This Week at Mt. Olive

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:10-11, 13

These words from St. Paul are a favorite of mine. The come in the larger context of Ephesians 6:10-20, but I fear they are often misunderstood and misquoted. The weaponry is all defensive, save the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. The goal is not the offensive "building a bigger heaven" that some would say. Rather, it is standing firm in the evil and, "having done all, to stand firm." The goal is standing firm in the one true faith until the day when our Lord calls us home.

I think one other thought bears stating, as it is near and dear to me. As you read Ephesians 6:10-20, notice the weaponry and those who bear it. In many circles, there is a lot of talk about church leadership. One gets the idea that Christian leaders=2 0are like generals in a war room, hashing out plans. In service to our Lord, let's make no mistake. The weaponry of which Paul speaks in Ephesians 6 is that of the infantry. Bearing the full armor of God, we are all infantry “ foot soldiers, ground pounders, grunts. Even Christian leaders are grunts. The plan of war has already been established by our Lord Jesus. Bearing the full armor of God, we stand firm as we stand under the cross, standing on the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Satan is a worthy opponent; he would love nothing more than to topple Christ's soldiers. Stand firm, then, Paul says, in the might of Christ, fitted with the armor our Lord provides, sustained by His promises.

Events at Mt. Olive
Rally Day is always one of my favorite events. It's an opportunity to hear children singing and to embark on another great year of Bible instruction. Today's celebration was a great opportunity to rejoice in the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ that we are given to share with generation after generation. In the coming months, please make it a point to pray for Mt. Olive's great corps of Sunday School teachers by name, as well as all Sunday School teachers throughout the Church.

Guitar worship this morning was a real treat - singing hymns with some different instruments. Look for coming opportunities for guitar worship, about once per month.

Wednesday Morning Bible Study has begun again at 9:30 a.m. Currently, the study is called "The Unexplainable" and comes from Concordia Publishing House's "Faith on the Edge" series. Trust me when I say after the first class that this is generating a whole bunch of great discussion! Don't worry if you want to join us--it's not too late!

Choir begins again Wednesday evening, September 2, at 6:30 p.m. No experience is necessary to sing in the choir at Mt. Olive. If you have any questions about the choir, the music, when we sing, etc., please give the director, Kathy Jennings, a call.

Confirmation Instruction is just around the corner. Beginning September 13, confirmands will meet for class from 12:30 to 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoons. This year, instruction will have an online component, as well as the classroom components.

Prayer Concerns:
Those who serve in our armed forces, including Michael Baker (Iraq), Andrew Epley (nearing deployment), and Richard Rhode (North Carolina).
The pastors of our circuit and their wives: Pastor Sturgis (Aransas Pass), Pastor Wagstaff (Rockport), Pastor Strimple (Trinity), Pastor Brynestad (Messiah), Pastor Seaman (Our Savior), Pastor Schubert (Lord of Life), P astor Franke (Bishop), Pastor Eckert (Kingsville), Deacon Autry (West Sinton), as well as the retired pastors (Pastor Childs, Pastor Schubert, Pastor Kirk, and Pastor Flores)
The teachers in the Lutheran schools and care programs in our area (Portland, West Sinton, Messiah, Bishop, Lord of Life, Mt. Olive, and Trinity) and those who are committed to their care
Our national, state, and local leaders

This Week at Mt. Olive:
Monday, August 31
6:30 p.m. Zumba Aerobics

Wednesday, September 2
8: 30 a.m. School Chapel in the Sanctuary
9:30 a.m. Wednesday Morning Bible Study in the overflow
6:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal