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God’s words – God’s Word – speaks into existence good and beautiful and life; this is counter to the world’s wisdom, but in Christ Jesus we are invited to trust the path of God’s words as our heart’s joy.
Pr. Joseph G. Crippen
The Third Sunday in Lent, year B
texts: Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; John 2:13-22
Sisters and brothers in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
In the beginning, God spoke, and it was good.
God’s words were uttered into darkness and chaos and from them came light and order and beauty and life. This is what God does with words. God creates. God creates good. God creates joy. God creates life.
Exodus says: “Then God spoke all these words.” The God who made all things, who called Abraham and Sarah and their family, who rescued them from slavery in Egypt, this God now speaks words to the people at Mount Sinai. In Hebrew the Ten Commandments are “The Ten Words”.
If God creates good with words, creates joy with words, creates life and beauty and light with words, why do we fear God’s law, God’s words? Why is our theology so thick with language about how the law kills, cuts, destroys? Why are God’s words our enemy?
We sang with the psalmist that “the statutes of the L ORD are just and rejoice the heart.” When was the last time you heard the law of God and your heart rejoiced?
Mount Sinai is a moment of grace and promise for God’s people.
The Hebrews knew God desired a relationship with them, sought out their ancestors. Centuries of slavery and hardship in Egypt must have felt like abandonment. Has the true God forgotten us? Then came Moses, and rescue from Egypt, and even with hardships along the way, the people arrive at Sinai in hope of a new life in a land promised to be their home.
To these people, in that place, with this hope, God speaks a word of covenant promise. God has already fulfilled the divine part of the covenant: “I am the L ORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt,” they are told. I am the one who has saved you, who is with you.
Now, God says, as my people, loved and saved, here’s the good path, your way of life. God’s not threatening to withhold grace: they’ve already received life and freedom. As always, God’s words are creating good, and beauty, and light, and life.
Seeing this giving of the law as grace and hope for Israel could set aside our ancient fear.
Our fear of God, seeing God as bringer of judgment and criticism, while we cringe. Our fear of God’s law, seeing the law as forbidding, harsh, judgmental. Afraid of God, of God’s words, we find ourselves enemies of the law, enemies of God.
Consider these people at Sinai, still learning about the Creator God who has just saved them from oppression and slavery, who now gives them direction for life.
In a world where people use violence, and kill to get their way, this God says, “that’s not a path of life. You won’t kill if you are my people.” What a grace for them.
In a world where people betray those closest to them and aren’t faithful, this God says, “that’s not a path of life. You won’t commit adultery if you are my people.” What a grace for them.
In a world where old people feel like burdens and fear not being able to care for themselves, this God says, “Honor your father and mother, that’s the path of life. If you are my people, you will take care of your elders.” What a grace for them.
In a world where it’s hard to know whom to trust, where people lie to get what they want, this God says, “Don’t witness falsely about each other. That’s not a path of life. Tell the truth and be honest, if you are my people.” What a grace for them.
In a world where people don’t know God, don’t believe in God, assume God is the cause of all suffering, this God says, “I have saved you, so get to know me. Don’t worship other things, only me; take time to rest as I do. That’s the path of life for my people.” What a grace for them, to be given the promise, the command, of a relationship with the eternal God.
God speaks and good things are made. God speaks what is good, and beauty, and light, and life. Just as it brought joy to the hearts of Israel – as it did the times they understood instead of the ones they resented, as we do – this confidence in God’s words can bring our hearts joy, too.
Especially when we remember what God’s Word has become for us.
God’s Word, the Word that creates good and beauty and light and life, took on our human flesh, became one of us.
All of God’s Word – creation and law and grace, everything God speaks – is now incorporated – embodied – in Jesus. His life and presence is the Word of God in the world. His voice is the Word of God. His actions are the Word of God.
But he also is one of us. Jesus not only is the entire speech of God in the world, as a human being he can carry our part of the conversation with God as well. Speak for us to God when we are afraid, when we hide, when we can’t see God’s Word as good. Jesus teaches us to speak with God freely, without fear.
Jesus holds the conversation between God and humanity in his own person. He teaches us in our own words that God’s good word for us and the world is still good, and beauty, and light, and life. In Christ Jesus we are reconciled to God, Paul has told us, because both we and God are brought together. Christ is God’s temple, as John tells us today, where we meet God.
At the cross God’s Word absorbs all our bad words, all our breaking of the law, and destroys death’s power over us. God’s Word creates good even in dying, and fully joins us to the life of the Triune God forever. There is no need for us to be enemies anymore. In Christ Jesus there is no way we can be enemies with God.
Look at God’s law, then, and rejoice: here’s the path to life.
In Christ we see God’s path – love of God and love of neighbor – as the only way we want to live. We understand God’s forgiveness in Christ not as avoiding punishment but as putting our feet right, our hearts right, our eyes right, our heads right, on the path God’s Word shows is life.
God’s law, Christ reveals, is the instructions for how we’re designed to live in happiness and love, the operating manual for humanity to live in joy and hope. It’s the wisdom to how we can live in a world of peace for all, the answer to the suffering of this planet. If we lived according to the Ten Words, adding to them Jesus’ deepening in the Sermon on the Mount and Luther’s expansion of them into positive actions toward God and neighbor, this world would be an astonishingly good place to live in. That’s our heart’s joy.
Today God still speaks and it’s still good.
God’s words are uttered into the darkness and chaos and evil of this world and from them come light and order and beauty and life. This is what God does with words. God creates. God creates good. God creates joy. God creates life. God creates a path that is good, and beauty, and light, and life, for all people.
When we understand that, we can really start to sing our psalm. We become people living in the heady world of joy in God’s goodness.
We can sing “the teaching of the L ORD is perfect and revives the soul. The statutes of the L ORD are just and rejoice the heart. The commandment of the L ORD is clear and gives light to the eyes.”
We can sing it because we know now it’s true. Because we know now this is the path of joy we’ve been looking for our whole lives.
And because God spoke this Word. And when God speaks, it is good.
In the name of Jesus. Amen
Week 2: "Gifted to Serve"
When we live in God’s love, we bear the fruit of sharing our gifts with the world. We don’t need to depend on our own competence or abilities, but trust in God working through us. Open yourself to the work of God through you in the world.
Vicar Meagan McLaughlin
Wednesday, 4 March 2015; texts: 2 Corinthians 3:4-18, John 15:1-11
Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
What are your greatest strengths? If it’s been a while since your last job interview, you may not have thought about that question lately. And if you are job seeking, just hearing me say that may give you sweaty palms! Usually, when someone asks this, we know they are looking for a reason to offer us a job—or not.
Especially in today’s competitive world, this question is an invitation to prove to a potential employer—and perhaps to ourselves—that we are the best candidate, that our gifts and talents outweigh those of all the other candidates hoping to come out on the top of the resume pile. Do we have enough years of experience? Good enough skills? The right degree?
Whether we are currently working for pay or not, the world judges us by the same standards. Either we are good enough, or we are not. And those of us who are not chosen, those not able to work because of illness or disability, those who have retired, even those choosing to be a full-time care-giver for our children or loved ones, can often be left feeling as if we don’t have anything valuable to give, and if we do, those around us aren’t seeing it.
There is a lot of competition out there—limited jobs, first place trophies, awards, and a lot of people scrambling for success. It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and we are all aware that only so many dogs can win.
Paul points out to us today that God sees things differently. We tend to think of our strengths as skills we acquire through our own efforts, and how competent we are—how valuable we are in this world—is judged by how we measure up against those around us. But from God’s perspective, it’s not that. Or at least, it’s not only that.
In God’s view, the greatest strength we have is the ability to be “ministers of the new covenant of the Spirit,” the ability to serve God and others. And that is a gift that comes to each one of us from God, not from our own efforts. Each of us has a particular part to play, and God has given us everything we need to play it well. There are not a limited number of open positions on God’s team, and we don’t have to apply or compete to be included.
