SEPTEMBER 2006

Dear Mt. Olive family and friends,

It was the only car I’ve even owned that had heated seats. It had all the bells and whistles. Its pearl white finish gave it an elegant, pleasing-to-the-eye appearance. If the founder of the car company had had his way, that automobile would have been called a “Horch.”

Somehow, driving a “Horch” sounds less than intriguing! Yet back in 1899, that’s what August Horch wanted to name his new company. However, because of trademark conflicts with his previous company - which he had named after himself - he was prevented from doing so. Therefore, he translated the German word horch, which means “to listen,” into Latin, yielding “Audi.”

It wasn’t an Audi that I drove on vacation this summer, but a Ford. It took us to Itasca State Park. I was surprised to learn that “Itasca” is not an American Indian name but rather a combination of two Latin words. It was coined back in the early 1830s by explorer Henry Schoolcraft who, with his traveling companion Rev. William Boutwell, searched for the true headwaters of the Mississippi River. “Once he had the name he had only to reach the lake,” wrote historian William Lass.

And reach the lake they did, and there discovered the true source of the Mississippi. Itasca is the combination of the words veritas and caput, meaning “truth” and “head” respectively. They had discovered the “true head” of the mighty Mississippi.

By the way, “Mississippi” is Ojibwe for “great river,” but I bet you already knew that! It flows north out of Lake Itasca for a short distance before turning south and making its 2,552 mile trip down through Minneapolis [another compound name from the Dakota minnehaha (falling water) and the Greek polis (city)] to the Gulf of Mexico.

On our way through Minnesota, we discovered that several towns still had Pamida stores. (We shopped often at Pamida when we lived in St. James.) Did you know that Pamida stores are located primarily in county seats having a population of 3,000 to 8,000 people, and that the store is named after Jim Witherspoon’s three sons, Pat, Mike, and David? (If I did that, I wonder if folks would support their local Kakekeko store?!

Names. They come from a variety of languages and a host of circumstances. There’s almost always an interesting story behind every name, even if that story is lost in time or buried in history.

The Lord God once said to Moses, “I am pleased with you and I know you by name," Exodus 33:17. Not only did the Lord know Moses by name, but He knew and knows all His people by name: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine,” Isaiah 43:1-2. In referencing His relationship with us, Jesus spoke of a shepherd who “calls his own sheep by name and leads them out,” John 10:3.

When we were sprinkled with the waters of Holy Baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we were born into the family of God and now bear His name. What an honor!

Jesus, whose name means Savior, knows each of us personally – by name – and to Him our story is never lost or forgotten. We are always and forever precious in His sight.

Furthermore, since we are honored to bear His name, St. Paul reminds us that “we always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body,” 2 Corinthians 4:10. It’s our distinct privilege to have Jesus live out His life through us! Be always mindful of whose name you bear and whose life you live!

What’s the story behind your name and who is the real person behind your name? Jesus knows! And even as we associate quality workmanship with the name Audi, remember that “we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do,” Ephesians 2:10. The Greek word translated workmanship is “poiema,” from which we get the word poem. You are God’s poem! A remarkable concept! Talk about quality workmanship!

You are a person of worth. Your name spells quality. May Jesus Christ be praised in you and through you!

In His name,

Pastor Carl Henkel

Beginning Sunday, September 24^th
9:00am

Worship service, sermon,
and Bible class series:

“Hymns Of Faith:”
Born in pain
Vibrantly alive with hope

Coming Friday – Sunday
November 3^rd – 5^th

4^th Annual
Reformation Renewal Weekend

Professor Mark Paustian

“Prepared To Answer”

Join us at Mt. Olive for

Sunday Worship ~ 9:00am

Sunday School & Bible Class ~ 10:30am

651.645.2575

www.mtolive-wels.net