moadmin – Page 92

The Olive Branch, 10/12/12

October 12, 2012 By moadmin

Accent on Worship

“So teach us to number our days so that we might apply our heats to wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12

The Psalm today tells us to number our days, and I thought it would be interesting to take a literalist approach to this passage. The average human being lives about 25,000 days in their lifetime. How we view this number is entirely a matter of perspective. To help you understand what I mean, lets put this number in terms of money. Some of the wealthiest Americans can blow through $25,000 in a single shopping spree! They can go buy a car, a house, or blow it all on fur coats without thinking twice. Now consider people who make $25,000 per year. For these people, every penny counts. The way that they use that money could make the difference between making rent or not the next month.

Numbering our days helps us to realize the value of every day of our lives. It’s not a morose proposition, but recognition of the importance of life as a gift. Looking at life this way, we have to consider how we are spending our time. What do we devote our lives to? Would we change anything if we could? Are there things we would get rid of or reduce in our lives, or other things we would increase?

In our gospel text today, Jesus reminds us of our finiteness when it comes to salvation, “for mortals, this is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.” We can’t manipulate the number of days we have on Earth, we also can’t manipulate our own salvation. In the same way, every day of life is a gift that we receive, so too our salvation is a gift from God. In our own finiteness, we attach ourselves to the infinite grace from Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God!

– Vicar Neal Cannon

Sunday’s Adult Education: October 14, 9:30 a.m.

This week our forum will be “What Do We Do When We ‘Do This’?” – part 2 of a 2-part presentation on Eucharistic images, led by Dwight Penas.

Congregation Meeting October 28

The semi-annual meeting of Mount Olive congregation will be held on Sunday, October 28, following the second liturgy (beginning at approximately 12:15 p.m.). The main purpose of this meeting will be to approve a budget for 2013, and to consider several constitutional and bylaw amendments the Vestry is recommending to the congregation. These amendments were included with the last two issues of The Olive Branch, and are also available in the narthex at church. All voting members of Mount Olive are encouraged to attend.

Concert This Sunday

This Sunday, October 14, Mount Olive Music and Fine Arts will present Peter Ostroushko and Dean Magraw in a concert of original music, with some glimpses into the realm of world music. The program is free and open to the public, and a light reception follows the concert.

It’s a Wedding – And You’re Invited

The Mount Olive community is invited to share in the marriage celebration of Matt McCuen and Katie Krueger this Saturday, October 13, 2012. The liturgy will be held at 3:00 pm at Mount Olive with light hors d’oeuvres immediately following in the Chapel Lounge. No gifts please! If you are unable to attend, Katie and Matt appreciate your prayers and best wishes.

Yarnworking Group

Don’t forget our monthly gathering at 1:00 pm this Sunday, October 14. Bring a lunch if you haven’t eaten by then, bring a current project, and plan to spend a couple of hours visiting and knitting or crocheting. We have plenty of extra supplies on hand, so if you are interested in learning how to knit or crochet, talented teachers will be on hand to teach you.

Over the past year, this group has made winter wear – hats, mittens, and scarves – for distribution through the Twilight Children orphanage in Johannesburg, South Africa, The Minnesota Council of Churches Refugee Resettlement Program, and for The Marie Sandvik Center here in Minneapolis.

Youth News

Upcoming events for youth include a day of service at Feed My Starving Children on October 26 from 8-9:30 pm with the TRUST Youth.

Mount Olive Youth and children will host coffee hour this Sunday, October 14, after the early service. The youth committee will meet afterwards in the upstairs lounge.

Parents of children and youth at Mount Olive who would like to plan or be involved with activities and events should call or email Beth Sawyer (mikebethsawyer78@gmail.com) to get on the mailing list and to share their vision for their kids at Mount Olive.

Book Discussion Group

Mount Olive’s Book Discussion group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. For the October 13 meeting they will read Remarkable Creatures, by Tracy Chevalier, and for November 10 they will read, Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray.

Contribution Statements

Third quarter contribution statements are available to be picked up at church.

These are summary statements, reflecting the total given toward various funds from January 1 through September 30, 2012. If you would like a detailed (itemized) statement of giving by week, please call Cha in the church office and she will mail one to you.

The statements are in a labeled box next to the coat room area, and they will be there through the month of October. Year-end statements will be printed in early January.

Congratulations, Nick!

John Gidmark joyfully announces the marriage of his son (and Mount Olive member) Nicholas Gidmark, to Stefanie Hyde, this Saturday, October 13, 2012, on the grounds of Stefanie’s mother’s 1689 farmstead in Cumberland, Rhode Island.

Nick and Stefanie will treasure your spirit and your prayers.

