Accent on Worship

Bowing at Mount Olive

     We at Mount Olive describe ourselves as a “musical, liturgical, and welcoming” congregation.  We are a bowing church as well.  That is, there are many of us who bow during the liturgy as one of our worship practices and postures.  There are at least a couple of reasons for this practice.

     First, we bow to worship God, acknowledging the presence of the Holy One in our midst.  This is why many of us bow to the processional cross (the symbol of our salvation), to the altar (the symbol of God’s presence), and when the name of Jesus and the Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) are sung or spoken.  Bowing to God is a practice mentioned a number of times in the Bible. For example the Psalmist writes, “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!”  (Psalm 95:6).  Bowing before God has been a traditional worship posture for God’s people, both Jewish and Christian, since the earliest times.

     We also bow to one another as a way of showing love and respect to our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Since the gathered assembly of worshippers is part of the body of Christ and since Jesus has promised to be present whenever two or three believers gather in His name, the presence of the Holy One is located not only in the symbols of cross and altar but in the assembly as well.  This is why Pastor Joseph bows both to the altar and to the people before entering the pulpit to preach.  Bowing to one another, with a nod of our heads, acknowledges that each person is a beloved child of God, created in God’s image.  It reminds us that we are called to love one another – friend, neighbor, and enemy alike.

     Bowing in worship is neither something I grew up with nor something I learned in seminary (the Lutheran church of my upbringing and seminary I attended being rather non-liturgical places.) But it has become a practice I hold dear.  I like that bowing allows worship to be something I/we do physically, a way to worship with our bodies as well as with the words of our mouths and meditations of our hearts.  Bowing reminds me that God is present not only spiritually, in our minds and hearts, but physically in the very space we occupy as we gather for worship.  And I appreciate that bowing allows us a way to form ourselves – body, mind, and spirit – into a posture of respect and reverence for the living God.

– Rob Ruff

Regular Worship Schedule to Resume This Sunday, September 8

This Sunday, September 8, we return to our regular worship schedule of two Sunday liturgies at 8:00 and 10:45 a.m.

God’s Work. Our Hands

     To mark the 25th Anniversary of the founding of our national church body, all Evangelical Lutheran Church in America faith communities are being asked to promote activities that give life to ELCA’s byline:  God’s Work.  Our Hands. Please join us for brunch between liturgies this Sunday, September 8. We will learn more about and celebrate Mt. Olive’s service to the broader community, both in our neighborhood ministries and in our own ministries beyond these walls.

Sunday Readings

September 8, 2013 – Time after Pentecost: Sunday 23 
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 + Psalm 1
Philemon 1-21 + Luke 14:25-33

September 15, 2013 – Time after Pentecost: Sunday 24
Exodus 32:7-14+ Psalm 51:1-10
I Timothy 1:12-17 + Luke 15:1-10

Keeping Up with the Cantor

     Anyone who is interested in seeing what Cantor Cherwien is up to during his sabbatical should check his blog: www.cherwien.blogspot.com.

God’s Work, Our Hands – Be Prepared to Draw Your Hand!

     On September 8, the ELCA will celebrate its 25th anniversary! In observance of this special day, Mount Olive will celebrate with a luncheon at which you may tell of the stories of our own experiences of reaching out into the neighborhood and community. In anticipation of this day, several members have scheduled service opportunities.

     Come and enjoy the meal and conversation and be prepared to engage in our community. Members of Mount Olive know how to use their hands and hearts to do God’s work.

First MFA Event for 2013-14 Season
The Portland Cello Project
Friday, September 13, 7:30 pm

     Mount Olive Music and Fine Arts presents cellists doing innovative things with music!! The Portland Cello Project has wowed audiences all over the United States with extravagant performances. The group has built a reputation mixing genres and blurring musical lines and perceptions wherever they go. No two shows are alike, with everything from Beethoven to Arvo Pärt to instrumental covers for Adele, Kanye West and Pantera. Check them out at https://portlandcelloproject.com.

     A reception follows in the Chapel Lounge. This event is free and open to the public, and a free-will offering will be received to support the Music and Fine Arts program.

The Olive Branch Resumes Weekly Publication

With this issue of The Olive Branch, we resume regular weekly publication of the church newsletter. The deadline for information to be published is Wednesdays at Noon.

 
Way to Goals Tutoring to Begin Soon

     Tuesday, October 1st is the first day of our school year program, Way to Goals Tutoring, and we will be meeting most Tuesday evenings after that until the last Tuesday in May.  We begin at 7:00 p.m. with an hour of tutoring followed by a half hour activity and snack time, and ending at 8:30 p.m.

     If you would like to help as a volunteer tutor of one or two elementary school students call Donna Neste at Mount Olive for all the details.

Freedom of the Christian: Bible Study on Thursday Evenings Starting Sept. 19

     The first Thursday Bible study series of this year begins on Thursday, Sept. 19, and runs for six weeks.  Meeting in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Pr. Crippen lead a study of the book of Galatians, one of Paul’s most vital and important letters.  As usual, there will be a light supper when we begin.  All are welcome to this study opportunity!

Altar and Chancel Cleaning Day to be Held September 14, 12 noon – 3 pm

     Several times each year members of the Altar Guild gather to clean the altar and chancel.  This involves dusting (lots of dusting, including some pretty high places!), polishing all the brass, and scraping wax from the floor, to name just a few of the tasks.  This cleaning day is open to all members of the parish.  You do not need to be an “official” member of the Altar Guild to participate.  Please join us on Saturday, September 14 at 12 noon.  

Every Church A Peace Church

     The next regular bimonthly potluck supper meeting of Every Church a Peace Church will be held on Monday, September 9th at 6:30 p.m. at Robbinsdale United Church of Christ, 4200 Lake Road, Robbinsdale, MN  (763-537-6965,  and on the web:www.robbinsdaleucc.org).

     The speaker for this program will be Jay Carlson, pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, a congregation that has long been a neighborhood leader for social justice. In recent years, Holy Trinity has supported a campaign for better wages and working conditions for retail cleaning workers and has been leading an effort to address problems associated with payday lending. His program will be “Faith, Community, and Building Power: A Reflection on Holy Trinity’s Work for Peace with Justice in the City.”

     Pastor Carlson will be joined by Holy Trinity’s parish organizer, Meghan Olsen Biebighauser, who has received training in community organizing methods from the Midwest Academy in Chicago.

Pictorial Directory Information

     Photography for the new Mount Olive online Pictorial Directory will begin in earnest the first week of September.
     We will be producing an online digital directory.  This online directory will be password-protected so that access is limited to Mount Olive folks who are issued a password through the church office. For those who do not have computer access a hard copy will be available.

     Photography sessions will take place at Mount Olive Lutheran Church. Arrangements will be made for photographs of shut-ins.

     An email will be sent to each household of the parish giving instructions as to how you can sign up for a photography session.

     There will be time slots for photography sessions during the month of September on weekday afternoons and evenings.  Time slots will be available on weekends.

     For those households that do not have e-mail, a letter will be sent via U.S. Post Office with instructions for scheduling a photography session.

