The Fifth Sunday of Easter

CONFIRMATION SUNDAY

May 6, 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

Mary & Jerry Holen, greeters

Greg Schuyler, head usher

Linda Henkel, organist

Liberty Belter and April Ganske Pearson, singers

Mark Sauer, communion assistant

We Gather To Worship The Lord

Order of Service: The Common Service, page 15 in front of the hymnal

Hymns: 596 449 507 537

Duet: “I Am Thine O Lord”

Message: Psalm 52:8

“What Can One Olive Tree Do?”

THE FIRST LESSON: Acts 13:44-52

On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.

Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us: "'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"

When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

THE SECOND LESSON: Revelation 21:1-6

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then He said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.

THE GOSPEL LESSON: John 13:31-35

When Judas was gone, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will glorify the Son in Himself, and will glorify Him at once.

"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for Me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another."

CONFIRMATION SUNDAY

¹ Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God? ² Your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor, you who practice deceit. ³ You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. ⁴ You love every harmful word, O you deceitful tongue! ⁵ Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living. ⁶ The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him, saying, ⁷ "Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!" ⁸ But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. ⁹ I will praise You forever for what You have done; in Your name I will hope, for Your name is good. I will praise You in the presence of Your saints. (Psalm 52)

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 peace through the Lord’s Supper

· 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 musicians

· Ask for the Spirit's help of each worshipper

· Ask for the Spirit’s blessing upon our Confirmand

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 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

7:00pm “More Than Rubies” Bible Study

Wednesday: 5:30pm Confirmation Class

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

Saturday: 10:00am Door-to-Door Neighborhood Brochure Distribution

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

9:00am Family Worship (Mother’s Day) / St John Jr Choir Here

10:30am Education Hour

7:00pm Coordinating Council

Benjamin Jacob Schuyler is being Confirmed in this morning’s service. The Lord’s continued blessings upon you, Ben! “I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever.” Psalm 52:8

This Saturday we will be distributing fliers door-to-door in our neighborhood announcing Mt. Olive’s upcoming Give, Grow, & Grill Day. Your help will be appreciated. Please meet here at church at 10:00am. Thanks!

Next Sunday is Mother’s Day! The Junior Choir from St. John’s Lutheran School in St. Paul will be here with us for our 9:00am worship service. We hope that all of you can be here too!

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

Mt. Olive’s Great Give, Grow, and Grill Day is scheduled for 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 on 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!