Accent on Worship

     “Such times we live in,” the saying goes.  And if the old Chinese blessing has any merit (“May you live in interesting times.”), we must be blest indeed!

     For Christians, the experience of time is a very blessed and hallowed reality, as we live into God’s New Creation. In worship especially, our participation in Christ’s body has one foot planted in our experience of time, and one foot in the timeless eternity of God’s kingdom, where we sing with saints and angels. For our Orthodox sisters and brothers, liturgy is the one place in this life where we get to step out of our temporal lives and enter into this new creation of God’s making. Though we cannot grasp anything other than our experience of passing time, faith allows us to see in a mirror, dimly, a different reality—a simultaneous reality—a continuum within which our lives are held fast.

     I had an uncle who taught at Luther Seminary while I was a student there. I remember a classmate who thought my Uncle Bob’s ideas were terribly dated and old fashioned, and in class one day, this student accused him of “having one foot in the grave.”  My Uncle Bob sighed, and said: “the minute the church no longer has one foot in the grave, it is in dire trouble.”

     So in these last Sundays of the church year, these last Sundays of “Ordinary Time,” we focus on time itself, and the nature of God’s reign among us. We are reminded that we have one foot in the grave, even as we “live, and move, and have our being.”

     For the secular world, time is a cruel and ruthless master and serves-up a sentence that continually reminds us of our death. Thanks be to God for our life in Christ, who transforms this death-sentence into life itself, right through the center of every moment. Gone is the futile feeling that history is “just-one-damned-thing-after-another” (Arnold Toynbee).  In Christ’s new creation each moment of time is blasted open into eternity itself, leading on to God instead of death.  This, to me, is what these “end-time” Sundays at the end of the church year are all about. They are, to be sure, Sundays in “Ordinary Time,” yet the message is clear, and hope-full, and indeed, extraordinary!

– William Beckstrand, Interim Cantor

Sunday Readings

Nov. 17, 2013 – Time after Pentecost, Sunday 33
Malachi 4:1-2a + Psalm 98
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 + Luke 21:5-19

Nov. 10, 2013 – Christ the King, Sunday 34
Jeremiah 23:1-6 + Psalm 46
Colossians 1:11-20 + Luke 23:33-43

NovemberFest!

     This Sunday, November 17, the Congregational Life Committee will hold a NovemberFest Fundraising Dinner. This event will be a fun opportunity for Mount Olive members and friends to visit with each other and guests, eat a wonderful meal of German food prepared by members of our church, play some games (led by Hans Tisberger), all to help raise money for new ovens for the Undercroft kitchen.  A freewill offering will be received. If you want to come and haven’t signed up, call Gail Nielsen at 612/825-9326 to RSVP, so we know how much food to prepare.

Theology on Tap

Faith journey conversations for folks 21 and up
When: Tuesday, Nov. 19, 7:30pm
Where: Longfellow Grill, 2990 W. River Pkwy, Mpls
Topic: That “small, quiet voice”– how and when do you hear it, what does it tell you, what gets in the way?
Contact: Bob Anderson, 952-937-8656

Thanksgiving Eucharist
Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28
10:00 a.m.

     Bring non-perishable food items to help re-stock local food shelves. Monetary donations are especially welcome (for every $1 donated, food shelf personnel are able to buy about $9 worth of food!)
     The entire offering received at the Eucharist on Thanksgiving Day will be given to Sabbathani Community Center and Community Emergency Services.

Adult Forum 

• November 17: “An Introduction to Matthew,” part 2 of a 3-part series, led by Pastor Crippen.

• November 24:  “An Introduction to Matthew,” part 3 of a 3-part series, led by Pastor Crippen.

Thursday Evening Bible Study

     On Thursday evenings (except for Thanksgiving Day) through December 19, Vicar Beckering will lead a topical study on the Biblical witness to suffering and who God is for us in the midst of that suffering. This Bible study series will meet in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Each gathering will begin with a light supper. All are welcome!

Attention, Bakers!

     We will again bake communion bread for our liturgies from Advent through Holy Trinity.  There is currently a regular group of five bakers, but additional bakers are always welcome. If you are interested in baking communion bread, Please contact John and Patsy Holtmeier either by email to jpholt67@gmail.com, or by phone: 952-582-1955.

Book Discussion Group

For December 14, The Book Discussion group will discuss The Optimist’s Daughter, by Eudora Welty, and on January 18 (postponed one week due to the Liturgy Conference), we will discuss Moon Tiger, by Penelope Lively.

Please Note

Church offices will be closed on Friday, November 29 (the day after Thanksgiving).

Families with Kids, Please Note!

    Families with children and teens are invited to assist with the noon meal this Saturday, November 16.  Come at noon for the meal and help bus tables, visit with guests and make Thanksgiving cards for Meals on Wheels recipients.  Call Beth Sawyer with any questions.  651-434-0666

Every Church a Peace Church

Thursday, November 14, 7-8:30 p.m. at
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
1895 Laurel Ave., St. Paul

     Every Church a Peace Church, Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Veterans for Peace and Fellowship of Reconciliation invite you to an evening with Fr. Michael Lapsley on November 14.

     Father Lapsley became chaplain of the African National Congress in 1976. He survived an assassination attempt by the South African Apartheid government. It destroyed both of his hands, one eye and his eardrums. Fr. Lapsley believed God was with him and he was able to move from victim to victor. During his lengthy recovery he became a staff member of the Training Center for Survivors of Violence and Torture and later was involved with Bishop Desmond Tutu in the Truth and Reconciliation effort in South Africa. Fr. Lapsley helped develop the Healing of Memories (HOM) American. He leads HOM retreats in Minnesota for returning veterans.

CoAM Fundraiser

     CoAM (Cooperative Adult Ministries) will have a fun fundraiser on Monday, November 18, beginning at noon, at Bethel Lutheran Church (4120 17th Ave. S.). The musical group From the Heart will perform songs from the Great American Songbook. Plan to come, share a meal, and listen to the music! For reservations, call the CoAM office at 612/721-5786. CoAM is a program of TRUST, of which Mount Olive is a part (TRUST sponsors our Meals on Wheels program).

ELCA Disaster Relief: Super Typhoon Haiyan

     One of the most powerful storms ever recorded, Super Typhoon Haiyan, crashed across the central islands of the Philippines. With winds of over 200 miles per hour and torrential rains, it has caused massive destruction, loss of lives and forced millions of people to flee their homes.

    Our help is needed to make a difference in affected areas. Through partnerships and as a member of ACT Alliance, Lutheran Disaster Response is responding to the most urgent needs of food, water, clothing, shelter, sleeping material and medicine. Possible assistance may also include helping those whose livelihood of fishing or farming has been destroyed.

     Gifts designated to “Pacific Typhoon Response” will be used by Lutheran Disaster Relief in full – 100 percent – to help with immediate and long-term need. Your generous offerings of prayer and financial support will help those affected as they journey to recover.

