Blog – Page 312

The Olive Branch, 10/14/15

October 15, 2015 By Mount Olive Church Leave a Comment

Accent on Worship

Favorite Hymns Survey

It was no surprise to me that when I asked of you to name your “top three” hymns there was grousing about narrowing it down to so few. It’s always been clear that this is a hymn-loving congregation. It’s deeply a part of who we are – both as individuals, and as a community with a collective memory bank!

There’s still a little time. We said you had until the 15th – which is Thursday of this week. However – if you can get your list to me by the end of Monday, October 19, I’ll include it in the survey compilation. Just jot them down. No more than three, however.

So far, here’s where we stand:

52 of you have responded so far.
87 hymns were named.
64 of those were named by one person.
12 of those were named by TWO persons.
3 of those were named by three people.
4 of those were named by four people.
3 of them were named by six people.
1 was named by seven people.

There are some interesting things to learn from this already. First of all, a close unanimous thing is that the hymns named were among those sung regularly by us in our liturgies. Only three or four of those 88 hymns are currently not sung on a regular basis by the Mount Olive community. We’re constantly singing each other’s song, making them an “our” song! I find this encouraging. There isn’t a list of hymns we’re NOT singing that most of you wished we were.

Second, isn’t it interesting to see the relatively small number of “in common” favorites? This, too, I see as a good thing. It’s our diversity brought into unity through song. An assumption I often have run into over the years, is that there is a list of favorites which is in common with a majority. Not so. At least among what we have asked for in this instance, “favorites.” No doubt there are hymns that a majority “like” in common. Especially here!

To find that list, I’d have to ask you all to write down ALL the hymns you find meaningful and compile that which would be a huge task. I can tell by your voices when we’re singing, however.
Once we are past the 19th I will publish and post the final results with titles. I left them out here so as to not influence those of you who haven’t responded yet.

What are we going to do with this list? Mostly it’s for information to keep in mind as I select hymns for our liturgies. I’m also finding out as much as I can about you as individuals, and how that translates into community in song. We are also preparing for a month-long celebration commemorating 50 years since the installation of the Schlicker organ (October of 2016). One thing we will do as a part of that is record and produce a CD of hymns sung by the Mount Olive congregation! We’ll have some recording sessions this coming spring, and perhaps include some of the “top favorites.” Watch for more information.

– Cantor David Cherwien

Sunday Readings

October 18, 2015: St. Luke, Evangelist
Isaiah 53:4-12
Psalm 91:9-16
Hebrews 5:1-10
Mark 10:35-45
______________

October 25, 2015: Reformation Sunday
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm 46
Romans 3:19-28
John 8:31-36

Tending the Family of God

We are sometimes reluctant to get in touch with people who have been missing from worship because we are afraid the conversation will be uncomfortable. (Actually, such conversations are rarely uncomfortable.) But which is worse: some possibility of discomfort caused by an act of love, or the people whom you have noticed missing from worship coming to the conclusion that no one cared about them or even knew that they were gone because no one got in touch with them? We want them to know they are missed and loved. They are important to us.

Be in touch.

Semi-Annual Meeting

The semi-annual meeting of Mount Olive congregation will be held on Sunday, October 25, following the second liturgy. The purpose of this meeting is to approve a budget for 2016.

A budget preview meet-ing will be held this Sunday, October 18, follow-ing the second liturgy. This will be an opportunity for all members to learn more about the budget they will approve the following week. All voting members of Mount Olive are encouraged to attend these meetings!

Thursday Bible Study Continues

Thursday evening Bible Study continues through October 29. The evening starts with a light supper at 6:00 pm, followed by Bible Study. This session, titled “The Last Enemy,” is led by Pr. Crippen. The focus is on mortality, death and dying, and how the Scriptures guide us.

Reminder: There will be no Bible Study tomorrow evening, October 15.

Transitions Support Group

All are welcome at Transitions Support Group. If you’re looking for new ideas or encouragement to meet the challenges or uncertainties that are before you, join us on Wednesday, November 11 at 6:00 pm.

This is an opportunity to share in fellowship, prayer, and discussion with others in the Mount Olive community.

Transitions Support Group meets on Wednesday, November 11 from 6- 7 pm at Mount Olive in the lower level Youth Room, and will be facilitated by Cathy Bosworth and Amy Cotter.

For more information, please contact Cathy at 612-708-1144, marcat8447@yahoo.com, or Amy at 612-710-1811, agate651@gmail.com.

What are your Top Three Favorite Hymns? Deadline Extended to Oct. 19

I am conducting a survey in the coming weeks, to find out what our top three hymns are. My hunch is that for many of you this may be difficult – to narrow it down to so few, that is! I did this in past parishes, and learned a lot about who they were in doing so. I suspect that will again be the case, although I also suspect the lists will look quite different from than those I’ve seen before.

When you get a chance, begin thinking and thumbing through the hymnal; try to narrow it down. We will NOT ask you to include Christmas carols and hymns, as that is too easy to guess. (or..?!?…)

Those with internet access, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Y9ZMP2H to enter your favorites. If you don’t have internet access, simply jot them down and bring/mail them to the church office – or call them in by calling the office at 612.827.5919.

The results will be helpful in a number of ways, but mostly will be informational for me as your Cantor.

– Cantor David Cherwien

New Member Welcome

Mount Olive will welcome new members and associate members on Sunday, November 15, during the second liturgy. If you are interested in becoming a member or associate member, please contact the office via e-mail to welcome@mountolivechurch.org or by phone, 612-827-5919. You may also contact Pastor Crippen at church, or Andrew Andersen (763-607-1689).

