Mount Olive Lutheran Church

The Olive Branch, 10/22/14

By

Accent on Worship

     Just in the last week, every-where I turn, brilliant color is pouring out of the trees, greens giving way to reds, oranges, yellows. The world has a newness about it, life emerging brightly and boldly from what is in comparison monochromatic summer. Paradoxically, the vibrancy of fall’s colors is actually a harbinger of death, a sign of the coming winter that will banish all visible plant life, for a time, necessary preparation for spring buds and flowers.
   
     In Jeremiah, the LORD proclaims a new covenant, one that, unlike the old covenant, will not be broken. The LORD promises to put the covenant within us, to “write it on our hearts,” making it core to who we are as God’s people. God promises that we will know God, because God will forgive all our sins. Because God forgives our iniquities, we know God. God will be our God, and we will be God’s people, the living cove-nant within us.  As with the changing leaves, there is a letting go, a kind of death, inherent in welcoming the new covenant. We surrender the old covenant—slavery, sin, broken-ness, unfaithfulness—and embrace who we are as children of God, with the covenant written on our hearts. We are all, as Paul proclaims, sinners who have fallen short of God’s glory. And, our sins have been forgiven, and we are claimed as God’s children, not through any efforts or virtue of our own, but through the grace of God.

     Fall brings death and change as the leaves drop, leaving a landscape of barren trees and brown grass that will soon be frozen and covered with snow. Hidden deep in that dying process is the life that will emerge in the spring as green buds, grass, and flowers. God promises us that the new covenant is laid on our hearts, so that as sin and brokenness die, faithfulness and love are born within us and we live as children of God.

– Vicar Meagan McLaughlin

Sunday Readings

October 26, 2014: Reformation Sunday
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm 46
Romans 3:19-28
John 8:31-36
______________________
November 2, 2014: All Saints Sunday
Revelation 7:9-17
Psalm 34:1-10, 22
I John 3:1-3
Matthew 5:1-12
 

Names of the Departed Saints Invited

     As a part of our All Saints liturgy on Sunday, Nov. 2, members 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.

Meals for the Roegges

     While the birth of a child is always a time of joy and celebration, it is also a time of adjusting to new routines – and sometimes getting a meal on the table can be challenging.      If you are so inclined to offer a welcome, dinner might be just the ticket.

     Meals are most definitely welcomed by the Roegge family; thanks to those who have inquired about scheduling a delivery.  There is no pre-determined schedule so it is suggested that contact be made directly with Brooke and Matt at 612-332-2856, to see what works best for them.  When you agree on a date, please call Marilyn Gebauer at 612-306-8872 or contact her via email to gebauevm@bitstream.net  so a calendar entry can be made for purposes of future planning.

    The Roegge’s are vegetarians but eat fish, eggs, cheese etc. (word has it that  they aren’t picky at all!)  Matt and Brooke live in St Paul at 1604 Beechwood Ave.

Transitions Support Group

     All are welcome to drop in and visit the Transitions Support Group to see if this is a place where you might find some solace and reassurance for the challenges or uncertainties that are before you.
     This is an opportunity to share in fellowship, prayer, and discussion with others in the Mount Olive community.    

     Please note the following change in time and location for our next meeting.  The next session meets on Saturday, November 22, 9:00 am at 3120 E. Minnehaha Parkway, Minneapolis and will be facilitated by Amy Cotter and Cathy Bosworth.  If you have questions, please contact Cathy at 612-708-1144 or marcat8447@yahoo.com.

Meals for the Manuels Schedule Update

     The calendar to date is filled through to December 5.  If you can bring dinner on December 12 or on any Friday from that date on, please let Marilyn Gebauer know at gebauevm@bitstream.net or 612-306-8872.

     Julie’s treatment will continue for at least the next several months. The family is very grateful for the support of prayers and meals during this difficult time.

Reformation Commemoration

     On Thursday, October 30 (Reformation Day), one hundred singers from St. Olaf College will join the Cathedral Choir of the Basilica of St. Mary to lead a service based on the Lutheran Liturgy of Vespers. The combined choir will present a number of anthems which will be interspersed with hymns and psalms and meditations read by author and poet, Susan Palo Cherwien.

     This service will take place at 7:30 pm at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, and it is free and open to the public.

     Plan to join in this celebration of common faith in an amazing space.

Wedding Invitation

     In gratitude for the community that is Mount Olive, we invite you to join us in celebrating the marriage of our daughter, Siri Rebecca Hellerman, and John Michael Guari, and for light refreshments in the Chapel Lounge, following the liturgy.
     This Saturday, 25 October 2014, 2:00 pm.

– David and Diana Hellerman

Crafting Project with a Purpose

     Strands of Hope is a beading project, done in community education. Each participant follows easy directions to create a necklace from a kit. Each contains everything you need to make a finished necklace to keep for yourself or give away as a heart to heart connection. The beauty of the project is that the necklace you make is meant to be given away. During the beading hour, your hands are working while your heart is connecting to the person to whom you will give the necklace. Some beaders have given it to a person in need of support while going through hard times of illness or grief. Sometimes a necklace is given in celebration!  The person and the way you wish to give it away is up to you.