     If you wish to make a donation toward relief efforts, use your blue missions envelope or any other and mark it clearly for Typhoon Relief.

Lynn Dobson in the News

     The most recent issue of The American Organist features Lynn Dobson’s new organ at Merton College in Oxford, England. Several from Mount Olive will travel to Oxford in April for the dedication of this fine instrument. Stop in the church office and pick up a copy of the article which features Lynn and the work of Dobson Pipe Organ Builders, and this exceptional organ.

Special Request from CES

     Community Emergency Services has informed us of some current special needs: computers, a 2-stage snow blower, shopping carts, fans, and a vacuum cleaner. The most important need, however, is people! The need volunteers for their mail crew, clerical assistance, drivers, and painters. If you can help, please contact CES at 612/870-1125. CES is the local recipient of our food shelf donations.

2014 Pledge Cards

     A letter and pledge card for 2014 was sent to Mount Olive members this week. The Stewardship Committee would like to have all pledge cards returned by Sunday, December 1, either to the church office or placed in the designated box in the narthex.

Accent on Worship

Transferring a wee little man

     For those of us who pay attention to little details, there might be something that looks like a typographical error in this Olive Branch.  In the little shaded box in the lower right corner of the page, where it lists the readings for the next two Sunday Eucharists, it says Sunday 31 followed by Sunday 33.  So either this is a typo or we have to ask, what happened to Sunday 32?

     Well, the simple answer is that it was overridden by a transferring of Sunday 31’s readings to this Sunday.  “Transferring” is the word we use when we take the lectionary assigned to one day and move it to another.  Some Lutheran churches, for example, rather than celebrating Epiphany on January 6, the actual day, will transfer the Epiphany lectionary to the next Sunday.  The same is often done to Ascension Day.  Mount Olive typically doesn’t do this.  If a lesser festival (of one of the apostles and Biblical saints) falls on a green Sunday, we celebrate it.  We always celebrate the Epiphany and the Ascension on their proper days, even if it means (as it always does with Ascension) coming here on a weeknight to celebrate the Eucharist.  They are important feasts in the life of the Church and here we have appreciated the rich and ancient tradition of stopping our daily lives when they arrive, and gathering to worship.  We also value the lectionary’s assigning of texts so we never replace the Sunday readings with other readings of our choosing to suit our needs.

     The one exception is that for decades here we’ve followed the traditional Lutheran practice of transferring the Reformation Day (Oct. 31) lectionary to the preceding Sunday and the All Saints Day (Nov. 1) lectionary to the following Sunday.  While there has been good reason for that, the outcome that is often unseen is that we never read the actual lectionary readings assigned to those two Sundays, and there are some important words of Scripture we never get to hear in worship as a result.

     This year it seemed worth our while to rectify this at least in one way.  The readings for Sunday 31 are powerful readings that help us consider our stewardship of our wealth and our relationship with our neighbors, and it is the time of year for us to consider such things with a little more intentionality.  So we’re going to read Sunday 31’s readings this week (and you can see a little more reflection on stewardship in my pastoral letter in another part of this Olive Branch.)  This year, Sunday 32 will take the back seat because of All Saints instead of Sunday 31.  [It’s worth noting, by the way, that the numbers don’t refer to “Sundays after” a specific date, as the lectionary used to count.  (Most will remember “The 24th Sunday after Pentecost” style.)  In the revised common lectionary which we use, the numbers are simply a consecutive numbering of the lectionary readings for the green seasons, ordinary time.  So the Sunday after Holy Trinity this year wasn’t “the Second Sunday after Pentecost,” it was “Sunday 9.”]

     What this means is that we hear the story of Zacchaeus this Sunday, and he will invite us into a passionate way of considering how we steward the resources God has entrusted to us.  It will be good to hear from this old friend who has been absent from our liturgies for too long.

Sunday Readings

Nov. 10, 2013 – Time after Pentecost, Sunday 31
Isaiah 1:10-18 + Psalm 32:1-7
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 + Luke 19:1-10

Nov. 17, 2013 – Time after Pentecost, Sunday 33
Malachi 4:1-2a + Psalm 98
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 + Luke 21:5-19

Adult Forum 

• November 10: “An Introduction to Matthew,” part 1 of a 3-part series, led by Pastor Crippen.
• November 17 & 24:  Parts 2 and 3 of this series.

Thursday Evening Bible Study Begins Tomorrow!

     In Psalm 13, David cries out, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” No doubt David is not the only one to ask God these questions, for here is not a household untouched by pain or suffering. Thursday evenings starting on Nov. 7, Vicar Beckering will lead a topical study on the Biblical witness to suffering and who God is for us in the midst of that suffering. This Bible study series will meet Thursday evenings in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and run for six weeks, with the exception of Thanksgiving. Each gathering will begin with a light supper. All are welcome!

Volunteer Opportunities Abound

     This Sunday, November 10, during both coffee times representatives from various Mount Olive groups will be available to talk about volunteer opportunities with their committees and groups. Please come see what volunteers accomplish at Mount Olive, what opportunities exist for service at Mount Olive, and how you can get involved. Volunteering is a great way to serve our congregation and our neighbors.

Attention, Bakers!

     We will again bake communion bread for our liturgies from Advent through Holy Trinity.  There is currently a regular group of five bakers, but additional bakers are always welcome. If you are interested in baking communion bread, Please contact John and Patsy Holtmeier either by email to jpholt67@gmail.com, or by phone: 952-582-1955.

Book Discussion Group

     Mount Olive’s Book Discussion group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. at church. For Nov. 9, they will read Parade’s End, by Ford Madox Ford, and for December 14, The Optimist’s Daughter, by Eudora Welty.

A Word of Thanks

     As the photo directory project is winding down, I’d like to thank the many people who helped make it happen: Andrew Andersen, Paul Nixdorf  for heading up the project and Cha Posz for lots of support; Elisabeth Hunt, Marty Hamlin, and Bonnie McLellan for registering appointments; Marcia Burrow for recruiting hosts; and all those who helped me with hosting: Steve Pranschke, Mary Rose Watson, Elizabeth Beissel, Don Johnson, Kate Sterner, Margaret Bostelmann, Sue Ellen Zagrebelsky, John and Patsy Holtmeier, Kathy Kruger, Tim Lindholm and many more who were willing but whose schedules didn’t match with the photo session times. I am truly grateful for everyone’s help and I apologize if I have left anyone out.

– Sandra Pranschke, Congregational Life

Mark Your Calendars for NovemberFest!

     On Sunday, November 17, the Congregational Life Committee will hold a NovemberFest Fundraising Dinner. This event will be a fun opportunity for Mount Olive members and friends to visit with each other and guests, eat a wonderful meal of German food prepared by members of our church, play some games (led by Hans Tisberger), all to help raise money for new ovens for the Undercroft kitchen.  A freewill offering will be received. If you want to come and haven’t signed up, call Gail Nielsen at 612/825-9326 to RSVP, so we know how much food to prepare.

