Ambassadors for Christ, Rooted to Grow and Serve

The long-standing motto of Mount Olive Lutheran Church is above. We are ambassadors for Christ, rooted to grow

and serve. An ambassador is one who represents and speaks for another. That is what we do in our words and ac-

tions; we represent and speak for Christ.

I remember so well, years ago, how this played out in my life. Our church in Austin

became aware of several Vietnamese families who had moved into town who had

few belongings besides the clothes on their backs. So the call went out and before

long we had a whole pickup truck full of furniture to furnish their apartment. When I

arrived at their apartment with the delivery, they were overwhelmed, and obviously

happy, but spoke not a word of English. To communicate, I took out a pad of paper

and began to draw pictures. When I drew a church with a cross, their eyes brightened

up and they said, “Oh, Chreesten. Chreesten.” They understood that these gifts

came from Christians.

What I realized in that encounter was that for them I represented Jesus. I was “Christian” personified, in the flesh,

faith active in love for them. Whatever I was that day, they saw as “Christian.” What a responsibility!

You too represent Christ. You are rooted in the Word and Sacraments, in the scriptures, the water, the bread and

wine to be God’s presence in the world. You are called to serve those in need, and to bear the light of Christ to all

who are longing for that light.

How can you do this? In many ways. Here are a few suggestions:

• At work let your faith life be a natural part of your conversation with colleagues;

• With your neighbors, let them know that you are worshipping people;

• Seek in every way to make your faith active in love – doing works of service;

• Invite your colleagues, friends and neighbors into the joyful community of Mount Olive;

• Invite people you know to worship, to a service project, to a fellowship event, to anything

that you are doing at Mount Olive or through Mount Olive;

• Pray for all in our joyful community, that we will all be effective ambassadors for Christ.

Thank you for being Ambassadors for Christ. God is a work through you!

Pastor Glenn

MOUNT OLIVE LUTHERAN CHURCH · ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA · 507-288-1580 · MOLIVE.ORG A Congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Inside This Edition:

Congregational Life page 2

Worship page 3

Service pages 4-5

Education pages 8-9

Fellowship pages 10-11

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This Day in Mount Olive History It probably doesn’t seem like a big deal today, but in March 1994, when Mount Olive called its first woman

pastor, Pastor Lynn Ronsberg, it was a big deal. Women had first been ordained in the ELCA in the 70’s but

for a long time, many congregations refused to call them. Mount Olive stepped out in faith that year, and

boldly went where many other congregations feared to go. Pastor Ronsberg served ably at Mount Olive

until 1998, when she left for a new call in northern Minnesota. Today Pastor Ronsberg serves a large con-

gregation, Sharon Lutheran, in Grand Forks, North Dakota. We give thanks for her ministry among us.

Our 60th Anniversary is only One Year Away!

The 60th Anniversary Team now has the Grand Celebration in sight! We will celebrate the beginnings of

Mount Olive on Sunday, March 14, 2021. (Our actual anniversary date is March 12). We plan to invite

back former pastors and staff members, and have quite a party to celebrate. Meanwhile, as we move to-

wards the Grand Celebration, we will continue to celebrate our life together with the following events:

• Spring – Kentucky Derby Dinner and Game Night, Friday, May 1

• Summer – Golf Event at Hadley Creek for all ages

• Fall – Organ Concert featuring several former organists of Mount Olive

• Winter – All Hands on Deck Meatball Dinner to support Olive Branch

You are invited to be part of all these events, and invite friends to join you. One other important way to

celebrate all God’s gifts to Mount Olive over the last 59 years is to make a pledge to the 60th Anniversary

Fund. Remember, this Fund will support Olive Branch, provide scholarship dollars for students in Tanzania

and our own seminary students, as well as provide dollars for nearby mission partners.

Mission Colombia 2020 On March 26, five Mount Olive members will travel to Colombia, South America. They include: Pastor

Glenn Monson, Kris Liedtke, Anya Liedtke-Quick, and Steve and Sherry Will. Please plan to attend worship

on March 22 as they are sent off with a blessing. The purpose of this mission trip is to:

1. Meet with Bishop Ata and the leadership of IELCO (Lutheran Church in Colombia)

2. Support IELCO education ministries, learning more about schools and the Emmaus Road Foundation

3. Visit Emanuel Lutheran Church in Paz de Ariporo, our partner congregation

4. Participate in a project with Emanuel members

5. Interact with youth at the Lutheran School in Paz de Ariporo

6. Provide pastoral training or education at the Lutheran School of Theology (Pastor Glenn)

There are multiple ways that you can support the team, which include: Attend the

March 4 Lenten meal and donate to the free-will offering to cover travel expenses.