     Mount Olive member Connie Marty, along with 2 friends, created this small business from an idea over breakfast seven years ago. The mission is to connect hearts and build hope, hence the name, Strands of Hope. Our faith gives us hope.  

     The time spent together beading with friends is social and community building. Connie will be available to assist as needed. Please visit her website at www.strandsofhope.com for more information or a look at the necklaces and colors.

     You are invited to bring a friend, a neighbor, or relative. Each kit is on sale for only $14, cash or check, to be paid as you arrive. No credit cards. There will also be a basket
for donations should you wish to contribute to the fund for
extra necklaces to be presented to Mount Olive members who might need one in the future. You will then choose a kit. There are many color combinations to choose from. Connie will give instructions and be there to help us.

     We will meet Friday, Nov. 21, 6:30 -8:30 pm in the East Assembly Room at church. Wine, soft drinks and a light snack will be provided. Bring a snack or treat to share.

     Since Connie and her colleagues will close down this business at the end of the year, this might be the last chance to participate in a Strands of Hope event. Please RSVP or send questions to Julie Manuel at julie.a.manuel@gmail.com so that we can have enough kits and refreshments. We hope to see you there!

National Lutheran Choir All Saints Concerts: “The Souls of the Righteous”

     This All Saints weekend, the National Lutheran Choir invites you to honor the saints in your life by gathering to reflect through song and prayer. Prior to our two concerts, guests are encouraged to add the name of a friend or family member that has passed away to the Book of Names (also available online at www.nlca.com). Candles will be lit in remembrance, and the Book of Names will be read aloud throughout the concerts. Artistic Director, David Cherwien, conducts.

     Musical highlights include: Funeral Ikos by John Tavener, When David Heard by Thomas Weelkes, O Tod, wie bitter bist du (O Death, how bitter are you) by Max Reger, This is My Father’s World and Stars by Eriks Esenvalds, Angels Hovering Round by Kevin Siegfried, and The Souls of the Righteous by David Cherwien.

When & Where:
• Saturday, November 1, 2014 – 7pm
Normandale Lutheran Church (6100 Normandale Rd, Edina, MN 55436)
• Sunday, November 2, 2014 – 4pm
St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church (900 Stillwater Rd, Mahtomedi, MN 55115)

Tickets: $25 Adult | $23 Senior | $10 Student | 17 & under – FREE. For additional information or to purchase tickets, visit www.nlca.com or call 612-722-2301.

Gloves and Such

     IT’S COMING!

     Cold weather is on its way to Minnesota, and you can help keep precious hands and ears warm. Please bring new or gently used (and clean) hats, gloves, and scarves to the collection box outside the upstairs kitchen. There is also a great need for winter coats before it gets unbearably cold. The nearest Coats for Kids drop-off is at:

Salvation Army
1604 East Lake St.
Minneapolis, MN 55407
612-721-1513

     If you like, you may bring coats to church and drop them off in the corner near the grocery cart for food donations. Thank you!

Neighborhood Participation Opportunity: Empty Bowls 
Friday, November 7, 2014, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm
Powderhorn Park Building (3400 15th Avenue S)
 
     Empty Bowls is a local project that gathers neighbors and community members to help end hunger. Come and choose a hand-made artisan bowl, fill it with homemade soup and bread, and share in a meal in recognition of those whose bowls are empty.

     Proceeds from Empty Bowls go to support local food shelves.  The suggested donation for regular bowl is $20, but any donation is accepted and appreciated.

     For more information, visit the Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association’s website at  http://ppna.org/peb/

The Book of Esther: Bible Study on Thursday Evenings Starting November 6

     The second Thursday Bible study series of this year begins on Thursday, October 6, and runs for six weeks in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00-7:30 pm. (Note that we will skip Thanksgiving.)

     Vicar McLaughlin will lead a study on the Book of Esther. We will explore the historical context and many issues raised in this book, including justice, violence, power and privilege, the role of women, the presence of God, and what it means to be called “for such a time as this.”

     As usual, there will be a light supper when we begin.  If anyone wishes to provide the first meal, please let Vicar McLaughlin know.  All are welcome to this study opportunity!

The Olive Branch, 10/22/14

By

Accent on Worship

     Just in the last week, every-where I turn, brilliant color is pouring out of the trees, greens giving way to reds, oranges, yellows. The world has a newness about it, life emerging brightly and boldly from what is in comparison monochromatic summer. Paradoxically, the vibrancy of fall’s colors is actually a harbinger of death, a sign of the coming winter that will banish all visible plant life, for a time, necessary preparation for spring buds and flowers.
   
     In Jeremiah, the LORD proclaims a new covenant, one that, unlike the old covenant, will not be broken. The LORD promises to put the covenant within us, to “write it on our hearts,” making it core to who we are as God’s people. God promises that we will know God, because God will forgive all our sins. Because God forgives our iniquities, we know God. God will be our God, and we will be God’s people, the living cove-nant within us.  As with the changing leaves, there is a letting go, a kind of death, inherent in welcoming the new covenant. We surrender the old covenant—slavery, sin, broken-ness, unfaithfulness—and embrace who we are as children of God, with the covenant written on our hearts. We are all, as Paul proclaims, sinners who have fallen short of God’s glory. And, our sins have been forgiven, and we are claimed as God’s children, not through any efforts or virtue of our own, but through the grace of God.