A welcome brunch will follow the liturgy for new members and for all who would like to be part of the welcome festivities.

Restoration 2015 Updates

Follow the Renovations 2015 blog for weekly updates and new information on the project: http://morenovations2015.blogspot.com/.

There is also a link to the blog on the front page of the church website www.mountolivechurch.org.

Book Discussion Group Update

Mount Olive’s Book Discussion Group meets on the second Saturday of each month, at 10:00 am in the West Assembly Area at church. All readers are welcome! For the November 14 meeting they will read The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery.

Names of the Departed Saints Invited

As a part of our All Saints liturgy on Sunday, Nov. 1, worshipers are invited to submit the names of loved ones close to them who have died in the past year, since last All Saints Sunday, who weren’t members of Mount Olive. (Members of the parish who have died are always named.) These other names submitted will be included in the prayers of intercession. There will be one more opportunity to write these names this Sunday, or you may simply contact the church office with the names. Please keep this to just those who have died this past year, so we can have a more manageable list.

Peace with Justice Forum

The next Minneapolis and Saint Paul Area Synods Peace with Justice Committee’s Peace With Justice Forum will be held on Sunday, October 18, 2015, 12:30-2 pm, at Central Lutheran Church, 3rd Ave and 12th St. in Minneapolis. Lunch is available for $7.00, but the speech is gratis.

Validated parking is available in the Central parking lot/ramp on the south side of the church.
The topic of this forum will be “A Challenge for Us All: Soul-Searching on Consequences of War,” and the presenter will be the Rev. Lowell Erdahl, retired pastor, author, and former bishop of the St. Paul Area Synod of the ELCA.

Extreme Makeover: The Nave Floor

The refinishing of the floor under the pews went on throughout last week. By Friday, it was looking beautiful! But, then came the huge job of vacuuming and dusting the pews, the hymnals, the kneelers – it’s amazing all the places into which dust can find a way.

Huge thanks are due to a wonderful crew of workers who moved, refastened, and cleaned for over six hours last Saturday, so the church would be ready for worship Sunday morning.

The workers: Mark and Linda Pipkorn, Chuck Reyer, Steve Manuel, Jo Ellen Kloehn, Bob (“Vacuum Man”) Lee, Katherine Hanson, Don Luther, David Molvik, Joyce Brown, George Oelfke, Andrew Andersen, Elaine and Art Halbardier. And a round of applause to Sexton William Pratley for long days, patience, and perseverance in getting the floor stripped, sealed, and waxed. Altogether, it was a huge job well done.

Asbestos – Gone!!

Monday, October 5, 7 am: The sidewalk in front of the church looked like an “invasion site.” It was! The crew from Mavo Systems were there to clear the asbestos tile and mastic from the undercroft.

The work area was sealed so that none of the nasty stuff could escape into the rest of the building; a fresh air supply for the undercroft was created, contaminated air was filtered and vented outside.

In just four days, the asbestos was gone and the area was safe. The abatement crew was very professional and thorough. Workers are now hard at work installing the new floor to get the Undercroft ready for use next weekend. This project was funded by a grant from The Mount Olive Lutheran Church Foundation.

Powderhorn 365

Through the lenses of volunteer photographers, Powderhorn365 tells the daily stories of the Powderhorn Park neighborhood: making people and places visible, documenting history and celebrating life. Powderhorn365 produces a visual, community-written narrative through photo postings, photobooks and exhibits.

To see the work of this photo a day project, visit http://www.powderhorn365.com.

2016 Common Hope Teams to Guatemala

Mount Olive will send two teams to Guatemala in 2016 to visit Common Hope students and projects. One team is going in April and one at the end of July. Each team still has room for more members if you’d like to go along. Just leave your name at the church office or contact Judy Hinck (judyhinck@gmail.com, 612-824-4918) or Lisa Ruff (jklmruff@msn.com) for more information.

All of Mount Olive is part of this adventure. Our team goals: we will foster encounters that provoke compassion and challenge com-placency; we will connect needs and resources; we will build relation-ships. Practically speaking, what does that mean? We will visit students and their schools. We will meet supported families. We will help build a home. We will learn more about the health care Common Hope provides. We will provide support for schools, students and families.

Even if you can’t come along, as part of Mount Olive, you are part of the action. You’ll get updates, meet students who attend school because of Common Hope. You’ll see what a difference a floor can make. You’ll wonder at the beauty of central Guatemala. Look for updates as we plan, but get involved now. Support our teams as we contribute our time, talents and money to extend our Taste of Guatemala–Common Hope to a people-to-people connection.

Final Call for Refugee Relief Match

Next week Mount Olive will submit its contribution to the synod to participate in the Refugee Relief Matching Challenge. If you would like your donation to be part of the match, contribute this week, clearly marking your contribution “Refugee Relief.”

All funds will be sent to the Lutheran Disaster Response fund and 100% of the monies will be earmarked for refugee relief projects.

Celebrate and Rejoice!

Your Missions Committee received this news from the ELCA:

“I have incredible news! The ELCA Malaria Campaign just reached its fundraising goal of $15 million! Thank you for being a part of this monumental milestone and helping us protect countless lives from this preventable, treatable disease. Working with our Lutheran companions and partners in 13 African countries, we have brought about lasting change. We couldn’t have done it without you! Today we celebrate all that we have accomplished together.”
– Christina Jackson-Skelton,
Executive Director, Mission Advancement, ELCA

Sunday’s Adult Forum

Oct. 18: “The Body at Worship,” presented by Dwight Penas.