On God’s team, the abilities God has given us are not revealed through competition or display of our own effort and strength. We have gifts and value to offer the world simply because we are created and gifted by God. Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John that he is the vine, and we as branches are all tapped into the source of love and grace. Our gifts come directly from our connection to God, and because God works through us, we all bear fruit that reveals God’s glory.
This is really good news! We don’t have to prove ourselves to anyone, even God. We don’t ever need to be afraid that we have nothing to offer to the world. It is not about us being perfect, and therefore useful to God. In fact, it is just the opposite. In our uniqueness, even our imperfections, we are vessels of God just as we are.
We are most useful to God when we make ourselves vulnerable to God and others, and allow God to work in and through us. This is a really radical idea for us when we are surrounded by a culture that prizes individual achievement and self-sufficiency. How can our imperfection, our vulnerability, serve God and our community?
To be completely honest, there are moments when this scares me, because there is a part of me that feels like I am not capable of this. That no matter how hard I try, I will never be able to be that vulnerable. And then I realize that I have turned even surrender into a task to be judged, a competition that I can win or lose.
The truth is, on our own, we can’t do it, but we can have confidence in God’s presence with us. As Paul writes, “Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.” Our competence comes from God, and when we are open to the work of God in us, we are made more and more like Christ. Because we are connected to God, the love of God can reveal itself in everything we do.
Lest we be left thinking that we can sit back and rest and let God do all the work, Paul goes on to call us to be bold in the hope we have in Jesus. God gives us gifts not for ourselves, but for the good of the world, and we are called to use them, without fear.
Each of us is unique, and no one of us can replace another. God has work for each of us to do here, and God has equipped us to do the work. This means we are called to grow in our awareness of the gifts God has given us. We are called to ask God for guidance in where and how to use these gifts. And most importantly, we are called to remember that God is the source of all good things, and that we cannot claim anything as coming from ourselves. We are called to be stewards of gifts that do not belong to us.
Today’s scriptures are a celebration of God’s abundance that calls us to care for the gifts we have been given, and share them freely with the world. So, set aside for the moment any fear or doubt you may have. Know that God has entrusted you with work to do, and listen with new ears to this question: “What are your greatest strengths?”
Amen.
Accent on Worship
Young Among Us!
It’s so wonderful to see so many young people in our midst again. It’s bringing us toward an even better balance – as every age group brings to the others unique qualities. We need the wisdom of the elders, we need the responsibility of the middle-agers, we need the intellectual curiosity of the young adults, and we need the energy and openness of the young. All compliment each other and an imbalance can be challenging!
You might have noticed some things in particular with regard to our younger people. They sit in front. How else can they see what all is going on? We do not have a nursery as our hope is for them to be with us in worship from the start. They really pick up on certain parts of the liturgy and already enter into them at a very early age – such as sharing of the peace or perhaps even the Eucharist.
Here are some things for us to think about with regard to the young among us. They’re watching us. What are they seeing? Commitment? Compassion? Participation? Loving interaction? Singing? It’s my belief that all people sing – especially the youngest. Sometimes folks “unlearn” singing as they grow older. If you think your voice isn’t that particularly wonderful, all the more reason to be singing. It’s not an exclusive activity. We can treat them with the same respect as we do our own peers.
It’s important for us to be encouraging! Expect and encourage their participation in whatever way they can. They can find page and hymn numbers, and most from second grade on can read. Let them and their parents know we’re glad they are here. It’s hard work for parents to bring the young to worship, and any sounds the child makes seem ten-fold to the parents. Let them know it’s OK, and that we’re rooting for them in this endeavor! Some parts of the service are harder to stay with for the young, and we can learn that rather than being distracted by activity and noise, we can be grateful.
It is also our responsibility to see to their needs. We need teachers for Godly Play – our Sunday education program for children. Is it your turn? This is an amazingly important responsibility, and it belongs to all of us in the community – men and women alike, from any age bracket, whether we have children or not. What about you?
I’m very happy to once again have a children’s choir up and running. There are seven singers who gather on Wednesdays (through heavy traffic to get here) at 5:30 for a light supper, then rehearsal at 6. Most of what we do is liturgy songs, hymns, and learning about participating in liturgy. Last month they even composed the Psalm antiphon for worship as a group. I love these young people and their curiosity.
Let us be grateful! And remember: a smile goes a long way (an accidental frown, unfortunately, goes farther).
- Cantor David Cherwien
Sunday Readings
March 8, 2015: Third Sunday in Lent
Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 19
I Corinthians 1:18-25
John 2:13-22
March 15, 2015: Third Sunday in Lent
Numbers 21:4-9
Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
Ephesians 2:1-10
John 3:14-21
Sunday’s Adult Forum
March 1-22, 2015: Scholar-in-Residence, Dr. Craig Koester, on the book of Revelation.
Save the Date:
Saturday, April 18, 10:00 am-Noon
End of Life Decisions: The Conversation Continues
The conversation began at the February 1 Sunday Forum (to view Pastor Crippen’s presentation on line visit http://youtu.be/npRfQf8TTJg), and the February 7 workshop at Mount Olive.
We will continue to look at how we as people of faith approach our deaths and the deaths of our loved ones by specifically addressing the Honoring Choices Health Care directive. How do we know what we want and what are the options? How, when, and with whom do we have the conversation? These and other questions will be addressed. Help with completing the form will be available, as well as a notary to finalize any documents that are completed on that date.
Scheduling this workshop is dependent upon the demand for it. If you would like to participate, please let Marilyn Gebauer or the church office know in advance. You can contact Marilyn at 612-306 -8872 or gebauevm@bitstream.net, or the church office at (612) 827-5919.
Some suggestions made previously for future workshops include:
• Estate planning – with or without an agent
• Funeral planning – burial rites, “green funerals,” the Columbarium
• Writing a will
• Assisted suicide – ethical and faith considerations
• Establishing a volunteer group at MO to serve as
healthcare proxies for fellow members who are
without close family, friends, etc.
• Near death experience
• You may have ideas for future topics of discussion.
If so let Marilyn or the church office know.
Book Discussion Group Update
For the March 14 meeting we will discuss The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho; for April 11, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain; and for May 9, The Boat of Longing, by O. E. Rølvaag.
Daylight Savings Time begins this weekend!
Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead one hour on Saturday night, March 7!
Midweek Lenten Worship
Wednesdays during Lent
Holy Eucharist, at noon
Evening Prayer at 7 pm
March is Minnesota FoodShare Month!
Donate cash or groceries to the local food shelf during Minnesota FoodShare month in March!
A donation of money more than doubles the amount of food available to food shelves, because food shelves can purchase food at discounted prices. If you choose to give in this way, make your check payable to Mount Olive and write Food Shelf on the memo line. If you prefer to donate non-perishable groceries, they may be brought to the grocery cart in the coat room.
Volunteer at Feed My Starving Children
Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit Christian organization committed to feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit. The approach is simple: children and adults hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children, and we ship these meals to nearly 70 countries around the world.
Mount Olive Youth are going and invite everyone to volunteer with them! We have 26 spots reserved for Feed my Starving Children in Chanhassen on Saturday, March 7, from 7-9 pm. We plan to meet at church between 5-6 to share dinner beforehand and rides if needed. You can also meet us at the site.
If you are interested or need additional information, please contact Aimee Engebretson at enge0052@gmail.com or 612-387-1820, or Amy Thompson at amy.b.thompson@wellsfargo.com
Please include in your email:
-Full names of the people who will be attending (age 5 and over). And their ages if <18 .="" p="">-Your email address (this will be sent to them so they can send you a reminder about the event). You don't have to provide this if you don't want to.