     Fall brings death and change as the leaves drop, leaving a landscape of barren trees and brown grass that will soon be frozen and covered with snow. Hidden deep in that dying process is the life that will emerge in the spring as green buds, grass, and flowers. God promises us that the new covenant is laid on our hearts, so that as sin and brokenness die, faithfulness and love are born within us and we live as children of God.

– Vicar Meagan McLaughlin

Sunday Readings

October 26, 2014: Reformation Sunday
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm 46
Romans 3:19-28
John 8:31-36
______________________
November 2, 2014: All Saints Sunday
Revelation 7:9-17
Psalm 34:1-10, 22
I John 3:1-3
Matthew 5:1-12
 

Names of the Departed Saints Invited

     As a part of our All Saints liturgy on Sunday, Nov. 2, members 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.

Meals for the Roegges

     While the birth of a child is always a time of joy and celebration, it is also a time of adjusting to new routines – and sometimes getting a meal on the table can be challenging.      If you are so inclined to offer a welcome, dinner might be just the ticket.

     Meals are most definitely welcomed by the Roegge family; thanks to those who have inquired about scheduling a delivery.  There is no pre-determined schedule so it is suggested that contact be made directly with Brooke and Matt at 612-332-2856, to see what works best for them.  When you agree on a date, please call Marilyn Gebauer at 612-306-8872 or contact her via email to gebauevm@bitstream.net  so a calendar entry can be made for purposes of future planning.

    The Roegge’s are vegetarians but eat fish, eggs, cheese etc. (word has it that  they aren’t picky at all!)  Matt and Brooke live in St Paul at 1604 Beechwood Ave.

Transitions Support Group

     All are welcome to drop in and visit the Transitions Support Group to see if this is a place where you might find some solace and reassurance for the challenges or uncertainties that are before you.
     This is an opportunity to share in fellowship, prayer, and discussion with others in the Mount Olive community.    

     Please note the following change in time and location for our next meeting.  The next session meets on Saturday, November 22, 9:00 am at 3120 E. Minnehaha Parkway, Minneapolis and will be facilitated by Amy Cotter and Cathy Bosworth.  If you have questions, please contact Cathy at 612-708-1144 or marcat8447@yahoo.com.

Meals for the Manuels Schedule Update

     The calendar to date is filled through to December 5.  If you can bring dinner on December 12 or on any Friday from that date on, please let Marilyn Gebauer know at gebauevm@bitstream.net or 612-306-8872.

     Julie’s treatment will continue for at least the next several months. The family is very grateful for the support of prayers and meals during this difficult time.

Reformation Commemoration

     On Thursday, October 30 (Reformation Day), one hundred singers from St. Olaf College will join the Cathedral Choir of the Basilica of St. Mary to lead a service based on the Lutheran Liturgy of Vespers. The combined choir will present a number of anthems which will be interspersed with hymns and psalms and meditations read by author and poet, Susan Palo Cherwien.

     This service will take place at 7:30 pm at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, and it is free and open to the public.

     Plan to join in this celebration of common faith in an amazing space.

Wedding Invitation

     In gratitude for the community that is Mount Olive, we invite you to join us in celebrating the marriage of our daughter, Siri Rebecca Hellerman, and John Michael Guari, and for light refreshments in the Chapel Lounge, following the liturgy.
     This Saturday, 25 October 2014, 2:00 pm.

– David and Diana Hellerman

Crafting Project with a Purpose

     Strands of Hope is a beading project, done in community education. Each participant follows easy directions to create a necklace from a kit. Each contains everything you need to make a finished necklace to keep for yourself or give away as a heart to heart connection. The beauty of the project is that the necklace you make is meant to be given away. During the beading hour, your hands are working while your heart is connecting to the person to whom you will give the necklace. Some beaders have given it to a person in need of support while going through hard times of illness or grief. Sometimes a necklace is given in celebration!  The person and the way you wish to give it away is up to you.

     Mount Olive member Connie Marty, along with 2 friends, created this small business from an idea over breakfast seven years ago. The mission is to connect hearts and build hope, hence the name, Strands of Hope. Our faith gives us hope.  

     The time spent together beading with friends is social and community building. Connie will be available to assist as needed. Please visit her website at www.strandsofhope.com for more information or a look at the necklaces and colors.

     You are invited to bring a friend, a neighbor, or relative. Each kit is on sale for only $14, cash or check, to be paid as you arrive. No credit cards. There will also be a basket
for donations should you wish to contribute to the fund for
extra necklaces to be presented to Mount Olive members who might need one in the future. You will then choose a kit. There are many color combinations to choose from. Connie will give instructions and be there to help us.

     We will meet Friday, Nov. 21, 6:30 -8:30 pm in the East Assembly Room at church. Wine, soft drinks and a light snack will be provided. Bring a snack or treat to share.

     Since Connie and her colleagues will close down this business at the end of the year, this might be the last chance to participate in a Strands of Hope event. Please RSVP or send questions to Julie Manuel at julie.a.manuel@gmail.com so that we can have enough kits and refreshments. We hope to see you there!