Make a donation using the giving envelopes on the usher’s table. Follow the team’s

blog which can be accessed through the church website molive.org and finally, pray

for the team as they prepare, travel, and return.

Serving the Common Good The 2020 Day on the Hill theme for the Joint Religious Leadership Coalition

(JRLC) comes from a quotation of Pope Francis: “Politics… is one of the high-

est forms for charity, because it serves the common good.” Now there is

something you don’t hear said every day! You too can be part of serving the common good, by attending

JRLC’s annual Day on the Hill on Wednesday, April 1. On this day, people of faith from across Minnesota

meet at the capitol in St. Paul to lobby our legislators on behalf of those who are often voiceless. Regis-

tration is $50 or $15 for students. For more information and to register, go to www.jrlc.org

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3 Holden Village Evening Prayer Every Wednesday in Lent For all those who have been longing to sing the beloved Holden Evening Prayer liturgy, we will be returning

to the original form this Lent during each midweek service, Wednesdays at 7:00 pm. This liturgy will also

include a time to hear from members of Mount Olive as they describe their own faith journey via an

“interview” with members of the staff. This is a great opportunity to invite friends and neighbors to wor-

ship. The services generally last about 45 minutes and are an excellent way to be fed spiritually in the long

winter season. Holden Evening Prayer services begin Wednesday, March 4.

Could Singing Be Your Lenten Discipline? Consider joining the Mount Olive choir during Lent. Think of it as a six-week musical

journey through a handful of songs, culminating in our performance on Easter Sunday.

Don’t read music? No problem! That’s what the rehearsals are for. Anyone high school

age and up, join us Wednesdays in Lent following the 7:00 pm mid-week service. If you

have any questions, contact Travis Beck– travis@molive.org or 288-1580.

Nursery Volunteers Needed Are you looking for an easy and fun way to serve in the church? We may

have the answer for you. The church Nursery is looking for volunteers 21

years of age and older. There are many opportunities available. We need

loving, caring people to help on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm beginning

on Ash Wednesday and running through the Lenten season. We also have

times available on Sunday mornings and some Tuesday evenings through-

out the month. Training is provided. If you are interested in helping out or if

you have any questions, please contact Carrie Fletcher – carrie@molive.org or (507) 288-1580.

Worship and Fellowship Volunteers Needed Lent is a busy time with the need for many volunteers for all of our worship services and fellowship times!

Mount Olive uses an online program, Sign Up Genius, to schedule volunteers. You sign up to serve at a day

and time that works for you. The Sign Up Genius links are available via invitation and are also accessible

from the Mount Olive website, molive.org on the Service tab. You may also call Nancy Britson, Director of

Congregational Life with your availability or to schedule a training as needed, 288-1580 ext. 202. Your help

is sincerely appreciated!

L e n t e n S c h e d u l e

Wednesdays

beginning March 4

5:45 pm Soup Supper

6:00 pm Bible Study: God’s Own People-studies in 1 Peter

7:00 pm Holden Evening Prayer service

Saturdays 5:00 pm Worship

Sunday Mornings

beginning March 1

8:00 am Worship

9:15 am Bible Study: God’s Own People-studies in 1 Peter

10:30 am Worship

Sanctuary Flowers for Easter

Flowers to beautify the sanctuary for Easter will be available to order March 14 –29. Follow the directions on the order envelopes in the front entry. The flowers are yours to take after the 10:30 Easter Sunday service or you may leave them in the sanctuary for the Easter season.

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Due to the snow day in February, we were not able to assemble the Lutheran World

Relief Baby Care Kits. We will plan to assemble them on March 8 during the Educa-

tion Hour. Thank you to everyone who has donated items for these kits. If you have remaining items to

bring, please leave them in the marked box in the entry by March 1st. To learn more about LWR Project

Promise, including where kits are helping, visit lwr.org/quilts-and-kits .

5th Annual Women’s Day of Service The 5th Annual Mount Olive Women’s Day of Service is Saturday, March 21, 2020, 9:00 am-1:00 pm in the

Fellowship Hall. Please sign up at the table in the entry to participate. Activities include: Card Making,

Cookie Dough Making, Crocheting, Cutting, Knitting, Quilting, Bandage Rolling, Sewing and Tying. There will

be a list of any supplies needed for each project. Please join us for this fun service day. No experience is

necessary; you’ll learn as you serve. Lunch will be provided. There will also be a free will offering which will

go toward a mission in Bucaramanga, Colombia to cover transportation for volunteers helping children of

single, working mothers do their homework after school, while their mothers are . Contact Sherry Will at

sherry@molive.org with questions.