National Lutheran Choir to Present All Saints Concert, “Blessed Are They”

Join the National Lutheran Choir for their annual All Saints Concert: “Blessed Are They” – a concert of music and texts reflecting on the lives of those who have been loved and lost. Concerts are 4pm, Sunday, November 1, at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi and 7:30pm, Friday, November 6, at St. Bartholomew Catholic Faith Community in Wayzata.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, call Brown Paper Tickets (800) 838-3006 or order online at www.nlca.com.

Tickets will also available at the door on the day of the concert. The box office opens one hour prior to the concert.

An Invitation to Live

October 11, 2015 By moadmin

The word of God both calls us to act and reminds us that we are enough. This is the tension in which we live, called into something new and scary and not yet knowing or understanding how to make it a reality. This is where God’s grace is found.

Vicar Anna Helgen
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 28, year B
text: Mark 10:17-31

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

If Jesus were to walk through the doors here at Mount Olive, can you imagine yourself running up to him, kneeling at his feet, and saying, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” I can. Because I wonder about these things. Like you, I try to be a good person, to do the right thing by loving others, and to ensure that my future is in God’s hands. But I worry about what I’m forgetting, what I’m missing, and where my ignorance has gotten the best of me. We want to know that our relationship and life with God is promised both here and now and in the life to come. So this question of eternal life matters! As does Jesus’ answer.

In this brief interaction, we get a sense that this man trusts Jesus enough to enter into this dialogue. He’s led a faithful life and kept the commandments, and yet he wonders what is missing. “You lack one thing,” Jesus says. “Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

Those words are hard to hear: You’re too focused on yourself and your own accumulation of things. It’s time for a change! Opportunities for relationship abound and you’re missing them!

We can relate. We too have many possessions–in comparison to the rest of the world–and it’s easy for us to get caught up in our own lives, in our own worries, concerns, and ideologies. We feel anxious about entering this future that God calls us to because it’s hard to imagine what it would be like to sell all our things and give the money to the poor. But is that all this passage is about? Does Jesus simply ask us to cash out our IRAs and piggy banks, empty our homes of our belongings, and then follow him?

Hebrews provides some help here. “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The words of Jesus cut deep. They have this wonderful ability to expose us and help us see who we truly are. To feel our brokenness and vulnerability. To uncover our fears. And also to help us imagine a new reality that comes into being as we live into our relationship with God and with others.

On the one hand, these words from Jesus convict us. In order to be in relationship with Jesus, to follow him and have eternal life, we need to change the way we handle our wealth. “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

This is a call to act! But I’m not sure I can do what Jesus asks of me nor am I sure I want to. I like my things. My canoe. My car. A home to call my own. My dad taught me to save money for the future, and now I’m being asked to give it all away? That is scary. What if I can’t do it? Am I a bad person? Will Jesus still love me? Will there still be room for me in God’s kingdom? This man, no doubt, has these same questions. Jesus’ words pierce his soul and leave him feeling uncertain and sad. If this is required of us, then we all fall short.

On the other hand, these words from Jesus come from a place of love. Did you catch that detail? Before Jesus says these words, he looks down at the man who kneels before him, sees his truth, and loves him, just as he is. After all, he knows a few things about what it’s like to live in this world. To give up what makes us comfortable, what secures our future, and what makes life easy. It is out of love that Jesus provides words of guidance that will help this man to be better. Advice that will help him along the way. Like a good teacher, Jesus doesn’t trick, shame, or belittle this man. Instead, he helps him to imagine a new way of living in the world.

So what are we to do? The word of God both calls us to act and reminds us that we are enough. I find this tension remarkable. And I love that we aren’t sure what happens with this man, who lives within this very tension. Does he go away grieving because he is too tied to his stuff and cannot give up his own abundance? Or is he grieving because he realizes that in order to embark on this new adventure, he will need to leave his old life behind. We don’t know.

I find great comfort and hope in this because it’s often where I find myself: in the uncertainty. Standing on the edge of change, with one foot in the past and one in the future. Being called into something new and scary and not yet knowing or understanding how to make it a reality. This is where God’s grace is found.

We don’t know what this man decides to do, but we know that Jesus gives him the freedom to make his own decision in his own time. To take the first step. To take a chance, a risk. God gives us freedom to listen for the Spirit to speak in our lives and move our hearts to action. And all the while, we are loved, just as we are.

The thought of having to change is scary because it means stepping out from the easy and comfortable and into the unknown. But when we take that first step, we realize that this is where there is meaning. Where we find life, hope, and grace. We notice the person at the highway entrance ramp and instead of quickly passing by, we open our wallet, exchange a sign of peace, and smile. We give a little more to the young woman who rings the doorbell raising money to save the honeybees. We remember to fill up bags for the epilepsy foundation and leave them at the doorstep. We give up our need to be better than another. We share our hearts.

Perhaps this man asked the wrong question when he ran up to Jesus. There is nothing we can do to inherit eternal life because an inheritance is something that is given. Our present and future life with God belongs to us now. And we, like this man, are already on the road with Jesus. We can approach him at any time. As we follow him and learn to live into this future that God calls us to, it becomes clear that Jesus invites us to be generous. Not because we have to in order to be in relationship or to secure our eternal destiny, but because it is better for us. It is life-giving.

