This Week at Mt. Olive

Good morning, fellow redeemed!

Today, the Lutheran Church commemorates Katharina von Bora Luther, the wife of Martin Luther. Yesterday, the Church commemorated Adam and Eve. On December 17, the Church set aside a day for Daniel the Prophet and the Three Young Men. On December 6, the Church commemorated Nicholas of Myra, and December 7 was the day for Ambrose of Milan. Why should the Church set aside all these days? Why not, many churches do, and as many Christians advocate, focus on the future while downplaying or even denigrating the past? The fact of the matter is that our culture has been so trained to view "new" as "improved", while believing that old is never quite as good.

I would heartily disagree, and so would the founding reformers of the Lutheran church. Here is what our Lutheran Confessions say: "For here a threefold honor is to be approved. The first is thanksgiving. For we ought to give thanks to God because He has shown examples of mercy; because He has shown that He wishes to save men; because He has given teachers or other gifts to the Church. And these gifts, as they are the greatest, should be amplified, and the saints themselves should be praised, who have faithfully used these gifts, just as Christ praises faithful business-men, 5] Matt. 25:21, 23. The second service is the strengthening of our faith; when we see the denial forgiven Peter, we also are encouraged to believe the more that grace 6] truly superabounds over sin, Rom. 5:20. The third honor is the imitation, first, of faith, then of the other virtues, which every one should imitate according to his calling."

In commemorating the saints, those who have gone before us in the faith, we are given the opportunity to praise and thank God for yet another blessing upon blessing. By the way, three saints' days follow Christmas, ones most would think ill-placed because of the syrupy, sweet season. More on that later.

O God, our refuge and our strength, You raised up Your servant Katharina to support her husband in the task to reform and renew Your Church in the light of Your Word. Defend and purify the Church today and grant that, through faith, we may boldly support and encourage our pastors and teachers of the faith as they proclaim and administer the riches of Your grace made known in Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

As one would expect, there is a certain amount of business for the coming week. That always seems to accompany the weeks before Christmas and Easter. When asked how much he prayed each day, Martin Luther is reported to have said that he prayed two hours each day, unless he was really busy. Then, he said, he prayed three hours. I encourage you in this week of fevered activity to maintain and even increase your time of devotion. One way to accomplish that is to take the Small Catechism each day and read, and reflect, on the Second Article and its explanation.

A big thank you to Katie Jennings, Matthew Catherman, and Dru Blanc who helped with the skits over the last four weeks. Thanks especially to Trevor Johnson, and Jonathan and Michael Jennings who served as the permanent cast of the skit. I praise God for your service and for the message that you were able to proclaim!

This week at Mt. Olive, I'm not sure of the Zumba schedule, so I'm going to include it in the schedule below.

Tuesday, the youth of Mt. Olive will be engaged in cookie baking and decorating. Many of these cookies will be taken to shut ins later in the day on a caroling trip.

Thursday, the cast of the Christmas program will be having a dress rehearsal, starting at 6:30 p.m. We're trying to make it through the program twice that night. A couple of things need to be said here. Yesterday, the cast of the program rehearsed briefly. Nobody gave them clues. The children simply did what they were supposed to do. I was definitely impressed! Second, the adults who have helped with the Christmas program rehearsals this year are, like those who have helped in years past, great blessings from God to me!

Finally, below is the service schedule for the week.

Prayer Concerns:
Those who serve in our armed forces and their families: Rob Vadney (Afghanistan), Richard Rhode (North Carolina), John Sorensen, Dru Blanc, Ryan Radtke (Corpus Christi), Andrew Epley, Michael Baker (reservists who have seen deployment in the last couple of years). Remember to praise God for these people, and for their service in protecting nation.
Emet Wright, Ruth Prytz, Donnae Blake, Ann Cleveland, Raymond Whitaker (my uncle)
Jennifer Doerk at the birth of her daughter Regan last week
The children who will be presenting the Christmas story in the program this week, and those who will be reading in the Candlelight Service
The Church throughout the world as she proclaims the birth of her Lord at His first advent, and looks for His second advent
Those who travel

This Week at Mt. Olive:
Monday, December 20
6 p.m.
Zumba Aerobics

Tuesday, December 21
9:30 a.m.
Youth Cookie Baking and Caroling begins

Wednesday, December 22
9:30 a.m.
Bible Study (Deuteronomy)

6 p.m.
Zumba Aerobics

Thursday, December 23
6:30 p.m.
Christmas Program rehearsal

Friday, December 24
Christmas Eve
6:30 p.m.
Sunday School Christmas Program

11 p.m.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Saturday, December 25
Christmas Day
9:30 a.m.
Christmas Divine Service

Sunday, December 26
8 and 10:30 a.m.
Divine Service

9:15 a.m.
Sunday School/Bible Class

God bless!
PKJ