The Way to Goals Snack Chart is Up

Way to Goals Tutoring began their new season last Tuesday, October 2, with 15 students and nine tutors. We meet once a week during the school year. The snack chart is posted on the Neighborhood Ministries bulletin board. If you would like to contribute to this program by bringing a snack and beverage for 25 persons on one of those Tuesday evenings, please sign your name next to the date of your choice and bring your snacks to the church at or before 7:00 p.m. that day. This is a great help to our tutoring budget. If you have any questions, feel free to call Donna at church, 612-827-5919.

Meals on Wheels

Thanks to the following folks from Mount Olive who delivered Meals on Wheels through TRUST, Inc. this past quarter: Gary and Nancy Flatgard, Art & Elaine Halbardier, Bob Lee, and Rod & Connie Olson.

Amendments Discussion
Please join members of the Mount Olive Vestry and Pastor Crippen for a conversation about the proposed amendments to the Minnesota State Constitution.

The gathering will be held in the Chapel Lounge at Mount Olive from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm on Monday, October 22, 2012.

Pastor Crippen will speak briefly about the proposed Marriage Amendment and the Voter ID Amendment. Adam Kruger will serve as discussion moderator.

Refreshments will be served.

If you are undecided on these ballot issues and need more information, or if you desire to understand the various points of view please feel free to attend.

The Properties Committee Welcomes Your Help

Clean-up Day Saturday, October 20
On Saturday, October 20, the Properties Committee invites you to help with Fall Cleaning in the Mount Olive building. Activities start at 8:30 a.m. and wrap up mid-afternoon. The work tasks, materials and supplies will be ready and waiting in each room for anyone who can volunteer an hour or two (or more!) for a deeper cleaning in all areas of the facility. Come early or stay late and you can join with Mount Olive’s guests for the Community Meal, too.

Calling all Painters!
The Properties Committee has a few painting projects on its “To Do” list over the next few months. If you have enthusiasm or expertise in swinging a brush or pushing a roller and would be willing to help, please contact Brenda Bartz, Properties Director, at 612-824-7812 or rookwd1@aol.com. Projects will generally be scheduled for Saturdays, but final times and locations of tasks will be scheduled around the team’s size and availability.

Thanks for your time!

Budget Preview Meeting To Be Held October 21

The Fall semi-annual Congregational Meeting is often filled with budget questions, many of which seem rushed by the press of other business. So this year we would like to try giving members an opportunity to ask questions in advance of the meeting by having a budget preview meeting.

Vestry members will be on hand following the 2nd liturgy (beginning a little after Noon) on October 21 to answer questions and receive recommendations often given at the annual meeting. Hopefully this will provide continued and necessary transparency into the budget process as well as free up time at the semi-annual meeting to approve the budget for 2013 as well as deal with a number of constitutional/by-law proposals and receive an update on the Capital Campaign Tithe.

The proposed 2013 budget will be finalized at the October 15 Vestry meeting and will be included with the October 19 issue of The Olive Branch. Please take time to review the proposed budget, make a note of any questions or recommended changes and bring them with you to church on October 21. Then after the 2nd liturgy grab a cup of coffee and join Vestry members in the Chapel Lounge to give voice to your questions and recommendations so we can have the best possible information for the semi-annual meeting on October 28.

Blessings,
Adam Krueger, President
Mount Olive Lutheran Church Vestry

Dobson Organ Dedication

Mount Olive’s own Lynn Dobson is busy building the new Pipe Organ for the Chapel at Merton College, in Oxford England, as we speak.

This is his first instrument on foreign soil and we rejoice with him in this project. A contingent from Mount Olive has been invited to attend the dedication of this new organ which will be in late April of 2014. There are a very limited number of spaces open for this trip. If you are interested in joining this happy band of travelers, please contact Tom Olsen for the details. Tom can be reached at 952-929-9781 or any Sunday morning at coffee hour.

What Does This Mean?

October 7, 2012 By moadmin

We read the Scriptures as disciples of Jesus, the living Word of God, and are guided in our reading and understanding by our fellowship with the Triune God that Jesus has given, and by the love of God Jesus has revealed to us and called forth from us.

Pr. Joseph G. Crippen, Time after Pentecost, Sunday 27, year B; text: Mark 10:2-16

Sisters and brothers, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

If you want, you can blame Martin Luther if you’re feeling a little uncomfortable with that Gospel reading, or if you wish you’d been warned we were going to hear hard words from Jesus before coming today. If Luther hadn’t insisted that each Christian ought to be able to have their own copy of the Scriptures, in their own language, and be able to interpret for themselves God’s Word for their lives, we’d not have this problem. And if he hadn’t insisted on the Scriptures being read in the people’s language at worship, you might not read these words or hear them at all. But here we are, with a second week of hard words from Jesus.