By sharing our abundance, we learn to trust God and live like we believe God’s promises. We enter into relationships with people different than us. We find new opportunities to give and serve. We see all God’s people as worthy and in need of love and care. In the topsy turvy upside-down world of the gospel, to live fully in God’s kingdom we are called to share in the struggles with our neighbors, where the first are last and the last are first, where all are welcomed, valued, and loved. And, in all our attempts, in our successes and failures, in our certainty and doubt, God walks with us, leads us, and loves us. Just as we are.

Amen.

The Olive Branch, 10/7/15

October 8, 2015 By Mount Olive Church Leave a Comment

Accent on Worship

“Indeed, the word of God is living and active…” -Hebrews 4:12

I love the Bible. Perhaps that goes without saying, as a seminary student and the current vicar of Mount Olive, but I will say it again: I love the Bible. I love its stories and poetry, its complexity and simplicity, and its wisdom for life. This book gives witness to God’s new reality shaped by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And it is by the power of the Spirit—through hearing and reading these stories of the Bible—that God speaks to us.

I love that these stories tell of people much like us. They are flawed and beautiful. Courageous and quirky. We see ourselves in them because they, like us, seek to figure out what God intends for them. They wonder about the best way to live in relationship with one another and with God. They wrestle with issues of politics and economics and teach us how to care for the orphan and refugee. We can learn a lot from them.

Perhaps what I love most about the Bible, however, is how each time I encounter its stories, God speaks. And, more often than not, when God speaks, I hear something new. Because, as our Hebrews writer reminds us, the Word of God is living and active! It isn’t a book that sits on our bookshelf collecting dust; it is a book that breathes newness into our lives as we listen for how God speaks to us in this time and place.

Our scripture readings for Sunday challenge us to think about how we value our wealth – our money, our possessions, and our time. The words we will hear are certainly convicting, but they are also an invitation to live out of our abundance so that all might share in God’s love. I find great comfort knowing that when we encounter these stories, God will speak!

– Vicar Anna Helgen

Sunday Readings

October 11, 2015: 19th Sunday after Pentecost, 27B
Amos 5:6-7, 10-15
Psalm 90:12-17
Hebrews 4:12-16
Mark 10:17-31
______________

October 18, 2015: St. Luke, Evangelist
Isaiah 53:4-12
Psalm 91:9-16
Hebrews 5:1-10
Mark 10:35-45

Tending the Family of God

Have you ever noticed that someone who has regularly been at worship is now no longer there, and have you ever wondered what has happened to him or her? Have you considered that wondering what has happened may be the voice of God calling you to action? Make a phone call. Write a note. Send an email. Attend to those around you.

– Warren Peterson

New Member Welcome

Mount Olive will welcome new members and associate members on Sunday, November 15, during the second liturgy. If you are interested in becoming a member or associate member, please contact the office via e-mail to welcome@mountolivechurch.org or by phone, 612-827-5919. You may also contact Pastor Crippen at church, or Andrew Andersen (763-607-1689).

A welcome brunch will follow the liturgy for new members and for all who would like to be part of the welcome festivities.

Names of the Departed Saints Invited

As a part of our All Saints liturgy on Sunday, Nov. 1, worshipers are invited to submit the names of loved ones close to them who have died in the past year, since last All Saints Sunday, who weren’t members of Mount Olive. (Members of the parish who have died are always named.) These other names submitted will be included in the prayers of intercession. There will be one more opportunity to write these names this Sunday, or you may simply contact the church office with the names. Please keep this to just those who have died this past year, so we can have a more manageable list.

Semi-Annual Meeting

The semi-annual meeting of Mount Olive congregation will be held on Sunday, October 25, following the second liturgy. The purpose of this meeting is to approve a budget for 2016.

A budget preview meet-ing will be held on Sunday, October 18, following the second liturgy. This will be an opportunity for all members to learn more about the budget they will approve the following week. All voting members of Mount Olive are encouraged to attend these meetings!

Thursday Bible Study Continues

Thursday evening Bible Study continues through October 29. The evening starts with a light supper at 6:00 pm, followed by Bible Study. This session, titled “The Last Enemy,” is led by Pr. Crippen. The focus is on mortality, death and dying, and how the Scriptures guide us.
Note: There is no study on Thursday, October 15.

Transitions Support Group

All are welcome at Transitions Support Group. If you’re looking for new ideas or encouragement to meet the challenges or uncertainties that are before you, join us on Wednesday, November 11 at 6:00 pm.

This is an opportunity to share in fellowship, prayer, and discussion with others in the Mount Olive community.

Transitions Support Group meets on Wednesday, November 11 from 6- 7 pm at Mount Olive in the lower level Youth Room, and will be facilitated by Cathy Bosworth and Amy Cotter.

For more information, please contact Cathy at 612-708-1144, marcat8447@yahoo.com, or Amy at 612-710-1811, agate651@gmail.com.

What are your Top Three Favorite Hymns? Let us know by Oct. 15

When you get a chance, begin thinking and thumbing through the hymnal; try to narrow it down. We will NOT ask you to include Christmas carols and hymns, as that is too easy to guess. (or..?!?…)

The results will be helpful in a number of ways, but mostly will be informational for me as your Cantor.

– Cantor David Cherwien

Conversation Circle

There is an ongoing conversation being held at Mount Olive about the struggles and relationship of race in our country, our neighborhood, and our church.