Space is limited, so we can take the first 26 committed volunteers who email or call.
Holy Week at Mount Olive
Sunday of the Passion/Palm Sunday, March 29
Holy Eucharist, 8 & 10:45 am
Monday-Wednesday of Holy Week, March 30-April 1
Daily Prayer at Noon, in the side chapel of the nave
Maundy Thursday, April 2
Holy Eucharist at Noon
Holy Eucharist, with the Washing of Feet, 7:00 p.m.
Good Friday, April 3
Stations of the Cross at Noon
Adoration of the Cross at 7 pm
Holy Saturday, April 4
Great Vigil of Easter, 8:30 pm, followed by a festive reception
The Resurrection of Our Lord, Sunday, April 5
Festival Eucharist at 8 & 10:45 am
Easter Brunch at 9:30 am
Crossing Bridges: Selma to Minnesota, Sunday, March 8, 2:00pm
March in solidarity with those gathered in Selma to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the march from Selma to Montgomery. We gather to celebrate the work of Martin Luther King Jr and countless others, and to re-commit to new levels of action for justice.
2:00pm: Gathering at the State Capitol
2:20pm: March begins
3:00pm: Program at Central Presbyterian Church in
downtown Saint Paul
Dr. Barbara Holmes, spoken word artist Joe Davis and local religious and civic leaders with music by Larry Long, Tonia Hughes and Cameron Wright.
Crossing Bridges is supported in part by Luther Seminary and United Theological Seminary. For details and to register, see www.crossingbridgesmn.com.
To join other Mount Olive members attending, contact Vicar McLaughlin.
JRLC Day On the Hill
Calling ALL people of faith! Consider participating in the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (JRLC) Day on the Hill on March 10, from 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. at the RiverCentre in St. Paul and the State Capital. This year's theme is Dignity in Democracy.
Use your gift of citizenship to speak out for the needs of the most vulnerable in Minnesota and make a difference. The keynote speaker is Joan Rosenhauer, Executive Vice President for Catholic Relief Services. There will also be Issue Briefings and District Table strategy sessions before we shuttle via buses to the Capitol to meet with our elected officials. The Social Justice issues and background papers that people of faith will be invited to advocate for on March 10 can be found by visiting JRLC online at: http://www.jrlc.org/advocacy/legislative-goals. The cost is $40).
As an extra bonus to the day, arrangements have been made for the group from Mount Olive to meet with Mount Olive member, Senator John Marty in his office at the State Capitol. Contact Connie Marty if you want to be included in this opportunity: conniejmarty@gmail.com; 651-633-8934.
Brochures with more information about the event and important ways to contact your representatives are placed on the cabinet in the West Assembly area.
Vestry Listening Sessions Continue
Vestry Listening sessions continue this Sunday, March 8. This is an opportunity for the congregation to discuss the Vision Expression statements introduced earlier this month.
This week’s focus will be on Congregational Life and Neighborhood Ministries. Following both the first and second liturgies, Amy Thompson (Youth) and Donn McLellan (Stewardship) will be available in the East and West Assembly rooms to hear your ideas on the work of their committees.
Grab your coffee and join the small group to talk. Each session will last 30-45 minutes, and you may move in and out as you wish.
Jearlyn Steele in Concert, Sunday, March 15
Mount Olive Music & Fine Arts is pleased to present Jearlyn Steele, accompanied by Billy Steele, in concert at Mount Olive next Sunday, March 15, at 4 pm.
This concert is free and open to the public – bring your friends!
A light reception will follow the concert.
Concordia Choirs to Perform in Twin Cities March 7
The Concordia Choir will present a concert on Saturday, March 7, 7:30 pm at Roseville Lutheran Church, 1215 Roselawn Ave. W. in Roseville. Tickets available at concordiatickets.com
The Concordia College Chapel Choir will present a concert on Saturday, March 7, 7:30 pm, at First Lutheran Church, 1555 40th Ave. NE, Columbia Heights. A freewill offering will be received.
Pastor’s Sabbatical Is Coming
Plans for Pr. Crippen’s up-coming sabbatical are coming into focus. As was discussed at the October semi-annual meet-ing, his sabbatical is this spring. He will be on sabbatical from the Tuesday after Easter, April 6, through July 19.
Pr. Crippen spoke with several pastors about serving as interim. After consulting with staff, President Lora Dundek, and with the approval of the Vestry, Pr. Crippen has invited the Rev. Robert Hausman to serve as full-time interim during his absence. In the next couple weeks in The Olive Branch there will be more about the Rev. Hausman, and more about what Pr. Crippen will be doing on sabbatical. If you have any questions, please ask Pr. Crippen or President Dundek.
News from the Neighborhood
Anna Kingman
In effort to share in the relationships being built through our interaction in the neighborhood, we will hear from the people who find support, relief, and help through Mount Olive.
Profiles: Hilda
“You know the feeling like you’re drowning and you just can’t pull yourself up?” a teary Hilda shared in my office this week. She feels like she’s drowning in unpredictable problems with car repair bills, insurance, and an eviction notice. It’s hard to know what would comfort this beautiful grandma-like woman who keeps apologizing for crying through the stress. Hilda holds her head high, though. She brought in her resume and is looking for work. With three stents and bad knees, it needs to be a type of receptionist position, but she wants to be busy. Since losing her job last June she has not been able to deal with life’s emergencies on Government Assistance and needed a financial helping hand to be able to stay in her apartment. Through grace and generosity, this place is somewhere she can find that help. From here she was headed to LSS to get support navigating her situation and developing a plan.
If anyone connects with Hilda’s story or knows of any employment opportunities for an older woman close to this area, please let me know. Please keep Hilda in your prayers and in your smile as you meet others who may be struggling to stay above the water.
Neighborhood@mountolivechurch.org
Get to Know Our Neighbors!
Part of sharing in community is understanding one another through language, culture, or experience. As we explore our community and get to know our neighbors, let's continue with some helpful language lessons.
English: “Do you live in this neighborhood?”
Spanish: “Usted vive en este barrio?”
(Oo-sted vee-vay ehn es-tay bah-ree-oh)
Review: ‘Excuse me’ Spanish: Permiso’ (Pear-mee-soh)
Who We Are, Where We Are Map
Have you “pinned” yourself yet? If not, please do so by letting us know where you live, using the map hanging in the East Assembly room. Instructions are posted by the map – please contribute your pin!
Opportunities to BE involved:
Check out the information in front of the main office or in The Olive Branch for more details. There is also a sheet listing coming events and opportunities throughout March. Post it on your fridge or door and pick at least one to do!
• Feed My Starving Children – Sat., Mar. 7, 7-9 pm Chanhassen
• March with Selma – Sun. Mar. 8, 2-4 pm State Capital
• JRLC Day on the Hill – Tue., Mar. 10, 9 am – 3 pm River Centre, St. Paul
• “Bottom,” a play about sex-trafficking – Sat., Mar. 17, 7 pm, Minnehaha Upper Academy
• Better Halves Couples Financial Workshop – Sat., Mar. 21, 9- 11:30 am at Mount Olive Church.
Every Church A Peace Church
The next regular bimonthly potluck supper meeting of Every Church a Peace Church Twin Cities will be on Monday, March 16, 6:30 p.m., at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 4537 3rd Ave. S. in Minneapolis; (parking lot access), 612-823-8205, www.stjoan.com.
The theme for the March meeting is "An Apocalyptic Peace? Pacifism and the end of the world (as we know it). The speaker for this meeting will be David Weiss.
David Weiss is a theologian, writer, poet and hymnist committed to doing "public theology," thinking out loud in plain (and poetic) English about how faith informs the way we view, encounter, and respond to God, the world, and each other. He has taught college religion classes for 15 years and is the author of two books, a collection of hymns, and a set of Reader’s Theater scripts, among many other writings.