I think we need to take this opportunity and consider how we interpret the Scriptures. What Jesus said about divorce, remarriage, and adultery couldn’t be clearer. Yet I’m sure that if I announced from this pulpit today that from this moment on I would not preside at a marriage involving divorced people, and that I was beginning a campaign to get the ELCA to remove divorced clergy from the roster, I might be in danger of losing this call. I expect that a lot of you would be angry and hurt by such a proclamation.

Now this is what we must understand together, and what each of us must individually consider. I’ve no intention of making such an announcement. But if it would anger you, or cause you to want me not to be your pastor, I’d like you to try and think why. Why. Because Jesus is pretty clear here.

Now, I’d say there are few, if any, people at Mount Olive who do not take the Bible seriously as a norm and guide for life. Yet we disagree on things, even amongst ourselves here. How is this possible? And how do we read what Jesus says today and act differently than what he says, and still claim the Bible as our norm for faith and life?

We need to take a moment to recall how Lutherans interpret the Bible.

We don’t ignore anything, everything is considered God’s Word. This is really important as a starting point. So we can’t skip this passage. We look at this passage, like all of them, very carefully.

But we look at it with at least three basic interpretive lenses:

First, Jesus is the living Word of God, to whom the written Word, the Bible points. Therefore, Lutherans would say, everything in Scripture must lead to a deeper connection with our Lord and Savior and an understanding of God’s amazing grace in Jesus’ death and resurrection. We call this a canon within the canon – Lutherans read the Bible through the lenses of God’s free grace in Christ, and consider those many powerful passages about God’s grace not only most important but also the ones which encompass the whole purpose of the Bible and shape its message for us.

Second, Lutherans read the Bible with a sense of context – both the context of the times in which the book was written and the people to whom it was written, but also the context of any passage within the whole of Scripture.

Third, leading from that, Lutherans let Scripture help interpret Scripture. We try very hard to understand the connection of the whole of the Scriptures to any text, and use the Bible to help interpret itself. That means that at our best we don’t proof-text. We don’t take one verse out of any context and make grand claims for its ability to norm us. We try to use the whole of Scripture.

An example is a seminary classmate of mine who’s a woman and a pastor, who once told me she wouldn’t have accepted ordination if the only reason the church did it was by ignoring the passage that says women should be silent. What made her feel she could answer God’s call were the many passages describing women in pastoral ministry, the many places where the equality in the family of Christ was proclaimed, and so on.

So how do we read these verses today using these lenses?

First, these are Jesus’ words. Jesus said them. And we know Jesus very well. Jesus, the Living Word of God, is risen from the dead and gives us life even though we are broken people, living too often as opponents of God. He offers grace and forgiveness to all, even criminals crucified next to him. So when a couple comes into my office, with one or both of them having been divorced, and they are seeking marriage, my sense of Jesus’ grace, of all that Jesus asks of me as a pastor and a disciple, throughout all of the Gospels, calls me to be open to that request.

We can’t read these words apart from our full knowledge of everything he is and all that he models for us, or from our full understanding of how Jesus then calls us to live, to pray, to love. In just this small section, we see Jesus indignant that children are being kept from him. That indignant Jesus, who wants no one excluded from God’s grace, is the same Jesus who says these hard words. And that matters.

Second, there is a context here. Jesus is actually protecting women in this passage. We discover this when we explore the divorce practices in Jesus’ times. Women could be divorced summarily by their husbands under Jewish law, by the husband simply declaring several times that he divorced his wife, and then handing her notice. In this culture, if the woman didn’t have a son to protect and support her, divorce would leave her destitute, a beggar, an outsider.

And notice Jesus’ last sentence: “If she divorces her husband . . .” and so on. This is eye-opening. Women didn’t even have the right to divorce their husbands then. Yet Jesus assumes an equality of standing, even in his prohibition. Women and men are equal under God’s law, a radical departure from tradition.

And last, Jesus is speaking here to support marriage, to underscore its divine approval, to strengthen families.

Third, Scripture helps us interpret Scripture. It’s true Jesus is clear here. Just as he is also clear throughout the Gospels that we are not to judge others.

Just as he is clear when he tells us to forgive each other in unlimited ways.

Just as he is clear when he says the sum of the law of God is to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Given this repeated mandate, I believe we simply have decided not to make a bad situation, or a painful situation, worse, by refusing to give second chances. We’ve decided to offer forgiveness in Jesus’ name and to be gracious. This doesn’t mean we like divorce. I don’t know many Christians who’ve been divorced who do. But it does mean we’re honest about it. I still teach new couples that they should plan never to divorce, or else it will come too easily. It still is not God’s will for marriage.

But we also know that sometimes divorce is the only option that seems possible, sometimes it’s tragically imposed, and sometimes it even must happen if a spouse is abusive. Divorce is not always the worst evil in every situation. There are simply too many times when we do not feel capable of being judge over each other on this.

But that doesn’t mean we’re ever completely certain that we are right in how we consider divorce. And that’s important to remember.