National Lutheran Choir All Saints Concerts: “The Souls of the Righteous”

     This All Saints weekend, the National Lutheran Choir invites you to honor the saints in your life by gathering to reflect through song and prayer. Prior to our two concerts, guests are encouraged to add the name of a friend or family member that has passed away to the Book of Names (also available online at www.nlca.com). Candles will be lit in remembrance, and the Book of Names will be read aloud throughout the concerts. Artistic Director, David Cherwien, conducts.

     Musical highlights include: Funeral Ikos by John Tavener, When David Heard by Thomas Weelkes, O Tod, wie bitter bist du (O Death, how bitter are you) by Max Reger, This is My Father’s World and Stars by Eriks Esenvalds, Angels Hovering Round by Kevin Siegfried, and The Souls of the Righteous by David Cherwien.

When & Where:
• Saturday, November 1, 2014 – 7pm
Normandale Lutheran Church (6100 Normandale Rd, Edina, MN 55436)
• Sunday, November 2, 2014 – 4pm
St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church (900 Stillwater Rd, Mahtomedi, MN 55115)

Tickets: $25 Adult | $23 Senior | $10 Student | 17 & under – FREE. For additional information or to purchase tickets, visit www.nlca.com or call 612-722-2301.

Gloves and Such

     IT’S COMING!

     Cold weather is on its way to Minnesota, and you can help keep precious hands and ears warm. Please bring new or gently used (and clean) hats, gloves, and scarves to the collection box outside the upstairs kitchen. There is also a great need for winter coats before it gets unbearably cold. The nearest Coats for Kids drop-off is at:

Salvation Army
1604 East Lake St.
Minneapolis, MN 55407
612-721-1513

     If you like, you may bring coats to church and drop them off in the corner near the grocery cart for food donations. Thank you!

Neighborhood Participation Opportunity: Empty Bowls 
Friday, November 7, 2014, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm
Powderhorn Park Building (3400 15th Avenue S)
 
     Empty Bowls is a local project that gathers neighbors and community members to help end hunger. Come and choose a hand-made artisan bowl, fill it with homemade soup and bread, and share in a meal in recognition of those whose bowls are empty.

     Proceeds from Empty Bowls go to support local food shelves.  The suggested donation for regular bowl is $20, but any donation is accepted and appreciated.

     For more information, visit the Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association’s website at  http://ppna.org/peb/

The Book of Esther: Bible Study on Thursday Evenings Starting November 6

     The second Thursday Bible study series of this year begins on Thursday, October 6, and runs for six weeks in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00-7:30 pm. (Note that we will skip Thanksgiving.)

     Vicar McLaughlin will lead a study on the Book of Esther. We will explore the historical context and many issues raised in this book, including justice, violence, power and privilege, the role of women, the presence of God, and what it means to be called “for such a time as this.”

     As usual, there will be a light supper when we begin.  If anyone wishes to provide the first meal, please let Vicar McLaughlin know.  All are welcome to this study opportunity!

Beyond All Testing

By

The God beyond all knowing, all human testing, has come into this world in Christ Jesus and called us to a way of life that is our worship; beyond that, there is much we cannot know about God and what God is doing, and that’s OK.

Pr. Joseph G. Crippen
   Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 29 A
   texts:  Isaiah 45:1-7; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22

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

“Here be dragons.”

Supposedly when old mapmakers got to the end of what they knew to draw, that’s what they wrote on the edge of their maps.  Meaning: beyond here we don’t know, but it’s dangerous.  According to The Atlantic (Dec. 2012), however, no known ancient maps actually have that phrase, though one globe from the early sixteenth century does.  But such a warning is helpful.  It’s good to recall there are limits to our knowledge, edges to our certainty.  We know some things.  Much we do not.

We should keep this in mind when speaking of God.  There are definite limits to what we can know about God.  Beyond is real danger trying to speak definitively.  Plenty of people of faith are willing to fight, even to kill, to defend firm convictions about God.

Christian faith doesn’t let us do that.  It is central to our faith in Christ that we place serious boundaries around what we claim to know about God’s action and life in the world. Tom Wright has said, “Because of the cross, being a Christian, or being a church, does not mean claiming that we’ve got it all together.  It means claiming that God’s got it all together; and that we are merely, as Paul says, those who are overwhelmed by his love.” [1] 

Beyond that there be dragons.  But if we believe the Triune God is who Jesus revealed, and works as Jesus claims, that’s just fine.  God will handle the dragons, and we can focus on what we’re really called to be as followers of the crucified and risen One.

Our readings today ask what God is up to in the world.  There’s disagreement amongst them.

Israelites returning from exile saw God’s hand in a foreign general, Cyrus of Persia, who destroyed Babylon’s power and sent them home.  Isaiah claims the LORD God of Israel, the one, true God, anointed Cyrus to save Israel.  Anointed him, made him Messiah.

Cyrus doesn’t even know the God of Israel.  He was just taking down the current empire and setting up his own.  Yet Israel believed this was God’s doing.  Even if, as we heard today, it meant God having to do a meet and greet with this pagan emperor first.  These people of faith knew their theological limits and were willing to see God’s hand acting in a way outside their boundaries.