Mission Colombia 2020 Fundraiser The Mission Colombia team will serve the Lenten Soup Supper on Wednesday, March 4, 5:45-6:45 pm. All

proceeds from the free will offering will go to cover travel costs for Mission Colombia 2020. The group has

set a goal of raising $6,000 for the trip. Please join us for a delicious meal! If you are

unable to attend, please consider making a donation

using the envelopes available on the usher’s table.

On the menu that evening:

Food For Friends Update The process for picking up and delivering

the food to students in need at John Adams

has changed. Food will be picked up from

Channel One on Wednesday morning and

delivered directly to John Adams Middle

School. The food packaging is much smaller

now and requires less space, so any size

vehicle will work for transporting this.

There is an updated sign-up sheet in the

Gathering Area. If you are interested in

helping with this ministry outreach,

please contact Carrie Fletcher at

cxnfletcher@gmail.com or (507) 272-1906.

Good Earth Village Camp Camp is a place filled with unconditional love, overflowing

joy, where a Christ-centered community is felt at its core.

Programs at Good Earth Village near Spring Valley are availa-

ble for children ages 3 and up and families. Registration for

summer 2020 programs is now available! For more infor-

mation, please visit goodearthvillage.org. Call 507-346-2494

with any questions or concerns. Register by March 8 and get

a free T-shirt. Through April 5th, save 10% with the code

EARLY20. Register siblings for camp and save 15% with code

SIBLING20. Write code on

registration form or enter

it on the promotional code

area on “My Cart” as you

check out.

Ajiaco (Chicken/Potato Soup of Bogota)

Colombian White Rice

Colombian Salad

Fruit for dessert

Service

5 Lenten Food Drive for Channel One

The annual Lenten Food Drive for Channel One continues

through the month of March and concludes on Palm Sunday,

April 5. During this time of year, the food supply is greatly re-

duced at Channel One Food Bank, so they

can use the help of each and every one of us. We encourage each Mount Olive family

to bring a bag full of groceries and/or make a $10 donation to Channel One ($10=40

meals!). There will be giving envelopes for monetary donations and grocery bags with

attached grocery lists on a table in the front entry of the church. Please make sure all

food items are non-perishable and that they have an expiration date of November

2020 or beyond. The following is a list of suggestions on their most needed items:

Canned tuna, ham and chicken, peanut butter, canned/dried beans, canned fruits,

canned vegetables, rice, dried pasta, flour sugar, oil, and personal care products.

Please take note: Channel One does not take cans that are dented or packaging that

is torn. Please contact Sherry will at sherry@molive.org if you have questions.

Mount Olive Prayer Shawl Group All knitters and crocheters are invited to attend our next meeting on March 10 at

10:00 am. Yarn, needles, treats, and guidance are provided. The group meets from

September to May to knit or crochet prayer shawls and hats. If you would like to join

the group of knitters or would like to request a shawl for someone who is experienc-

ing illness, loss, or a difficult time, contact Peg Whitley - peg.whitley@gmail.com or

call the church office at 288-1580.

Mount Olive Quilters The quilters meet each Thursday morning at 9:00 am in the Fellowship Hall to prepare and

tie quilts. Everyone is welcome to join them; no sewing experience is required. The quilts

are given to Lutheran World Relief, Families First of MN, the Good Earth Village auction,

and more. The group can always use donations of cotton fabric. Please bring on Thursday mornings or

leave in the Gathering Area cabinet. Monetary donations for the purchase of batting and other supplies

are also welcome. If you have any questions, call Sandy Schlenker at 507-529-8215.

Dorothy Day Volunteers Needed Volunteers are needed to serve the evening meal the first Friday of each month

for guests staying at the Dorothy Day Hospitality House, a temporary homeless

shelter in downtown Rochester. Volunteers provide and share a family-style

meal with the guests in the home’s dining room. We are currently in need of

volunteers for April 3, and May 1. Sign up in the Gathering Area where you will

find more information. Contact Jene Bodensteiner at jbode6@me.com with

questions or to volunteer.

Ongoing Collections Getting a start on your Spring cleaning? Did you know that the SSOM team at Mount Olive has an ongoing

collections of many items that can be put to use by others? Items include: travel sized care products, eye

glasses, pop can tabs, and fabric. There are collections bins for each item in the Gathering Area cupboard.