     After the initial period of self-initiated photography session sign up, follow-up contacts and phone calls will be made to arrange for those households that have not scheduled their session.

     In the week following your photography session, you will be asked to select one of the photographs taken of you or your household for the directory.  Each person/household will be given a digital copy of the photo selected for the directory.  There will be an opportunity to purchase prints and/or digital copies of your photos should you want to do so.

     We need volunteers for the following jobs related to the project:

a) Hosts during the photo sessions at the church
b) Data entry and photo management that can be done from your home online
c) Follow up phone scheduling.

     If you are willing to assist with one of these jobs, please contact Andrew Andersen at andrewstpaul@gmail.com, or Sandra Pranschke at spranschke@gmail.com.

Introducing Vicar Emily Beckering

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

     Greetings to you and peace! I am overjoyed to be beginning my time with you all; it is a privilege to be able to worship and to serve with you as the 43rd vicar at Mount Olive. On behalf of those who have come before me, and those who are yet to come, I would like to sincerely thank you all for your commitment to training vicars; your ministry is truly a gift to me and to the Church.

     My husband, Taylor, and I come to you from Luther Seminary in St. Paul. We will continue to live on the Luther Seminary campus throughout the year. Recently in July, we celebrated our second anniversary! I grew up in East Bethel, Minnesota, which is also the town of my home congregation, Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. Taylor is from Worthington, Minnesota, and we both graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College. Currently, Taylor works as a substitute mail carrier for the U.S. Post Office in Apple Valley. He will begin the Master’s program in Counseling Psychology at St. Thomas University this coming fall. We enjoy visiting our families in Worthington and Howard Lake, playing board games, fishing, crafting gifts, and reading novels. If you would like to introduce us to some of your own board games, favorite authors, or consider yourself a crafty soul, we invite you to pass along your secrets!

     I am grateful to gather around Word and Sacrament with you each week for the coming year, and I look forward to our time together. I anticipate that I will learn much from our conversations, from our shared service in the name of Christ, and from feasting on the Word with one another.

     Thank you for welcoming Taylor and me into your midst. I am eager to witness how God is at work among you for the sake of the world!

Christ’s peace be with you,
– Vicar Emily Beckering

Book Discussion Group

     Mount Olive’s Book Discussion group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. at church. For the September 14 meeting they will discuss Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, for October 12, The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, and for November 9, Parade’s End, by Ford Madox Ford.

South Africa Learning Tour

     Christ the King Lutheran Church (Bloomington), a congregation that also supports the ELCA mission work of Pastor Phil Knutson, will sponsor a trip to South Africa, February 14- March 1, 2014.  They will be visiting Johannesburg, Phil Knutson’s base for his work, as well as other areas including Durban and Cape Town.  The goal is to broaden visions and perspectives.  The cost is approx $5099, including flights. Mount Olive members are invited to join this group.  For more information, contact Pastor Hans Lee of Christ the King at 952-881-8600 or hlee@ctkb.org

Invitation to Attend Lutheran Volunteer Corps Commissioning

     Mount Olive members are warmly invited to join the Twin Cities’ Lutheran Volunteer Corps Commissioning Service and Reception at 2:00 p.m., this Sunday, September 8, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church.  Mount Olive is a supporting congregation for Lutheran Volunteer Corps.  This will be a great way to show our support, to meet the 2013-2014 volunteers, and get to know other congregations and community organizations.  This celebration is also a great way to mark the 25th anniversary of the ELCA by showing our support of service to the world.  If you are interested in attending, please send an e-mail to Sophie Gardner, (sophialggardner@gmail.com) and bring a dessert to share if you can.  They would love to see Mount Olive members there and build connections between the young adults in LVC and Mount Olive.

Vestry Meeting Highlights: August, 2013

     The August 12 meeting of the Vestry just happened to fall on new Vicar Emily Beckering’s first day.  What a great way for her to see Mount Olive members in action!  Pastor Crippen introduced Vicar Beckering and she shared that, prior to entering Luther Seminary, she had been a special education teacher.  It was a great opportunity for her to share some of her background and get to know a little more about Mount Olive and the Vestry.

     The meeting was a lively one and included updates on the Visioning Committee.  They are currently in the process of synthesizing the material that was gathered by the different observation and interviews and plan on submitting a report to the Vestry in October so that a formal update can be included in the Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting.  There is a lot of information to cover, but it is an incredible opportunity for Mount Olive to engage in the community.

     Several committees had new members to submit for approval.  The newest member of the Internship Committee will be Joe Kane.  A newly formed Library Committee will include Dan Burow, Dwight Penas, Bonnie McClellan, and Leanna Kloempken.  Tom Graves and Ginny Agresti are now members of the Congregational Life Committee, and new to the Staff Support Committee is Rob Ruff.

     This was Cantor Cherwien’s last Vestry meeting before his sabbatical.  He spoke to the joy and energy that has been present during summer worship and also expressed his excitement to be travelling to places that will give him the opportunity to experience some amazing music.  Interim Cantor William Beckstrand will begin his three month tenure on September 1.

     Members of the congregation will be asked to schedule time to have their photos taken for the pictorial directory.  Paul Nixdorf will take photos in September and members will be able to select the proof of their choice to be included in the directory. Andrew Andersen and the Evangelism Committee have also been working on ways to augment internal parish communications to ensure that everyone has the important information that they need to stay current.

     The next meeting of the Vestry will be September 9, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.

Service Event at CES

     There will be a day of service event for families of Mount Olive at the Community Emergency Services on September 8 from 1-3.  CES is located at 1900 11th Ave S. in Minneapolis.  We will be doing some sorting and cleaning–projects which are much needed.  They are grateful for our willingness to help.  If your family would like to participate please call or email Beth Sawyer at mikebethsawyer78@gmail.com or 651-434-0666.  There are 8 spots left.   CES is looking for additional volunteers on Monday, September 9 from 9 to 10 am to top off grocery bags.  If you can help please contact Pastor Lyn Peterson at lpeterson@cesmn.org.

Accent on Worship

A Great Gift

     Once a young J. S. Bach set out on foot for a 250 mile journey,  a four week  leave to observe Buxtehude in Lübeck.  It turned into a three-month absence for which he was punished.  Since he had hired a replacement (Johann Ernst Bach), he didn’t worry about the extension  because he had “hoped the organ playing had been so well taken care of by the one he had engaged for the purpose that no complaint could be entered on that account.”  Indeed.

     We have no way of knowing the significance of Bach’s trip,  but I’m guessing it was pretty influential for the 20-some year-old budding genius.   What’s three months in the grand scheme of things,  given the impact of this person’s lifetime of work?  Imagine if his superiors gripped on to him and his time,  thus depriving him of what most likely was significant input.

     I am lucky. I serve a congregation who understands the value of this kind of thing.  I’m hardly in my twenties anymore,  but input is still vital for me, and for all of us, actually.  The best way I learn is through experiences,  through observation,  having the chance to get out and hear and experience what’s going on elsewhere.  This will be my third sabbatical in my career,  and the second one during my time here at Mount Olive.  Each of the previous times were rich with experiences which fed our energy upon returning.  I’m expecting the same this go around.