The Pharisees struggle with such limits.

To be fair, their job was to interpret God’s law, and they were good at it.  Israel had a core belief that the God of all time was also the LORD, the God of Israel, and had given them laws to live by to make this world a place of healing and life.  The Pharisees defended that law.

This rabbi from Nazareth played a little too fast and loose with it, they thought.  Had they the openness of their exilic ancestors, they might have seen Jesus as the true successor to the prophets of Israel.  Even his summing of all God’s law into love of God and love of neighbor was taken straight from the Torah.

But he did challenge their interpretation, question their authority.  So in these last weeks of his life, they tested him again and again.

It’s an odd switch.  Their ancestors, with little evidence other than their rescue and new life back home, called a foreigner the Messiah of God.  They, with all sorts of evidence, called the true Messiah of God a blasphemer.

Here be dragons indeed.  They, like us, wanted to draw to the edges of the map of reality and claim knowledge and certainty about it all.  The Triune God, though, seems to enjoy messing about the margins doing whatever pleases God, even if it doesn’t fit our boxes.

Paul wrote: “In every place your faith in God has become known, how you turned to God from Idols, to serve a living and true God.”

That’s what this is about, isn’t it?  Caesar or God, Cyrus as Messiah, Greek pantheon or the Triune God, it’s a question of who the true God is, what the true God is doing.

As followers of the crucified and risen Christ Jesus, we center our life and worship around serving this true and living God, just like Paul’s friends.  Because of the cross, our whole life is worship of God, as we offer ourselves in service to the world as embodiments of Christ’s love.

Beyond that, though, God will keep doing whatever God wants to do.  That’s OK for us, for because of the cross, we claim God’s got it all together, not us, and we’re only those who are overwhelmed by God’s love, who know we don’t control where and how God gives that love.

That’s the difference between the true God and idols: who’s in charge.

The one true God stands outside human endeavor and speaks into our lives.  We do not make a true God, nor can we tell God what to do.  Idols, set up by us, do what we want because we make them, we create them, we shape them.  In ancient times, idols were made in human images, animal images; today they are reflections of our wants, our desires.  Reflections of us.

The witness of the Scriptures is that the one true God isn’t made in our image, though, we are made in the image of God.  So our faith doesn’t create God, shape God; God shapes us, creates us through our faith.

It is the very existence of boundaries beyond which we cannot know that reveals our connection to the true God.  If we create our gods, there’s nothing we don’t know about them, nothing we can’t explain or control.  But the true God creates us, comes to us from the outside, and has much that is unknowable, uncontrollable.

That’s how we know God is true.

God is beyond us, except when God comes to us.  That’s what we cling to.

We have seen and believe for ourselves what others have witnessed to us, that God has entered our world.  We have encountered our Lord Jesus at the cross and have seen God there.  We have seen the shape of the true human life to which he calls us, have experienced his risen presence in this world, in our hearts, in our worship.  We trust in the Triune God he has revealed to us.  We live in God’s presence now; we await a life to come where we’re even more fully alive in that presence.  That’s what we know.

Now, like most people, we long for absolute certainty, argue for it with others.  We don’t wish to kill for it, but we recognize a similar discomfort when others describe God in ways we can’t explain or understand.  We convince ourselves we have a say in who God is, or if we think the right things we’ll be saved.

The truth is we are not saved by our thoughts anymore than by our works, we are saved by the cross-shaped love of the Triune God.  That’s our place of wonder and joy and faith, like Psalm 8, that a God who is so beyond us has come to this world to bring hope and life and grace.

We claim that in the cross and resurrection of Christ Jesus the true God is re-making the world and bringing life to all.

We claim that our life in Jesus’ resurrection is the cross-shaped life of Christ to which he calls us, so we live that for the sake of the world.  We love God and our neighbor with all we have, because that’s the life our Lord lived, that’s the gift his resurrection empowers in us.  We tell others about this God so they, too, can know and rejoice.

Beyond this, we don’t always know what else God is doing.

We might want to keep our eyes open, though.  God is almost certainly doing far more interesting things than dragons out there if we’re open to seeing it.

In the name of Jesus.  Amen

[1] N. T. Wright, For All God’s Worth, p. 20, italics sic; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI; © 2007.

Beyond All Testing

By

The God beyond all knowing, all human testing, has come into this world in Christ Jesus and called us to a way of life that is our worship; beyond that, there is much we cannot know about God and what God is doing, and that’s OK.

Pr. Joseph G. Crippen
   Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 29 A
   texts:  Isaiah 45:1-7; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22

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

“Here be dragons.”

Supposedly when old mapmakers got to the end of what they knew to draw, that’s what they wrote on the edge of their maps.  Meaning: beyond here we don’t know, but it’s dangerous.  According to The Atlantic (Dec. 2012), however, no known ancient maps actually have that phrase, though one globe from the early sixteenth century does.  But such a warning is helpful.  It’s good to recall there are limits to our knowledge, edges to our certainty.  We know some things.  Much we do not.

We should keep this in mind when speaking of God.  There are definite limits to what we can know about God.  Beyond is real danger trying to speak definitively.  Plenty of people of faith are willing to fight, even to kill, to defend firm convictions about God.