Theology on Tap
Faith journey conversations for folks 21 and up

When: Tuesday, Nov. 19, 7:30pm
Where: Longfellow Grill, 2990 W. River Pkwy, Minneapolis
Topic: That “small, quiet voice”– how and when do you hear it, what does it tell you, what gets in the way?
Contact: Bob Anderson, 952-937-8656

Sign Up, Sign Up for Coffee!

     On Sunday at the Stewardship event, there will be a new sign up chart for hosting coffee hour. Please consider signing up for this important time of food and conversation. Willing to host but don’t want to do it alone? Let us know and we’ll pair you with someone. See you at the Congregational Life table on Sunday.

Two Events for Every Church a Peace Church

Monday, Nov. 11, 6:30 p.m. at
United Church of Christ in New Brighton
1000 Long Lake Road
New Brighton, MN     (651 633-1327)

     Every Church a Peace Church bi-monthly potluck supper meeting presents “An Introduction to Nonviolent Peaceforce and Unarmed Civilian Peacekeeping.”
     This international organization originated here in Minnesota. Its mission is to train civilians to accompany people who have been targeted in various foreign countries to provide nonviolent protection for them.

Thursday, November 14, 7-8:30 p.m. at
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
1895 Laurel Ave., St. Paul

     Every Church a Peace Church, Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Veterans for Peace and Fellowship of Reconciliation invite you to an evening with Fr. Michael Lapsley.

     Father Lapsley became chaplain of the African National Congress in 1976. He survived an assassination attempt by the South African Apartheid government. It destroyed both of his hands, one eye and his eardrums. Fr. Lapsley believed God was with him and he was able to move from victim to victor. During his lengthy recovery he became a staff member of the Training Center for Survivors of Violence and Torture and later was involved with Bishop Desmond Tutu in the Truth and Reconciliation effort in South Africa. Fr. Lapsley helped develop the  Healing of Memories (HOM) American. He leads HOM retreats in Minnesota for returning veterans.

Thanksgiving Eucharist
Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28
10:00 a.m.

     Bring non-perishable food items to help re-stock local food shelves. Monetary donations are especially welcome (for every $1 donated, food shelf personnel are able to buy about $9 worth of food!)
     The entire offering received at the Eucharist on Thanksgiving Day will be given to Sabbathani Community Center and Community Emergency Services.

Please Note

Church offices will be closed on Friday, November 29 (the day after Thanksgiving).

Special Request from CES

     Community Emergency Services has informed us of some current special needs: computers, a 2-stage snow blower, shopping carts, fans, and a vacuum cleaner. The most important need, however, is people! The need volunteers for their mail crew, clerical assistance, drivers, and painters. If you can help, please contact CES at 612/870-1125. CES is the local recipient of our food shelf donations.

CoAM Fundraiser

     CoAM (Cooperative Older Adult Ministries) will have a fun fundraiser on November at, beginning at noon, at Bethel Lutheran Church (4120 17th Ave. S.). The musical group From the Heart will perform songs from the Great American Songbook. Plan to come, share a meal, and listen to the music! For reservations, call the CoAM office at 612/721-5786. CoAM is a program of TRUST, of which Mount Olive is a part (TRUST sponsors our Meals on Wheels program).

A Word From Your Pastor

Sisters and brothers,
     In the second of these letters to you on stewardship I’d like to consider the possibilities that could be before us when we learn to think of our stewardship of financial resources in a deeper, more profound way.  In particular, what might happen if we were to deepen in our understanding of the spiritual discipline of tithing.

     In some Christian settings, tithing (the giving of a percentage of one’s income to the work of the church, often set at 10% due to a biblical precedent) is nearly a law, a requirement.  Other Christian groups teach tithing as almost an investment scheme: give a certain percentage and God will turn your investment into much more, you will be even more wealthy and blessed.  Neither of these approaches are faithful to Scripture.

     What is truer to Scripture is the biblical tradition of the faithful people of God committing – joyfully, gratefully, enthusiastically – a percentage of what they have been blessed to receive from God to share with God for the work of ministry.  That’s the place of discipleship we could find more fully at Mount Olive, and the accompanying blessing of deepening faith that results.

     We are already a high-commitment community.  We commit a great deal of time and energy to worship, to caring for our neighbors, to supporting each other in this congregation.  In our visioning process the leadership team continually heard the desire of members to deepen in that commitment of time and life to work together for the ministry God needs us to be doing here.  Learning the spiritual discipline of intentionally committing a percentage of our income to the work we do together flows along the same lines, and is in keeping with our other understandings of the work we are called to do together.

     What is interesting is to dream about what it would look like if we, the members of this congregation, deepened in this faith practice.  The most recent numbers this fall state that the median household (not individual) income in Minnesota is now $58,000 per year.  Clearly not all of our households are at that level and some are at a higher level.  But let’s use that and play with the numbers a bit.

     We have roughly 230 households who give to Mount Olive every year.  Assuming that averaging those households’ income would be close to the Minnesota median, if each of those households began in 2014 to give 10%, we as God’s people would have $1,335,000 to use for the work of God.  Just for 2014.  Now we know it takes us about $600,000, give or take, to keep our own things taken care of, building, staff, utilities, necessities.  So what would happen if we found ourselves next year with over $700,000 to give away, to invest in the neighborhood, to transform this world?  What kind of a congregation would we be in 5 years, in 10 years, if every year we were sending nearly three quarters of a million dollars out into the world to bring God’s justice and grace to the world?  Do you see?  We barely scratch the surface of the joy we could be a part of when we just “take care of business.”

     The transformation in our life together would be equally profound.  What Christians have discovered in two millennia is that letting go of the things of this world that seem so important opens us to rely ever more deeply on the grace of God in which we live and move, and when we share the resources God has entrusted to us in our wealth we find a joy in participating in God’s grace for the world we might never have dreamed possible.

     This is a theology which assumes God has abundantly blessed the world with enough for all, and certainly abundantly blessed us.  This is a theology wherein we are overwhelmed by the many and various ways God’s grace has blessed and enriched our lives and can only respond by an outpouring of our own.  This is an ancient spiritual discipline which, like so many others, helps us learn ever more to rely on God and not ourselves.  The astonishing bonus to all of this is the wonders that we will be able to do together when we share our resources in such a way.

     This Sunday we will consider our stewardship in our Sunday liturgy, and between liturgies.  All of us will have opportunities after each liturgy to sign up for ways in which we feel called to commit our time to this shared ministry we do.  In our Eucharist, the readings for the day, the hymns, the preaching will help us listen to what God is saying, and think deeply about what we are each called to do with the stewardship of God’s wealth entrusted to us.

     We have not sent out pledge cards yet.  This is intentional.  I wanted us to have some time to consider these things, both in these two Olive Branches, and next Sunday.  A letter from Dennis Bidwell, the stewardship director, and from me, will go out next Monday with pledge cards for 2014.  I invite all of us to look at this card and, whatever each has done in the past, ask ourselves what new things God might be calling us, calling you, to commit to do with this pledge.  I knew a couple once who was giving at 10% and felt that they needed to risk more in faith and began to push to increase that percentage by a percentage point each year.  Because the percentage isn’t a magical thing.  The grace comes from the moving in faith, the committing.