     I’m energized by travel – by adventure.  And I will be doing a lot of it!  I will begin in Europe,  where my calling was begun – twice – first as a 13- year-old organ student in southern France,  then as a fresh college graduate studying Church Music in Berlin. I will be in Paris for two weekends,  attending 5 liturgies each Sunday (I’ve developed a Sunday itinerary that includes 3 Eucharists,  and 2 organ recitals).  I will then head to Berlin to see the people and places of my schooling 30 years ago,  and then to Leipzig,  to attend the weekend’s activities which include Motets and Cantatas.

     Following that trip, I was able to accept hymn festival invitations that I normally would not (because I GET to be here!),  and they will take me (and Susan who has also been invited to present at these) to Midland, Texas,  Lancaster, Pennsylvania,  Orange County, California,  Phoenix, Arizona,  and Indianapolis, Indiana!
     In mid October,  I will observe rehearsals and attend Evensong at King’s College, Cambridge England – an experience that I’m especially excited about.

     To top it off,  there is a wonderful series of concerts in New York City on the theme of spirituality – and I’m hoping we can go there to experience some of those in November.

     It will be a rich time – and I am extremely grateful for this opportunity, and the time.  Who knows what three months of input will do to my output in the six years that follow!

     Yet, sabbaticals work in both directions!  It is an opportunity for you to experience gifts of someone with different set of experiences, bringing new and fresh ideas to into your midst.

     In my place here at Mount Olive will be William Beckstrand.  He is an outstanding musician,  known for composition and church music!  He has served several parishes in the Twin Cities and Duluth,  and is currently a full time composer.  His gifts will be different,  and I know wonderful.  And I pray your gifts to him will also be a blessing!

     I will keep in touch.  Watch The Olive Branch for how I’ll decide to do that.

– Cantor Cherwien

Sunday Readings

Aug. 25, 2013 – Time after Pentecost: Sunday 21 
Isaiah 58:9b-14 + Psalm 103:1-8
Hebrews 12:18-29 + Luke 13:10-17

Sept. 1, 2013 – Time after Pentecost: Sunday 22
Proverbs 25:6-7 + Psalm 112
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 + Luke 14:1, 7-14

Book Discussion Group

     Mount Olive’s Book Discussion group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. at church. For the September 14 meeting they will discuss Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, and for November 9, Parade’s End, by Ford Madox Ford.

Women’s Vocal Ensemble – for August 

     A women’s ensemble will be assembled to sing at the Eucharist this Sunday, August 25, 9:30 service.  We will have one rehearsal, that morning at 8:00 a.m.  (coffee provided!)  Contact Cantor Cherwien if you would like to sing, or simply come this Sunday, August 25, at 8:00 am.

Congregational Care Comes to the Forum

     The art of giving and accepting care will be a forum topic during the coffee hour on Sunday, October 13.  Many at Mount Olive find themselves in the role of caregiver while others find themselves in the often unfamiliar spot of having to accept care from others.  While we tend to think of this as an “old people’s problem”, this is a generational concern as people care for aging parents, sick friends, special needs children, and ourselves.

     Key to care is knowledge of services and programs available in our state and city and how to access them.  While most of us know a little bit about some things, laws change and it is hard to keep up.  The forum could address a variety of topics, such as:

–  End of life issues – how to plan for known and unknown entities and how to access help.  Learn about health care directives, Hospice, and plan your funeral.
–  Family support – shifting roles, new responsibilities, changes in and losses of a loved one.  What will you need to help get through the tough times?
–  Unexpected life transitions – i.e. divorce, suicide, chronic illness, parenting small and adult children, and all the unanticipated twists and turns of life.
– Spiritual resources – accepting God’s grace through the loving action of the Mount Olive community.  We all need to learn and be open to how this works.

     This is a tall order for one forum!  The final shape of the hour depends on what topical interest emerges as a “high demand” priority.  Please weigh in via phone, email, or conversation by contacting Marilyn Gebauer at 651-704-9539 or by email at gebauevm@bitstream.net.  Feel free to speak with any of the other members of the Congregational Care Committee: Cathy Bosworth, Peggy Hoeft, and Warren Peterson.  

Arts on Chicago

     On the counter outside of the church office reception window, there is a basket that contains a handy pocket-sized “Arts On Chicago” guide.  Please help yourself and take advantage of the many arts offerings in the neighborhood around Mount Olive.

A Note of Thanks

     Thank you to the many friends and members of Mount Olive who lifted my health in prayer during and following my recent surgery.  Pastor’s visit to the hospital along the many expressions of encouragement and good health, both in person and via cards, have indeed been a blessing and brought about the desired healing. Now to work on getting my voice back!

– Adam Krueger

Mission spotlight: LWF–Jerusalem

     Mount Olive’s Missions Committee each year selects new and continuing national and global projects for relatively modest direct grants that are in addition to our mission support through the ELCA. Our funding—on behalf of the congregation—of the Lutheran World Federation’s Jerusalem work, which falls under LWF’s Department for World Service, supports Palestinian refugees and others through the 100-year-old Augusta Victoria Hospital (which, happily for us, is located on the Mount of Olives!), a vocational training program for young men and women, scholarships, and work in peace, justice, and reconciliation. Last year LWF’s Jerusalem program (which now extends to serving Syrian refugees in the Zaatari camp in northern Jordan) served nearly 28,000 people at the hospital, more than 700 in the vocational program, and awarded scholarships and material help to almost 3,500 people. Mount Olive’s role in this troubled part of the world may be small, but we are there.

Neighborhood Ministries Newsletter
Available This Weekend

     Greetings from Mount Olive Neighborhood Ministries, the Neighborhood Ministries quarterly newsletter, will be distributed following the liturgy this Sunday, August 25.  If you will not be in church that day and wish to pick it up, it will be in the church office and also in the narthex.

Pictorial Directory Information

     Photography for the new Mount Olive On Line Pictorial Directory will begin the first week of September with EARLY dates in August.

****SPECIAL EARLY TIME SLOTS ARE AVAILABLE BEFORE THE END OF AUGUST***

     If you would like to have the picture for your household taken before kids depart for college or if you are not available during the month of September for a photography session, please call the church office at 612-827-5919, or contact Paul Nixdorf at   612-296-0055   or by email to   pn@paulnixdorf.com  to arrange for a photography session before the end of August.

     We will be producing an online digital directory.  This online directory will be password-protected so that access is limited to Mount Olive folks who are issued a password through the church office. For those who do not have computer access a hard copy will be available.

     Photography sessions will take place at Mount Olive Lutheran Church. Arrangements will be made for photographs of shut-ins.

     An email will be sent to each household of the parish giving instructions as to how you can sign up for a photography session.  There will be time slots for photography sessions during the month of September on weekday afternoons and evenings.  Time slots will be available on weekends.

     For those households that do not have e-mail, a letter will be sent via US Mail with instructions for scheduling their photography session.