Christian faith doesn’t let us do that.  It is central to our faith in Christ that we place serious boundaries around what we claim to know about God’s action and life in the world. Tom Wright has said, “Because of the cross, being a Christian, or being a church, does not mean claiming that we’ve got it all together.  It means claiming that God’s got it all together; and that we are merely, as Paul says, those who are overwhelmed by his love.” [1] 

Beyond that there be dragons.  But if we believe the Triune God is who Jesus revealed, and works as Jesus claims, that’s just fine.  God will handle the dragons, and we can focus on what we’re really called to be as followers of the crucified and risen One.

Our readings today ask what God is up to in the world.  There’s disagreement amongst them.

Israelites returning from exile saw God’s hand in a foreign general, Cyrus of Persia, who destroyed Babylon’s power and sent them home.  Isaiah claims the LORD God of Israel, the one, true God, anointed Cyrus to save Israel.  Anointed him, made him Messiah.

Cyrus doesn’t even know the God of Israel.  He was just taking down the current empire and setting up his own.  Yet Israel believed this was God’s doing.  Even if, as we heard today, it meant God having to do a meet and greet with this pagan emperor first.  These people of faith knew their theological limits and were willing to see God’s hand acting in a way outside their boundaries.

The Pharisees struggle with such limits.

To be fair, their job was to interpret God’s law, and they were good at it.  Israel had a core belief that the God of all time was also the LORD, the God of Israel, and had given them laws to live by to make this world a place of healing and life.  The Pharisees defended that law.

This rabbi from Nazareth played a little too fast and loose with it, they thought.  Had they the openness of their exilic ancestors, they might have seen Jesus as the true successor to the prophets of Israel.  Even his summing of all God’s law into love of God and love of neighbor was taken straight from the Torah.

But he did challenge their interpretation, question their authority.  So in these last weeks of his life, they tested him again and again.

It’s an odd switch.  Their ancestors, with little evidence other than their rescue and new life back home, called a foreigner the Messiah of God.  They, with all sorts of evidence, called the true Messiah of God a blasphemer.

Here be dragons indeed.  They, like us, wanted to draw to the edges of the map of reality and claim knowledge and certainty about it all.  The Triune God, though, seems to enjoy messing about the margins doing whatever pleases God, even if it doesn’t fit our boxes.

Paul wrote: “In every place your faith in God has become known, how you turned to God from Idols, to serve a living and true God.”

That’s what this is about, isn’t it?  Caesar or God, Cyrus as Messiah, Greek pantheon or the Triune God, it’s a question of who the true God is, what the true God is doing.

As followers of the crucified and risen Christ Jesus, we center our life and worship around serving this true and living God, just like Paul’s friends.  Because of the cross, our whole life is worship of God, as we offer ourselves in service to the world as embodiments of Christ’s love.

Beyond that, though, God will keep doing whatever God wants to do.  That’s OK for us, for because of the cross, we claim God’s got it all together, not us, and we’re only those who are overwhelmed by God’s love, who know we don’t control where and how God gives that love.

That’s the difference between the true God and idols: who’s in charge.

The one true God stands outside human endeavor and speaks into our lives.  We do not make a true God, nor can we tell God what to do.  Idols, set up by us, do what we want because we make them, we create them, we shape them.  In ancient times, idols were made in human images, animal images; today they are reflections of our wants, our desires.  Reflections of us.

The witness of the Scriptures is that the one true God isn’t made in our image, though, we are made in the image of God.  So our faith doesn’t create God, shape God; God shapes us, creates us through our faith.

It is the very existence of boundaries beyond which we cannot know that reveals our connection to the true God.  If we create our gods, there’s nothing we don’t know about them, nothing we can’t explain or control.  But the true God creates us, comes to us from the outside, and has much that is unknowable, uncontrollable.

That’s how we know God is true.

God is beyond us, except when God comes to us.  That’s what we cling to.

We have seen and believe for ourselves what others have witnessed to us, that God has entered our world.  We have encountered our Lord Jesus at the cross and have seen God there.  We have seen the shape of the true human life to which he calls us, have experienced his risen presence in this world, in our hearts, in our worship.  We trust in the Triune God he has revealed to us.  We live in God’s presence now; we await a life to come where we’re even more fully alive in that presence.  That’s what we know.

Now, like most people, we long for absolute certainty, argue for it with others.  We don’t wish to kill for it, but we recognize a similar discomfort when others describe God in ways we can’t explain or understand.  We convince ourselves we have a say in who God is, or if we think the right things we’ll be saved.

The truth is we are not saved by our thoughts anymore than by our works, we are saved by the cross-shaped love of the Triune God.  That’s our place of wonder and joy and faith, like Psalm 8, that a God who is so beyond us has come to this world to bring hope and life and grace.

We claim that in the cross and resurrection of Christ Jesus the true God is re-making the world and bringing life to all.

We claim that our life in Jesus’ resurrection is the cross-shaped life of Christ to which he calls us, so we live that for the sake of the world.  We love God and our neighbor with all we have, because that’s the life our Lord lived, that’s the gift his resurrection empowers in us.  We tell others about this God so they, too, can know and rejoice.

Beyond this, we don’t always know what else God is doing.

