Olivet strives to offer many opportunities for the future of our congregation.. our children.

SUNDAY SCHOOL
MUSICAL OPPORTUNITIES
MOPS (MOTHERS OF PRESCHOOLERS)
WELCOME BABY!

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COMMUNION ENCOUNTER
Communion Encounter is a program for children and their family that will help them explore Holy Communion and prepare for First Communion. Olivet traditionally has welcomed fifth graders to receive communion for the first time, every year on Maundy Thursday, after pastoral instruction with their parents. Communion Encounter is open to all children, including those younger than 5th grade. Communion Encounter will follow these steps. After each step, you may decide whether or not you will choose to continue with the following steps.
1. You should have received a letter of invitation from the church office. To make your reservation for the class, or if you did not receive this letter, please call the office 235-6603.
2. Pick up child and adult booklets in the church office that parents/children work on together at home. The child’s booklet should be completed before you attend classes (step 3).
3. Attend classes on Thursdays, March 18th and 25th, 6:30-8:00pm. Parents and children must attend both class sessions together in preparation for the Lord’s Supper.
4. Receive your First Communion on Maundy Thursday, April 1st, at one of the worship services: 5:00pm or 7:00pm.
Questions? Contact one of the pastors at 235-6603.

SUNDAY SCHOOL TOO!
Has your younger child ever said, “I wanna go to Sunday School, too!” If you have a child who will begin Sunday School next fall (they turn 3 years old before September 1, 2010), this is for you! You will receive a letter of invitation in March. Please call Lisa Sandgren (235-6603) if you do not, or if you have any questions. Please sign up in the church office to reserve your place!.
What: Explore Sunday School with your child Who: Child (3 yrs old before Sept, 1, 2010) and one parent
When: 9:45-10:45am - Sundays, April 11, 18, 25, and May 2
Where: Olivet Lutheran Church, Creative Corner Classroom

UPCOMING IMPORTANT
DATES FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL
Sunday, March 28 Palm Processional
(Preschool-6th grade)
Sunday, April 4 Easter Sunday
NO SUNDAY SCHOOL
Sunday, April 18 and 25 Registration for VBS
Sunday, May 9 Mother’s Day Program & Music Sunday
Sunday, May 16 Last Day of Sunday School

CALLING ALL TODDLERS!
WHAT? Baptism Celebration Reunion
WHO? Babies baptized at Olivet in
2008 and 2009 and their families
WHEN? Wed., March 24th, 6:15-7:00pm
WHERE? Olivet, Youth Room (lower level)
Please join us for a Lenten worship service at 5:00pm in the sanctuary and dinner served at 5:45pm in the Fellowship Hall (save room for dessert!). Then make your way downstairs to the Youth Room for an ice cream social. This is a chance for you to visit with other young families at church and to see how these babies have grown. A letter of invitation will be mailed in early March. If you don’t receive a letter, please call Lisa Sandgren at 235-6603. See you there!

WOW IS THE PLACE TO BE!
Wednesday afternoons are fun, wild, and crazy at Olivet! There is a chance to meet new friends, play games, sing songs, eat treats at the “Olivet Café,” and learn about God in an exciting way! It is not too late to register for WOW—please contact Lisa Sandgren at 235-6603 with questions or to sign up! This fall, the WOW kids have been paired with a Prayer Partner. Prayer Partners are senior members from our congregation who have agreed to pray for their “WOW kid” throughout the school year. The added benefit for both the young and the “young at heart” Prayer Partners is that they get to meet together for fun and fellowship at Prayer Partner Parties! Our first Prayer Partner Party was held Wednesday, October 14th. Our Prayer Partners got to meet for the first time and spent time getting to know each other. We sang together, did a service project, ate treats, and played BINGO! This program has been a wonderful way for different ages of people to meet and become friends when they might not have otherwise had the chance. Thank you to the following people who have agreed to be Prayer Partners for 2009-10:
Tom & Mavis Askland
Selvin & Minda Bertilrud
Dean & Marnie Blatchford
Lynn & Judy Brown
Erwin & Bev Fossum
Wes & LuAnn Haugen
Norbert & LuElla Kleingartner
Betty Kuklish
Maurice Lykke
Doris Pagel
Bill Pallasch
Hannah Paulson
Linda Stoen
Ruby Stronsky
John & Peggy Swensen
Marliss Thorson
Isabelle Weaver

IMPORTANT DATES!!!!!!!!!!