Because of Luther, each of us can interpret the Bible for ourselves. And as the Church, we collectively discern and interpret the Scriptures. It’s a great gift. But it’s also a huge responsibility. We always interpret prayerfully and carefully, asking the Spirit to lead and guide us, and show us what we are called to be and do. But we can still be wrong.

That’s why we belong to communities of faith, why we pay attention to what others in the greater Church are saying, why we find places where we are gathered together by the Holy Spirit. So we check our interpretation with each other. So we can struggle together, whether as a small group in a congregation or a council of bishops and leaders of the whole Church, or anything in between.

That can correct us when we falter. But it also can be that, even within a community of faith like Mount Olive, and even in the greater Church, we will not agree on the proper way to do things, the godly thing to do. As in this case, where the way most U. S. Lutheran congregations deal with divorce is not universally accepted as legitimate across the whole Church.

And that means we must know when it’s OK to disagree and when it isn’t. What Lutherans have said is that we make our distinction based on whether it is central to the Good News that the Triune God has saved us in Jesus the Son. The Augsburg Confession says that it is enough for unity in the Church that the Gospel is preached in its purity and the Sacraments are administered according to that Gospel. What that means is that anything that affects our teaching and hope in the death and resurrection of Jesus for all people and for us is central.

All the rest is not essential for agreement. It doesn’t mean other things aren’t important. But it does mean we do not necessarily have to agree in order to remain together. And ethical stances fall into this category more often than not. Whether we accept and re-marry divorced people does not affect our salvation in Jesus. Therefore we can and do disagree on this in the greater Church.

So what do we do if we’re ever wrong? What happens then? Well, it’s always good to ask that question of ourselves when we interpret Scripture. I always try to keep a part in the back of my mind that says, “Keep listening, just in case you’re wrong on this one.” It’s healthy for us to have that humility before God and before this Word, and before each other. And so we keep listening to each other, and to the Church as we go, in case we’re wrong. We’re not all going at this solo, and we need to listen to the Church Jesus has given us.

Even so, we might individually or as congregations or denomination, disagree with the rest of the Church. If it’s not on an issue of central importance to the Gospel, even that can be OK. But when we do, we must take extra care that we believe we’re listening clearly to the Spirit’s guidance.

But finally, it’s important that we learn to pray, read, discern, and then make our decisions and act. We can’t just sit still and never act or do. If we’re right, we thank God, whether we’re acting as individuals, congregations, or as the whole Church. If we’re wrong, we trust in God’s gracious forgiveness and guidance to get us back on the path, individually or collectively. As the Reformation showed, even the Church sometimes goes collectively astray and needs to be brought back.

But we know this is true, because Jesus, God’s Son has shown it again and again: The Triune God will not abandon us in our wrong decisions. And please hear this: the only way any of us will have eternal life is by Jesus’ forgiveness of all we have done. If after prayer, conversation, and discernment, for example, I make a wrong call, I absolutely trust that Jesus will be able to forgive it as much as any other sin I have committed in my life. I’ll have plenty in my bag that will need to be forgiven when I come to those gates; anything additional that I didn’t know about I’ll still need to trust to Jesus’ forgiveness. And so will the whole Church.

God has given us a great gift in this written Word that leads and guides us.

And I’m convinced the more I do this ministry that Jesus meant it when he said the Spirit of God would lead us into truth when we’re ready for it. As we live together in this community and as a part of the greater Church, let us always pray for God’s guidance and direction through the living Word, our Lord Jesus, to better understand what the Scriptures would tell us about how to live faithful lives as disciples and share God’s love with the world, and to fully live the abundant life he offers through this.

In the name of Jesus. Amen

Losing Control

September 30, 2012 By moadmin

Baptized into the life of the Triune God, we do not seek control of where and how God works, nor do we seek to limit those for whom and to whom God gives grace and welcome; we faithfully follow where the Spirit leads.

Pr. Joseph G. Crippen, Time after Pentecost, Sunday 26, year B; texts: Mark 9:38-50; Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29

Sisters and brothers, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

One of the many admirable things about the 12 step recovery programs that are available to people struggling with addiction is their grounding in the giving up of control. The first step is to admit one has no control over one’s life and one’s addiction. This is a wisdom which transcends addiction recovery and is worthy of all to consider: ultimately we have no control over our lives, over what truly matters, and as our readings today remind us, certainly not over God. Which leads to steps 2 and 3 in the recovery programs: recognizing that a Power greater than ourselves exists who can restore us to life, and turning our lives over to the care of that God. If you’re not familiar with these 12 step programs, there’s no attempt to define who God is, who that Power is. The focus is on each individual recognizing their own faith and need for God. But there is again much wisdom in this, even for all of us who are baptized into the Body of Christ, marked with the name of the Triune God.