     So let us continue to pray about this together.  When we each get our invitations to pledge to our shared ministry, let us ask God for the courage to let go and trust.  And then let’s be ready to be astonished even more than we have been by what God’s powerful grace can do among us.
In the love of Christ,

– Joseph

A Reflection on Volunteering

     Last Sunday in church we heard this from Vicar Emily:
“In the fullness of that story, an end will come to poverty, and hunger, and pain, and weeping, and hate, and we and all the faithful dead will be united with God.  But here and now, God is in our very midst putting to death our harmful beliefs and behaviors and raising us once again by the power of the Holy Spirit to live as Christ—to fill and be filled by the hungry, to weep with the weeping, to return hate with love, to forgive and lift up before God those who hurt us, and to give of ourselves and our resources for the joy of being apart of what God is doing. When this happens, all around us the clouds part and God’s future breaks in now.”

     I was sitting in the pew reflecting on these words when a finger gently tapped me on the shoulder and motioned for me to come.  It was the usher asking if I could help out and carry the sacraments to the altar.  Now, you must know that I have never done this before.  Last time I walked down that aisle was at my wedding more than 3 decades ago (other than communion each Sunday).

     So my first reaction was slight terror.  I would not know what to do; when to bow, stop, turn, follow, lead, etc.  I have watched but not been attentive to the details.  But I had just heard this incredible sermon and been moved by it.  The words came to my mind again (paraphrased).   “Stop your harmful beliefs and patterns that limit Gods work and rise up with the power of the Holy Spirit to live as Christ!”

     So I was being asked to get off my duff and be part of something wonderful.  Now I know many of you do this regularly and it is no big deal but we cannot see one another’s inner fears and I would never have offered myself for this volunteer activity.

     I nodded a yes but was not comfortable as the elements were placed in the palm of my hands.  But as I moved down that aisle toward the altar an amazing presence filled me.  I forgot myself and my fears seemed way behind me and even silly. I felt the fullness of the body of Christ surrounding me.  I sensed being a part of something much bigger than me.  I was no longer a bystander but I was in the midst of the Holy and I felt the presence of God deeply.

     Outwardly all I did was walk down an aisle.  All I did was hand over some bread to another member.  Yet from the moments of being asked, saying yes, taking one step at a time and walking into the midst of the people of God gathered for worship, I knew without a doubt that my fear was gone and a deep joy came to my heart because I knew I belonged to the body of Christ.

     This Sunday during the social hour you will be tapped on the shoulder and invited to see, hear, touch, taste the opportunities to volunteer in this congregation.  Will you be attentive to what God is asking you to do or be in this place?  Will you take some time to perhaps burst out of some of your old patterns and say yes to try something new?

     As Vicar Emily stated in the sermon:  “This God who has made us saints and called us blessed, will continue to call us back, to put to death harmful patterns, to raise us again to live as Christ, and to remind us whose we are until that time when before the throne with all the saints in light, we will know in complete fullness, the God to whom we belong.”

– Connie Jaarsma Marty

Accent on Worship

All Saints Day

     My grandmother was an awe-inspiring lady; she could turn any gathering into a celebration, leftovers into a feast, and a spare piece of paper and a bit of paint or scraps of fabric into a work of art. So many of my happiest childhood memories are wrapped up in her and the special times that she created.  My grandma was one of many who handed down the faith to me. In sharing her life, she shaped my values, my convictions—even how I decorate. When she passed away, I lost not only my grandma, but one of my dearest friends.

     After her funeral, I sat in her sewing room, surrounded by the works of her hands and the pictures of those whom she loved, and I wept. I trusted that she was with God, but I wanted her with me. At the age of 22, I thought of all the years that I would have to live without her, and of all the new memories that would not include her. I couldn’t help but weep for how long I would have to wait to be with her again. And my heart ached at the prospect of this: was I never again to hear her sweet voice singing in the kitchen? Never again to sit at the table with her over a cup of tea?

     But on this All Saints Day, I am reminded that the distance between us is not as far as I had once imagined. Those whom we have loved and who have died are still held in God’s loving care and so never really leave us. We are bound to them and they to us: knit together into the Body of Christ. And so, my grandma is not that far away after all: her voice is among those singing praises around the throne, and when I come to the Eucharist, I meet my grandma and all the saints at our Lord’s Table.

     In worship, especially on All Saints Day, we are made aware that by the power of the Holy Spirit, we commune with all those whose memories are still treasured in our hearts. We remember those who have gone before us and joined the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds us daily. We give thanks to God for giving them to us to love, and for the ways that God has worked through them to shape us.

     But on this day, we also remember our own baptisms into Christ’s life and death: we are also counted among the saints. It is a day for celebrating what is yet to come: the end of tears and pain, and the coming of God’s kingdom in all of its fullness. It is a day for hearing again the promise of eternal life that is meant for all the saints in all times and places. And this particular All Saints Day is a day for celebrating the entrance of two new saints into this cloud of witnesses, whom God will claim as God’s own in the waters of baptism this Sunday.

     Death has been swallowed up in the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ, for our beloved dead and for us, so that we may live in confidence and in hope until we are gathered to our heavenly home in the company of all the saints.

     Peace, hope, and the joy of what is yet to come, be with you, dear Saints.

       – Vicar Emily Beckering

Sunday Readings

November 3, 2013 – All Saints Sunday
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 + Psalm 149
Ephesians 1:11-23 + Luke 6:20-31

Nov. 10, 2013 – Time after Pentecost, Sunday 32
Isaiah 1:10-18 + Psalm 32:1-7
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 + Luke 19:1-10

Adult Forum 

• November 3: “Praying with Icons” A discussion led by Dwight Penas about how icons are “structured” to draw us to prayer, how they can influence how and for what we pray.

All Saints

     On All Saints Sunday, November 3, we remember and celebrate those who have preceded us in the faith and now “from their labors rest.” We recite their names; we light votives in their memory. And in the Adult Forum that day, we’ll have a chance to walk among some of them. There will be a display of icons of some of our forebears in the faith.  There will be a discussion about how icons are “structured” to draw us to prayer, how they can influence how and for what we pray. And then we’ll be free to view the icons, walking among the saints of old (any maybe not-so-long-ago), venerating them as we see fit.

     If you have an icon that you would like to set among others, we welcome and encourage you to do so. Please, if you bring an icon for display, help us: Bring only icons of persons, not events. Put your name on the back of the icon lest it go astray. And identify the icon: Who is it? If the person is relatively unknown, why is that person memorable?

A Word From Your Pastor:

Sisters and brothers,

As we approach November at Mount Olive we begin to consider the question of stewardship, as we always do.  We have already approved a budget, as is our custom here, well before we have asked each other to pledge our giving for 2014.  This is a little uncommon in congregations of the ELCA, but it is a good thing.  We commit to the grace we will attempt to do as servants of Christ in this place, and then we commit to each other how we will keep those promises.