We might want to keep our eyes open, though.  God is almost certainly doing far more interesting things than dragons out there if we’re open to seeing it.

In the name of Jesus.  Amen

[1] N. T. Wright, For All God’s Worth, p. 20, italics sic; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI; © 2007.

The Olive Branch, 10/15/14

By

Accent on Worship

Idols and Traps

     Sunday we witness Jesus’ encounter with the Pharisees over paying taxes.  Hoping to trap him either into declaring himself a revolutionary by rejecting Roman taxes, or declar-ing himself against the people by supporting such taxes, they ask if it is lawful to pay Roman tax.  Were Jesus a modern politician, one of his aides would now whisper into his ear “avoid the tax question!”

     “Give to the emperor what belongs to him,” Jesus says, “and to God what is God’s.”  Like-wise, Paul declares the question of human v. divine rule over our lives is always a God question.  He praises the Thessalonians for “turning away from idols to serve a living and true God.”  That is the central question of our lives as well: what belongs to whom?

     We keep our heads straight over whom we serve and how, with our worship life. We gather weekly to worship the Triune God, taking time out of our schedules not for us but for God, and plant anchors in our hearts and minds.  These anchors strengthen each time we worship, reminding us even in a self-centered world with our self-centered minds that we belong not to ourselves but to God.  Our worship keeps us from falling for our trap of thinking there are parts of our lives that have noth-ing to do with God.

     Sunday we will gather once more around the means of God’s grace, Word and Sacrament, as we always do.  We will, as we always do, find we not only are fed by the life and healing love of the risen Christ, we are pulled off ourselves as center of our lives and recentered on the Triune God.  We are, like the Thessalon-ians, moved from idols to serving the living and true God.  No traps.  No idols.  Simply the grace of having our lives drawn into the heart of God’s death-ending love and life, and the joy of seeing that grace transform us and the world.

Joseph

Sunday Readings

October 19, 2014: 19th Sunday after Pentecost (Lect. 29A)
Isaiah 45:1-7
Psalm 96
I Thessalonians 1:1-10
Matthew 22:15-22
______________________

October 26, 2014: Reformation Sunday
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm 46
Romans 3:19-28
John 8:31-36

Sunday’s Adult Forum: October 19

Conversation with the New Coordinator of Neighborhood Outreach and Ministry at Mount Olive, Anna Kingman

Congregation Meeting

     The semi-annual meeting of the Mount Olive congregation will be held this coming Sunday, October 19, after second liturgy.  Items for discussion include:

• the 2015 budget (needs congregational vote and approval)
• updates from the Visioning Committee
• a preview of on-going Stewardship work
• news from the current Capital Campaign to replenish our designated accounts and cash reserves.

Transitions Support Group

     All are welcome to drop in and visit the Transitions Support Group to see if this is a place where you might find some solace and reassurance for the challenges or uncertainties that are before you.
     This is an opportunity to share in fellowship, prayer, and discussion with others in the Mount Olive community.    

     Please note the following change in time and location for our next meeting.  The next session meets on Saturday, November 22, 9:00 am at 3120 E. Minnehaha Parkway, Minneapolis and will be facilitated by Amy Cotter and Cathy Bosworth.  If you have questions, please contact Cathy at 612-708-1144 or marcat8447@yahoo.com.

The Great TRUST Auction

     The annual TRUST auction will be held on Saturday, October 25, 2014, beginning at 6:00 pm at Lake Harriet Methodist Church, 4901 Chowen Avenue S. in Minneapolis. This year’s auction features the Metropolitan Boys Choir!

The cost is $20 for adults (in advance or with reservations),
$15 for seniors (65+),  and youth under 10 are free;
$25 at the door. For reservations or additional information, call 612-827-6159, or email trustinc@visi.com.

Reserve a table of eight for your group!

CareerWalk

     Looking for a job? Whether unemployed, under-employed, misemployed or just thinking about doing something different, please join us for the fall CareerWalk program. Learn new skills, gain new networking contacts, feel refreshed and supported, explore new interests and land jobs. CareerWalk is open to everyone and there is no charge. Come for all sessions or those that are of interest. Find specific session information and register there.

     CareerWalk is held on Thursdays from 6:30-8:30 pm at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 4100 Lyndale Ave. S. in Minneapolis.

Getting to Know You …
     The new members received on October 5 were asked to submit a brief introduction about themselves for publication in The Olive Branch. We will publish these introductions as they are received.

Robin Rayfield
     I was born in Minneapolis, baptized in Door County, Wisconsin, and I grew up a couple of blocks away from Mount Olive. Except for maybe once, I had never set foot inside Mount Olive until I had an email exchange with Pr. Crippen. A fundamentalist preached that the rapture was about to happen, and I emailed the pastor of the church I knew about, asking about it. Pastor Crippen responded, telling me about God’s love, and that I had nothing to fear. I decided to visit Mount Olive and found something wonderful. I’m also now a co-administrator of a Christian group called Christians Tired of Being Misrepresented. We bring hope and healing to people that have been hurt by the actions of many Christians. Currently, I’m a struggling musician, and I play several instruments including guitar, piano, accordion, and Appalachian dulcimer.