This group has met in a Circle – a traditional format that allows for equal voice and a safe space to discuss difficult, complex issues with freedom. Healing, processing, and growth happen within the Circle and hopefully continues as each individual steps away in to their personal lives as well. It is an opportunity that is always open to anyone to drive at the “what does this mean in my own life? What do I do about this?” questions.

In the churning cultural world of today, it is important to be mindful and aware of the realities, not just the mirages or stereotypes or smoke and mirrors of peoples’ lives and your own. Racial discrimination and white privilege are not comfortable or clear topics to understand, but talking about them is crucial to the health of our neighborhoods and our own hearts.

Conversations are happening at Mount Olive on the 4th Monday of the month, from 6-8 pm. The circle has been a place to discover those realities and share in the journey towards the ‘good’ that God created.

– Anna Kingman

Book Discussion Group Update

Mount Olive’s Book Discussion Group meets on the second Saturday of each month, at 10:00 am in the West Assembly Area at church. All readers are welcome! For the October 10 meeting they will read The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, by Carson McCullers, and for November 14, they will read The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery.

Adult Forum

Adult Forum is held between the liturgies on Sunday mornings, beginning at approximately 9:30 am.

October 11: “Letter to the Hebrews,” presented by Pastor Joseph Crippen

The letter to the Hebrews, once attributed to Paul, is the source of the second readings in the Sun-day liturgies during October. Written to people with some of the same concerns as the audience of Colossians and Ephesians, this letter more close-ly resembles a sermon on our pilgrimage of faith.

Restoration 2015 Updates

Follow the Renovations 2015 blog for weekly updates and new information on the project: http://morenovations2015.blogspot.com/.

There is also a link to the blog on the front page of the church website www.mountolivechurch.org.

Contribution Statements

Third quarter contribution statements are being prepared and mailed to all Mount Olive contributors this week. Please take a moment to review your statement when it comes, and contact the church office if you have any questions about it.

Now is the Moment to Respond

Your Missions Committee had decided at its last meeting to wait until we heard from our Synod how our church would respond to the refugee crisis before we asked for your special gifts. We heard this week–and now it is our turn to respond and meet the challenge.

In response to the refugee crisis in Europe, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Brooklyn Park, has committed to match all gifts from Minneapolis Area Synod congregations, up to $50,000 for Lutheran Disaster Response. Senior pastor Chad Brekke said, “our members watched vulnerable families risk lives and livelihoods to leave war zones and they asked ‘what can we do?’ And then they asked, ‘Who can be in this with us?’”

The answer: You can! Lutheran Disaster Response states that LDR “is committed to meeting basic humanitarian needs and upholding the rights of those fleeing war and crisis. We are working with our companion churches, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary, the Slovak Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Serbia, and The Lutheran World Federation to provide food, diapers, blankets, water, health kits, hygiene kits, and psycho-social services to assist those who have fled their homes.”

So Mount Olive members and friends–let’s have our gifts doubled! The Missions Committee will contribute from its general fund, not taking away money from another other ministry. Your contributions, clearly marked Refugee Relief, will be added to the Committee’s contribution and sent along to the Synod as soon as possible to join with Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Please make your checks payable to Mount Olive, and be sure they are clearly designated for “Refugee Relief.”

Together we can help many.

Updated Photos

If you need an updated photo for the church’s online pictorial directory, please contact the church office or Paul Nixdorf (pn@paulnixdorf.com or 612-296-0055). We will update the online directory in November after new members are received, but updated photos need to be taken before then. This is a great opportunity to update your directory photo if needed.

2016 Common Hope Teams to Guatemala

Mount Olive will send two teams to Guatemala in 2016 to visit Common Hope students and projects. One team is going in April and one at the end of July. Each team still has room for more members if you’d like to go along. Just leave your name at the church office or contact Judy Hinck (judyhinck@gmail.com, 612-824-4918) or Lisa Ruff (jklmruff@msn.com) for more information.

All of Mount Olive is part of this adventure. Our team goals: we will foster encounters that provoke compassion and challenge complacency; we will connect needs and resources; we will build relation-ships. Practically speaking, what does that mean? We will visit students and their schools. We will meet supported families. We will help build a home. We will learn more about the health care Common Hope provides. We will provide support for schools, students and families.

Work on the Floors Begins

As work continues outdoors on the walls, roof, and windows of the church, why not start some more projects?

This past Monday, work began in the Undercroft to replace the floor, and also in the sanctuary to clean, strip and refinish the floors under all the pews. The Undercroft project will require two weeks, because there is asbestos in the tiles and the mastic that glues them down.

Week One will be “abatement,” which involves sealing the space with plastic so workers can safely remove the nasty stuff without contaminating the atmosphere in the rest of the building. Mavo Systems, specialists in this work, have been engaged to do this important phase of the project.

Week Two, beginning October 12, will be laying a new floor in the Undercroft. The color scheme will be similar to the upper floor of the Parish House. The new floor will be in place by October 15 or 16. This winter, the walls will be given a fresh coat of paint.

This project has been in the planning for some months (months before the outside repairs demanded attention), and is funded by a generous grant for this year from The Mount Olive Church Foundation. Eventually the lower level hallway will also be redone to match the upper level, and the Parish House will all look “of a piece,” but not right now.

Meanwhile, volunteers and Sexton William Pratley will be busy upstairs in the church – a project also planned many months ago. All the pews will be taken loose in sections and moved aside so that the floor underneath can be cleaned and resealed. Everything will be back in place for worship on October 11.

A busy time of taking care of our beautiful church home!

View more photos at www.morenovations2015@blogspot.com

As a Child

October 4, 2015 By moadmin

We find no life playing games with God’s law, no loopholes to sneak through; our only hope is to recognize our utter dependence and vulnerability and turn to Christ Jesus for welcome, forgiveness and newness of life.

Pr. Joseph G. Crippen
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 27, year B
texts: Mark 10:2-16; Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12

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

If you want a fight over God’s law, don’t pick it with the Son of God.

If you want a fight for a loophole to avoid the harshness of God’s law, don’t pick it with the Son of God, either.

But if your fight helps you harm someone who is already vulnerable, and endanger their well-being, well, you really, really do not want to pick such a fight with the Son of God.

Would that these religious leaders had such wisdom. They were testing Jesus, and that meant what it means today, asking a hot topic question hoping to trip him up.

They knew the Torah permitted divorce. Their trap involved a debate between two schools of Jewish thought at the time. One permitted divorce only under extreme circumstances, like adultery. The other argued a man could divorce his wife for almost any perceived fault, including, according to one rabbi, spoiling the evening meal or no longer appealing to him. [1]

Jesus wanted nothing of this debate. Their mistake was picking the fight. Because if you argue the law of God with the Son of God, he will give you God’s law. And you won’t like it.

Jesus takes them to school and leaves them no loopholes, no mercy.

You can’t dodge God’s command, he says. God doesn’t ever want divorce. Read the Scriptures.

But Jesus isn’t done. By Jewish law, only a man could initiate divorce. He could give his wife a letter of dismissal from his rabbi, and she was out. The debate was about what criteria were needed.

Jesus ignores Jewish law, saying, “If a man divorces his wife,” and adding, “and if a woman divorces her husband.” He’s already said God doesn’t want divorce. Now he speaks as if that applies to men and women. This was so far from reality that when Matthew and Luke tell this story, basing their account on Mark’s, they delete the line about a woman divorcing her husband. “Like that could ever happen,” we imagine them thinking.

Jesus still isn’t done. Not only is divorce outside of God’s will, whether a man does it or a woman, he says, if they re-marry, they’re committing adultery.

This is why you don’t pick a fight with Jesus over God’s law. You go in looking for loopholes, hoping to trap him, and you leave with a law so stringent, so airtight, you’re far worse off than when you started.

We can’t return and warn the Pharisees. But we should heed this warning.

If we want to play the law game, Jesus seriously outclasses us. We can argue about interpreting these words on divorce till we’re blue in the face, whether Jesus meant that divorced people must remain single forever, whether there are exceptions. We can correctly claim that Jesus was protecting women who were vulnerable to an unjust system. We can seek a creative way around an absolutely clear statement by the Son of God.

But we will always end with Jesus saying, God’s law is absolute. There’s no way around or through it.

And we knew this all along. No one really believes God wants divorce. No one delights in it when they do it, even if they think it’s the only option. I’ve never married a couple who said, “We can’t wait for our divorce.” If you’ve been divorced, nothing Jesus says here is a surprise.

But that goes for all of God’s law. There are lots of people in this room who every three years get to hear this reading and feel pain and guilt over their lives and their past. If you’ve been divorced, this isn’t a fun Sunday to be in church.

So let’s get everyone in this room feeling pain and guilt. There’s no reason only some of us should squirm. If you think you can somehow trick Jesus into saying the things you’ve done that were contrary to God’s will, against God’s law, are OK, or you’ve found a loophole, or they didn’t harm you or anyone else, or didn’t matter, well. You won’t win that fight, either.

Jesus will tighten our own trap until we can’t breathe. You want to justify hating and being angry with someone? He’ll say it’s murder. You want to pretend you’ve been faithful to your spouse just because you didn’t act on your fantasies? He’ll say if you thought it, you did it. This is the only outcome of playing the God’s law game. We can’t make God’s law fit our way of life. We always get caught.

So if this is a fight we can’t win and don’t want, what can we do? Lord, to whom shall we go?

We could notice Jesus doesn’t want this fight, either.

Jesus only gets harsh about the law of God when people do what these folks did, pick the fight, try to test, look for loopholes, step on others. He’s minding his own business when a woman caught in adultery is dragged in front of him. Instead of condemning her, Jesus condemns the whole crowd for their sins and gives a strong impression he knows what they are. This is the way it always goes.

But when Jesus preaches, he announces God’s reign is coming into this world, and it’s marked by forgiveness and grace. It’s a reign where the least are the greatest, where everyone is willing to serve others, where life is found in letting go of fights over right and wrong. He announces good news to the poor and oppressed, the downhearted and sinful. He goes out of his way to welcome into this reign of God people that the so-called “good” people have written off as lost causes.

If we really want to know what to do, we could notice this is the way the Son of God prefers to work in the world. He shows this by what he does next.

Jesus takes a child into his arms and says, “this is how you come to God.”

If you want to come to God with your arguments and self-righteousness, if you think you can finesse your way past God’s law and God’s standards, you will soon find out how impossible that is.

But if you’re willing to admit you are as vulnerable and dependent as any child, as vulnerable and dependent as those wives they were debating throwing away like so much trash, if you’re willing to be that weak, well. I’ve got good news for you, Jesus says. I came for people just like you.