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8 Study First Peter with Pastor Glenn in Lent

Pastor Glenn’s Lenten Bible Study this year is a study of the book of First Peter. According to the Lutheran

Study Bible, the message of First Peter is this: “Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection provide new life

and living hope to believers. We are called to live as chosen people, God’s servants, and stewards of grace.

We are also called to the community of faith, which is a spiritual house of living stones, a holy priesthood,

and God’s own people.” You are invited to join the study and be inspired to live out your own call as God’s

own people. Books are $7 and signup sheets and payment envelopes are available at the Lenten table in

the church entry. This study will be held Sundays at 9:15 and Wednesdays at 6:00 pm, beginning March 1.

Faith Seeking Understanding (FSU) Meets March 3 Faith Seeking Understanding reads and shares conversations about a variety of books

and videos on theology, spirituality, social justice, and Christianity and our changing

church. The next meeting is on Tuesday, March 3 at 6:30 pm. This month’s book selec-

tion is Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others by Barbara Brown Taylor. It is the

story of a Christian minister who lost her way in the church and found a new home in

the classroom. The course she taught most often was “Religions of the World”. As soon

as she recovered from the shock of meeting God in so many new hats, she fell for every

religion she taught. All are welcome to attend.

Pub Theology Monday Evenings With Pastor Lisa on leave, Deacon Travis Beck is leading Pub Theology. We gather Mondays at Hy-Vee

North Market Grille at 500 37th St. NW. Come at 5:30 pm for casual conversation, along with food and

drink as desired, and our discussion takes place from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. During Lent, we’ll be discussing the

lectionary readings for Sundays, especially the gospel readings which focus on personal interactions with

Jesus in the Gospel of John: Jesus and Nicodemus; Jesus and the woman at the well; Jesus and the healing

of the blind man; Jesus and the raising of Lazarus. How do their stories mirror our own lives? How can

these stories help us on our own spiritual journey, in Lent and beyond? All this and more will be up for dis-

cussion this month; we hope you’ll join us. You can find weekly topics on our blog: rochesterpublictheolo-

gy.wordpress.org. Sign up directly on the blog to get updates by email, or ask Travis Beck for help.

“Mostly” Men’s Discipleship Men’s Discipleship is a Bible study group for men, meant to move them closer to God and to help them

understand God’s will in their lives. They meet weekly on Saturday mornings at 8:30 am in the front con-

ference room at church. This group is open to all men of the congregation. Contact Mark Masbruch for

more info. - masbruch@hotmail.com.

Women of the ELCA News Women’s small groups (circles) continue to meet monthly for Bible

study and fellowship. There are 6 groups that meet at different times and days. The Bible study each

month comes from Gather Magazine. Watch for other events coming up this Spring including the Home-

made Market craft and bake sale to raise funds for Women of the ELCA programming and benevolence,

Thankoffering Sunday, the women’s Spring Meeting and more. If you are interested in joining a circle or

would like more information about any upcoming events, please contact Regina Seabrook, Women of the

ELCA president– rseabroo@gmail.com or Nancy Britson-nancy@molive.org.

Women’s Circle study leaders, please come to the leader’s meeting with Pastor Glenn on Tuesday, March 3 at

5:30 pm. Bring your Gather magazine and a Bible. Circle Leaders, come to the board meeting March 8.

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Mount Olive Mardi Gras Celebration Following the 10:30 worship service on February 23rd, the

congregation was treated to a Mardi Gras party that in-

cluded a delicious breakfast served by Mount Olive Youth

and a Dixieland Band comprised of Mount Olive members.

144 Envelopes Fundraiser Concludes Thank You for Your Support! – The Envelope Fundraiser raised over $6,000 for our summer youth trip to

Colorado. Thank you everyone for your overwhelming generosity! Your support means so much to our

youth and will make this trip affordable. The youth continue to connect in new ways, express their excite-

ment for this grand adventure and recently began their Mountaintop Bible Study series as we follow Mo-

ses and Jesus up the mountain. We can’t say it enough, thank you!

Welcome to Communion Class On Sunday, March 1 at 11:30 am, Intern Pastor Luke Hollander will be teaching

a one-time class for families with children who wish to begin taking communion

in worship. Families are invited to gather with Luke after worship in the church

library. Each child will receive an activity book to help them learn, please sign up in the Gathering Area so

we have enough workbooks. There is no age limit; the only requirement is that both child and parent de-

sire for the child to begin receiving communion. For questions, talk to Pastor Luke.