I find this time in our life together to be extremely exciting and hopeful.  God has blessed us so much, and I hear from so many a desire to live our lives in that blessing in ways that are significant and which make a difference.  The visioning leadership team has heard this same deep desire from all of you that we might find more ways to be involved in service in this place and in the world, and as you heard at the October semi-annual meeting, that desire is taking shape in the vision that Mount Olive is sensing God is placing before us.  I am confident that we are growing in a direction there that is led by the grace of the Holy Spirit in our midst.  (For a refresher on the current status of the visioning, please see the two reports attached to the Olive Branch on the October 16 issue, or ask the church office for copies, which were handed out at the Oct. 20 meeting.)
But this week and next in the Olive Branch, leading to our worship on Sunday, Nov. 10, I want to raise some questions and thoughts for our consideration as brothers and sisters in Christ as we consider the way we financially are called to serve.  What I would like us to think about is the possibility that in the next few years we might see this congregation, see ourselves, learn a new way of stewardship of our wealth in addition to that of our talents.

This is, and always has been, a generous congregation.  We have a long history of faithfully meeting our obligations and, if there is additional need expressed, a history of rising to the occasion and meeting that.  This is good.  However, given the outpouring of grace we all receive daily from the Triune God, the inexpressible joy and sustenance we have in the privilege of gathering weekly for Eucharist together, the experience of the very presence of our God in Word and Sacrament and in each other, perhaps we might consider that we are drawn to find a deeper, more committed response.
Simply put, we know we can take care of the basic needs of this congregation, building, staff, various resources and so on.  We commit a relatively small percentage, 11 percent, beyond that to give away, to serve in the world, and as many of you have pointed out at our October semi-annual meetings each year, we don’t challenge ourselves much to increase what we do in those areas.

So the first question I have for all of us to ponder is this: if the good news of God’s love so transforms our lives and gives us hope in life and in death, what might it mean if we sought to let our financial practices follow that joy, that transformation?  What if we began to commit to each other that our passion to serve as the Body of Christ led us to deepen, each of us, our financial commitment to each other and to the mission we share?  Not so we can make ends meet: we’re very good at that.  No, so our lives can show forth the Gospel in ways we might have never dared imagine before.

I am convinced that there is so much more God could be working through us, and the means to do those things are in our grasp, in our pocketbooks, in our resources.  Should we dare to ask, the Holy Spirit could enflame us to a way of transformational giving which will astonish and delight us and bring God’s grace to this broken, suffering world.

Let us pray about this and talk about this together.  As you consider your pledge for next year, ask yourself what it would mean to let go of more than you thought possible out of the abundance that you know God has given you and from the joy that you will experience from what God will do with what you have given.  As Paul said to the Corinthians, “God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.”  (2 Cor. 9:8)  What would it mean for us to trust Paul and leap into such a sense of our abundance and what God will do with us, with the wealth entrusted to our care?

In the love of Christ,
– Joseph

Mark Your Calendars for NovemberFest!

     On Sunday, November 17, the Congregational Life Committee will hold a NovemberFest Fundraising Dinner. This event will be a fun opportunity for Mount Olive members and friends to visit with each other and guests, eat a wonderful meal of German food prepared by members of our church, play some games (led by Hans Tisberger), all to help raise money for new ovens for the Undercroft kitchen.  A freewill offering will be received. If you want to come, stop and sign up afte both services on November 3 & 10, so we know how much food to prepare.

Theology on Tap

Faith journey conversations for folks 21 and up
When: Tuesday, Nov. 19, 7:30 pm
Where: Longfellow Grill, 2990 W. River Pkwy, Minneapolis
Topic: That “small, quiet voice”– how and when do you hear it, what does it tell you, what gets in the way?
Contact: Bob Anderson, 952-937-8656

“How Long, O Lord?”
Thursday Evening Bible Study Begins Next Week!

     In Psalm 13, David cries out, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” No doubt David is not the only one to ask God these questions, for here is not a household untouched by pain or suffering. Thursday evenings starting on Nov. 7, Vicar Beckering will lead a topical study on the Biblical witness to suffering and who God is for us in the midst of that suffering. This Bible study series will meet Thursday evenings in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and run for six weeks, with the exception of Thanksgiving. Each gathering will begin with a light supper. All are welcome!

Galatians Study at Becketwood 

     Pr. Crippen is offering a second run of the current six week Galatians Bible study at Becketwood Cooperative on six Tuesday afternoons. This study examines one of Paul’s most important and influential letters.

     The idea behind offering a second time for this study is to provide a time during the day for this study (currently running on Thursday evenings at Mount Olive), and also to offer it in a place where it might be easier for some to attend than getting to church. Note: This is not only for Mount Olive members, nor is it only for those who live at Becketwood. It was just thought that this is a relatively central location, and having an afternoon meeting is better for some who don’t like driving in the evenings.  All who are interested in this study are welcome! Becketwood is at 4300 W. River Parkway in Minneapolis.

 Book Discussion Group

     Mount Olive’s Book Discussion group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. at church. For Nov. 9, they will read Parade’s End, by Ford Madox Ford, and for December 14, The Optimist’s Daughter, by Eudora Welty.

Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend!
Don’t forget to set your clocks 
back one hour on Saturday night.

Volunteer Opportunities Abound

     On Sunday, November 10, during both coffee times representatives from various Mount Olive groups will be available to talk about volunteer opportunities with their committees and groups. Please come see what volunteers accomplish at Mount Olive and what opportunities exist for service at Mount Olive. Volunteering is a great way to serve  our congregation and our neighbors.

An Update from Jessinia Ruff

Jessinia left in August 2013 to live in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic with SCORE (Sharing, Christ, Our, Redeemer, Enterprises) International’s GAP year program (Global Adventure Pursuit) until the beginning of May 2014. She is studying Spanish and Biblical study classes as well as doing mission work in the local church and a nearby village of San Jose.

 Hello Mount Olive!

I miss my home church dearly. I am currently writing from my apartment in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic. Down the street from me is the Church of Juan Dolio where I have been attending and serving through leading worship (in Spanish!). Tuesday through Friday I attend classes. There are 12 students in the program here ages 18-24. I have Spanish for 4 hours in the mornings in which I am able to apply what I’m learning immediately into my life. I also am taking Biblical studies classes in the afternoons. The topics differ every week. So far I have studied Bibliology, Spiritual Disciplines, Old Testament Poetry, the book of Joshua, leadership and Anthropology. My faith is deepening greatly in each of the hard questions asked and topics explored. It is challenging me to really think about who God is and who I am in Christ.