His interests range from sexuality to eco-theology to peace. Although in recent years his work has focused primarily on inclusion of LGBT persons in faith communities, David has long history of peace activism, including nonviolent protest and civil disobedience. He is an adjunct faculty member in Religion at Hamline University. Besides writing and teaching, he speaks on college campuses and at church and community events.
Vets Ministry Roundtable
The next meeting of the Vets Ministry Roundtable will be Tuesday, March 10, 12:30-2 pm, at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, 2315 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis.
The speaker at this meeting will be Cortney Amundson. Her presentation will be "Nature As A Partner in Healing."
Many veterans are finding recovery and growth by way of a cultivated connection to nature, some through projects Cortney guides with the Wounded Warrior Project. Cortney will explain the healing that is possible when humans spend time in and with nature in a variety of ways including outdoor recreation, gardening, bonding with animals, nature-based journaling, and wilderness restoration.
This meeting and lunch are made available at no charge by the Coming Home Collaborative and Our Saviour's Lutheran Church as a way of promoting best practices in ministry with veterans and their families.
Come to learn, network with others, and add your wisdom to the mix!
Pre-register now by sending an email to buddy@listentovets.org.
The path of Jesus is a path that does involve loss and sacrifice, but so does the world’s path; the difference is that the path of Christ is the path of life and joy now and in the world to come.
Pr. Joseph G. Crippen
The Second Sunday in Lent, year B
texts: Mark 8:31-38; Romans 4:13-25; Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
Sisters and brothers in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
“For I am convinced that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God.”
Are we? As convinced as Paul in Romans 8? As Abraham in Romans 4 today?
Abraham was “fully convinced that God was able to do what God had promised,” Paul says, he never wavered. In truth, Abraham did waver a bit, about trusting the child would come, about trusting God to keep him safe in a foreign land. Paul exaggerates to make a point.
He’s right about “convinced,” though. Abraham ultimately trusted God would do what God promised to do. He and Sarah left home and went where God said. They eventually trusted a child would come, trusted God’s promise. They are models of faith for Paul.
But the issue is more one of God’s faithfulness than our faith. No strength of faith helps us if God doesn’t keep promises. No solid conviction is worth anything if we can lose God’s love. Our question is whether we are convinced of God’s ability to keep promises, keep covenant, when it can be hard to see in the midst of the difficulties of life.
Peter today struggles to understand how Jesus can save if he’s dead.
It’s not a question of his faith. He believes in Jesus. But he doesn’t believe this is the right path for God’s Messiah, a path he can trust for salvation. He followed Jesus because he spoke of God’s eternal life, because he loved Peter and the poor people Peter knew. Because he brought God’s life into a world of death.
But how can God bring the promised salvation if Jesus suffers and dies? It makes no sense. There must have been many wandering days for Sarah and Abraham where it didn’t make sense, either, that God could keep such promises.
Yet they followed. So did Peter, if not always fully convinced. So how convinced do we need to be of God’s faithfulness and love to follow as they did?
Jesus invites us to follow him. To trust in his faithfulness.
We worry about “deny yourself and take up your cross,” get stuck in “lose your life” and what that means. It’s simple: Jesus says, “Follow me and I will give you life.” Then he adds, “but when you follow you will lose some things, maybe everything, along the way.” It’s like God’s call to Abraham and Sarah to leave all comfort and head into a life of wilderness wandering, trusting only in God’s promised blessing.
Jesus promises God’s path leads to abundant, full life now and in the coming world. He’s also totally honest about the costs. This is the path to life and love with God, yes. But it also means losing everything that keeps us from life and love with God. Things we value. Things we don’t want to lose. Things we don’t have the wisdom to see are a problem. Jesus does see, though, and tells us up front they’ll have to go.
Our self-reliance. Our self-pity. Our pride. Our biases and prejudices against others. Our need to win. Our need to be right. Our trust in material wealth, and desire for that. Our desire for pleasure even if it harms others in its pursuit. Our hope for a life free of pain. Our fear of death. Our self-centeredness, selfishness.
All these things are going to have to be dropped, Jesus says. You’ll sometimes feel like you’re dying. You might even in fact die. It’s a lot to ask.
But Jesus said, “Follow me,” and many followed, then and since. They heard “follow me!” as hopeful cry, not dismal threat. They willingly dumped all their baggage at the fork and took Jesus’ path.
That’s the crossroads before us. How convinced must we be to trust Jesus and follow his path?
Well, what about the other path, the way of the world Jesus mentions?
Are we convinced the world can keep its promises? It seems fair to ask this of the other fork in the road. There we’re promised lots of good things: happiness, youth, fulfillment. Wealth, abundance, avoidance of death. No suffering. If we buy the right things, ignore the people who can’t help us, put ourselves first, focus on getting all we want, all we ever could hope for, we’ll be happy.
Hardly anyone ever gets all those things the world promises, though. Most don’t. We know this.
The world never tells us what it will cost, either, even for those who think they get what they want. It never explains that tragedies happen to even the richest in the world, that self-centered, selfish people might gain everything but have no one who wants to love the person they are, that a life built on caring only for ourselves at the expense of the rest becomes so empty and devoid of meaning despair is the only option. That we can chase the American dream or whatever dream is out there and the more we get the more we will never have enough. The world never tells us this. The world just says, “this is the fun path, the rewarding path.”
Every path we choose involves sacrifice and loss, it’s just a question of what we’re giving up. At least Jesus tells us his cost. So we need to know which path can really give life.
Against the reality of the world’s failure to keep promises, we have 2,000 years of believers witnessing that Jesus’ path is the path of life.
We have witnesses who tell us God is always faithful. Who took the path of self-denial and sacrificial love, the path that at the crossroads looked like the harder one, and found abundant life all along the way.
They say: this path might look like you’re letting go of a lot, and you are. It might look like you’re being changed into something different, and you are. But this path, from the very first step, is a path of joy and hope, they say. Walking in trust with the Lord of life, you live without fear.
The same storms and sufferings hit both paths, they tell us, but on Jesus’ path we have help to handle them. The same problems and fears assail people on both paths, but living in the life and grace of the Triune God takes all the bite and sting out of them.
These saints, these witnesses – think of those who showed you this, some who now are beyond this path – they have told us, shown us, this is a path of life where we have companionship and love and grace with each other, where God fills our lives and the world with hope no matter what happens.
We shouldn’t get so frightened by Jesus’ words that we’re going to be losing things that we miss all his words and the words of the saints that describe what we’re gaining.
And that’s only in this life. Just wait till you see what’s at the end.
Jesus’ sacrificial path is the more life-filled and rich path in this life, we have evidence this is true.
What convinces us of God’s faithfulness is the end of each path. The world’s path always ends in death. No wealth in the world changes that; we all are dying. People hope science will find solutions, but we know everyone dies, no exceptions.
Of course that means Jesus’ path also leads to death. Except there’s one small difference. In willingly suffering death, Jesus destroyed its ultimate power, and rose to new life. Not only is Jesus’ path more abundant in this life, because of the resurrection it’s the path that leads through death into eternal life with God.
God raised Jesus from the dead. God is able to do anything to keep promises. This we know.
I am convinced that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God.
Not the present nor the future. Not heights nor depths. Not life or even death. Nothing can separate us, our brother Paul says. How convinced are we?
Most days I am. But on the days when I struggle with my conviction, you, my sisters and brothers, hold me up in faith. It’s what we do as a community, why Jesus put us together. Between us we’ve got more than enough conviction to go around. If we all find ourselves struggling a bit with our faith, we’ve also got those whose footsteps we follow, dear to us, or to the Church, whose faith now is fully lived in the presence of God. Their witness reinspires us and gives us hope.
Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. There’s nothing to fear in this path that lies before us. Jesus is our leader, our guide, even in death. We walk it together, hand-in-hand, encouraging each other every step of the way, finding the joy of the path, until we reach journey’s end, our hope and our life.
Don’t be afraid. God will do what God has promised. I’m convinced of that.
In the name of Jesus. Amen
Week 1: “Consolation”
Pastor Joseph Crippen
Wednesday, 25 February 2015; texts: 2 Corinthians 1:3-7; Matthew 11:25-30
Sisters and brothers, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Life is hard for many.
We know this every time we hear of someone’s diagnosis, death of a loved one, problems with family; every time we hear of a catastrophic natural event, or violent attack. Much about life is good and blessed, but for many, even ourselves, life can be very difficult.
Paul begins this beautiful second letter to the Corinthian Christians immediately addressing this. In his first letter he wrote to a divided community, struggling to be the body of Christ with each other. His tone in this later letter is different. Paul speaks of the community’s struggles with the pain of this world, not each other. In the first half of this letter, our midweek focus this Lent, Paul proclaims God’s grace enters the world’s pain and suffering, transforming believers.
Paul envisions a community’s heart filled to the depths with Christ’s resurrection life, a life and truth that transforms. It gives us competence to be faithful disciples. It’s a treasure for the world contained in our fragile disciple bodies. It’s a hope in a future with God that infuses our present with joy. It’s reconciliation with God that through us is extended to the world.
Today we begin where Paul begins, with the abundant consolation we have from God in Christ Jesus.
It’s striking that while Paul begins this letter with suffering and affliction, his answer is not to dwell on it.
We might expect that if the pain of the community of faith were Paul’s initial point, this letter could focus only on those difficulties. But Paul uses this opening to introduce his theme for these people: we belong to God in Christ Jesus and that changes everything.
The word he uses here, translated “consolation,” or “console” primarily meant “encouragement,” “exhortation.” This is not consolation saying, “poor you, you’ve got it tough.” This is consolation that walks alongside someone in pain and gives support and encouragement, helps bear the burden. The Greek word literally means “called alongside.”
Paul declares that in Christ Jesus God has moved alongside us in our life, and shares all the suffering we and the world endure.
Jesus promises this in the Gospel, too, to walk alongside us and help us bear our burdens.
Jesus uses the brilliant image of yoked oxen. The yoke enables two oxen to share the load, pull together. Jesus invites us to be yoked to him, so he can pull for us, help us in whatever we struggle with. In dying on the cross and rising from the dead, Jesus showed he can bear the greatest burden we all face, our own deaths. Christ has carried that weight, so even when we face that reality for us and our loved ones, we are yoked into the strength and grace of the risen Lord and will be able to bear it.
This is Paul’s first word to his friends, to us: you belong to the Triune God in Christ Jesus, and so God is “called alongside” you, to encourage you, to bear your burdens with you. This is what Paul means by “consolation”: companionship with the Triune God, strength for our journey of life, grace to deal with whatever comes, even death.
But Paul’s got a deeper point about what this means for our lives.
This gift of being called alongside is now the community’s to offer to each other and the world.
We, belonging to Christ, who have the companionship, the “alongside-ness” of the Triune God, now are that same encouragement to others. We are “called alongside” each other. This is how God will truly be with people in all difficulty.
This letter proclaims the presence of God in the midst of the community, in the heart of the believers individually and collectively. From the start, this presence of God in our midst changes us to be the presence of God to others.
The community of faith serves each other as Christ visibly – able to be seen, tangibly – able to be touched. We are the real way God continues to walk alongside the people of this world.
The wonder is that by turning to the other we lose our own anxiety.
It’s easy to focus on our own pain, our own worries, as if we’re worse off than others. As Christ’s community, Paul says, we don’t have that option. We are made a community for each other and the world. By giving us the gift of knowing we are God’s presence to others, Paul turns us away from our focus on ourselves.
So St. Francis prayed that God would help him console others rather than seek to be consoled. Understand others more than worrying about whether others understood him. When we recognize our place as God’s healing grace walking alongside others – in our community, in the world – we quit feeling sorry for ourselves and find joy and grace in being God’s encouragement and accompanying presence to others.
Best of all, we actually make a difference in their lives walking alongside them, yoking to them, helping bear their burdens.
This is the great gift you, my sisters and brothers, are for me.
On several recent vacation Sundays I’ve realized I’m split in my appreciation for them. It’s good to have a Sunday off from work, a day of rest from my call. But the last thing I want to do on Sunday is find a place to worship, a community of faith. Here is where I want to be, even if I’m not supposed to be working. You are the presence of God in my life. You are the people “called alongside” me by God, who, yoked with me, help me bear my burdens.
Living in the presence of God, we are the presence of God, that’s Christ’s gift. Each of us sees God’s face of love and grace in the other, and is that same face to others.
That makes life far easier, no matter the circumstances. As we bear one another’s burdens, even as ours are borne by others, the encouragement and grace of God fills our hearts and lives and becomes a gift in the world.
Just as Christ planned.
In the name of Jesus. Amen
Accent on Worship
February is not a high-point of the year. In fact, more than any other month, it seems to be the one that people just skip, pass over, and try desperately to make it through. This is quite understandable though, as March is coming, with its potential promise of longer days, more sunlight, and maybe, just maybe, above freezing temperatures. If you’re like me, or especially if you, too, have a dog that has to go outside constantly, you may realize that your shoulders are hunched tight and your teeth clench automatically when you open the door to head out anywhere. I don’t like this feeling all that much. I don’t like this annual battle with nature where our stubbornness collides and we both are determined to outlast one another. Inevitably, kindly, winter will give in like a wise friend, let up its grip on us all, and usher us to a more relaxed, excitable time when we don’t require a low consistent grumble of disagreement with the temperature or the wind-chill or the ice coating our cars.
As much as I don’t care for February, I sure stay there unnecessarily often in my faith and my perspective. I can hold on to things with a death grip, thinking that I am in the right, obviously, if only other people would see it too. Or I can be unaware, apathetic and elusive to my role in the Christian community thinking someone else will take care of things. I can hunch my shoulders to God and turn my back, not recognizing the moments that are available to warm up, melt the ice around my stubborn-ness, and let God work in me. Do you ever feel that tap on your shoulder - the one that tells you that you have so much more available to you if you would only relax your tense muscle between your ears or beating in your chest? Especially as we walk through this Lenten season, I am feeling that tap-tap-tap on my shoulder to loosen my grip on my feelings of busyness, stress, other obligations, or apathetic disregard for what my life truly needs. I don’t need it to be 75 degrees and sunny to feel relief. I don’t need 2 hours of free time in the morning after perfect sleep to feel a sense of peace and rest. I do, however, need to find solace in this Lenten season, to read through the daily devotions to feel centered in this time of reflection, and to take seriously the narrative of this journey to the cross.
It will still be cold outside for a while. That’s fine. But while I wait for the promise of Spring I do not have to wait for God’s promise of peace and life. Stay warm out there friends.
- Anna Kingman
Sunday Readings
March 1, 2015: Second Sunday in Lent
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
Psalm 22:23-31
Romans 4:13-25
Mark 8:31-38
March 8, 2015: Third Sunday in Lent
Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 19
I Corinthians 1:18-25
John 2:13-22
Sunday’s Adult Forum
March 1-22, 2015: Scholar-in-Residence, Dr. Craig Koester, on the book of Revelation.
Lenten Devotional Book Available
"The Grain of Wheat," Susan Cherwien's new devotional booklet for Lent, is free and available at church. Pick one up for use during Lent!
Vestry Listening Sessions Continue
This Sunday, March 1, the Vestry Listening sessions continue. This is an opportunity for the congregation to discuss the Vision Expression statements introduced earlier this month.
