Mt. Olive Ev. Lutheran Church

A Praying Church

 

1460 Almond Avenue

St. Paul, Minnesota  55108

 

651.645.2575

 

www.mtolive-wels.net

 

Carl R. Henkel, pastor

651.631.8625

carl.henkel@juno.com

 

The Transfiguration Of Our Lord

 

February 18, 2007    9:00am

 

Thank You for sharing this time of worship with us.  We're glad you're here!  Please sign the Friendship Register. Do come again!  If you do not have a local church home, we invite you to make your home with us.  Here you will find Christian love, opportunities for spiritual growth, warm friendships, and a feeling of being part of the family of God.

 

The Lord's Supper is being celebrated today. This special meal, instituted by Christ, unites us with Him and our brothers and sisters in the faith. This sacrament is intended for those who are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; trust in Jesus Christ as the only way to heaven; and believe that the true body and blood of Jesus are present with the bread and wine of Holy Communion.  Guests who share this faith are invited to speak with the pastor before joining us in this holy meal.

 

 

Assisting Us In Worship This Morning

 

Bob & Berdella Cooper, greeters  ~  Jerry Holen, head usher

Angela Young, organist  ~  Tim Wiedmann, communion assistant

 

 

We Gather To Worship The Lord

 

Order of Service:        Liturgy for the Family of God (hymnal insert)

Hymns:                     96          (162)      97          (231)

Choir Anthem:            “The Light in Me”

Message:                  Luke 9:28-29

                                “As He Was Praying…”

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON            Exodus 34:29-35

(Moses’ face glowed radiantly

when he came down from Mt. Sinai.)

 

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.  When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.  But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them.  Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai.

When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face.  But whenever he entered the Lord's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.

 

EPISTLE LESSON                       II Corinthians 4:3-6

(The light of God permeates all darkness.)

 

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

 

GOSPEL LESSON                                                                                                 Luke 9:28-36

(God's beloved Son is transfigured in the presence of Moses and Elijah.)

 

About eight days after Jesus said this, He took Peter, John and James with Him and went up onto a mountain to pray.  As He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.

Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about His departure, which He was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.

Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.  As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to Him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters-- one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)

While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.  A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is My Son, whom I have chosen; listen to Him."

When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.

 

 

 

 

WORSHIPER'S PRAYER

 

Pray to God the Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit

· Ask to be made conscious of His presence

· Praise Him for a specific attribute

· Thank Him for His forgiveness

· Thank Him for a specific blessing

· Ask to be led by the Spirit as you worship

· Ask for help to focus on worshipping God
not on pleasing self

· Thank for opportunity to gather for worship

…with others here

...with others in community

...with others in country

...with others throughout world

...with angels in heaven

· Ask for Word to be planted in your heart

· Ask for Word to produce fruit in your life

· Ask for awareness as you sing the hymns

· Ask for a genuine amen to the prayers

· Ask for the Spirit's presence in the pastor

· Ask for the Spirit's gifting of the organist

· Ask for the Spirit's moving within the choir

· Ask for the Spirit's help of each worshipper

 

May God answer your prayer so that He

may be glorified in you and through you.

 

 

This Week At Mt. Olive

Today:                   8:45am        Prayer Time (Fireside Room)

                       10:00am        Fellowship Hour

                             10:30am        Education Hour

                               2:00pm        Chinese New Year Worship Service

                               3:30pm        Chinese New Year Celebration and Dinner

Monday:           11:30am        Mt. Olive Worship Service on Cable Channel 14

                               2:00pm        Worship Service at Lyngblomsten

                               5:30pm        Confirmation Class

                               6:30pm        Mt. Olive Worship Service on Cable Channel 14

                               7:00pm        “Beautiful Feet” Bible Study

Tuesday:                                  Newsletter Articles are Due

                               6:30pm        Car Building Assistance Night

                         7:00pm        Choir Rehearsal

                               7:00pm        Pre-Marriage Class

Wednesday:          5:30pm        Lenten Supper

                         6:30pm        Ash Wednesday Worship Service

Thursday:            10:00am        “Explorers of the Word” Bible Class

                               7:00pm        “Women in the Word” Bible Study

Friday:                   7:00pm        MLC Choir Concert at Pilgrim Lutheran, Minneapolis

Next Sunday:       6:30am        “Time of Grace” on KMSP, Channel 9

                               9:00am        Christian Education Sunday/Croixaliers Here

                             10:30am        Education Hour (Jim Pasbrig, presenter)

                             11:45am        Potluck Dinner

                             12:45pm        Start Your Engines!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Announcements (February 18, 2007)

The Members Of Mt. Olive are invited to help our brothers and sisters in our Chinese Congregation celebrate the Chinese New Year this afternoon.  Worship is at 2:00pm followed by games at 3:30pm, with dinner (dumplings, Chinese potluck, etc) following.  All are welcome!

