The Sixth Sunday of Easter

Happy Mother’s Day!

May 13, 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.

Assisting Us In Worship This Morning

Jerry & Mary Holen, greeters

Joel Meier, head usher

Nicole Burkhardt, organ and Clavinova

St. John’s Lutheran School Junior Choir, Margaret Kuchera, director

We Gather To Worship The Lord

Order of Service: Service of the Word, page 38 in front of the hymnal

Hymns: 500 505 610

Jr. Choir Anthems: “Easter Song”

“I Am Jesus’ Little Lamb”

“Rejoice in the Lord Always”

Message: Proverbs 31:20 & 28

“Some Lessons Are Better Caught Than Taught”

FIRST LESSON Proverbs 31:10-11, 20-31

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value…

She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

EPISTLE LESSON Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb…

I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

GOSPEL LESSON John 14:23-29

Jesus replied, "If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me will not obey My teaching. These words you hear are not My own; they belong to the Father who sent Me.

"All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

"You heard Me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.

This Week At Mt. Olive

Today: 8:45am Prayer Time in the Fireside Room

9:00am Family Worship

10:00am Fellowship Hour

10:30am Education Hour

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

4:00pm “Cross-Eyed Warriors” Bible Study

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

7:00pm “Beautiful Feet” Bible Study

Tuesday: 7:00pm Choir Rehearsal

Wednesday: 5:30pm Confirmation Class

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

Saturday: 9:00am Mt. Olive’s Great Give, Grow, and Grill Day

Next Sunday: 9:00am “Time of Grace” on WUCW, Channel 23

9:00am Family Worship / Holy Communion

10:30am Spring Congregational Assembly

10:30am Sunday School

Today is Mother’s Day! God’s continued blessings to all mothers and grandmothers! Our thanks to the Junior Choir from St. John’s Lutheran School in St. Paul for being a part of our worship service. Our service begins with a time for private prayer. Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours,” (Mark 11:24).

Darryl Folkens’ Mother Went Home to be with the Lord this past week while Darryl and Pam were in Peru, and the funeral service was held yesterday. Thank You, Jesus, for assuring us that “because I live, you also will live!” (John 14:19).

Mt. Olive’s Great Give, Grow, and Grill Day is scheduled for this Saturday, May 19^th, from 9:00am to 3:00pm. The mobile blood unit will again be parked in front of church for a blood drive, and donors are needed. Please Give blood if you can. The annual plant exchange is always popular with the neighborhood. It’s always fun to Grow and experience the beauty of flowers and plants. On the parking lot will be a big tent, music, and free hot dogs on the Grill, potato chips, pickles, orange drink and cookies. We’ll need lots of help setting up the tent, working with the plant exchange, grilling the hot dogs, and visiting with the folks from the neighborhood who stop by. Our goal is to create a positive neighborhood awareness of our congregation. Mt. Olive has been here at the corner of Pascal and Almond for 81 years, but most people who now live in the area have no idea who we are! We’d like to change that!

Christian Life Ministries Walk for Life: It is time again for our Walk for Life event at Casey Lake Park in North St. Paul next Sunday, May 20^th, starting at 2:00pm. Last year was a huge success with over $4,000 raised for our ministry, and fun was had by all! This year promises to be even better. A potluck dinner in the park pavilion will follow the event. Anyone interested may contact Marcella Voss (651.647.1662) for information and a registration form. Anyone not able to go may also participate by sending a check in support of the Walk.

Camp Croix Registration Forms are still available in the church office. We have camper registration forms and staff registration forms. Summer camp is only two months away!

Our Spring Congregational Assembly has been scheduled for next Sunday, May 20^th, beginning at 10:30am. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Saints’ Game: Christian Life Ministries’ annual St. Paul Saints’ Baseball fellowship is planned for Wednesday, June 13^th. See the Saints vs. the Lincoln Salt Dogs. The game begins at 7:00pm, but the fun begins with the 6:00pm Christian Life Ministries tailgate party! Check out all the details on the poster in the back of church. You will need to order and print your own tickets by internet. Please do so today in order to get a good seat!

Strike Up The Band – for a Patriotic Tribute to honor veterans and service personnel. All alumni and friends of St. Croix Lutheran High School are invited to participate in this event on Saturday, August 11, 2007, 3:00pm. If you would like to join the band, please mark your calendar and plan to practice and participate in this once in a lifetime 50th Anniversary tribute. Practices begin in June and times will be listed in the next Olive Branch.

WORSHIPER'S PRAYER

Pray to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

· Ask to be made conscious of His presence

· Praise Him for a specific attribute

· Thank Him for His full and free 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
rather than on pleasing self

· Thank Him for opportunity to gather for worship

…with others here at Mt. Olive

...with others in our country

...with others throughout the world

...with all the angels in heaven

· Ask for the Word to be planted in your heart

· Ask for the 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 blessing upon the Jr. Choir

· Ask for the Spirit's moving within each worshipper

Thank the Lord for Christian mothers and ask for His continued blessing upon them

May God answer your prayer so that He

may be glorified in you and through you.