     After the initial period of self-initiated photography session sign up, follow up contacts and phone calls will be made to arrange for those households that have not scheduled their session.

     In the week following your photography session, you will be asked to select one of the photographs taken of you or your household for the directory.  Each person/household will be given a digital copy of the photo selected for the directory.  There will be an opportunity to purchase prints and or digital copies of your photos should you want to do so.

     We need volunteers for the following jobs related to the project:
a) Hosts during the photo sessions at the church
b) Data entry and photo management that can be done from your home online
c) Follow up phone scheduling.

     If you would be willing to assist with one of these jobs, please contact Andrew Andersen at andrewstpaul@gmail.com, or Sandra Pranschke at spranschke@gmail.com.

First MFA Event for 2013-14 Season
The Portland Cello Project
Friday, September 13, 7:30 pm

     Mount Olive Music and Fine Arts presents cellists doing innovative things with music!! The Portland Cello Project has wowed audiences all over the United States with extravagant performances. The group has built a reputation mixing genres and blurring musical lines and perceptions wherever they go. No two shows are alike, with everything from Beethoven to Arvo Pärt to instrumental covers for Adele, Kanye West and Pantera. Check them out at https://portlandcelloproject.com/.

     A reception follows in the Chapel Lounge. This event is free and open to the public, and a free-will offering will be received to support the Music and Fine Arts program.

Summer Worship Schedule Draws to a Close

     Sunday, September 1 (Labor Day weekend) will be our last day on summer worship schedule. Beginning Sunday, September 8, we resume our regular worship schedule of two Sunday liturgies at 8:00 and 10:45 a.m.

Stop and Shop

     Summer art fairs are over and The Art Shoppe in the Midtown Global market is well stocked! Beautiful and unique works of art from over 60 artists are waiting to be purchased and worn or used by you and your friends and loved ones.

     Come and shop in the air-conditioned comfort of the Midtown Global Market!

Freedom of the Christian: Bible Study on Thursday Evenings Starting Sept. 19

     The first Thursday Bible study series of this year begins on Thursday, Sept. 19, and runs for six weeks.  Meeting in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Pr. Crippen lead a study of the book of Galatians, one of Paul’s most vital and important letters.  As usual, there will be a light supper when we begin.  If anyone wishes to provide the first meal, please let Pr. Crippen know.  All are welcome to this study opportunity!

TRUST: Coming Activities

     Cooperative Older Adult Ministries (CoAM) will sponsor a new Life Enrichment Series beginning October 7. This educational series will focus on the relations between the U.S. and other countries, such as China and Egypt. Mount Olive member, Dan Burow, will speak on the founding of our country and the Revolutionary War.

     Two tours will also be offered in the coming months. The first is an autumn train excursion on October 24, cost is $57 per person. The second is  a trip to see a Christmas play, “Sorry, Wrong Chimney,” presented by Day Trippers Dinner Theater on December 12. The cost for that trip is $51 per person.
     For more information about these and other TRUST happenings, see the bulletin board downstairs near Donna’s office.

Friendly Callers Meet for Check-In This Sunday August 25

     Mount Olive’s Friendly Callers will meet for a brief check-in August 25, following the 9:30 Eucharist.  We will meet near the Library for a short stand-up meeting to check the progress of our Friendly Calling Program and to offer each other support.  Any questions about the Friendly Callers can be directed to Sue Ellen Zagrabelny at 815-997-6020.

Accent on Worship

Be Not Afraid!

     Many of us know and take both pride and delight in the enthusiasm of one of our youngest members when the gradual (or Gospel Acclamation) for the day is “Be Not Afraid!” The exuberance shown by the child embodies the message of that song.

     What a joy it would be to be fearless.

     But let’s face it: We live lives filled with fear. One political philosophy asserts that we have society at all only because we make implied “contracts” that I won’t kill you if you don’t kill me. This is the culture in which we live.

     Or is it? Or at least, must it be?

     Do not be afraid, the LORD says to Abram before launching him on his journey.

     Don’t be afraid to give, Jesus tells his hearers and followers.

     Take a chance; fear not, said Gabriel to the mother of our Lord.

     Our call as Christians is to live by faith and thereby to set aside our fears. But that’s easy to say in the abstract. There are very real threats in the world; only a fool would pretend otherwise.

     But the promise of the Gospel is that we need not give in to those real fears. We may live unbounded by fear. How? Why?  Because we have a God who regards us in our low estate; who will protect us as we journey where he sends us. This is the God who reached into death to demonstrate his ability to defeat the very source of all fears.

     What seas might we (as the Israelites before us) pass through if the roiling waters didn’t petrify even the best swimmers among us? What reconciliation might we attain if we didn’t fear being stabbed in the back or even misunderstood by someone of another background? What miracles might this “one nation under God” achieve if our politicians risked their careers by funding a peace academy instead of  several billion dollar on war machines that the Pentagon doesn’t even want? What good might we individuals do with our money if we didn’t fear running out of money in our retirement?

     We will hear our Lord caution us to read the signs of the times. What will we see? The promise of the Gospel is that, in our songs and in our lives, we may match Rose decibel for decibel: Be not afraid! We are not afraid.

– Dwight Penas

Sunday Readings

August 11, 2013 – Time after Pentecost: Sunday 19
Genesis 15:1-6 + Psalm 33:12-22
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 + Luke 12:32-40

August 18, 2013 – Time after Pentecost: Sunday 20
Jeremiah 23:23-29 + Psalm 82
Hebrews 11:29—12:2 + Luke 12:49-56

Mary, Mother of Our Lord
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Holy Eucharist at 7:00 p.m.

Godly Play for Grownups

    Our summer 4-part series “Godly Play for Grown-ups” concludes on August 18th.  You are invited to come and experience a parable in a new way. Enjoy a quick cup of coffee after liturgy if you wish, and then come downstairs to Godly Play Circle One.  We will welcome you to the circle at 11:10am.

Book Discussion Group

     Mount Olive’s Book Discussion group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. at church. For the August 10 meeting we will discuss Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin, and on September 14, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe.

Organ Recital by Christine Skogen to be Held Sunday, August 18, 3:00 pm

     Christine Skogen came to Minneapolis summer of 2010 with the intention of learning to play the organ.  Since then, she has been the student of Cantor Cherwien and has worked extremely hard, learning an enormous amount in this relatively short time with us.  This fall she will begin undergraduate studies at Luther College, studying organ with Dr. Gregory Peterson.

     She will perform works by Bach, Brahms, Reger, and Vierne. A congratulatory and farewell reception will follow the program. If any would like to give her a personal note of encouragement or a gift to assist her with books and expenses at Luther, there will be a basket for these at the reception. All are invited!

Men’s Vocal Ensemble – for August 11

     A men’s ensemble will be assembled to sing at the Eucharist this Sunday, August 11, 9:30 service.  We will have one rehearsal, that morning at 8:00 a.m.  (coffee provided!)  Contact Cantor Cherwien if you would like to sing, or simply come Sunday August 11, at 8:00 am.