This week’s focus will be on Congregational Life and Neighborhood Ministries. Following both the first and second liturgies, Sandra Pranschke (Congregational Life) and Carol Austermann (Neighborhood Ministries) will be available in the East and West Assembly rooms to hear your ideas on the work of their committees.
Grab your coffee and join the small group to talk. Each session will last 30-45 minutes, and you may move in and out as you wish.
Midweek Lenten Worship
Wednesdays During Lent
• Noon: Holy Eucharist, followed by soup luncheon
• 7:00 pm: Evening Prayer, preceded by soup supper, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Granlund Exhibit at Mount Olive
Mount Olive is currently hosting an exhibit of sculptures by the famed artist, Paul Granlund. Beginning in mid-February and going through mid-April, the exhibit is sponsored by Mount Olive Music and Fine Arts.
Paul Granlund wanted his sculptures to be viewed and enjoyed from all angles and even touched. The exhibit will be on display in the Chapel Lounge and assembly areas. We encourage members to come and see it, and to invite guests to visit.
Book Discussion Group Update
For the March 14 meeting we will discuss The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho; for April 11, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain; and for May 9, The Boat of Longing, by O. E. Rølvaag.
Thursday Evening Study Returns Feb. 26
Starting Feb. 26, the Thursday evening study will begin meeting again in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Not strictly a Bible study this time, Pr. Crippen will lead a four-week series studying “The Use of the Means of Grace,” our church’s 1991 statement on our sacramental practices. Presiding Bishop Eaton has asked all congregations to study and discuss this.
As always, the study begins with a light supper.
Volunteer at Feed My Starving Children
Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit Christian organization committed to feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit. The approach is simple: children and adults hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children, and we ship these meals to nearly 70 countries around the world.
Mount Olive Youth are going and invite everyone to volunteer with them! We have 26 spots reserved for Feed my Starving Children in Chanhassen on Saturday, March 7, from 7-9 pm. We plan to meet at church between 5-6 to share dinner beforehand and rides if needed. You can also meet us at the site.
If you are interested or need additional information, please contact Aimee Engebretson at enge0052@gmail.com or 612-387-1820, or Amy Thompson at amy.b.thompson@wellsfargo.com
Please include in your email:
-Full names of the people who will be attending (age 5 and over). And their ages if <18 .="" p="">-Your email address (this will be sent to them so they can send you a reminder about the event). You don't have to provide this if you don't want to.
Space is limited, so we can take the first 26 committed volunteers who email or call.
March is Minnesota FoodShare Month!
Donate cash or groceries to the local food shelf during Minnesota FoodShare month in March! A donation of money more than doubles the amount of food available to food shelves, because food shelves can purchase food at discounted prices. If you choose to give in this way, make your check payable to Mount Olive and write Food Shelf on the memo line. If you prefer to donate non-perishable groceries, they may be brought to the grocery cart in the coat room.
Night On The Street
April 17-18 is the annual Night On the Street (NOTS) event that TRUST Youth have participated in in recent years.
Youth in grades 6-12 spend a night in a cardboard box at Plymouth Congregational Church. Participants have gained a unique understanding in the difficulties that homeless youth have in Minnesota.
Since Mount Olive Youth have participated, we have had very cold weather and also warmer weather with rain.
The youth eat a soup kitchen meal and get a snack from the Fishes and Loaves truck from St. Joan of Arc Church. Programming for the evening includes testimonials from previously homeless youth and workers who help the youth, and information about where to find help.
Donations for Beacon Interfaith Housing Collabora-tive will be received through April 16. If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to this important work, please contact Eric or Julie Manuel.
Holy Week at Mount Olive
Sunday of the Passion/Palm Sunday
Sunday, March 29
Holy Eucharist, 8 & 10:45 am
Monday-Wednesday of Holy Week,
March 30-April 1
Daily Prayer at Noon, in the side chapel of the nave
Maundy Thursday, April 2
Holy Eucharist at Noon
Holy Eucharist, with the Washing of Feet, 7:00 p.m.
Good Friday, April 3
Stations of the Cross at Noon
Adoration of the Cross at 7 pm
Holy Saturday, April 4
Great Vigil of Easter, 8:30 pm, followed by a festive reception
The Resurrection of Our Lord
Sunday, April 5
Festival Eucharist at
8 & 10:45 am
Easter Brunch at 9:30 am
JRLC Day On the Hill
Calling ALL people of faith! Consider participating in the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (JRLC) Day on the Hill on March 10, from 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. at the RiverCentre in St. Paul and the State Capital. This year's theme is Dignity in Democracy.
Use your gift of citizenship to speak out for the needs of the most vulnerable in Minnesota and make a difference. The keynote speaker is Joan Rosenhauer, Executive Vice President for Catholic Relief Services. There will also be Issue Briefings and District Table strategy sessions before we shuttle via buses to the Capitol to meet with our elected officials. The Social Justice issues and background papers that people of faith will be invited to advocate for on March 10 can be found by visiting JRLC online at: http://www.jrlc.org/advocacy/legislative-goals.
Register by Feb. 20 at www.jrlc.org/register-day-on-the-hill and the cost is $30, which includes breakfast, lunch and resources (after Feb. 20 the cost is $40). There is a flyer posted at the church for you to look at also.
As an extra bonus to the day, arrangements have been made for the group from Mount Olive to meet with Mount Olive member, Senator John Marty in his office at the State Capitol. Contact Connie Marty if you want to be included in this opportunity: conniejmarty@gmail.com; 651-633-8934.
Brochures with more information about the event and important ways to contact your representatives are placed on the cabinet in the West Assembly area.
National Lutheran Choir Winter Concert: “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings”
Saturday, February 28, 2015 – 7pm
Zion Lutheran Church, 1601 Fourth Ave., Anoka
Sunday, March 1, 2015 – 4pm
Woodlake Lutheran Church, 7525 Oliver Ave. S., Minneapolis
Tickets: $25 for Adults; $23 for Seniors; $10 for Students (age 17 and under FREE!). For tickets or more information, visit www.NLCA.com. or call (888) 747-4589.
Valparaiso University Chorale Sings
On Sunday, March 1, at 4:00 p.m., the Valparaiso University Chorale will present a concert at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, 5005 Northwest Blvd, Plymouth.
The Chorale, directed by Dr. Christopher Cock, is among the top Lutheran collegiate choirs in the United States, and is dedicated to performing works that celebrate the University's Lutheran heritage as well as significant contemporary works in their original languages.
Concordia Choirs to Perform in Twin Cities
The Concordia Choir will present a concert on Saturday, March 7, 7:30 pm at Roseville Lutheran Church, 1215 Roselawn Ave. W. in Roseville. Tickets available at concordiatickets.com
The Concordia College Chapel Choir will present a concert on Saturday, March 7, 7:30 pm, at First Lutheran Church, 1555 40th Ave. NE, Columbia Heights. A freewill offering will be received.
Neighborhood Ministries News
Anna Kingman
Opportunities to BE involved:
Mark your calendars for March! There’s quite a bit going on so stay informed and be involved. More information is available outside of the main office or by contacting Anna Kingman at neighborhood@mountolivechurch.org
Feed My Starving Children
Take part in packing meals that feed and sustain children around the world. The Youth committee needs 26 pairs of hands on Sat. March 7th from 7:00-9:00 in Chanhassen. More info on page 3.
Joint Religious Legislative Coalition Day on the Hill
Show up and speak up on issues facing our State on Tuesday March 10th. The all-day conference will address issues such as: childcare assistance, payday lending reform, and human trafficking with time to meet with legislators. Register at www.jrlc.org. Let me know so we can all go together! More information on page 5.
Go see Bottom
A play written and performed by students at Slate theater, this story addresses a young girl's complex experience with sex-trafficking. A discussion will follow the performance about this issue and what ways the community can respond. Sat. March 14, at 7:00pm at Minnehaha Upper Academy.