Joshua and John are who got me thinking about this. Both of these great men are concerned about who’s in control, and are trying to get Moses, in Joshua’s case, or Jesus, in John’s, to share their anxiety and concern. Remarkably, Moses and Jesus do not. Rather, they open our minds to the possibility that we have no control over where God acts in the world, and we should be happy about that.

It seems that both the great prophet Moses and the Son of God, our Lord Jesus, are inviting us to a recovery of our own, a recovery from our addiction to determining who is in God’s care and love, our persistent need to control things that are beyond our skill, beyond our wisdom, beyond our compassion.

We begin with these Scriptural issues, the question of control and stumbling blocks.

In both the first reading and the Gospel, there are people who are acting under the grace of the Spirit of God whom faithful followers don’t recognize as authorized to do so. Moses receives help from the LORD to do his work, with 70 people anointed with the Spirit. They were all supposed to gather in one place; two of them stayed in the camp. But the Spirit came upon all 70. Joshua’s concern is that Eldad and Medad didn’t come to the meeting place, and yet they’re back in the camp prophesying anyway. Moses wisely recognizes that the Spirit of the LORD goes where she will go, and tells Joshua not to worry about it. In fact, he expresses his desire that the LORD would so anoint everyone with the Spirit, with no limits to who’s used by God to serve in the world.

In Jesus’ case it’s a little different. Apparently someone who wasn’t officially part of the larger group of his disciples (not just the twelve) was doing exorcisms in Jesus’ name anyway. John’s very concerned. This person hasn’t heard the teachings, he’s not actually following Jesus as a disciple. Someone should stop him. Jesus wisely recognizes that if someone is doing good in his name it’s not likely they’ll turn against him, and tells John to let it be. In fact, he goes so far as to say that if people aren’t against him, they’re as good as for him.

But he then he goes on to warn the disciples not to be a stumbling block to anyone, any of these “little ones,” not necessarily speaking only of children, but of all who would come to him. It’s not only that the disciples shouldn’t try to control whom God uses as leaders; they’re also warned not to do anything which would drive away potential followers.

So it’s pretty simple: God gets to decide where grace and life go, and the Spirit will flow when and where she will. This has tremendous implications for us in a pluralistic society and world. We’re hearing that it doesn’t matter if we necessarily agree with people who are not of our group, or even those whom we perceive as outsiders, unauthorized people in our group. The Spirit may come upon them nonetheless, and we’re not in control of that.

Now granted, in both cases today, this isn’t an argument for respecting other faiths. It was Israelites and disciples of Jesus, and even the unknown exorcist was doing it in Jesus’ name.

But that respect is certainly applicable to our world situation. Though we believe that God is truly known as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that Jesus is the Son of God, the Word Incarnate among us, and that he died and rose to give us and the world life, though this is the truth about God’s action in the world, this faith itself commits us to another truth: if God is who we believe God to be then by definition we cannot believe that we control where the Holy Spirit will work and do things. So it would be folly for us to assume or assert that people of other faiths are not also being influenced by the Triune God through the work of the Holy Spirit, even if they don’t know it. If there’s anything Jesus and Moses are saying today it’s that we’re not in charge of God.

This warning is necessary because the need to control is widespread in every facet of society. For today we can simply stick with people of faith.

Somehow we’ve gotten so arrogant in our faith claims as a human race (perhaps because we’re also fearful of being on the wrong side) that we make faith an article worthy of war as we seek to control others and defend what we believe.

It’s easy to look to our Muslim brothers and sisters in the Middle East and decry this sinfulness, but it’s patently clear that it’s our sin as well. It’s been a long time since Christians waged the Crusades against both Muslims and Jews, but we’re still acting like we’re at war.

This is the chief problem with the proposed marriage amendment, as I see it. Clearly our practices at Mount Olive are in opposition to what the amendment proposes, and that’s a problem for many of us here. But the real problem with the amendment is that it is an amendment proposed by one religious group to codify their particular religious beliefs into the state constitution, where they have no place. It isn’t enough for them to believe what they will; they want the constitution to state that all must believe so. They want to control how other faith groups view marriage. Or at least, control whether such views should be recognized by the state.

Regardless of whether or not anyone in the state agrees with the premise of the amendment, then there is this reality: it is fundamental to our life as the United States is the principle that no religious group gets to create laws which restrict or infringe on the beliefs and practices of another religious group. To say nothing of our constitutional commitment not to discriminate against particular groups of people in constitution or in law, which this amendment also does.

So this call to relinquish control comes to us in a world where we see Christians and other faiths consistently seeking to control others who believe differently. Whether they exercise that need to control by attacking people militarily or by seeking to marginalize them in constitution and law, it’s the same problem.

But it’s not just the larger groups. Each of us individually struggles with this control issue. Whenever we wish that others would do things our way, whenever we’re angry because something doesn’t work the way we want it to, whenever we feel threatened by someone else’s views, we’re struggling with this issue.