     Women! There will be a women’s ensemble assembled to sing for the liturgy on August 25. Protocol will be exactly the same: one rehearsal on the 25th at 8 a.m. with music available upon request beforehand by contacting Cantor Cherwien.

Congregational Care Comes to the Forum

     The art of giving and accepting care will be a forum topic during the coffee hour on Sunday, October 13.  Many at Mount Olive find themselves in the role of caregiver while others find themselves in the often unfamiliar spot of having to accept care from others.  While we tend to think of this as an “old people’s problem”, this is a generational concern as people care for aging parents, sick friends, special needs children, and ourselves.

     Key to care is knowledge of services and programs available in our state and city and how to access them.  While most of us know a little bit about some things, laws change and it is hard to keep up.  The forum could address a variety of topics, such as:

–  End of life issues – how to plan for known and unknown entities and how to access help.  Learn about health care directives, Hospice, and plan your funeral.

–  Family support – shifting roles, new responsibilities, changes in and losses of a loved one.  What will you need to help get through the tough times?

–  Unexpected life transitions – i.e. divorce, suicide, chronic illness, parenting small and adult children, and all the unanticipated twists and turns of life.

– Spiritual resources – accepting God’s grace through the loving action of the Mount Olive community.  We all need to learn and be open to how this works.

     This is a tall order for one forum!  The final shape of the hour depends on what topical interest emerges as a “high demand” priority.  Please weigh in via phone, email, or conversation by contacting Marilyn Gebauer at 651-704-9539 or by email at gebauevm@bitstream.net.  Feel free to speak with any of the other members of the Congregational Care Committee: Cathy Bosworth, Peggy Hoeft, and Warren Peterson.  

Guests from Germany

      You’re invited to meet Pr. Helge Voigt, a friend of Mount Olive who is currently a pastor in the Leipzig Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany.   Pr. Voigt has worshiped with us in the past and he and his family will be visiting in the Twin Cities for two weeks in August.   There is a gathering planned for them at Mount Olive on Wednesday evening, August 14, at 7 p.m.  Refreshments will be served.

     Pr. Voigt grew up in the former Democratic Republic of Germany (East Germany) under the Communist regime, in a non-religious family.  He served in the East German military and was a soldier at the time that the Berlin Wall fell.  He has some interesting stories about that harrowing time and also about how he became a practicing Christian called to the ministry.  He serves several parishes in and around Leipzig, including one which houses the organ that Mendelssohn played as a performer.

      Plan to come to meet Pr. Voigt, his wife Anke, and their daughters Marie (age 17) and Hannah (age 12).    If you get a chance, RSVP to the church office or email Lora Dundek at lhdundek@usfamily.net.  If you forget to RSVP, come anyway!

Accent on Worship

Surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses

     There is deep and abiding mystery in our life of faith regarding those sisters and brothers in Christ who have gone before us, who rest in the Lord from their labors.  We are at the start of a period in the Church Year which for me brings the question of the saints to the fore in a personal way.  Today as I write, July 22, is the feast day of St. Mary Magdalene, the first apostle and the first preacher of the resurrection, a saint for whom I long have had admiration and fondness.  Now Mary and I have a goddaughter and niece named Madeleine, which is the French form of Magdalene, so for these four years this feast day has had even more importance for me.  On August 15 Mount Olive will once again gather to celebrate the feast day of St. Mary, the mother of our Lord, which has become an important day for many in this congregation, a day to remember a remarkable servant of God whose affirmation of God’s call bore Christ into the world.

In between those two days is July 31, which is celebrated as the feast day of St. Joseph of Arimathea by Lutherans and by the Eastern Orthodox communions, and which has also become a day of importance for me.  My parents were divided over which Joseph was my namesake, the guardian of Jesus or the son of Jacob.  Joseph of Arimathea wasn’t even in play, but in the past couple years I’ve begun to consider him as possibly my true patron saint.  I admire his faithfulness, his life, his service to his Lord despite the costs it might have incurred for him.

     Lutherans in some circles remain somewhat suspicious if not outright hostile to any consideration of the saints beyond perhaps the naming of a congregation.  Even then battles are fought over whether an apostrophe and an ‘s’ after the saint’s name on a parish confuses people that somehow the congregation worships that saint and not the Triune God.  The Reformers, in the Augsburg Confession and the subsequent Apology (see Article XXI), approved giving honor to the saints, in thanksgiving to God for their lives, in being strengthened in their faith by the model of the saints, and in imitation of the way they lived.  They argued against mandating prayer to the saints only because they couldn’t find Scriptural warrant, so they allowed that saints may in fact pray for us, but that we can’t command believers to ask it since we don’t know with certainty that it’s really happening.

     Mount Olive has an openness to the greater tradition of the Church and a willingness to embrace ancient practices which have been shared by millions but which may not always have been important to American Lutherans.  We have a long-standing tradition of celebrating the lesser festivals of saints when they fall on a Sunday, and even, in the case of some like St. Mary, on their feast day itself.  That has in turn opened me to consider what it might mean to welcome the saints who have gone before us as sisters and brothers in the journey of faith I walk.

     I do not yet pray to St. Joseph, or any saint.  I do, however, ask many living saints for prayer, including all of you, my sisters and brothers at Mount Olive.  I don’t, by that asking, imply that I cannot address God directly myself, or that you have a closer connection.  I do because I covet your prayers and consider it a blessing when I know you are praying on my behalf and on behalf of so many.  I suspect that is true for most of you as well.  So perhaps we can at least entertain what it might mean to ask the same of those who now surround the throne of God in prayer and song.

     In the meantime, I continue following the Reformers’ wisdom and find great comfort and also modeling in the lives of those saints of this next month, and certainly plenty of reason for thanksgiving.  I do pray, however, that this cloud of witnesses that surrounds us, as Hebrews claims, be a support and strength in our journey that we walk here, until we all are together in the presence of the Triune God in the world that is to come.    

– Joseph

Godly Play for Grownups

    Our summer 4-part series “Godly Play for Grown-ups” continues on July 28 and concludes on August 18th.  On both Sundays you are invited to experience parables in a new way. Enjoy a quick cup of coffee after liturgy if you wish, and then come downstairs to Godly Play Circle One.  We will welcome you to the circle at 11:10am.

National Night Out: August 6

     The 30th annual Minneapolis National Night Out will be Tuesday, August 6, 2013. National Night Out is an annual nationwide event that encourages residents to get out in the community, holding block parties and getting to know their neighbors as a way to encourage crime prevention. It’s a great way to promote community-police partnerships and enjoy a Minnesota summer evening surrounded by friends and family.

     As we have many times in the past, participation by Minneapolitans outranked all U.S. cities over 250,000 population in 2012.  Over 1,360 events were registered. Was yours one of them?  We hope so!  Plan to organize or attend a Night Out event this year.

The Bargain Box

     Saturday, August 3 will be a busy day at Mount Olive! We will be helping to get neighborhood children ready for the next school year with Bargain Box fitting children with new school clothes and school supplies distribution during the Community Meal.