3rd - 6th GRADE CONFIRMATION

FAMILY FAITH NIGHTS
Family Faith Nights, for 3rd-6th grade Confirmation classes, are nights that will give parents and youth valuable time together to learn about, and discuss, important topics pertinent to their specific age. The Family Faith Nights are built into each grade level Confirmation class.

 

THIRD GRADE
This is officially the start of the child’s Confirmation process. There will be required “Introduction to the Bible” classes on two consecutive Thursday evenings, September 17 and 24 from 6:00-7:30pm in the Fellowship Hall for all 3rd graders and their parent(s). On Sunday, September 27 at either the 8:30am or 11:00am worship; or Wednesday, September 30 at the 5:30pm service, Bibles will be presented to the 3rd graders.

 

FOURTH GRADE
The fourth graders at Olivet have an opportunity to learn more from their Bibles by reading and studying the Gospel of Mark. Fourth graders and their parent(s) will meet together with the pastors to find out more about personal and family devotions during this component of their Confirmation process. Together, the family is expected to complete a daily devotion book at home which will take about one month. Students and parents are expected to attend both of the following sessions: Thursday, October 29; 6:00-7:30pm -AND- Thursday, November 5; 6:00-7:30pm. There will be a recognition of fourth graders at each worship service on Sunday, December 6th.

 

FIFTH GRADE
First Communion classes will be taught for all 5th graders and their parent(s) on three consecutive Thursday nights, March 11, 18, and 25, 6:30-8:00pm (attendance is required all three Thursday nights). This class is designed to prepare young people to receive their First Communion on Maundy Thursday, April 1. As you may know, First Communion is offered to those youth who are younger than 5th grade. Communion Encounter is a program for children and their families which will help them explore Holy Communion and prepare them for their First Communion also on Maundy Thursday. Regardless if you have previously been through the Communion Encounter material at an earlier age, 5th graders and their parent(s) are expected to participate in these refresher classes.

 

SIXTH GRADE
Requirement #1: As 6th graders, the Confirmation process continues with a unit on Baptism with special emphasis placed on symbols and their meanings. Baptism class is for all 6th graders and their parent(s) on three consecutive Tuesday nights, September 29th and October 6th and 13th, 7:00-8:30pm. During the worship services on Sunday, October 18th, the 6th graders will be called to the Baptismal Font for special recognition.

Requirement #2: The 6th grade year is a preparation time for next year’s weekly Confirmation classes. Because of this, part of the 6th grade Confirmation requirement is for the student and parent(s) to attend the “See Through the Scriptures” class on Saturday, January 30 from 9:00am-3:00pm. Cost for this program is $15.00. Please sign up for this class during registration time Sunday, September 2.

 

SOMETHING NEW AND EXCITING...
AND YOU CAN HELP!
This spring, Michelle Elness, Kasi Adler, Rebecca Stearns and Lisa Sandgren attended a workshop sponsored by Augsburg Fortress Publishing (the publishing house of the ELCA) to learn about the new SPARK Bible and SPARK Bible Story Book being published for Sunday School children. We found that the new Bible and storybook were very interesting, exciting, and a great tool for Olivet’s Sunday School to be using in our own education program. In order to use these new publications in our program, we need to find some people who are interested in helping children and teachers.
• We would like each 3-year-old student starting Sunday School in September 2009 to be given a SPARK Bible Story Book as they begin their formal Christian education at Olivet.
• We would like to provide Sunday School teachers with the SPARK Bible and SPARK Bible Story Book so that they can confidently teach from it’s pages.
• We would like to have SPARK Bibles and SPARK Bible Story Books available in each classroom for use during our education hours.
Each SPARK Bible and SPARK Bible Story Book costs $20.00. The Olivet Foundation has already pledged $2,000 to help fund the purchase of new bibles and storybooks to be used this fall in our program. We are in need of $1,200 in addition to the Foundation’s gift in order to start using these new Bibles and storybooks this fall.
Are you able to help? Would you consider donating $20.00 per Bible, or any other amount, to help purchase bibles for Sunday School? Please send a check made out to Olivet Lutheran Church to the church office, and add “SPARK Bibles” in the memo line. We are appreciative of your willingness to share in Olivet’s education program in this way.

