taken for the new Mount Olive Online Pictorial Directory.

     To make your appointment you can do one of the following:
1. Sign up on Sunday during the education hour and coffee hours.
2. Call Bonnie McLellan at 952/452-2049.
3. E-mail Elisabeth Hunt at elisabeth@hunt.org or Marty Hamlin at marcat8447@yahoo.com.

     If you have special circumstances or needs that require attention, please call the church office at 612/827-5919, and leave a message for Andrew Andersen or Sandra Pranschke.

     SMILE!



Twin Cities Choirs Stand with the Minnesota Chorale

     The Minnesota Chorale, Kantorei, National Lutheran Choir, Oratorio Society of Minnesota, The Singers, and VocalEssence will offer preview repertoire from their upcoming 2013-14 Seasons in this free concert to be held this Sunday, October 6 at 4:00 p.m. at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.

     This concert is an expression of support for the Minnesota Chorale, whose 2012-13 and 2013-14 Season(s) have been impacted by the lockout at the Minnesota Orchestra. All of the participating choirs are donating their services. The Kantorei, the National Lutheran Choir, the Oratorio Society of Minnesota, The Singers, and VocalEssence will join the Minnesota Chorale in a program that features snapshot performances of selections from each choir’s 2013-14 season. A goodwill offering will be taken to offset costs Minnesota Chorale has incurred in producing the event.



TRUST Auction to be Held October 26

     TRUST’s annual Auction will take place on Saturday, October 26, at 6 pm at Lake Harriet Methodist Church, 4901 Chowen Ave., Minneapolis. Plan to come to this annual event for the fun, the food, the goodies and the great entertainment!. Tickets are $20 in advance or with reservations; $15 for seniors 65+ /youth; $5 for those under age 10; and $25 at the door. All proceeds support the programs and ministries of TRUST: Meals on Wheels, Chore Program, Parish Nursing, CoAM Life Enrichment, TRUST Youth and much more. For reservations, call 612-827-6159 or email trustinc@visi.com.



Metro Lutheran Annual Dinner

     All are cordially invited to attend the Metro Lutheran Annual Dinner, to be held on Sunday, October 13, at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church (50th & Knox Ave., Minneapolis). Social Time begins at 4:30 pm and Dinner and Program follow beginning at 5:30 pm. Keynote Speaker for the evening will be Tom Hegg, and the program includes the presentation of the 2013 Gold Pen Award to the Rev. Dr. Rolf Jacobson.

     Tickets for this event are $25 each ($15/student), and deadline for reservations is October 5. For additional information, please call the Metro Lutheran office at 612/230-3281.