     If you have time to help with the meal, or assist with clothing or school supplies, please come!

     You help will be much appreciated.

– Neighborhood Ministries Committee

Book Discussion Group

     Mount Olive’s Book Discussion group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. at church. For the August 10 meeting we will discuss Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin, and on September 14, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe.

Organ Recital by Christine Skogen 
Sunday, August 18, 3:00 pm

     Christine Skogen came to Minneapolis summer of 2010 with the intention of learning to play the organ.  Since then, she has been the student of Cantor Cherwien and has worked extremely hard, learning an enormous amount in this relatively short time with us.  This fall she will begin undergraduate studies at Luther College, studying organ with Dr. Gregory Peterson.

     She will perform works by Bach, Brahms, Reger, and Vierne. A congratulatory and farewell reception will follow the program. If any would like to give her a personal note of encouragement or a gift to assist her with books and expenses at Luther, there will be a basket for these at the reception. All are invited!

Servant Schedule Request Deadline

     I will be working on the Servant Schedule for 2013 4th Quarter (October-December) in early August.  If you have requests for that period, please submit them by August 1 to peggyrf70@gmail.com.  Thanks!

– Peggy Hoeft

Mark your calendar! 

“God’s work. Our hands.” 
Saturday & Sunday, September 7-8, 2013

     For 25 years, the ELCA has been a church deeply rooted in faith and in sharing its passion for making positive changes in the world.

     To celebrate our 25th anniversary and our church’s commitment to sharing God’s love with our neighbors, Mount Olive is called to take part in a dedicated weekend of service on September 7-8 known as “God’s work. Our hands.”

     You work every day to welcome your neighbors and make your community a better place. Now let’s do it together as one body, using our hands to do God’s work in Jesus Christ’s name.

     Imagine the nearly 10,000 congregations of our church serving meals, cleaning up neighborhoods, making quilts for refugees or simply visiting the neighbors who need us. We are a church that rolls up our sleeves and gets to work. Let’s harness that experience in a focused weekend of service to others.  Maybe you want to work alone on a project that is near and dear to you.  Perhaps you want to join with others in the congregation for a larger project.  Interested in trying something new?  Meeting new people from the congregation?  There’s a place for you in this weekend event.

     Watch upcoming Olive Branch articles for suggestions about what you can do to pitch in.  

“And the King said to them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”  Matthew 25:40

Men’s Vocal Ensemble – for August 11

     A men’s ensemble will be assembled to sing at the Eucharist on Sunday, August 11, 9:30 service.  We will have one rehearsal, that morning at 8:00 a.m.  (coffee provided!)

     PDF’s of the music will be sent the week prior for those who wish to prepare in advance (always helpful!).  Contact Cantor Cherwien if you would like to sing, or simply come Sunday August 11, at 8:00 am.

Cantor Cherwien Sabbatical

     Mount Olive has a long history of supporting personal and professional development for our called staff.  Both Pastor Crippen and Cantor Cherwien have agreements with us about sabbatical leaves.  This fall it will be David’s turn to take time off, a time that he intends to fill to the brim with musical and other artistic experiences.  The congregation pays his salary and benefits during this time, and this investment is repaid to us with the enhanced skills and refreshed spirit that he will bring with him when he returns.

     His travels during this time will include Leipzig, Germany, to stand on Bach’s grave and learn from the famous Thomaskirche choir as they perform Bach’s cantatas and motets.  Paris will offer opportunities to listen to great organists and take in several liturgies in beautiful and historic churches.  Other planned activities include Evensong at King’s College in Cambridge, England, and time spent in churches in New York and Boston.

     David also will carry Mount Olive with him at several hymn festivals, including at churches in Arizona, California and Texas and Pennsylvania.

     And what about our musical life?  We will be ably served by organist and composer William Beckstrand.  Bill lives a good share of the year on an island in Lake Superior, where he spends his time composing choral, liturgical and instrumental music.  He has served as a cantor in several Lutheran congregations for many years, with his latest parish being in Duluth.  He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin in organ performance, and holds a Master’s Degree is church music from Concordia University in Chicago as well as a Master’s in systematic theology from Luther Seminary in St. Paul.  He also will direct the Cantorei during his time with us.

     Cantor Cherwien will be on sabbatical from the end of August until the end of November.  Our prayers will go with him on his journey and we look forward to his return.

Vestry Highlights: July 2013

     The Vestry met on July 8, 2013.  Newly installed officers and directors joined those already serving on Vestry.

     Unfinished business: The Visioning process continues. The leadership team led by Adam Krueger will be processing all the information gathered by the congregation. An update will be ready for Vestry in August and the congregation in September.

     Vicar Cannon will complete his time with us on August 11. Emily Beckering will begin her internship on August 12. A plan for the Mini-Capital Fund drive will be submitted to the Vestry by the Stewardship Director at the September Vestry meeting.

     New business: Letters of thanks were received from the English Learning Center at Our Savior’s, LSS, Lutheran Volunteer Corps and Lutheran Music Program for funds given by Mount Olive.

   The financial report for June was favorable with no outstanding debt and YTD contributions up 13% over 2012. The ELCA leadership has asked all congregations to consider a Day of Service on September 8 to celebrate the 25th  anniversary of the
ELCA.  Directors of Youth and Neighborhood Ministries will work with Donna Neste to suggest ways that Mount Olive could participate in the proposed Day of Service.

     Director reports: The Youth Committee continues to explore collaboration with TRUST youth programs. The Education Committee is exploring a process to create a digital catalog for the Library.  Neighborhood Ministries reported that the Bargain Box drive is underway and plans are progressing to do the annual school supply purchase.  Properties provided an update on the installation of bike racks. The committee is discussing the placement of additional locations for wheelchairs in the nave.

     Next meeting of the Vestry is August 12.

Name Badges

     We invite members to wear their name badges in the next couple of months.  This will be helpful for the following reasons:

1) To help members learn the names of fellow members. When we go from two liturgies to one during the summer months, there are members from the liturgy that you don’t usually attend who may not know you or may not know your name.

2)   During the summer at Mount Olive, we have a larger than usual number of visitors at liturgies.  Your name badge can serve as a welcome aid if someone is seeking information or needs assistance.

3) We have a new vicar, Emily Beckering, arriving in mid-August.  There are over 500 of us for her to get to know and having a name spoken and printed helps with remembering who a person is.

4) We have been blessed with a number of new members during the past year, and there are a number of folks who may be familiar to us but for whom a name is not known or remembered.  Knowing a name can make it easier to initiate a conversation. A name badge can help with the process of getting comfortable in a new place.  
5) As I am maturing, my memory is just not as good as it used to be. When I don’t remember a person’s name after three or four conversations, I am hesitant, or even embarrassed and sometimes hesitate to ask their name again.  A name badge helps reduce the embarrassment by giving me a visual cue.

     If you cannot find your name badge on the racks in the narthex, or if you have misplaced your name badge (as I have on three occasions), please give Cha a call at the church office, 612-827-5919, and she will print a new name badge for you.