Better Halves Workshop
Talking about money isn’t always fun, but it can be done well. Brightpeak financial is offering a FREE couples workshop about the relationship that each half brings to money and tools to use to manage that partnership well. Childcare will be provided. If this isn’t for you, think of a couple in your life that would benefit - which is anyone! Sat. March 21 9:00-11:30am. Register at: brightpeakfinancial.com/betterhalves. Promo code: mountolive15.
Who We Are, Where We Are Map
Have you wondered about where your fellow members come from on Sunday mornings and how the community is spread out in the area? Let’s all find out!
Please “pin yourself” on the map hanging in the East Assembly room so we can see who we are, where we are, as a congregation.
Instructions will be posted by the map – please contribute your pin.
Neighborhood Ministries Wish List
The first item for this Wish List is: snacks for tutoring kids.
There are 13 students and 12 tutors. Snacks are needed by 7:00pm on Tuesday evenings.
Some snack suggestions are: apples, clementines, cookies, packs of pretzels, ice cream cups, baby carrots, you get the idea!
Please sign up on the sheet in the East Assembly or contact Anna.
Church Library News
Have you ever stopped in our church library to check out our periodicals rack? Consistently you will find there The Lutheran, Lutheran Journal, Lutheran Forum, Lutheran Vistas and Sojourner's magazines, plus large print sermons by the speaker of The Lutheran Hour, which are produced and shared freely by the Lutheran Braille Workers. Some of these periodicals are also in the revolving rack in the Courtyard Library, located in the Commons area across from the Chapel Lounge. New to our periodicals rack is The Christian Century magazine, which we will receive twice a month for a year. I have asked our good friend, Rod Olson, to give us some comments about the excellence of this fine periodical and this is what he has written:
" The Christian Century, is the most influential and widely-read magazine on religion in the United States and you are encouraged to page through a copy soon and see first-hand what an interesting, thoughtful, presentation of religion is offered therein -- from news items, features, reviews of books, media and art, and a section called "Living the Word," which presents reflections of the lectionary texts for the coming Sundays, and much more."
"Interestingly, Martin E. Marty, whose ties to Mount Olive extend back several decades, and whose current claim to fame is that he is the father of our own John Marty, was for decades also on The Christian Century staff and wrote an editorial comment on the inside back cover of each issue. Many people have collected these writings since they continue to educate and inspire. Dr. Marty remains a continuing editor of The Christian Century."
Please stop in the library soon and share your reaction to this new magazine with members of the volunteer library staff.
I am a member of Friends of the Hennepin County Library and their spring 2015 newsletter includes two noteworthy quotes which I would like to share with you as well: from Norman Cousins, "A library is the delivery room for the birth of ideas, a place where history comes to life;" and from Bill Gates, "As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others."
I can't emphasize enough that especially parents of young children should plan to acquaint their youngsters often with the attributes of their local public libraries, as well as the importance of periodic visits to our own church library here at Mount Olive!
- Leanna Kloempken
Accent on Worship
Growing up Catholic, Lent for me was always a time to “give something up.” Chocolate. Soda. TV. And on Fridays, meat, unless we forgot it was Friday, or forgot it was Lent. Still today, it doesn't feel like Lent until I have put away the basket of candy that typically sits out in my office!
Giving up little things can seem trivial, but the ritual of abstaining from something that I usually do or consume without thinking about it served, and still serves, an important pur-pose for me. It sets Lent apart from ordinary time, inviting the question that echoes through the Jewish tradition of Passover, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” Why is Lent different from all other seasons?
Lent is a time to be aware of things that get in the way of my relationship with God. When I honestly pay attention, I can see how sometimes the silliest little
things, like a TV show or chocolate, can go from being a treat to enjoy to something that prevents me from being fully present to God and those around me. Lent invites us to set these things aside and trust in God, knowing we are God’s people.
Our Old Testament scripture readings during Lent call us to awareness of who we are as people of the covenant, as baptized children of God. After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah, promising that God would never again flood the earth. God has promised to be faithful to us, even when we are not faithful. Our baptism is an outward sign of that unbreakable covenant.
Whether or not you, or I, choose to “give something up” this year, Lent is a season set apart for reflection. There are many ways for us to take that time at Mount Olive as a community. I look forward to seeing you here!
-Vicar Meagan McLaughlin
Sunday Readings
February 22, 2015: First Sunday in Lent
Genesis 9:8-17
Psalm 25:1-10
I Peter 3:18-22
Mark 1:9-15
March 1, 2015:Second Sunday in Lent
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
Psalm 22:23-31
Romans 4:13-25
Mark 8:31-38
Sunday’s Adult Forum: February 22, 2015:
"Crossing the Threshold: Liturgy as Transformational Journey," presented by Susan Palo Cherwien.
Lenten Devotional Book Available
The Grain of Wheat, Susan Cherwien's new devotional booklet for Lent, is free and available at church. Pick one up for use during Lent!
Vestry Listening Sessions
This Sunday, Feb. 22, the Vestry Listening sessions continue. This is an opportunity for the congregation to discuss the Vision Expression statements introduced earlier this month. This week’s focus will be on Missions and Property. Following both the first and second liturgies, Judy Hinck (Missions) and Brenda Bartz (Property) will be available in the East and West Assembly rooms to hear your ideas on the work of their committees.
Grab your coffee and join the small group to talk. Each session will last 30-45 minutes, and you may move in and out as you wish.
Midweek Lenten Worship
Wednesdays, Feb. 25 – Mar. 25
• Noon: Holy Eucharist, followed by soup luncheon
• 7:00 pm: Evening Prayer, preceded by soup supper, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Meals for the Manuels
The Manuel family would like to thank everyone who signed up and brought us wonderful meals during Julie's treatments. We know it wasn't easy with construction, road closures, and parking restrictions on top of a very torn up street. It meant so much to us to have the help of a meal each week. We'd also like to thank all those who showed support with kind words, listening, and talking to us.
We are so thankful to be a part of the wonderful congregation that is called Mount Olive.
- Julie, Steve & Eric Manuel
Book Discussion Group Update
For the March 14 meeting we will discuss The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho; for April 11, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain; and for May 9, The Boat of Longing, by O. E. Rølvaag.
Thursday Evening Study Returns Feb. 26
Starting Feb. 26, the Thursday evening study will begin meeting again in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Not strictly a Bible study this time, Pr. Crippen will lead a four-week series studying “The Use of the Means of Grace,” our church’s 1991 statement on our sacramental practices. Presiding Bishop Eaton has asked all congregations to study and discuss this.
As always, there will be a light supper. If anyone wishes to provide the first week’s meal, please let Pr. Crippen know.
Granlund Exhibit at Mount Olive
Mount Olive is currently hosting an exhibit of sculptures by the famed artist, Paul Granlund. Beginning in mid-February and going through mid-April, the exhibit is sponsored by Mount Olive Music and Fine Arts.
Paul Granlund wanted his sculptures to be viewed and enjoyed from all angles and even touched. The exhibit will be on display in the Chapel Lounge and assembly areas. We encourage members to come and see it, and to invite guests to visit.
Soup-Makers Needed!
Soup makers are needed to provide soup and bread for our midweek Lenten meals. Soup and bread for the lunch following Wednesday midday Eucharist should feed 40-50 people, and for the supper before Wednesday Evening Prayer, we need soup and bread for about 15-20 people.
If you can help by signing up to bring a meal (or two!), the sign up chart is available at the serving window at coffee hour on Sundays.
Common Hope Vision Team 2016
Would you like to learn more about a Mount Olive Vision Team to visit Common Hope in Guatemala in 2016? We will be an intergenerational team of 10-12 people, high school age or older. Common Hope will ask what skills/talents our team brings and design our visit to use our gifts. We will learn and prepare. We will be gone for eight days. The cost is $800 plus airfare. Fund raising is an option. Mount Olive Missions Committee is committed to supporting the $4,000 program donation.