Do you see? Jesus says to us. You can’t argue your way around what God asks of you. God wants us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. God wants us to love our neighbor as ourselves. These will be the hardest things we have ever done. There are no loopholes, no shortcuts. We will fail at both these commandments, and fail often.

But I have come that you will not fail, Jesus says. When you admit your weakness, your dependence on my mercy, your inability to live up to God’s will, I will take you into my arms, always forgive you, and set you down again with the strength and courage to love God and love neighbor with every breath of your being.

That’s the true Good News of God the Son of God wants us to know.

To show us this, Hebrews says today, the Triune God in Christ became the most vulnerable and dependent of all. Instead of supporting those who would crush others by their interpretation of God’s law while seeking loopholes for themselves, Christ Jesus tasted death, Hebrews says, suffered completely, to become the pioneer, the guide, of our salvation.

He showed us that being vulnerable and dependent on God means being vulnerable and dependent on each other. While that opens us up to all sorts of pain and loss and daily death, he shows it’s also the path of life, of resurrection.

When we are willing to become the least, we find the true God has gotten there before us, and we begin to understand: love of God can only happen where God is, and that’s always with the least, the lost, the stepped upon in our midst. Love of neighbor begins there, too, when we see everyone as our neighbor to be served, everyone as worthy of our love and care.

Then we truly begin to understand God’s grace and truly begin to live.

This is the news we’ve desperately needed, the only news worthy of being called “good.”

There is no fight we want over God’s law, and God doesn’t want it, either. The healed, whole world the Triune God is making by taking on our life in the Son and making us new, is found when we become as children again, utterly dependent, utterly vulnerable, utterly loved and graced.

The reign of God belongs to such as these, Jesus says. What a relief it is to let go of our need to prove our righteousness, to let go of our fear of failure, to let go of all those things that cause us pain and guilt. We are loved, blessed children of God, and in that reality we are given strength and courage to live like the children of God we are.

God help us on this path, because we need this life. We want it. We long for it.

In the name of Jesus. Amen

The Olive Branch, 9/30/15

October 1, 2015 By Mount Olive Church Leave a Comment

Accent on Worship

Thoughts on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

There is a wonderful consistency upon entering the church on a day that I bring Jack to work. We come in the back door and he bolts through the hallway, usually careening towards the main office, but often stopping for a quick hello at David’s office before taking off in the direction of Cha’s lap. You can hear a familiar, “Hi Jack!” from each person in their own style. Then Jack races off in search of William who usually has some extravagant treat for him like hot dogs or pork chops. Eventually he makes his way back to my office simply to grin widely, look for some water, and bring his tennis ball to someone to play with him. Every doorbell is met with passionate barking (sorry!) to greet each person that comes through the doors. To many who are new around here it is a surprise and usually a
delight to see a dog in church. To Jack’s familiar family here he is beloved, anticipated, and spoiled rotten.

It has been a particular pleasure to observe these interactions and the positive impact Jack can make just through his eager playfulness and his irresistible puppy dog eyes. Many people, both Mount Olive members and neighbors, come by hoping to see him. It seems like the simplest pleasure in the world to interact with this small dog and watch him chase a ball down the hallway.
God designed it that way. There were layers of creation; earth, water, sky, and the creatures to fill them. I often wonder at Adam’s task to name each one. He must have roamed around in peace with them, observed them, and looked them in the eyes to see who they were. Maybe he, too, wondered what was behind those peering eyes when much was communicated but nothing was said. Often when I look at Jack and he looks back I find myself looking in to that start of creation, the first relationship between humans and animals that has existed since God gave a command upon the earth. It was all “Good.”

The small little role that one puppy can play around Mount Olive continues to remind me of how utterly close we all are to those first moments on a newly created earth and the responsibility we were given. I hope to keep bringing Jack to work, barking and all, so he can take part in his place in this community and be a blessing to us in the same way we try to be for one another, tail or no tail.

– Anna Kingman

Sunday Readings

October 4, 2015: 19th Sunday after Pentecost, 27 B
Genesis 2:18-24
Psalm 8
Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12
Mark 10:2-16
______________

October 11, 2015: 20th Sunday after Pentecost, 28 B
Amos 5:6-7, 10-15
Psalm 90:12-17
Hebrews 4:12-16
Mark 10:17-31

Now is the Moment to Respond

Your Missions Committee had decided at its last meeting to wait until we heard from our Synod how our church would respond to the refugee crisis before we asked for your special gifts. We heard this week–and now it is our turn to respond and meet the challenge.

“In response to the refugee crisis in Europe, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Brooklyn Park, has committed to match all gifts from Minneapolis Area Synod congregations, up to $50,000 for Lutheran Disaster Response. Senior pastor Chad Brekke said, “our members watched vulnerable families risk lives and livelihoods to leave war zones and they asked ‘what can we do?’ And then they asked, ‘Who can be in this with us?’”

The answer: You can! Lutheran Disaster Response states that LDR “is committed to meeting basic humanitarian needs and upholding the rights of those fleeing war and crisis. We are working with our companion churches, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary, the Slovak Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Serbia, and The Lutheran World Federation to provide food, diapers, blankets, water, health kits, hygiene kits, and psychosocial services to assist those who have fled their homes.”

Together we can help many.

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
Sunday, October 4, 1:30 pm
Blessing of Animals

Bring your pets to this annual service of blessing!

Updated Photos

If you need an updated photo for the church’s online pictorial directory, please contact the church office or Paul Nixdorf (pn@paulnixdorf.com or 612-296-0055). We will update the online directory in November after new members are received, but updated photos need to be taken before then. This is a great opportunity to update your directory photo if needed.

