This Week At Mt. Olive

Good evening, fellow redeemed!

After the Transfiguration of Our Lord, we embark on the road of the cross, down into Lent, on the road of repentance where we contemplate the words spoken as ashes are placed on our heads: Thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return. We are reminded that we are dying, and that life only comes in the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ for our sins. This Wednesday, as you come into the sanctuary and have ashes imposed with the words mentioned above, I invite you to sit in silence, waiting for the beginning of the service. As you wait, open your hymnal the inside front cover. There are numerous prayers there, including this one, titled "Before Confession and Absolution":

Almighty and everlasting God, for my many sins I justly deserve eternal condemnation. In Your mercy You sent Your dear Son, my Lord Jesus Christ, who won for me forgiveness of sins and everlasting salvation. Grant me a true confession that, dead to sin, I may be raised up by Your life-giving absolution. Grant me Your Holy Spirit that I may be ever watchful and live a true and godly life in Your service; through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen

As mentioned before, this week at Mt. Olive we enter the holy season of Lent under the theme Father, Forgive Them. In this season of preparation and penitence, we're not preparing so much for Easter, as we are for Good Friday, for our Lord's death, substituting Himself for us to pay for our sin. Beginning Wednesday, Lenten midweek services will be held each Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. (Midday Prayer) and 7:15 p.m. (Lenten Vespers). Each Wednesday, a light meal is provided by different groups. Please join us for the events on the road to the cross.

Speaking of Lenten dinners, a few of the Wednesdays have already been selected, while others remain open:
March 9 - LWML
March 23 - Sunday School and Sr. Youth
March 30 - Elders

Remaining open: March 16, April 6 and 13. If your group or committee would like to provide a meal on a Lenten Wednesday, please send me a blast.

Speaking of Lenten dinners, Part II: With the freewill offering received at the dinners, I propose that the offering be given to LCMS World Relief and Human Care to purchase fresh water filters in Haiti.

Tuesday, two events are on the schedule. First, we will be hosting the pastors of our circuit for Confession and Absolution. Each Sunday, as pastors, we get to SAY the words of absolution or forgiveness, but we rarely get to HEAR these words, except at circuit conferences. In recent years through the ministrations of Pastor Larson and Pastor Childs, I have been blessed to hear Absolution at the Ash Wednesday evening services. It's my hope to provide this same blessing to my brothers in the ministry Tuesday morning.

Also Tuesday, the Lutheran Women's Missionary League is having its monthly meeting. The activity this month is assembling health kits. I will be providing refreshments in the form of a Shrove Tuesday pancake supper.

Congratulations are in order to Miranda Johnson who earned the lead role in Alice in Wonderland at London Middle School. Performances are this weekend and next. I'm looking forward to seeing this!

Finally, a some folks have asked if a day or two would be available to bring in Camp Lone Star registration. The answer is: Yes, but I absolutely MUST have them in my office by Tuesday morning. Schedules and PDF registration forms are available both on the narthex table, and at lomt.org.

Prayer Concerns:
Jacqueline Davis and her family, at the death of her father
Those who serve in our armed forces and their families: Rob Vadney (Afghanistan), Richard Rhode (North Carolina)
The home bound among us: Ruby Rieder, Ann Cleveland, Emmett and Emma Wright, Walter and Pearly Theiss (Houston), Norene Estes (Oklahoma)
The Church throughout the world as she enters Lent this week

This Week at Mt. Olive:
Tuesday, March 8
11 a.m.
Circuit pastors Confession and Absolution service

6:30 p.m.
LWML meeting and refreshments

Wednesday, March 9
8:30 a.m.
School Chapel

9:30 a.m.
Bible Study (Deuteronomy)

12:15 p.m.
Ash Wednesday service with the Lord's Supper

5:30 p.m.
Lenten Meal, provided by LWML

6:15 p.m.
Choir

7:15 p.m.
Ash Wednesday Service with the Lord's Supper

God bless!
PKJ