So following Jesus and Moses, how might we live as faithful Christians and give up our attempts to control God and others?

First, it would be good if we could remove ourselves from the need to defend God, the Scriptures, the Church, or to determine who is serving God. There seems to be a tendency, especially in recent years, for people increasingly to fear that God or the Scriptures need defending against those who might disagree.

Yet we’re not called to defend the Triune God anywhere in Scripture. We are called to believe, to love, to witness to God’s grace. And it’s good if we have theological debate and try to best discern God’s will for us, for the Church, for the world. But should we meet those who believe other than we, even those of our faith who disagree with us, it’s not necessary that we work to shut them down or to restrict them. We’re called to love them and treat them with respect.

Imagine what the environment in the world would be if simply the people of faith acted with the confidence that God’s in charge and we don’t need to fight to protect or defend God or God’s messengers.

In the same way, should some seem to speak with the Spirit of God whom we don’t know, or of whom we have not approved, it isn’t our place to try and stop them. As Gamaliel said to the other Jewish leaders in the book of Acts when considering what to do with the early apostles, if we wait we’ll see the fruits. If they’re with God, we don’t want to be working against them, and if they’re not, it will become evident.

Second, as baptized children of God we are called individually and as a congregation and part of the greater Church to seek to break barriers to God’s grace, not set them up.

Jesus’ chilling declaration that we’d be better off tying stones around us and jumping into the sea than to cause someone to stumble, to fall away, is a powerful word today. Every community of any kind, every group, every institution, has its own culture and tendencies, and those can often seem to exclude others. Some of these are intentional, some are not.

The Church is no exception; neither is Mount Olive. What is different about the Church, and this congregation, is that we know we are shaped and called by the One who gave his life for all the world, and therefore we must always be vigilant to how we welcome, how we help others come to God’s grace in Jesus, how we hold ourselves in the world.

And what does this mean for us?

It means we’re called to stand for those who cannot stand for themselves, speak for those who have no voice, and work for justice for those who have no access to it.

It means that our words, actions, decisions, and life as people of God should always be held to this standard.

It means we never ask “what’s in it for me, what’s in it for us,” but rather, “who are the last, the least, the Christs among us who need our help breaking through a barrier, stepping over a stumbling block”?

It’s risky living this way, of course. It means we can’t control what others do to us because that’s not our job. But it also means that we’re living as Jesus would have us live, and we’re reaching the ones he needs us to reach, and that’s worth everything.

In the end, Jesus is asking us to lose control by trusting his love.

To give up our need to be in charge of anything related to God and the mission of Christ, and obediently seek to follow wherever the Spirit leads. Even if the Spirit is working in people we wouldn’t choose, in groups we don’t recognize. Even if there are some things that we lose by welcoming those whom Jesus has asked us to welcome. Since God’s grace and plan are beyond our ability to grasp fully, and beyond our skill and wisdom to control, all we can do is be faithful in the place we are sent.

And the only way to lose control like this is to throw ourselves trustingly upon the astonishing love of God Jesus has shown us, and let our lives live in that love, shaped by it, called by it, renewed by it, that all might be reached by such love, and that the Good News be lived in this world to the farthest corners of the creation.

In the name of Jesus. Amen

The Olive Branch, 9/28/12

September 28, 2012 By moadmin

Accent on Worship

Whenever the people of God take on a task or a leadership role, tackle a problem, or are burdened with grief or life’s problems, they are called to pray. Whenever the people of God celebrate a joyous occasion, a new beginning, or healing, they are called to give thanks and praise. Prayer should be central to the life of a Christian, the first action, though many times it is “Plan B.” We have all heard the expression, “When all else fails, pray.”

Our God is relational, and prayer is nothing other than a relationship with God. The great leaders and prophets of the Bible had two things in common: they were far from perfect, (most of them would not be the leaders we would choose) and they all had a close relationship with God. In the first reading for Time after Pentecost Sunday 26, Moses is deep in prayer. He complains and requests. It is all prayer and it is all answered. However, the fact that his prayers are answered is not the most amazing thing about this text. The amazing thing is that he is so comfortable with his Lord, his Creator and Savior, that he is downright cross with God and not afraid to show it. Our Lord longs for us to share our whole life with him, all our joys, sorrows and frustrations. This is an honest and true relationship and it is true prayer when we share our whole selves with God.

James writes in the second lesson for the day, “Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.” Jesus, unlike all the other prophets, was perfect, but he had one thing in common with those who came before him, a close personal relationship with his heavenly Father. He prayed. We are called to do the same.

– Donna Pususta Neste

Sunday Readings

September 30, 2012 – Time after Pentecost, Sunday 26
Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29 + Psalm 19:7-14
James 5:13-20 + Mark 9:38-50

October 7, 2012 – Time after Pentecost, Sunday 27
Genesis 2:18-24 + Psalm 8
Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 + Mark 10:2-16

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
Thursday, October 4, 7:00 pm
Bring your pets to church for
this annual service of blessing!