On Mondays I travel to the nearby village of San Jose where a missionary has planted a church, clinic, and school. I am starting a ministry with the teenage girls of the village. As of right now I am still building relationships with the girls along with building my Spanish skills so I may better communicate with them. These girls are not Christians and have parents who look down upon Christianity. My goal is to love, encourage and serve these girls in whatever way I can to show them who Jesus is. This is one of the hardest endeavors I have ever been on but has by far been the most rewarding. I enjoy the people here: the students, the missionaries, and the Dominicans. I love living near the beach and am soaking up the warm climate.

I am blessed to have the opportunity to live and serve here for 6 more months. I return for two weeks at Christmas and look forward to seeing you all then. Thank you for all of your support and prayers. I would love hearing from you through email (jessinia.ruff@gmail.com). You can also read more about what I’m doing and how you can help, visit my blog here: http://jessiniaruff.blogspot.com/.
     Blessings,
     – Jessinia Ruff

Church Library News

      As we savor and reflect on the passing days of Fall, the newest display of interesting and worthwhile books in our church library include:

• Hill Country Harvest, by Hal Borland
• Homeland: A Report from the Country, by Hal Borland
• Borland Country, by Hal Borland
• Farming the Lord’s Land: Christian Perspectives on American Agriculture, by Charles P. Lutz, ed.
• A Fine and Peaceable Kingdom, by Kent Durden
• Wild Goose, Brother Goose, by Mel Ellis
• Gifts of an Eagle, by Kent Darden
• From the Orange Mailbox: Notes from a Few Country Acres, by A. Carman Clark
• Confessions of a New Bird Watcher and Conversation With a Barred Owl, both by Margaret Clarkson
• Winds in the Woods: The Story of John Muir, by John Stewart
• The Flight of the Snow Geese, by Des and Jen Bartlett
• Wood Carving, by Freda Skinner
• Lads Before the Wind: Adventures in Porpoise Training, by Karen Pryor, w/Introduction by Konrad Lorenz.

     I’ll close with two quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson that I have shared before but they are always timely and appropriate to consider:  “Libraries Change Lives,” and “In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends.”

– Leanna Kloempken

Attention, Bakers!

     We will again be baking communion bread for most liturgies in November through May.  There is currently a regular group of five bakers, but additional bakers are always welcome. If you might be interested in baking communion bread, Please contact John and Patsy Holtmeier either by email to jpholt67@gmail.com, or by phone: 952-582-1955.

National Lutheran Choir
All Saints Concerts: “REMEMBER”

Saturday, November 2, 2013 – 7:00pm
St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church
900 Stillwater Street
Mahtomedi, MN 55115

Sunday, November 3, 2013 – 4:00pm
St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church
17205 County Road Six
Plymouth, MN 55447
763-475-7100

     Choral classics, poetic offerings and a quiet space for remembrance blend for an unforgettable experience. These concerts are sure to sell-out, so order your tickets today!

     Craig Hella Johnson, renowned conductor and founder of the Grammy-nominated choral ensemble, Conspirare, guest conducts this year’s All Saints program, with Organist/pianist Bill Chouinard.

     For additional information and tickets, please contact the National Lutheran Choir office at 612-722-2301, or visit their website: www.nlca.com.

Sunday’s Adult Forum 

• October 27: “The On-Going Reformation: What Is It?” In this presentation, led by Dwight Penas, we will discuss Pr. Almen’s presentation from last week on the dialogue between Lutherans and Roman Catholics in the United States and explore how and why the dialogue is important (if it is).

• November 3: “Praying with Icons” A discussion about how icons are “structured” to draw us to prayer, how they can influence how and for what we pray.

Sunday Readings

October 27, 2013 – Reformation Sunday
Jeremiah 31:31-34 + Psalm 46
Romans 3:19-28 + John 8:31-36

November 3, 2013 – All Saints Sunday
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 + Psalm 149
Ephesians 1:11-23 + Luke 6:20-31

Be a Part of Something Special!

     It’s difficult to commit an hour and a half of your time every week to something like Way to Goals Tutoring, one of Mount Olive’s vital programs to the neighborhood.  However, you can still be a part of it by signing up to bring a snack and beverage for 14 students and nine tutors one night this year.  The snack chart is posted on the Neighborhood Ministries bulletin board downstairs next to Donna Neste’s office. Just sign the chart for the date that you would like to bring your treats and have them at church before 7:00 p.m. on that date.  If you have any questions, call Donna, 612/827-5919.

Update from the Treasurer

     September was a financially challenging month.  Our giving did not cover our costs, and even though we had five Sundays in September, the monthly giving totals were 10% lower than the same month in 2012.

     In order to pay our obligations in September (salaries/benefits, building maintenance, insurance, etc.), it was necessary to borrow $10,000 from our line of credit.  Although it is unknown what the interest on that loan will cost us, in past years we have spent an average of $1,350.00 on interest from this type of borrowing.  This is an expense that we would rather use for our ministry.

     There is positive news in our financial picture as well.  Overall giving for the year is 2.7% ahead of last year.  In past years we have needed to borrow against our credit line earlier in the year.  Typically giving trends upward in the fall and we anticipate that this will happen again.

     Please prayerfully consider this information as you make decisions about your offerings to the church in the coming weeks.  I will continue to provide updates on the current finances in the Olive Branch and leave copies of the monthly Treasurer’s report in the office for those who are interested in more detail.

– Kat Campbell Johnson, Treasurer

The Great TRUST Auction

     This Saturday, October 26, TRUST will have both a live and silent auction. There will be live music and dinner and great desserts. Plan to come and join the fun and support TRUST, which sponsors CoAM, Meals on Wheels, TRUST Youth, and many other ministries and services.

     The event starts at 6:00 pm, and tickets are available from Carol Austermann; $20/adults, $15/seniors, and $5/kids under 10.

     This event will take place at Lake Harriet Methodist Church, 4901 Chowen Ave. S. in Minneapolis. All are welcome.

Book Discussion Group

     Mount Olive’s Book Discussion group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. at church. For Nov. 9, they will read Parade’s End, by Ford Madox Ford, and for December 14, The Optimist’s Daughter, by Eudora Welty.

“How Long, O Lord?”
Thursday Evening Bible Study Begins Nov. 7

     In Psalm 13, David cries out, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” No doubt David is not the only one to ask God these questions, for here is not a household untouched by pain or suffering. Thursday evenings starting on Nov. 7, Vicar Beckering will lead a topical study on the Biblical witness to suffering and who God is for us in the midst of that suffering. This Bible study series will meet Thursday evenings in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and run for six weeks, with the exception of Thanksgiving. Each gathering will begin with a light supper. All are welcome!

Galatians Study at Becketwood 

     Pr. Crippen is offering a second run of the current six week Galatians Bible study at Becketwood Cooperative on six Tuesday afternoons. This study examines one of Paul’s most important and influential letters.

     The idea behind offering a second time for this study is to provide a time during the day for this study (currently running on Thursday evenings at Mount Olive), and also to offer it in a place where it might be easier for some to attend than getting to church. The session on Oct. 22 will be in the lower level of the chapel at 2:00 p.m. Note: This is not only for Mount Olive members, nor is it only for those who live at Becketwood. It was just thought that this is a relatively central location, and having an afternoon meeting is better for some who don’t like driving in the evenings.  All who are interested in this study are welcome! Becketwood is at 4300 W River Parkway in Minneapolis.