March 7 Youth Lock-in Ok, let’s try this again. We are going to have a night full of fun! Middle and High school youth are invited to

participate in a lock-in at Mount Olive on March 7 starting at 5 pm. We plan on playing hide-and-seek, vid-

eo games, board games, and more! We will have dinner and snacks. There will be team-building activities-

the fun kind, don’t worry. Late night popcorn and a movie are on the agenda. Who knew so much fun and

activity could be packed into one night? Now that intern Luke has a new baby, he is used to staying up all

night and will be ready to go. Please sign up in the Gathering Area.

Youth Board Meets March 18

All middle & high school youth are encouraged to attend our Youth Board meeting on Wednesday, March

18 at 6pm, especially those that are attending the trip to Colorado. We will be working on Thank You notes

to those that have supported the trip, continue our Bible study and prepare for upcoming events. This is a

great opportunity for our youth to be leaders in the church.

Youth Lasagna Supper Middle & High School youth will be serving a lasagna dinner before the Wednesday

night Lenten service on March 25 at 6:00 pm. A freewill offering will be taken to

support their travel expenses for the trip to Colorado.

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10 Monday Book Group The Monday Book Group gathers on March 9 at 6:30 pm, in the library, for their monthly

book discussion. The March selection is The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. The Last Lec-

ture recounts the life of Randy Pausch, from childhood until just before his death, and a

lecture he was asked to give as a professor at Carnegie Mellon. In this book, Randy Pausch

has combined the humor, inspiration and intelligence that made his lecture such a phe-

nomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to

come. New readers are always welcome to join the group. Contact Jodi Schoer for more information,

mjschoer@charter.net or 288-1951.

Ripe Olives Meet March 13

On Friday morning, March 13 at 9:30 am, the Ripe Olives, Mount Olive’s group for retired

folks, will gather. Rochester Mayor, Kim Norton, will be updating us on all of the latest

news in the city of Rochester and will also have a question and answer time. Breakfast will

be provided with a freewill donation at 9:30 am. Guests are always welcome. Sign up at

the Gathering Area cabinet. Contact Nancy Britson with questions 288-1580 ext. 202 or

nancy@molive.org.

Wednesday Lenten Meals Each week during Lent will feature a soup supper or simple meal served on Wednesday evenings at 5:45

pm. Everyone is welcome to attend without reservation; feel free to invite a friend or neighbor! Beginning

March 4, participants in the Lenten study can get their meal on a tray to take with them to the Library for

their class. A free-will offering will be collected each week.

March 4 – Mission Colombia Team – offering to offset trip expenses. (see more details on page 4)

March 11 – Scout Troop, Pack, and Crew 498 Chili Feed – offering to ELCA World Hunger

March 18 – Mount Olive 60th Anniversary Team – offering to 60th Anniversary Fund.

March 25 – Mount Olive Youth – offering to offset youth summer trip expenses

April 1 – Soup Potluck – offering to ELCA World Hunger

Choral Arts Ensemble presents Home: Where We Love Choral Arts Ensemble will perform a concert entitled Home: Where We

Love to focus attention on the ongoing battle to overcome homelessness in

our area, and to recognize the organizations, Family Promise and The Landing,

that are doing (and have done) great work on this issue. The concert is Satur-

day March 21 at Christ United Methodist Church at 7:30pm. Tickets are $25

and can be purchased at www.choralartsensemble.org/where-we-love Three

of our Mount Olive members will be singing in this concert; David Joyce, Jason Sinnwell and Caitlin Van Lith.

Choral Arts will be making a recording of the concert and all sales from the CDs a year after production will

go towards Family Promise and The Landing.

Retired Leader Luncheon at Mount Olive Each spring, the Southeast MN Synod of the ELCA hosts a luncheon at Mount Olive for retired leaders.

Retired clergy, deacons, other associates in ministry, and their spouses are invited to meet for fellowship,

worship, and a presentation by Bishop Hassanally updating them about happenings in the synod. This year

they meet on Monday, March 30, beginning at 9:30 am. To help by providing breakfast treats, sign up in the

Gathering Area. Contact Nancy Britson with any questions– nancy@molive.org or 288-1580.

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Little Leapers Meet March 15 Little Leapers, a group for parents and children who have not yet started Sunday

school, meets on Sunday, March 15 at 9:15 am. Parents join together to share in car-

ing conversation and fellowship as the little ones take a leap into faith. Follow the

green frogs on the signs in the entry and hop on down to join the group in classroom

13 in the Education Wing! If you have any questions about this group, please contact Kaitlin Maus at:

kaitlinridl@gmail.com.