Sunday’s Adult Education: Sunday, September 30, 9:30 a.m.

This week our forum will be “Music Ministry in Prison,” presented by Bea Hasselmann, the founder/director of the Metropolitan Boys Choir, who has undertaken a ministry of music among inmates of the Minnesota Correction Facility at Red Wing. In this presentation, Ms. Hasselmann will discuss the power of music and her work with the men at Red Wing.

Music and Fine Arts Series Launched

Brochures for the 2012-2013 Music and Fine Arts series have been mailed – hopefully you’ve received yours. If not, they are certainly available around the church. Pick one up. Share one.

Your support is helpful in offering these gifts to the greater Twin Cities community in two ways: the first is in attending and assisting us in hosting these events, and second, your financial support is critical. You may leave your donations in the baskets on Sunday, or mail them to the office.

The first event is on October 14, 4:00 pm, with Peter Oustrousko and Dean Magraw. Don’t miss it!

Congregation Meeting October 28

The semi-annual meeting of Mount Olive congregation will be held on Sunday, October 28, following the second liturgy (beginning at approximately 12:15 p.m.). The main purpose of this meeting will be to approve a budget for 2013, and to consider several constitutional and bylaw amendments the Vestry is recommending to the congregation. All voting members of Mount Olive are encouraged to attend.

The constitutional recommendations were sent to all members via email and snail mail. Extra copies are available in the narthex at church. Please read this document carefully in advance of the meeting.

It’s a Wedding – And You’re Invited

The Mount Olive community is invited to share in the marriage celebration of Matt McCuen and Katie Krueger on October 13, 2012. The liturgy will be held at 3:00pm at Mount Olive with light hors d’oeuvres immediately following in the Chapel Lounge. No gifts please! If you are unable to attend, Katie and Matt appreciate your prayers and best wishes.

Save Your Manufacturer’s Coupons

Please save the coupon sections from your newspapers and mailbox (Red Plum, Smart Source, and P & G Savers). Through TRUST, a program called “Store to Door” redeems these coupons for general operating funds. Cut out the coupons you need, leave the rest of the book intact, and bring them to church. These coupon books can be placed in the white box in the coat room.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

The Prayer Shawl Ministry will gather monthly to work on prayer shawls. We meet the first Saturday of the month from 1-3 p.m. The location is Blue Ox Coffee Company at 3740 Chicago Av. S. Please join the fun on October 6.

Vestry Update, Sept. 10, 2012 meeting

The September 10 Vestry meeting primarily focused on creating the 2013 budget for review and approval at the upcoming Semi-Annual Mount Olive Congregation meeting (October 28). Each Director presented their area of the budget and the Vestry was able to discuss each proposed line item. A preview of the 2013 budget is scheduled following the second liturgy on October 21. During this forum, congregational members may ask questions of the Vestry.

The Capital Campaign Tithe has been met and the task force expects to distribute the gifts in 2012. An update will be given at the Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting in October and a special congregational meeting scheduled to authorize the gifts after the Vestry reviews them at the November meeting.
The Vestry approved five changes to the Mount Olive Constitution and By-laws to go before the Congregation in October. Each clarifies the intent or adds new information into the document. With these updates, the Constitution and By-laws more closely follow what Mount Olive current does in both policy and procedure.

Please keep your eye out for a proposed meeting to address the Voter ID Amendment and the Marriage Amendment from a faith perspective. With the upcoming election in November, the Vestry has endorsed a gathering of Mount Olive members to engage in discussion about how to view these amendments through a Lutheran based faith lens.

The last part of the meeting included updates from Committee Directors and concluded with a prayer by Pastor Crippen.

Please also note that a draft of the complete minutes from the Vestry meeting is available for review on the bulletin board in the church office.

The Olive Branch, 9/21/12

September 24, 2012 By moadmin

Accent on Worship

A Teaching Parish

It’s been nearly a month since Vicar Neal Cannon began with us, and in that month he’s gotten married, so it’s been a busy one for him. People have had a chance to meet and greet him and his wife Mary in these first weeks, and he seems to be settling in. This rhythm of saying farewell to one vicar while preparing to welcome another is a new one for me, but not for this parish. Neal is our 42nd vicar at Mount Olive (if I’ve done the counting properly), so this rhythm is well-established among many in this congregation.

But it seems good to remind ourselves as we begin another year with another vicar of the nature of this ministry among us. We are a teaching parish which commits itself to welcome a new seminarian each year and to live with him or her for a year in a relationship of mutual learning and ministry. This is a crucial year for seminarians, as they explore and experience parish ministry in depth in ways they haven’t before, and learn their gifts and limitations in ways they cannot simply do in class. It is also crucial for us, as we open our lives and our congregation to welcome these people among us. They learn from us; we learn from them; together we are privileged to serve God in this place.