These dates are being considered: winter, possibly Jan.24-31, 2016; early summer, possibly June 19-26, 2016; and late summer, possibly July 31-Aug 7, 2016. We would like to decide by Easter.
Get your input registered! Fill out a yellow interest form and leave it in the church office or with an usher, talk to a member of the committee (Lisa Ruff, Mark Pipkorn, Paul Schadewald, Mike Edwins) or contact Judy Hinck at judyhinck@gmail.com or 612-824-4918. Do it today!
TRUST Youth: Empty Bowls
On Sunday February 8, TRUST Youth participated in painting bowls to be donated to the Empty Bowls Event to be held at a soup dinner in March. The youth went to Simply Jane's Studio in S. Minneapolis where they had a lot of fun painting and having pizza. The Empty Bowls Event the youth donated their bowls to will be held on Tuesday, March 24, 2015, at the Hopkins Center for the Arts at 1111 Main Street, Hopkins. Hours are 11am to 7pm. The meal is a simple meal of soup and bread donated by local restaurants. Donations benefit ICA Food Shelf and ResourceWest.
Night On The Street
April 17-18 is the annual Night On The Street (NOTS) event that TRUST Youth have participated in in recent years.
Youth in grades 6-12 spend a night in a cardboard box at Plymouth Congregational Church. Participants have gained a unique understanding in the difficulties that homeless youth have in Minnesota.
Since Mount Olive Youth have participated, we have had very cold weather and also warmer weather with rain.
The youth eat a soup kitchen meal and get a snack from the Fishes and Loaves truck from St. Joan of Arc Church. Programming for the evening includes testimonials from previously homeless youth and workers who help the youth, and information about where to find help.
Donations for Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative will be received through April 16. If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to this important work, please contact Eric or Julie Manuel.
From the Church Library
Approximately a month ago the Congregational Care Committee requested a list of books available in our library that might be useful for the "End of Life Concerns" seminar which was held at church on Saturday, February 7. A correlating display of the books listed has had a prominent place in our library since that time, but will remain available only one more Sunday. Because the full list is long, we are including here only the headings used for this list, which might help you know if something mentioned applies to you and your family at this time.
• Reflections on the Evening of Life
• Coping with Disabilities as We Age
• Living with a Life-Threatening Illness
• On Death and Dying
• Sorrow and Grief
• Widowhood
• The Bereaved Parent
• The Healing Power of Grief
This quote from Charles W. Eliot is appropriate for us to remember at all times: "Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers."
- Leanna Kloempken
JRLC Day On the Hill
Calling ALL people of faith! Consider participating in the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (JRLC) Day on the Hill on March 10, from 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. at the RiverCentre in St. Paul and the State Capital. This year's theme is Dignity in Democracy.
Use your gift of citizenship to speak out for the needs of the most vulnerable in Minnesota and make a difference. The keynote speaker is Joan Rosenhauer, Executive Vice President for Catholic Relief Services. There will also be Issue Briefings and District Table strategy sessions before we shuttle via buses to the Capitol to meet with our elected officials. The Social Justice issues and background papers that people of faith will be invited to advocate for on March 10 can be found by visiting JRLC online at: http://www.jrlc.org/advocacy/legislative-goals.
Register by Feb. 20 at www.jrlc.org/register-day-on-the-hill and the cost is $30, which includes breakfast, lunch and resources (after Feb. 20 the cost is $40). There is a flyer posted at the church for you to look at also.
As an extra bonus to the day, arrangements have been made for the group from Mount Olive to meet with Mount Olive member, Senator John Marty in his office at the State Capitol. Contact Connie Marty if you want to be included in this opportunity: conniejmarty@gmail.com; 651-633-8934.
Brochures with more information about the event and important ways to contact your representatives are placed on the cabinet in the West Assembly area.
National Lutheran Choir Winter Concert:
“I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings”
Saturday, February 28, 2015 – 7pm
Zion Lutheran Church, 1601 Fourth Ave., Anoka
Sunday, March 1, 2015 – 4pm
Woodlake Lutheran Church, 7525 Oliver Ave. S., Minneapolis
Tickets: $25 for Adults; $23 for Seniors; $10 for Students (age 17 and under FREE!). For tickets or more information, visit www.NLCA.com. or call (888) 747-4589.
News from the Neighborhood
Anna Kingman
In effort to share in the relationships being built through our interaction in the neighborhood, we will hear from the people who find support, relief, and help through Mount Olive.
Profiles: Kenneth
Quite a few of the men that come in to seek help are recently out of prison and trying to gain back a normal, healthy life. Kenneth has known the church for a while even before serving his time. Now out, he lives at Volunteers of America on E. Lake St. and just got a job working at Goodwill collecting the donations and separating them. He came in the office with relief and excitement to be so close to becoming independent. He just needed work boots and a bus pass. He relies on VOA to keep him on track and has taken seriously his responsibility to be able to move on. I appreciated his confidence and positivity and sense of achievement he was exuding. Note: Minnesota recently passed a new expungement law that allows certain crimes on a record to be sealed, improving opportunities for employment. The Star Tribune article is posted downstairs or can be read at: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/289846451.html
Opportunities to BE involved:
• Register for early-bird rates for the JRLC Day on the Hill on March 10.
• Attend the Saturday March 14 presentation of “Bottom,” a student-written play on sex trafficking followed by a community discussion on our response at Minnehaha Academy (more info to come).
Getting to Know Our Neighbors
Part of sharing in community is understanding one another through language, culture, or experience.
You may have noticed that in the Muslim community there are many men named Abdi. “Abdi” means “slave.”
In the religious sense, “Islam” means submission to the will of God and obedience to His law. Allah is known to have 99 different names (i.e. kind, merciful, almighty). Abdi is usually accompanied by one of these names so: Abdi Kareem means “slave – kind.”
Now you know a little more!
The Cold Weather Continues …
…and so does the need for hats, scarves, mittens, gloves, and coats.
Please bring new and gently used cold weather gear to church for distribution to those who need them most. These items may be brought to the designated area in the coat room at Mount Olive.
We will continue to collect these items as long as the weather remains cold.
Thanks for whatever help you can offer.
End of Life Decisions: The conversation continues - - -
Forty people attended the February 7 workshop on End of Life Decisions, which followed the forum presentation the previous Sunday by Pastor Crippen. (View at http://youtu.be/npRfQf8TTJg). Thanks to Pastor Crippen, Rob Ruff, and Kathy Thurston for presentations helpful in looking at how we as people of faith approach our deaths and the deaths of our loved ones.
Health Care Directives served as a focal point for discussion and stimulated thinking about how such tools are not only helpful but also essential in making our wishes known to others about critical end of life decisions. A tentative workshop is being planned for Saturday, April 18, from 10:00 AM – noon to specifically address the Honoring Choices Health Care directive. How do we know what we want and what are the options? How and with whom do we have the conversation with? These and other questions will be discussed. Help with completing the form will be available, as well as a notary to finalize any documents that are completed on that date.
Scheduling this workshop is dependent upon the demand for it. If you would like to participate, please let Marilyn Gebauer or the church office know in advance. You can contact Marilyn at 612-306 -8872 or gebauevm@bitstream.net, or the church office at (612) 827-5919.
Some of the suggestions made for follow-up workshops include:
- Estate planning – with or without an agent
- Funeral planning – burial rites, “green funerals,” the Columbarium
- Writing a will
- Assisted suicide – ethical and faith considerations
- Establishing a volunteer group at MO to serve as healthcare proxies for fellow members who are without close family, friends, etc.
- Near death experience
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