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SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES
Beginners
Beginners must be 3 years old by September 1, 2009 to begin Sunday School. There is an Orientation for all 3 year olds and their parent(s) on Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 10:00am. This is a time for the child to become familiar with their classroom, teachers, and classmates.

Pre-Kindergarten
Children must be at least 4 years old by September 1, 2009 and have completed one year of Sunday School to be in the Pre-Kindergarten class. Occasionally, children will spend more than one year in the Pre-Kindergarten class because of when their birthday falls and when they begin Kindergarten.

Kindergarten - Sixth Grade
After a child has been registered, they will be assigned to the grade they are in during the 2009-2010 school year.

 

GUARDIAN ANGELS
Attention second graders!
At Olivet, we have a special program just for you! It’s our Guardian Angel program. Sometime this year, you may be called to serve as a Guardian Angel. A Guardian Angel is a special friend to a baby who is baptized here at Olivet. You are asked to be a friend to the baby and also to pray for them. This is a wonderful way to connect younger members of the congregation with each other.

MUSICAL OPPORTUNITIES
SUNDAY SCHOOL MUSIC
Music is offered weekly during Sunday School for students in preschool - sixth grade. The time is spent singing traditional and contemporary church songs, and preparing for special performances in worship, at the Christmas Program, and on Mother’s Day.

 

Cherub Choir
This is a special choir for children in Kindergarten - 2nd grade. They practice on Wednesday evenings at 5:30pm in Room 228. The Cherubs sing once a month for worship services, and special occasions. Director: Patti Hall, 860-6675.

 

Joy Choir
This is a special choir for children in grades 3-6. They practice on Wednesday evenings at 5:30pm in the Choir Room. This choir sings once or twice a month for worship services, and special occasions. Director: Lisa Sandgren, 235-6603.

 

MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers)
Are you a mother of a preschooler(s) ages 0-5? Then MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) is for you! MOPS is a place where mothers feel welcome, make connections, and know they are not alone during these sometimes trying times. MOPS meet the 1st and 3rd Thursday morning of each month here at Olivet. We are currently looking for moms to join and we still have leadership positions available! For information please contact Nora Gale at 237-6301 or Lisa Engebretson at 293-9280.

 

“WELCOME BABY!”
ARE YOU THE PARENTS OF A NEW BABY?

Olivet has a new program for parents of new babies called “Welcome Baby!” There are a few parts to this program:

• A rose is placed at the Baptismal font in honor of the baby’s birth and the family is prayed for during worship services.
• Bev Gravdahl, parish nurse, visits the family shortly after the baby is born. She delivers gifts, including the rose and a packet of items to use with your new baby.
• Each month a newsletter is sent from the church with helpful information about your baby’s development.
• Your family can schedule your baby’s baptism by calling the church office. At the baptismal service, your child is welcomed into the church family, and is assigned a Guardian Angel who becomes your baby’s special friend at church.
• On your child’s first and second birthdays, you will receive new CDs of music, and the monthly newsletters that help you with parenting and faith development will be mailed to you until your child reaches age 3.
• Each January, a dinner will be served for families who have had a child baptized during the previous calendar year. It is a time to celebrate your child and their baptism with your family and your Guardian Angel. You will receive an invitation in the mail.
• Every year in February, we will host a Baby Reunion/Ice Cream Social! This event will be held one year after you have attended the Baptism dinner celebration. Watch for your invitation to this fun time when we get toddlers, parents, and friends together in an informal setting and“see how they’ve grown!”
• The final component of the Welcome Baby program is an introduction to Sunday School called “Sunday School Too!” This 4-week class, where children and parents attend Sunday School together, is held in the spring. If your child reaches age 3 before September 1 that year, they are ready to start Sunday School.

Watch for details in the church bulletin and newsletter.

If you have any questions about “Welcome Baby!” or would like to share the news about the birth of your child, please call Lisa Sandgren, Bev Gravdahl or one of the pastors at the church office (235-6603).