Tending the Family of God

Have you ever noticed that someone who has regularly been at worship is now no longer there, and have you ever wondered what has happened to him or her? Have you considered that your wondering what has happened may be the voice of God calling you to action? Make a phone call. Write a note. Send an email. Attend to those around you.

– Warren Peterson

Work on Church Floors to Begin Soon

As work continues outdoors on the walls, roof, and windows of the church, why not start some more projects?

Next week, on Monday, work will commence in the Undercroft to replace the floor, and also in the sanctuary to clean, strip and refinish the floors under all the pews. The Undercroft project will require two weeks, because there is asbestos in the tiles and the mastic that glues them down.

This project has been in the planning for some months (months before the outside repairs demanded attention), and is funded by a generous grant for this year from The Mount Olive Foundation. Eventually the lower level hallway will also be redone to match the upper level, and the Parish House will all look “of a piece,” but not right now.

New Member Welcome’

Mount Olive will welcome new members and associate members on Sunday, November 15, during the second liturgy. If you are interested in becoming a member or associate member, please contact the office via e-mail to welcome@mountolivechurch.org or by phone, 612-827-5919. You may also contact Pastor Crippen at church, or Andrew Andersen (763-607-1689).

A welcome brunch will follow the liturgy for new members and for all who would like to be part of the welcome festivities.

Dust Off Your Name Tags!

With the arrival of our new Vicar, Anna Helgen, at Mount Olive, please consider wearing your name tag for the coming six weeks.

This act of hospitality will help Anna to better serve in our midst. If your name tag is missing or worn out, please contact the church office for a new one. There are holders with clips in the narthex under the name tag board for those who prefer an alternative to the original pin style.

Can We Help?

A great sorrow has struck a family of this neighborhood that considers Mount Olive a source of support and friendship. More than thirty years ago, Sylvia Thompson Leith was actively involved in Neighborhood Ministries here, particularly the Clothes Closet. Even today her children and grandchildren approach Mount Olive with a familiarity from being in the doors, taking part in Jobs After School programs, or the ties of relationships with members.

During the past week the Thompson family has experienced the sudden death of two of Sylvia’s children, Noel “Ole” Thompson, and his sister Laura Thompson Goodwin. Laura was on the way home from the funeral of her brother when she died suddenly. This family is faced with a new wound and the process of grieving the loss of two loved ones. A prayer was said in the service last Sunday for the Thompson family and I assured Laura’s daughter, who just left my office moments ago, that we will continue to raise them up in prayer and spirit during this time.

She, like all other members of this clan, came to Mount Olive seeking help as if they were asking a friend, not a stranger. It is another reminder of the ties that bind us all within the world and the importance of community in times of joy and times of great sorrow.

If you are interested in helping this family, please contact me at church.

– Anna Kingman

This is an opportunity to share in fellowship, prayer, and discussion with others in the Mount Olive community.

Transitions Support Group meets on Wednesday, November 11 from 6- 7 pm at Mount Olive in the lower level Youth Room, and will be facilitated by Cathy Bosworth and Amy Cotter.

For more information, please contact Cathy at 612-708-1144, marcat8447@yahoo.com, or Amy at 612-710-1811, agate651@gmail.com.

What are your Top Three Favorite Hymns? Let us know by Oct. 15

I am conducting a survey in the coming weeks, to find out what our top three hymns are. My hunch is that for many of you this may be difficult – to narrow it down to so few, that is! I did this in past parishes, and learned a lot about who they were in doing so. I suspect that will again be the case, although I also suspect the lists will look quite different from than those I’ve seen before.

When you get a chance, begin thinking and thumbing through the hymnal; try to narrow it down. Jot them down and bring/mail them to the church office – or call them in by calling the office at 612.827.5919.

The results will be helpful in a number of ways, but mostly will be informational for me as your Cantor.

– Cantor David Cherwien

Book Discussion Group Update

Mount Olive’s Book Discussion Group meets on the second Saturday of each month, at 10:00 am in the West Assembly Area at church. All readers are welcome! For the October 10 meeting they will read The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, by Carson McCullers, and for November 14, they will read The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery.

Adult Forum

Adult Forum is held between the liturgies on Sunday mornings, beginning at approximately 9:30 am. This Sunday’s forum will be “Restorative Justice Community Action,” presented by Cynthia Prosek

Cynthia Prosek is the Executive Director of Restorative Justice Community Action, an organization that serves communities in the five precincts of Minneapolis, endeavoring to place offenders, victims and neighborhoods in conversation with each other to heal the community. For more information, see www.rjca-inc.org.

Restoration 2015 Updates

Follow the Renovations 2015 blog for weekly updates and new information on the project: http://morenovations2015.blogspot.com/.

There is also a link to the blog on the front page of the church website www.mountolivechurch.org.

TRUST’s Annual Auction

TRUST’s annual fundraising auction will be held on Friday, October 9, beginning at 6:00 pm at St. Joan of Arc Church, 4537 3rd Ave. S., Minneapolis.

All are invited to come and be entertained, eat great food, and bid for great stuff!

Tickets are $20/each in advance or with reservation; $15 for seniors 65+/youth; and free for kids under age 10. Tickets will be available at the door for $25 each.

For reservations call 612-827-6159 or send contact TRUST via e-mail to trustinc@visi.com .