Victor Gebauer
     Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1938, Victor arrived to the USA in 1942 and grew up in Illinois. A graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, he also spent over thirty years on the faculty of Concordia University, Saint Paul, before finishing his career as executive director of Lutheran Music Program. Victor and his wife, Marilyn, actually were members of Mount Olive in the 1960’s and l970’s. They were married here, began a family, and are now returning to the church where their relationship as family and fellows in faith first began.

Names of the Departed Saints Invited

     As a part of our All Saints liturgy on Nov. 2, members 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 an opportunity to write these names this Sunday and in the remaining weeks of October, or simply contact the church office.  Please keep this to just those who have died this past year, so we can have a more manageable list.

Thanks!

     Thanks to Lora Dundek, Patsy Holtmeier, Carla Manuel, Gail Neilsen, Connie Olson, and Sandra Pranschke for  providing treats and coffee for the Congregational Meeting this past Sunday.

     There are lots of empty slots on the coffee sign-up chart, and we invite you to bring cookies or bars for coffee after either liturgy. Please let Carla Manuel know if you can help out in this way. She can be reached at 612-521-3952.

The Roegges Welcome a New Baby Girl!

     While the birth of a child is always a time of joy and celebration, it is also a time of adjusting to new routines – and sometimes getting a meal on the table can be challenging.  If you are so inclined to offer a welcome, dinner might be just the ticket.

     Meals are most definitely welcomed by the Roegge family; thanks to those who have inquired about scheduling a delivery.  There is no pre-determined schedule so it is suggested that contact be made directly with Brooke and Matt at 612-332-2856, to see what works best for them.  When you agree on a date, please call or email Marilyn Gebauer at 612-306-8872 or gebauevm@bitstream.net  so a calendar entry can be made for purposes of future planning.

    The Rogge’s are vegetarians but eat fish, eggs, cheese etc. (word has it that  they aren’t picky at all!)    Matt and Brooke live in St Paul at 1604 Beechwood Ave.

Meals for the Manuels to be Continued 

     Thanks to all who have generously signed up to bring Friday dinners to the Manuel family.  The calendar to date is filled through to November 7, with the exception of Friday, October 31.  If you can bring dinner on that date (Halloween) or on any Friday from November 14 on, please let Marilyn Gebauer know at gebauevm@bitstream.net or 612-306-8872.

    Julie’s treatment will continue for at least the next several months.  The family is very grateful for the support of prayers and meals during this difficult time.

“Bowing to the Holy”

     Mount Olive is partnering with The Lutheran Church of the Resurrection ,  Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, and Pilgrim Lutheran Churches in St. Paul to present a one day worship conference on Saturday, November 22, at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer.

     Information on the conference, “Bowing to the Holy,” is available at church. If you would like a brochure to be mailed to you, just call the church office.

Chosen: Bible Study on Thursday Evenings  
     Meeting in the Chapel Lounge on Thursday evenings through October 23 (6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.), Pr. Crippen is leading a study titled “Chosen.”  This is an exploration of the biblical witness to Abraham and Sarah and their family, with a focus on what the Bible means by “chosen people,” and how that continues in the present both as our calling and also a challenge in a pluralistic, often violent world.  

     As usual, there will be a light supper when we begin.  All are welcome to this study opportunity!

Wedding Invitation

     In gratitude for the community that is Mount Olive, we invite you to join us in celebrating the marriage of our daughter Siri Rebecca Hellerman and John Michael Guari, and for light refreshments in the Chapel Lounge,  following the liturgy.  Saturday, 25 October 2014, 2:00 pm.

– David and Diana Hellerman

Book Discussion Group’s Upcoming Reads

     For their meeting on November 8 the Book Discussion Group will read Flight Behavior, by Barbara Kingsolver, and for their meeting on  December 13, they will read Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen.

National Lutheran Choir All Saints Concerts: “The Souls of the Righteous”

     This All Saints weekend, the National Lutheran Choir invites you to honor the saints in your life by gathering to reflect through song and prayer. Prior to our two concerts, guests are encouraged to add the name of a friend or family member that has passed away to the Book of Names (also available online at www.nlca.com). Candles will be lit in remembrance, and the Book of Names will be read aloud throughout the concerts. Artistic Director, David Cherwien, conducts.

     Musical highlights include:
Funeral Ikos by John Tavener, When David Heard by Thomas Weelkes, O Tod, wie bitter bist du (O Death, how bitter are you) by Max Reger, This is My Father’s World and Stars by Eriks Esenvalds, Angels Hovering Round by Kevin Siegfried, and
The Souls of the Righteous by David Cherwien

When & Where:
• Saturday, November 1, 2014 – 7pm
Normandale Lutheran Church (6100 Normandale Rd, Edina, MN 55436)
• Sunday, November 2, 2014 – 4pm
St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church (900 Stillwater Rd, Mahtomedi, MN 55115)

Tickets: $25 Adult | $23 Senior | $10 Student | 17 & under – FREE. For additional information or to purchase tickets, visit www.nlca.com or call 612-722-2301.

MOUNT OLIVE LUTHERAN CHURCH
3045 Chicago Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55407

Map and Directions >

612-827-5919
welcome@mountolivechurch.org


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