Mount Olive Lutheran Church

Fellowship at Mount Olive

• Youth Fellowship
• Adult Fellowship

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Youth Fellowship

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Mount Olive has a vibrant and long history of active youth ministry. The youth ministry centers on faith formation through education, but also through fellowship and service.

Daybreak at Dunn Brothers

This event occurs every third Thursday of the month at 6:30 a.m. High school youth and adults are invited to breakfast at Dunn Brothers, located on Elton Hills Drive across from the Recreation Center. This is a great time for caring adults to connect with high school youth. Contact people: Warren Kemplin, Connie McCullough and Jim Berg.

Summer Trips

At the heart of the youth program are summer trips offered for the middle and high school youth. The trips rotate over a three year cycle for variety and exposure for the youth.

• Year one is the Boundary Waters Canoe trip or the ELCA National Youth Gathering. The boundary waters trip is open to both middle and high school youth, the ELCA National Youth Gathering is open only to high school. The 2012 Youth Gathering will be in New Orleans.
• Year two is the high adventure wilderness trip. Youth today are often nature deprived, this summer trip is designed to get the youth away to one of the great ELCA Church camps, get them unplugged and in the wilderness. Past trips include Sky Ranch in Colorado and AMR in the Black Hills of South Dakota or the Big Horns of Wyoming.
• Year three is a summer service trip. During the summer of 2011, the middle school youth served in Inner City Milwaukee and the high school youth served in West Virginia.

Service Projects

Youth service is a regular routine for both the middle and high school youth. Service opportunities include Adopt-a-Highway, Channel One, Interfaith Hospitality Network, to name a few.

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Adult Fellowship

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Mount Olive has several small groups which meet during the program year. Newcomers are always welcome.

Book groups

Mount Olive has two book groups. The Monday Book Group reads fiction and meets on the second Monday of the month at 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The selections for 2011-2012 are:

• September 12: Tortilla Curtain, by T. Coraghessan Boyle
• October 10: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford
• November 14: Winter Solstice, by Rosamund Pilcher
• December 12: The Worst Hard Time, by Timothy Egan
• January 9: Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
• February 13: A Wretched Man, by R.W. Holmen
• March 12: The Agony and the Ecstasy, by Irving Stone
• April 9: Heaven Is For Real, by Todd Burpo
• May 14: Postmistress, by Sarah Blake

The Faith Seeking Understanding (FSU) book group tends to read non-fiction works on the growing edge of faith and spirituality, contemporary writers of varying faith traditions, and some classic writers. The group meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. The selections for 2011-2012 are:

• October 4: Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, in the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation, by Eboo Patel
• November 1: Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life, by Robert Bellah
• December 6: Love Wins, by Rob Bell
• February 7: The Great Emergence, by Phyllis Tickle
• March 6: You Converted Me: The Confessions of St. Augustine, translated by Robert J. Edmonson CJ
• April 3: Falling Upward: Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life, by Richard Rohr
• May 1: The Power of Now, by Echkart Tolle

Cancer Support Group

An open invitation stands for anyone who has had cancer in the past or is presently in the process of battling and or recovering from cancer. This is a wonderful opportunity to support one another through stories, conversation, insight and prayers. Sharing with others through the ups and downs of this prevalent disease can ease the stresses that are carried by those with cancer.

Meetings are the 4th Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m.

Faith Formation Groups

Faith formation groups meet on Wednesday nights, as well as for specific seasons in the Church year.

Fellowship Tables

Fellowship tables are groups of seven or eight adults who meet three times during the program year to share a meal in homes for food, fun and fellowship, with the main purpose being old fashioned Christian fellowship. Couples and singles are invited to share in the fun. The table groups meet in November, January and March. The host prepares the main course and the others bring salad, bread, or dessert to pass. It is a great way to get to know a small group of people for the year.

Home Faith Groups

Get to know new friends or reconnect with old ones as you gather in homes for food, fellowship, fun, and Bible stories. Families with children are especially encouraged to participate. These cross-generational small groups meet three times during the year (once in November, January, and March). The study and activities are provided. Just add snacks and be prepared to joyfully learn from each other.

Men's Fellowship

The men's discipleship study meets each Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m.

Letters from Dad is the key program for the men of the congregation. This retreat style class and small group is based on the invitation for men to write letters to loved ones and share their blessing with family and loved ones.

In addition, various men's fellowship events are planned during the year. Some of the past events include the annual fall men's supper and work night, men's movie night and men's supper and guest speaker.

Quilters

Quilters meet weekly on Thursday mornings at 9:00 a.m. to tie quilts for Lutheran World Relief and local community needs. No sewing is required to join in. Packets of squares are available to be sewn at home.

Ripe Olives

This is Mount Olive's retired members group. They meet monthly from September through May for fellowship and service.