– Andrew Andersen, Director of Evangelism

Free Tables!

     There are several 8-footbanquet tables that are free for the taking (for large events, garage sales, whatever use you may find for them!) They are located on the lower level in the room next to the pool table area – clearly marked “FREE.” These tables have been replaced with new lightweight tables in recent years.  If you want a table or two – or more – come and help yourself. We’d like them removed by August 7.

Common Hope

     Mount Olive generously supported Common Hope’s Antigua Library and Reading Promotion Initiative with a gift from our congregation’s Capital Campaign Tithe.  Our gift helped to launch this program and make a commitment to literacy and early childhood development in Guatemala.  Here is a link to an article about the program:  http://www.commonhope.org/2013/04/08/exploring-the-new-world-of-books/

     One of the criteria our congregation thought important in determining the tithe recipients was that we maintain a relationship with the organization.  Common Hope invites Vision Teams to come to Guatemala and spend eight days working at the project, building relationships and experiencing Guatemalan culture.  If you might be interested in participating in a Vision Team, perhaps next summer, please email Lisa Ruff at jklmruff@msn.com.

Guests from Germany

      You’re invited to meet Pr. Helge Voigt, a friend of Mount Olive who is currently a pastor in the Leipzig Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany.   Pr. Voigt has worshiped with us in the past and he and his family will be visiting in the Twin Cities for two weeks in August.   There is a gathering planned for them at Mount Olive on Wednesday evening, August 14, at 7 p.m.  Refreshments will be served.

     Pr. Voigt grew up in the former Democratic Republic of Germany (East Germany) under the Communist regime, in a non-religious family.  He served in the East German military and was a soldier at the time that the Berlin Wall fell.  He has some interesting stories about that harrowing time and also about how he became a practicing Christian called to the ministry.  He serves several parishes in and around Leipzig, including one which houses the organ that Mendelssohn played as a performer.

      Please plan to come to meet Pr. Voigt, his wife Anke, and their daughters Marie (age 17) and Hannah (age 12).    If you get a chance, RSVP to the church office or email Lora Dundek at lhdundek@usfamily.net.  If you forget to RSVP, come anyway!

Intrepid USA Hospice Seeks Volunteers

     You have an opportunity to give of your time, heart, and talents to hospice patients and their loved ones!  Training sessions are now being scheduled for volunteers throughout the Twin Cities metro area by Intrepid USA Hospice in Roseville, MN.  If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering, please call Karen Cherwien, Hospice Chaplain and Volunteer Coordinator, at 651-638-7899 for more information and an application.

Adopt a Plot – Three Plots Left!

     We need volunteers to help with the up keep of the planted areas and grounds.  Can you help? William, our Sexton, does the mowing, but even with our relatively low maintenance landscaping there is a good deal to keep up.   A sign up chart is in the gathering area with various plots mapped out for you to choose from.  Thanks to the eleven gardeners have already signed up; three more are needed! If you can help, we ask that you check the area you adopt weekly and attend to new weeds or other needs. Gardening tools and trash bags are available for your use along with instructions.  For information call Carla Manuel (612-521-3952), Andrew Andersen (763-607-1689), or Steve Manuel (952-922-6367).

Bring Your Pails and Bring Your Shovels! Part 2

     A hardy group of volunteers completed the first of two paver pads for Project Bicycle Rack!  
 
     Installation of the second pad is scheduled for this Saturday, July 27, starting at 8:00 a.m. The Property Committee invites you to take part in taking dirt from the planter at the north parking lot and replacing it with gravel base, sand and paver bricks.  The two bicycle racks will be set sometime in August.  Many hands make light work – and we will be grateful for your help.  If you have any questions, call Brenda Bartz at 612-824-7812 or 651-558-7979.  Thanks to the Mount Olive Foundation for making this project possible!

Accent on Worship

     When I talk about my neighbors, you know who I mean:  the peole who live in my condo building or in my neighborhood.  When you talk about your neighbors, I know who you mean:  those with whom you share an alley, or those who live on the same street, or those with whom you share a zip code. My neighbors and I are pretty much alike.  Same with you, I’d guess.

     In the Gospel for this Sunday, a man asks Jesus a question:  “Who is my neighbor?”  You know the story, and since you also know Jesus you know that if you are going to ask him a question you’d better be prepared to have your view of the world changed.
     So Jesus tells a story.  A man was going from Jerusalem to Jericho.  A Jewish man, most likely.  A religious man, perhaps.  A priest and a Levite pass by.  Two of his own kind.  People from his own zip code.  They pass by and do not stop to help.  You know the story.  And then a Samaritan comes along.  And since you know the story, you know that for the Jews of Jesus’ day, Samaritans were the lowest of the low, a people despised, a people with whom you had no dealings.

     And the Samaritan stops, helps the man left for dead by the side of the road, and makes sure that the costs of his recuperation are covered.  So who was the neighbor to this man?  You know.

     If Jesus were to tell the same story in answer to the same question in our time and place, it would not be a Samaritan who would come to the aid of the man beaten and left for dead on a south Minneapolis street.  Who would it be?  A welfare cheat?  A serial rapist?  A redneck bigot?  A hardened gang member?  A terrorist bomber?  Who is most despised by you?   That is who it would be.  And that is your neighbor.

     In fact, if Jesus is to be believed, everyone is your neighbor–maybe especially those you most despise.  Since there is no one outside the circle of God’s love, there is no one who is NOT your neighbor.  Mine, too.

     So, what are we to do?  Love God and love our neighbor.  All of them.  That’s what.

     And so the world will know that we are disciples of Jesus.

– Warren Peterson

Sunday Readings

July 14, 2013 – Time after Pentecost: Sunday 15
Deuteronomy 30:9-14 + Psalm 25:1-10
Colossians 1:1-14 + Luke 10:25-37

July 21, 2013 – Time after Pentecost: Sunday 16
Genesis 18:1-10a + Psalm 15
Colossians 1:15-28 + Luke 10:38-42

Godly Play for Grownups

     Join storyteller Diana Hellerman to experience Godly Play just as the children of Mount Olive do.  On Sunday, July 14, come to the Godly Play room at 11:15am for the second story in a series of four.  We’ll hear the story of The Great Family and our place in it. We’ll cross the threshold into the Godly Play space. We’ll build the circle one at a time, hear the story, wonder together about the story and share a feast. Enjoy a quick cup of coffee after liturgy if you wish, and then come downstairs to Godly Play Circle One.

     Additional sessions: July 28: A Parable (you’ll have to wait and see which one) and August 18: The Faces of Jesus.  Questions?  Contact Diana at 612-581-5969 or diana.hellerman@gmail.com.

The Bargain Box

     Each August, Mount Olive Neighborhood Ministries sponsors The Bargain Box, an affordable way for neighborhood families to obtain good quality clothing (new and gently used) for children of all ages to wear as they return to school in the fall. This year, the Bargain Box will be on August 3, from 8-11:30 a.m.

     You can help by donating new or gently used children’s clothes or money to purchase clothes (please include “Bargain Box” in the memo line of your gift), before August 4.