Congregational Care Committee Seeks Your Response

     The art of giving and accepting care was the forum topic during the coffee hour on Sunday, October 13.  Please consider providing your feedback by taking a minute to think about the following questions.

     Are you aware of an unmet need for care and support at Mount Olive?

     What kind of support do you wish was available for the need you identified?

     Do you have particular skills or experience that you would like to offer to future congregational care and support initiatives?

     Please call or email your responses to:  Marilyn Gebauer, 651-704-9539, Peggy Hoeft, 952-835-7132, Warren Peterson, 952-935-9262, or Cathy Bosworth, 952-949-3679.  E-mail address may be found in the Mount Olive Directory.

Attention Worship Assistants!

     It’s that time again.  In early November I will begin working on the Servant Schedule for the first quarter of 2014. Please contact me (peggyrf70@gmail.com) by November 1, with scheduling requests for January – March 2014.

 – Peggy Hoeft 

CoAM’s Annual Luncheon

     You are cordially invited to join the Cooperative Older Adult Ministry (CoAM), for their annual fundraiser luncheon to be held at 12:00 Noon on Monday, Nov. 18, at Bethel Lutheran Church, 4120 17th Ave. S. in Minneapolis.  With voices and instruments, From the Heart will perform songs that you grew up with.  Tickets are $17. You may make your reservations today by calling 612-721-5786.

  CoAM is one of the many organizations under the wide umbrella of TRUST, a network of South Minneapolis churches of which Mount Olive is a part, by volunteering for their Meals on Wheels, and our youth group connects with other TRUST congregations’ youth programs for service and social gatherings.

All Saints

     On All Saints Sunday, November 3, we remember and celebrate those who have preceded us in the faith and now “from their labors rest.” We recite their names; we light votives in their memory. And in the Adult Forum that day, we’ll have a chance to walk among some of them. There will be a display of icons of some of our forebears in the faith.  There will be a discussion about how icons are “structured” to draw us to prayer, how they can influence how and for what we pray. And then we’ll be free to view the icons, walking among the saints of old (any maybe not-so-long-ago), venerating them as we see fit.

     If you have an icon that you would like to set among others, we welcome and encourage you to do so. Please, if you bring an icon for display, help us: Bring only icons of persons, not events. Put your name on the back of the icon lest it go astray. And identify the icon: Who is it? If the person is relatively unknown, why is that person memorable?  

Names of the Departed Saints Invited

     As a part of our All Saints liturgy on Nov. 3, 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, 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.

Mark Your Calendars!

     On Sunday, November 17, the Congregational Life Committee will hold a NovemberFest Fundraising Dinner. This German meal will be a fun opportunity for Mount Olive members and friends to visit with each other and guests, eat a wonderful meal prepared by members of our church, and help raise money for new ovens for the Undercroft kitchen.

     More details to follow in next week’s Olive Branch!

Meals on Wheels Thanks

     Many thanks to those from Mount Olive who delivered Meals on Wheels for TRUST during the third quarter of 2013: Gary Flatgard, Art & Elaine Halbardier, Bob Lee, and Rod & Connie Olson.

Theology on Tap

Faith journey conversations for folks 21 and up
When: Tuesday, Nov. 19, 7:30pm
Where: Longfellow Grill, 2990 W. River Pkwy, Mpls
Topic: That “small, quiet voice”– how and when do you hear it, what does it tell you, what gets in the way?
Contact: Bob Anderson, 952-937-8656

Our Thanks!

     I cannot begin to thank everyone personally (and if I tried, I would no doubt overlook someone), so let me here thank all of you for your expressions of support and sympathy to our family on the untimely death of my mother. It was a complete surprise, and we were left in shock. But you, our family here at Mount Olive, surrounded us with affection and concern and loaned us your strength. This experience simply confirms what we have long known — that this congregation exists on purpose, to mirror and offer the grace of God to all in every need. Thank you.

– Dwight Penas, for Kathy Thurston, Erika Thurston, and himself

Accent on Worship

Wrestling

     I was a wrestler in high school, which ended up being about the only athletic endeavor I showed much promise for.  It suited both my build and my mind.  You see, it turns out that wrestling really is as much a mental exercise as a physical one.  The strategy of which moves to make, of understanding what your opponent is doing, of anticipating moves with your own moves, all this makes wrestling an intellectual challenge.

     But it’s also a spiritual one of sorts.  For me, since I started wrestling much later than most on the team, early on I would be wrestling against people with far more experience, and a real challenge was not to give up emotionally when it seemed as if my opponent was so much better than I.  My cousin Jason, who was a very good state-level wrestler, was always reminding me that I needed to remember that not wanting to give up was critical to not actually giving up.

     Sunday we hear the odd and mysterious story of Jacob wrestling a stranger (an angel? God? a man?) on the banks of a river.  The text isn’t ever clear about the exact identity of his opponent, but Jacob ends up believing he was wrestling with God.  Jacob persists all night long, never giving up, and clinging in the end so that he might demand a blessing.  It was that inner spiritual strength that kept him from giving up until he felt he was heard, was recognized, was blessed.  The lectionary combines this story with Jesus’ parable of persistent prayer from Luke 18, and the parallels are obvious.

     Sometimes I think, though, that we’re reticent to wrestle with God in prayer.  Though we believe that the Triune God is the creator of all that is, seen and unseen, though we are confident that the Son of God has given us permission to pray, to ask, to seek, we sometimes act as if God’s not able to handle the depths of our struggle.  We hold back when we are angry with God, when we don’t understand things, when we are afraid, as if God can’t handle our truth, our need, our pain.

     We give up too soon, I think.  Jesus suggests, as Jacob experienced, that we can bring everything we have and truly wrestle with God if we need to.  He suggests that God is big enough to handle the depths of all our pain and suffering and confusion and anger, as well as our joy and praise.  This is a precious thing, this invitation to engage Almighty God in prayer and not give up, seeking blessing and hope from God in all things, without hesitation, without fear that we won’t be heard.

     This is the Good News our Lord Jesus gives us: that the Triune God’s love and care for us is so broad, so deep, so high, that we can fully engage in this relationship, wrestling along with praising, never fearing that we will be sent away, confident that we can fully be heard and known.  It would be a tremendous gift if we were able to trust Jesus on this, and wrestle until we feel we’ve been heard, until we hear what God’s blessing for us truly is.  Then this relationship Jesus has given us with the Trinity will truly be real, and life-giving, and, as it turns out, a blessing.

– Joseph

Sunday’s Adult Forum 

• October 20: “The State of the Lutheran – Roman Catholic Dialogue,” presented by The Rev. Lowell Almen.

Notice of Congregation Meeting

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

Be a Part of Something Special!