 

Lent Begins This Wednesday.  February 21st is Ash Wednesday.  The evening begins at 5:30pm with a Lenten supper served by the Almond Limb.  Everyone is invited!  Our worship service starts at 6:30pm.  This year’s worship theme is “Behold the Hidden Glory of the Cross.”  Our Wednesday evening Lenten suppers and worship services have been well attended in previous years.  If you have not participated in the past, we’re praying that you will this year.  The time is early enough that even families with small children can be involved. Plan to attend!

 

Christian Education Sunday is only one week away!  Next Sunday, February 25th, Pastor Aaron Robinson from St. Croix Lutheran High School will be our guest speaker, and the Croixaliers will offer to the Lord their special service titled “God Is – I Am.”  Our Mt. Olive children will also join the Croixaliers in a beautiful song.  Following the worship service, Mr. Jim Pasbrig will lead the Adult Education Hour, sharing with us the challenges and blessings of Christian education in the home and throughout life.  Then comes a delicious, tasty, mouth-watering potluck dinner!  Bring a dish or two to share, and enjoy Christian fellowship and a wonderful meal!  After the meal, you’ll hear “Start your engines,” signaling the beginning of our 7th annual Mt. Olive Minute Pinewood Derby Race. See you all next Sunday!

 

It’s That Time Again!  Those Mission Box offerings for Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society that you have been filling with change are due.  Please give to Mae Schmidt, LWMS Reporter before the end of March to ensure being counted before the Spring Rally.  New boxes are available in the narthex.

 

The New Issue Of “Meditations” is now available in the tract rack in the back of church.  This new booklet contains daily devotions for March 4 through June 2, 2007.  You are encouraged to take a copy home today and use it for your every-day devotional time.  There is also a suggested Bible reading for each day of the week.

 

Ever Wish preschoolers came with an instruction manual? If you’ve ever wanted a deeper under-standing into the physical, emotional, and spiritual development of your child, then welcome to:

Faith Stepping Stones: Raising a Healthy Preschooler
an interactive workshop for parents of 2 to 4 year-olds

Date: Saturday, March 3, 2007 at Living Hope Lutheran Church, Shakopee

or:  Saturday, March 10, 2007 at Salem Lutheran Church, Stillwater

Time: 8:30-9:00am - Check in
            9:00-3:30pm - Workshop

Cost: $12 per person (materials, lunch, snacks, and beverages included)

Register by calling: 952.892.1777

 

The 2007 Church Ministry Workshop will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine on Saturday, March 3rd, beginning at 9:00am.  A list of exciting and stimulating workshops is available in the back of church.  Registration (including a delicious lunch) is only $15.  Please sign up on the sheet on the narthex bulletin board today.

 

Connect Youth Ministries of Bloomington Lutheran Church is hosting a benefit concert for Tim Helman.  Tim is a member at Bloomington Lutheran as well as an established Christian musician.  He is a close friend of Terry Schultz and has used his musical gifts here at Mt. Olive on a couple of occasions.  About a year ago, Tim was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive form of lymphoma. By God’s grace through extensive and costly treatments he was declared cancer free.  He was feeling fine for several weeks, but slowly the same symptoms began to reappear.  In January doctors found that his cancer had returned and they found new spots on his brain.  Tim hasn’t been able to work for several months.  His wife is a stay-at-home mom to their two young children, and financially things are getting pretty tough.  Medical bills continue to pile up, as do the costly and drastic treatments needed to battle such an aggressive form of cancer.  The benefit concert will be held on Friday, March 7th, beginning at 7:30pm, at Bloomington Lutheran Church, and will feature Jason Gray who recently signed a national recording contract with Centricity Records.  He has toured extensively around the country, with the likes of Sara Groves, and has been featured in several Christian music industry magazines.  As a good friend of Tim’s he is headlining the evening concert.  With his acoustic folk-rock and fantastic stories and testimony, he will no doubt give a performance that you won’t soon forget.  Also in concert is Koine’, the “house band” of St. Marcus Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, WI.  They too are friends of Tim and are honored to be a part of the benefit.  Their style is unique as they take both old and new well-loved hymns and put their own bluegrass/Dixie twist on them.  They are an outstanding band that will get the crowd’s toes tapping.  Concert tickets are only $7.00 ($10.00 at the door).  Please sign up today in the back of church.

 

"Puttin' on the Glitz" is the theme for St. Croix's 15th Annual Auction scheduled for Saturday, March 10, 2007.  Silent Auction opens at 9:30am and Live Auction begins at 11:30am.  A preview time is set for Fri. Mar.9, 6:30pm - 9:00pm. Now is the time to bring your auction donation to the Advancement Office. Please call ahead to make arrangements for large items.  651-455-1521 x106.  Receipt forms are available from your church contact person Mae Schmidt, at the front office, or on the rack near the Advancement Office. Many items have already been donated: orthodontics work, a lake home vacation, ski package, 5 days of Whitewater Rafting in Idaho, decoys, a glass encased pheasant display, attorney services, curio cabinet, hide-a-bed, musket kit and more. Plan ahead to join the fun!  Please consider a donation and talk it up.  Bring your friends and family to the event and help make "Puttin' on the Glitz" a success!