Sports

Mount Olive has a long and illustrious history in the city-wide Church volleyball and softball leagues. Volleyball is played over the winter months and softball over the summer months. Both leagues are co-ed and high school youth and older are invited to join either team.

Volleyball games are played on Tuesday evenings at Zumbro Lutheran Church. The schedule for 2011-2012 is:

Date	Time	Versus
November 8	7:15 pm	GLBC Blue
November 15	6:30 pm	Zumbro
November 22	8:00 pm	Redeemer
December 13	7:15 pm	Homestead
January 3	6:30 pm	GLBC Red
January 10	7:15 pm	GLBC Blue
January 17	6:30 pm	Zumbro
January 31	8:00 pm	Redeemer
February 7	7:15 pm	Homestead
February 14	6:30 pm	GLBC Red
February 21	7:15 pm	GLBC Blue
March 6	6:30 pm	Zumbro
March 13	8:00 pm	Redeemer
March 20	7:15 pm	Homestead
April 10	6:30 pm	GLBC Red
April 17	tbd	Playoffs

Women's Fellowship

The heart of women's fellowship is within the Women of the ELCA (WELCA). All women of the congregation are automatically members of WELCA, and are invited to join a monthly WELCA circle group. There are a number of WELCA circles, meeting at a variety of times.

In addition, WELCA plans three events for all the women of the congregation each year, a fall kick off, Christmas event and prayer sister brunch.

Yoga

Mount Olive offers yoga classes on Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Classes are geared for people new to yoga, or people that have some yoga experience and wish to spend time on foundational poses and concepts. Practices consist of seated, standing and reclined postures. Multiple ways of doing a pose are explained during classes, and the instructor, Lisa Schrader, helps students discover how to balance challenge and comfort in their unique bodies. There is no cost for these classes.

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Fellowship News

• TGIF - To Gather In Friendship Feb 3:
  Middle school students meet at church at 2:45 pm on Friday, February 3. Enjoy snacks and then go swimming at the Y. Parents can pick up their students at the Y at 5:15 pm. Please contact Stephanie if you need a ride.

• FSU Book Group February 7:
  You are invited to read something that stretches your heart and thinking. The Faith Seeking Understanding book group will meet on Tuesday, February 7 at 6:30 pm. Challenge yourself to some great reading and thought provoking discussions on The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why by Phyllis Tickle.

• Author Presentation February 13:
  You are invited to a presentation and discussion on Monday, February 13 at 6:30 pm, led by R. W. Holmen, author of A Wretched Man, a remarkable novel about Paul the Apostle. Those who wish to read the novel prior to that date may purchase it in the office for $14.25. The event is hosted by the Monday book group and arranged by Kathy Tanabe. A signing and coffee time will follow in the gathering area.

• New Member Weekend April 14-15:
  If you are interested in becoming a member of Mount Olive, please contact Jody Myers as soon as possible or by March 11.
  
  We ask that those interested attend orientation on Saturday April 14 and the 10:30 am service on April 15. Please know you are now welcome to participate in any or all of our ministry offerings and programs; membership is not required. At the New Member Orientation on April 14 from 9:30-11:30 am we will serve you brunch while our staff and some members meet and welcome you. Pastors and staff will share information about our church, our mission and how our staff serves Mount Olive. On April 15, Mount Olive will welcome you at the 10:30 am worship service.

• Youth Summer Trips:
  There are 15 high school youth planning to attend the Youth Gathering in New Orleans next summer. There are 18 middle and high school youth planning to explore the Boundary Waters. What an awesome group of youth! Watch for youth trip meetings in January so team-building can begin. Chaperone selections will be finalized. Also, there will be another trip payment due at the end of January. Watch for a letter explaining the details for these get-togethers and the trip payments.

• Good Earth Village Summer Camp:
  The children of Mount Olive are encouraged to go to Good Earth Village for summer camp! There are many opportunities available from one day Adventurer for those currently in kindergarten through 4th grade and overnight options for those in 1st grade and up. There are also Family Camp weekends.
  
  Mount Olive has reserved spots for Mount Olive kids for the week of July 29 -August 3 (these spots will only be held until February 1 without a deposit from a Mount Olive member). In the interest of having several of our children at camp the same week, we encourage children to sign up for the week July 29 - August 3.
  
  Mount Olive continues to be a "member" congregation with Good Earth Village. This gives all of our members a $50 discount on week-long programs. There are "sibling" discounts for those families sending more than one child to camp. There are also super early bird rates for those registered by February 15 and early bird rates for those registered by March 31. Mount Olive has limited need-based scholarship money available for kids to go to Good Earth Village (talk to Pam Berg).
  
  For more information go to www.goodearthvillage.org.