Family Fellowship Dinner March 22 Join the Family Fellowship group for dinner on Saturday, March 22, 6:00-8:00 pm. This opportunity is

designed for families with kids to enjoy a casual meal and fun activities together. Everyone is invited to bring

their favorite family dish to share. Tableware and beverages will be provided. Sign up in the Gathering Area

indicating how many from your family will be there and what you plan to bring. We hope you can join us for

a fun evening!!

Lyra Baroque Orchestra Concert Lyra Baroque Orchestra returns to Mount Olive on Friday, March 20, at 7:30 pm

with Requiem. Peter Van Heyghen makes his debut with Lyra as a conductor in this

program featuring singers Sarah Brailey, Clara Osowski, Scott Brunscheen, Joseph Hubbard, and a group of

the Twin Cities finest singers forming a chamber choir. Repertoire to include Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater and

the exquisitely beautiful Requiem by Niccolò Jommelli. A pre-concert talk begins 60 minutes prior to concert

time. Go to lyrabaroque.org for ticket information.

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World Day of Prayer Hosted by Mount Olive Women On Friday, March 6, 2020, Mount Olive will host a service for the World Day of Prayer, an ecumenical

gathering of women. A continental breakfast will be served at 9:30 am followed by a program from 10:00

to 11:00 am. The theme is “Rise! Take Your Mat and Walk” and will focus on the story in John 5:2-9a of

Jesus healing the paralyzed man. Our sisters from Zimbabwe are

taking Jesus’ encounter to be a call to act in love for peace and

reconciliation. Through the program of readings, song, drama,

and a speaker, we will learn more about the country of Zimbabwe

and how each of us can hear the words of this compassionate

God to act upon the healing of ourselves and our communities to

bring peace and reconciliation into the world. A freewill offering

is collected. Contact Dorothy Ostrom with questions– 288-2297.

Save the Dates for Upcoming Fellowship Opportunities: Watch your Sunday bulletins and upcoming Messengers for more information about these events:

May 1-3 - Men’s Fishing Retreat at Good Earth Village

May 1 - Kentucky Derby Fun Night at Mount Olive

May 4 - Women’s Spring Meeting

May 22 - Mount Olive Trip to the Minnesota Twins

July 10-12 - Family Camp Weekend at Chester Woods

July 22 - Mount Olive Trip to Berne Pizza

Mount Olive Lutheran Church 2830 18th Ave. NW

Rochester, MN 55901 507-288-1580 Website: molive.org

Mount Olive Staff

The Rev. Dr. Glenn Monson Senior Pastor glenn@molive.org Ext. 206

The Rev. Lisa Janke Associate Pastor of Outreach lisa@molive.org Ext. 205

Deacon Travis Beck Director of Worship, Music, and Arts travis@molive.org Ext. 203

Intern Luke Hollander Intern Pastor of Children, Youth, and Family luke@molive.org Ext. 207

Bill Hollander Congregational Administrator bill@molive.org Ext. 204

Sherry Will Director of Missions and Service sherry@molive.org Ext. 210

Carrie Fletcher–Administrative Assistant and Nursery Coordinator carrie@molive.org Ext. 209

Nancy Britson Director of Congregational Life nancy@molive.org Ext. 202

Mount Olive’s Welcome Statement: “We trust that God calls Mount Olive Lutheran Church to a ministry of reconciliation. We embrace as a gift the di-versity of our neighborhood and the world, and we extend God’s hospitality by welcoming, hearing, and treasuring:

All gender identities and sexual orientations All races and ethnicities All ages and abilities All economic statuses and education levels All faith journeys and personal histories

As Christ welcomes all, we too welcome the full inclusion of all people into the life, ministry, and sacraments of Mount Olive, joining in a journey toward greater love, understanding, and mutual respect.”

A Reconciling in Christ Community

Alleluias Removed for Lenten Season In worship on February 22

and 23, the children helped

Pastor Glenn hide away the

Alleluias visible in the sanctu-

ary. We’ll look forward to

seeing and singing this joyful

word again on Easter Sunday,

April 12.

Interfaith Dialogue Forum The Adult Faith Ministry team presented an interfaith dialogue for the adult forum time on February 23rd. Leaders

from the Muslim, Buddhist, and Jewish faith communities discussed their religion’s beliefs around the subject of evil

and how to overcome it in a discussion moderated by Pastor Glenn.