This Week at Mt. Olive

Good evening, fellow redeemed!

Today is Reformation Sunday in North American churches. Unfortunately today, Reformation is often overshadowed by Halloween celebrations and, in the case of this week, Monday Night Football. Check your local listings.

The common indications that the Reformation has largely been glossed over in many Lutheran circles are fairly easy to identify. Children who hear the name Martin Luther immediately think of the civil rights leader of 1960s United States, Martin Luther King. Though Dr. King is significant in American history, I believe his accomplishments to be largely relegated to the civil realm while the efforts of Dr. Luther and his colleagues in the 16th century refocus the Church on the saving message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified which we call The Gospel.

As many of you have heard me say, while the Reformation returned to the Biblical teaching of justification by grace through faith, I believe a critical return provided by the Reformation concerned original sin. Get sin wrong, and justification will undoubtedly be wrong. Preach sin in the severity in which God sees it and justification will be the wonderful message to be heard. Perhaps this is the real reason why the Reformation is overshadowed not only in the secular arena, but often in churches, too. The preaching and teaching about sin is seen as harmful, distasteful, passe, or just downright inconvenient.

There's only one problem for churches: the reality and severity of sin and God's anger against it is Biblical. Preserve sin and Jesus is a Savior, a Deliverer, a Redeemer. Dilute sin, soft pedal it, or just ignore it, and Jesus becomes a life coach to help us find our purpose, a buddy, or a political force. In the coming days, I hope to provide a few devotional thoughts on a subject many find morbid and hurtful, but one about which we need to be keenly aware: sin!

This Week at Mt. Olive
Tomorrow evening, all families are invited to Mt. Olive for the annual Trunk Treat fun! Currently, four families have volunteered to take on this task. If you would like to join in decorating your car at Mt. Olive and passing out some goodies, please feel free to join in! Trunk Treat begins at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Lutheran Book Club resumes. Please read Part II, Jesus Only, in "The Hammer of God" by Bo Giertz. Don't have the book but want to join the discussion? We meet at 7 p.m. in the Overflow area.

There will be no Adult Information Class this week. I have a prior commitment with my family and won't be able to lead. Please check the update next week!

Jr. Confirmation class will be held as usual next Sunday. The movie "Luther" will be shown the following Sunday, November 13, at noon. All church members are invited to attend (bring your lunch if you wish).

Don't forget: Fall Shrimp Boil at the home of Jack and Judy Rohde on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 each. If you'd like to attend and haven't purchased a ticket, please call the Church Office for more information.

Finally, this past week I had the pleasure of visiting a family member of one of the faithful at Mt. Olive. It was a delightful time, and I got to share the good news about Jesus. If you have a family member, especially one who does not have a pastor to visit him or her, who is hospitalized, please give me a call or send me an email. Folks are in need of pastoral care while in the hospital and I'm happy to provide it.

I will be out of the office a good chunk of Tuesday.

Prayer Concerns:
Sandra Headley (Suzette Hamer's mom)
The Homebound: Ruby Rieder, Ann Cleveland, Bud Bird (Phyllis Bowling's brother), Walter and Pearly Theiss (Houston)
Those who serve in our armed forces and their families: Rob Vadney (Ft. Campbell, KY), Richard Rhode, John Sorensen (Corpus Christi)
The Churches which confess the Unaltered Augsburg Confession throughout the world, that they be kept firm in their confession of faith
Those who have lost loved ones in the past year, as we celebrate All Saints' Day

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

7 p.m.
Trunk Treat Night in the Parking Lot

Wednesday, November 2
8:30 a.m.
School Chapel

9:30 a.m.
Bible Study (the remainder of Revelation 8)

6:30 p.m.
Zumba Aerobics

7 p.m.
Lutheran Book Club

Saturday, November 5
6 p.m.
Fall Shrimp Boil at the home of Jack and Judy Rohde (call the office for tickets if you haven't already purchased some)

God bless!
PKJ