     It’s difficult to commit an hour and a half of your time every week to something like Way to Goals Tutoring, one of Mount Olive’s vital programs to the neighborhood.  However, you can still be a part of it by signing up to bring a snack and beverage for 14 students and nine tutors one night this year.  The snack chart is posted on the Neighborhood Ministries bulletin board downstairs next to Donna Neste’s office. Just sign the chart for the date that you would like to bring your treats and have them at church before 7:00 p.m. on that date.  If you have any questions, call Donna, 612/827-5919.

Photo Selection for Pictorial Directory

     Elisabeth Hunt will be available between liturgies  this Sunday to assist with the selection of your photo for the new Mount Olive Pictorial Directory.

     If you do not have computer access or have had difficulty logging on to the website to choose the photo you want included in the Pictorial Directory, this is your opportunity to complete the task.  Please bring the information instruction sheet that you received when you had your photos taken.

John Weaver Recital This Sunday

     Mount Olive Music and Fine Arts presents one of America’s foremost concert organists in  a brilliant program of “Toccatas: Scary and Joyous” on the Schlicker organ at Mount Olive, Sunday, October 20 at 4 pm. He will be joined in this recital by his wife, flautist Marianne Weaver, in two pieces dedicated to this performing duo.

     Here is an excerpt of a recent New York Times review of a John Weaver concert:  ‘John Weaver plays everything as though to its manner born, as though he had the inside track to each composer’s individuality and had no need to work his way over the barriers or through the channels of stylistic attitudes that serve lesser performers as stepping stones … Exaggerated?  Well, go and hear a Weaver recital before you decide.”

     John Weaver was head of the organ department at The Julliard School until his recent retirement, and previously held the same position at Curtis Institute, Philadelphia. For many years, he was Music Director at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York. Early in his career, he founded the Bach Cantata Series at Holy Trinity Lutheran, New York, which still continues successfully.

     John and Marianne Weaver frequently perform together, to high critical acclaim. This is a program not to be missed. Mark your calendar to attend, and tell friends about this as well.

Update from the Treasurer

     September was a financially challenging month.  Our giving did not cover our costs, and even though we had five Sundays in September, the monthly giving totals were 10% lower than the same month in 2012.

     In order to pay our obligations in September (salaries/benefits, building maintenance, insurance, etc.), it was necessary to borrow $10,000 from our line of credit.  Although it is unknown what the interest on that loan will cost us, in past years we have spent an average of $1,350.00 on interest from this type of borrowing.  This is an expense that we would rather use for our ministry.

     There is positive news in our financial picture as well.  Overall giving for the year is 2.7% ahead of last year.  In past years we have needed to borrow against our credit line earlier in the year.  Typically giving trends upward in the fall and we anticipate that this will happen again.

     Please prayerfully consider this information as you make decisions about your offerings to the church in the coming weeks.  I will continue to provide updates on the current finances in the Olive Branch and leave copies of the monthly Treasurer’s report in the office for those who are interested in more detail.
– Kat Campbell Johnson, Treasurer



The Great TRUST Auction

     On October 26, TRUST will have both a live and silent auction. There will be live music and dinner and great desserts. Plan to come and join the fun and support TRUST, which sponsors CoAM, Meals on Wheels, TRUST Youth, and many other ministries and services.

     The event starts at 6:00 pm, and tickets are available from Carol Austermann; $20/adults, $15/seniors, and $5/kids under 10.

     This event will take place at Lake Harriet Methodist Church, 4901 Chowen Ave. S. in Minneapolis. All are welcome.

Book Discussion Group

     Mount Olive’s Book Discussion group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. at church. For Nov. 9, they will read Parade’s End, by Ford Madox Ford, and for December 14, The Optimist’s Daughter, by Eudora Welty.

How Long, O Lord?
Thursday Evening Bible Study Begins Nov. 7

     In Psalm 13, David cries out, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” No doubt David is not the only one to ask God these questions, for here is not a household untouched by pain or suffering. Thursday evenings starting on Nov. 7, Vicar Beckering will lead a topical study on the Biblical witness to suffering and who God is for us in the midst of that suffering. This Bible study series will meet Thursday evenings in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and run for six weeks, with the exception of Thanksgiving. Each gathering will begin with a light supper. All are welcome!

Galatians Study Becketwood  

     Pr. Crippen is offering a second run of the current six week Galatians Bible study at Becketwood Cooperative on six Tuesday afternoons. This study examines one of Paul’s most important and influential letters.

     The idea behind offering a second time for this study is to provide a time during the day for this study (currently running on Thursday evenings at Mount Olive), and also to offer it in a place where it might be easier for some to attend than getting to church. The session on Oct. 22 will be in the lower level of the chapel at 2:00 p.m. Note: This is not only for Mount Olive members, nor is it only for those who live at Becketwood. It was just thought that this is a relatively central location, and having an afternoon meeting is better for some who don’t like driving in the evenings.  All who are interested in this study are welcome! Becketwood is at 4300 W River Parkway in Minneapolis.

Congregational Care Committee Seeks Your Response

     The art of giving and accepting care was the forum topic during the coffee hour on Sunday, October 13.  Please consider providing your feedback by taking a minute to think about the following questions.

     Are you aware of an unmet need for care and support at Mount Olive?
     What kind of support do you wish was available for the need you identified?
     Do you have particular skills or experience that you would like to offer to future congregational care and support initiatives?

     Please call or email your responses to:  Marilyn Gebauer, Peggy Hoeft, Warren Peterson,  or Cathy Bosworth.  E-mail address may be found in the Mount Olive Directory.

Attention Worship Assistants!

     It’s that time again.  In early November I will begin working on the Servant Schedule for the first quarter of 2014.   Please contact me (peggyrf70@gmail.com) by November 1 with scheduling requests for January – March 2014.
– Peggy Hoeft 

People to Know: The October Our Saviour’s Meal Team!

     A big “THANK YOU” to each of the folks who helped make the October meal at Our Savior’s Homeless Center happen. They include:
• Beth Sawyer, who gathered the young people of Mount Olive (and their parents) to slice and chop and prep and pack many elements of the meal;
• Tim Pipkorn and Samantha Lucas, who cooked and served the meal;
• Naomi Peterson, for her monthly home-made cookies (Yum!) and Halloween treats;
• Donn and Bonnie McClellan, who each month prepare lunches for the residents.

     Month after month the men and women who live at Our Savior’s say how grateful they are for the special attention that goes into the meals from Mount Olive. Thanks to the October team, and all those who help in this ministry throughout the year.

A Word of Thanks

     Thank you to the families who helped prep the meal for Our Savior’s Housing on October 13 (here are some fun photos of the event!).  The next service event for families will be on November 16 at 11:30 am.  Please bring your family to help make Thanksgiving cards for Community Emergency Services, share the noon community meal with our neighbors and help clear tables afterwards.  Wear your yellow Mount Olive shirts if you have one.  Contact Beth Sawyer with questions and to RSVP for this event.  651-434-0666  mikebethsawyer78@gmail.com