     If you have any questions about Bargain Box, please contact Irene Campbell at 651-230-3927.

Adopt a Plot

     We need volunteers to help with the up keep of the planted areas and grounds.  Can you help? With the abundant rain this spring, the weeds and grass are growing like crazy!  William, our Sexton, does the mowing, but even with our relatively low maintenance landscaping there is a good deal to keep up.   A sign up chart is in the gathering area with various plots mapped out for you to choose from.  Eight gardeners have already signed up, but 5 more are needed! If you can help, we ask that you check the area you adopt weekly and attend to new weeds or other needs. Gardening tools and trash bags are available for your use along with instructions.  For information call Carla Manuel (612-521-3952), Andrew Andersen (763-607-1689), or Steve Manuel (952-922-6367).

Book Discussion Group

     Mount Olive’s Book Discussion group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. at church. For the July 13 meeting, they will read The Violent Bear It Away, by Flannery O’Connor.  And advance notification (because of its length) and for August 10 we will discuss Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Meals on Wheels Thanks

     Thanks to the following volunteers from Mount Olive who delivered Meals on Wheels for TRUST during the second quarter of 2013: Gary Flatgard, Art & Elaine Halbardier, Bob & Mary Lee, and Connie & Rod Olson.

New Pictorial Directory

     Work has begun on a new Mount Olive Lutheran Church Pictorial Directory of members and friends.
     With 21st century technology, we plan to develop a secure online edition located in the Members Only section of our website.  There will be the option of requesting a print version for persons who do not have computer or internet access.

     The Vestry, in approving the new online photo directory, included in the authorizing motion that the directory must be secure.  The directory will be password protected.  It will not be out on the web for just anyone to view or mine contact or family information.

     Using the online digital method of producing a pictorial directory allows for continual updates throughout the year as new members join and as updated photos become available.  It also reduces the cost of production significantly.

     Our target date to roll out the directory is mid-autumn.
     Members and friends will need to secure a password for access to the online edition.  The passwords will be assigned through the church office.  The date when members can start requesting passwords will be announced in an upcoming Olive Branch as the project proceeds.

     Paul Nixdorf will take the lead on the photography portion of the project. Evangelism Director, Andrew Andersen, and Congregation Life Director, Sandra Pranschke, are working on scheduling times for taking photographs of members and friends.  We have proposed  that time slots to shoot photos be set up before and after Sunday liturgies with additional time slots scheduled as needed during the week.

     If you are able to volunteer to help with scheduling and or assist with registration at the time of the photo shoots, please call the church office at 612-827-5919.

     Watch upcoming Olive Branch publications for further information on this project.

Bring Your Pails and Bring Your Shovels!

     Phase One of Project Bicycle Rack happens this Saturday, July 13!  Starting at 8:30 a.m., the Property Committee invites you to take part in setting two small paver plots that will form the platforms for the bicycle racks.  We will shovel dirt from the planter at the north parking lot and replace it with gravel base, sand and paver blocks.  The two bicycle racks will be set in August.  Many hands make light work – and we will be grateful for your help.  If you have any questions, call Brenda Bartz at 612-824-7812 or 651-558-7979.

Common Hope

     Mount Olive generously supported Common Hope’s Antigua Library and Reading Promotion Initiative with a gift from our congregation’s Capital Campaign Tithe.  Our gift helped to launch this program and make a commitment to literacy and early childhood development in Guatemala.  Here is a link to an article about the program:  http://www.commonhope.org/2013/04/08/exploring-the-new-world-of-books/

     One of the criteria our congregation thought important in determining the tithe recipients was that we maintain a relationship with the organization.  Common Hope invites Vision Teams to come to Guatemala and spend eight days working at the project, building relationships and experiencing Guatemalan culture.  If you might be interested in participating in a Vision Team, perhaps next summer, please email Lisa Ruff at jklmruff@msn.com.

Servant Schedule Request Deadline

     I will be working on the Servant Schedule for 2013 4th Quarter (October-December) in early August.  If you have requests for that period, please submit them to me by August 1, 2013 @  peggyrf70@gmail.com.  Thanks!

    – Peggy Hoeft

Intrepid USA Hospice Seeks Volunteers

     You have an opportunity to give of your time, heart, and talents to hospice patients and their loved ones!  Training sessions are now being scheduled for volunteers throughout the Twin Cities metro area by Intrepid USA Hospice in Roseville, MN.  If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering, please call Karen Cherwien, Hospice Chaplain and Volunteer Coordinator, at 651-638-7899 for more information and an application.

Mark your calendar! 
“God’s work. Our hands.” 
Saturday & Sunday, September 7-8, 2013

     For 25 years, the ELCA has been a church deeply rooted in faith and in sharing its passion for making positive changes in the world.

     To celebrate our 25th anniversary and our church’s commitment to sharing God’s love with our neighbors, Mount Olive is called to take part in a dedicated weekend of service on September 7-8 known as “God’s work. Our hands.”

     You work every day to welcome your neighbors and make your community a better place. Now let’s do it together as one body, using our hands to do God’s work in Jesus Christ’s name.

     Imagine the nearly 10,000 congregations of our church serving meals, cleaning up neighborhoods, making quilts for refugees or simply visiting the neighbors who need us. We are a church that rolls up our sleeves and gets to work. Let’s harness that experience in a focused weekend of service to others.  Maybe you want to work alone on a project that is near and dear to you.

  Perhaps you want to join with others in the congregation for a larger project.  Interested in trying something new?  Meeting new people from the congregation?  There’s a place for you in this weekend event.

     Watch upcoming Olive Branch articles for suggestions about what you can do to pitch in.  

“And the King said to them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”  Matthew 25:40

Name Badges

     We invite members to wear their name badges in the next couple of months.  This will be helpful for the following reasons:

1) To help members learn the names of fellow members. When we go from two liturgies to one during the summer months, there are members from the liturgy that you don’t usually attend who may not know you or may not know your name.

2)   During the summer months at Mount Olive, we have a larger than usual number of visitors at liturgies.  Your name badge can serve as a welcome aid if someone is seeking information or needs assistance.

3) We have a new vicar, Emily Beckering, arriving in mid-August.  There are over 500 of us for her to get to know and having a name spoken and printed helps with remembering who a person is.

4) We have been blessed with a number of new members during the past year.  Like those of us who have been around for a while, they usually regularly attend one or the other of the liturgies.  There are a number of folks who may be familiar but for whom a name is not known or remembered.  Knowing a name can make it easier to initiate a conversation. A name badge can help with the process of getting comfortable in a new place.

5) As I am maturing, my memory is just not as good as it used to be. When I don’t remember a person’s name after three or four conversations, I am hesitant, or even embarrassed and sometimes hesitate to ask their name again.  A name badge helps reduce the embarrassment by giving me a visual cure.

     If you cannot find your name badge on the racks in the narthex, or if you have misplaced your name badge (as I have on three occasions), please give Cha a call at the church office, 612-827-5919, and she will print a new name badge for you.

– Andrew Andersen, Director of Evangelism