It is worth keeping in mind our congregation’s call to teach. Sometimes it seems people are nervous about “letting” the vicar do something without someone like me looking over their shoulder or checking everything. This is part of the learning, that a seminarian tries things out, attempts to do ministry, and the chips fall where they may. Sometimes things are successful, sometimes they are not. In all cases learning can happen. Our job is to help each vicar in that learning.

To that end, I encourage all members of the congregation to consider offering Neal, and future vicars, feedback and responses to ministry they do. The Internship Committee (Steve Manuel, Miriam Luebke, John Crippen, Ro Griesse, Warren Peterson, Peggy Hoeft) will be doing a number of formal evaluations, including written evaluations of each of his sermons. But all of us are called to be a part of his learning and a part of his teaching. Any responses he can receive will help him learn, and will shape his future ministry as a pastor. It would be wonderful if when he teaches, a number of folks would write a simple reflection or feedback about how they received it. It would be helpful if people in the pews (besides the committee) would once in a while give him written feedback on a sermon (we have simple forms if you’d like to use one, printed and in the office), more than “nice sermon.” If there are things he does well in any kind of ministry here, let him know. If there are things you think would help him learn and grow, it would be a generous gift to share that as well.

This can be a wonderful place for a seminarian to learn. The more intentional we all are to be faithful sisters and brothers to our vicars as well as compassionate teachers, the better we will serve our call to be a teaching parish for future pastors of this church. Thank you for all you do in this important ministry!

– Joseph

Sunday Readings

September 23, 2012 – Time after Pentecost, Sunday 25
Jeremiah 11:18-20 + Psalm 54
James 3:13—4:3, 7-8a + Mark 9:30-37

September 30, 2012 – Time after Pentecost, Sunday 26
Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29 + Psalm 19:7-14
James 5:13-20 + Mark 9:38-50

Sunday’s Adult Education: Sunday, September 23, 9:30 a.m.

This week we will view a film, “The Creed: What Christians Profess, and Why It Ought to Matter.” Produced by actor, director, and writer, Tim Kelleher, The Creed is a remarkable film about why the radical claims made in the Nicene Creed are so important to all of us.

Next Sunday, September 30, our forum will be “Music Ministry in Prison,” presented by Bea Hasselmann, the founder/director of the Metropolitan Boys Choir, who has undertaken a ministry of music among inmates of the Minnesota Correction Facility at Red Wing. In this presentation, Ms. Hasselmann will discuss this project — how she came to it, how it works, what its benefits are.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

Do you knit or crochet? Yes? Then mark This Sunday, September 23 on your calendar because you are needed at the next meeting of the Mount Olive Prayer Shawl Ministry group. We will meet at 9:30 a.m. in the Undercroft.

Don’t know how to knit or crochet? No problem. We can teach you! So grab a cup of coffee and join the meeting to learn more about this rewarding ministry.

If you need additional information or have any questions about this project, contact Peggy Hoeft (peggyrf70@gmail.com).

Book Discussion Group

Mount Olive’s Book Discussion group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. For October 13, they will read Remarkable Creatures, by Tracy Chevalier, and for November 10 they will read, Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray.

It’s a Wedding – And You’re Invited

The Mount Olive community is invited to share in the marriage celebration of Matt McCuen and Katie Krueger on October 13, 2012. The liturgy will be held at 3:00 pm at Mount Olive with light hors d’oeuvres immediately following in the Chapel Lounge. No gifts please! If you are unable to attend, Katie and Matt appreciate your prayers and best wishes.

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi: Thursday, October 4, 7:00 pm

Bring your pets to church for this annual service of blessing!

Welcome, New Members!

We give thanks to God for these new sisters and brothers who will be received into membership at the 10:45 Eucharist this Sunday, September 23:

• Anders & Valerie John-Amala (their son Elijah was previously received by Baptism)
• Cathy Bosworth & Marty Hamlin (associate members, will be received in October)
• Sue Browender
• Martin Connell & Greg Terhaar (associate members)
• Ronald & Barbara French (associate members)
• Marilyn Gebauer
• Jennifer Kaufenberg (daughter Tate will be received by Baptism at a later date)
• Mark Lofstrom
• Julie Manuel
• Marty & Rebecca Melang
• Tim & Amy Reddy
• Janelle East & Bern Youngblood

Join us for lunch following the second liturgy to greet our newest members!

A Note From the Property Director

Thanks to all the helping hands for their assistance on the September 8 Clean-up Day! We made great progress on getting the church ready for the fall activities. Another Fall Clean-up Day is scheduled for Saturday, October 20. Watch the Olive Branch for more details.

– Brenda Bartz, Property Director