FRIDAY FELLOWSHIP
Friday Fellowship will meet Friday, March 5th at 2:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Our speaker this month will be Rose Gudmundson. Rose presented a few months ago and kept tempting us with the prospect of more stories for another time. This month we will hear “The Life and Times of Rose Gudmundson, Part 2.” Come and enjoy a time of fellowship, learning, conversation, good food and of course, Rose! Everyone is invited.
Flowers
Please let us know if you would like to help cover the cost of beautifying our sanctuary and narthex for Easter. Your donation, which can be given in memory or in honor of someone or something special in your life, will enable us to purchase blooming plants, lillies, and palms. Forms will be in the Sunday bulletins, and also available in the church office. For more information call the church office at 235-6603.
It’s An Art Show and You’re The Star!
The Fine Arts Committee of Olivet invites you to participate in a congregational art show. We are looking for Quilts, Fabric Art, and Fiber Art that has been made by members of Olivet to hang in our art gallery for the months of August and September. Please share your talents with your fellow church members and participate. The deadline for signing up is May 31st. You will be contacted by the committee after that date. There is a sign-up sheet in the office. You will need to list your name, telephone number/email address and the article you will contribute. Thank you.
Olivet Fine Arts Committee
KOLFE ORPHANAGE IN ETHIOPIA NEWS
From the Disciplers:
We feel honored that God gave us the privilege to spiritually mentor the young men at Kolfe in a time where they need to feel His love and kindness surrounding them more than ever. Many of them have not accepted our lord Jesus Christ as their personal savior. Furthermore, these teenagers have not had anyone show them the simplest yet the fullest life that can be led with Jesus Christ. Hence they are exposed to, disappointment and feel lack of purpose for their lives. We (Fikremariam and Yeurusalem) have been visiting the children regularly every Friday since September 2009. It has worked best for us to spend time with the guys in small groups to discuss their lives in general. Some of them opened up to us and told us their fear, frustration, hope and their perspective on God. In this way, we were able to establish a closer relationship with them. We hope to continue to make new friends at Kolfe and help them see and experience the love of our God in their lives. As it says in Isaiah 58:12, “Repairs of broken walls, restores of streets with dwellings”, together we can be the repairers of the broken walls in the lives of these children of God. The guys love receiving letters from their sponsors. It brings so much joy to them that someone actually took the time to write them a letter and tell them that they were now part of a new family. They were no longer orphans. They have a new father, mother, brothers and sisters. This has impacted many of those who received letters in a great way. Pictures of sponsors with their families were also great additions. Many of them also wrote reply letters. We encourage the sponsors that have not written to their sponsored child so far to start writing as it means a lot to the guys.
Celebrating Christmas and Epiphany
Ethiopian Christmas “Gena” was celebrated on January 7, 2010. The children celebrated the holiday enjoying different kinds of festive meals, soft drinks and fruits. It was a very special time for them. The guys also celebrated Ethiopian Epiphany “Timket” on January 19, 2010. Epiphany is widely celebrated by the Orthodox Christians here in Ethiopia. Different church leaders that carry the “arc of covenant” from all churches of Addis gathered at a certain location accompanied by followers. Choirs of all churches performed different songs along with the followers who attended. Some of the guys at Kolfe that were members of St. Paul Church choir also participated at the event. Afterwards a festive meal was served at Kolfe’s compound and everyone including staff members and invited guests enjoyed the feast.
Meal Provision
The guys at Kolfe orphanage are benefiting immensely from the meal provision. Since sponsorship form Children’s HopeChest began, their diet has improved significantly in a way that they now eat egg, rice, meat and drink milk more often than they used to. The children are very appreciative of this intervention as balanced diet is key for their holistic development. Regarding the support the orphanage has received from Children’s HopeChest, Yohannis Fayissa , director at Kolfe, is grateful for your support and says, “On behalf of the orphans, I would like to thank you for all your deeds and supports. May God bless you all.
OPERATION LOVE
Operation Love is a ministry event of the women of Olivet. It is a time for women of the church to gather together to finish quilts that have been worked on all winter, to collect health kits, school kits, layettes, new soap, and clothing. The kits are listed below. These items, including the quilts, will be packaged and sent to Lutheran World Relief to be distributed anywhere they are needed. The Lutheran World Relief truck will be here in May. The Operation Love event is scheduled for Wed., April 14th, 9:00am-1:00pm. There will be morning coffee and a salad luncheon at noon. Each circle is asked to bring two veggie salads, two fruit salads, two dozen bars and two dozen muffins or sweet rolls. Anyone is welcome to join us. Come to work or for the fellowship! Come for all morning or for part of it. If you want to tie quilts, please bring your scissor, plier and darning needle. Some will also cut stamps. NOTE: The quilts will be displayed on Sunday, May 9th. SCHOOL KITS - 1) Pads or notebooks of ruled paper (8 1/2x11, 150-200 sheets); 2) One blunt scissor (“safety” scissor with imbedded steel blades work well); 3) One 30-centimeter ruler (or ruler with centimeters on one side and inches on the other); 4) One pencil sharpener; 5) Six new pencils with erasers; 6) One eraser, approximately 2 1/2” long; 7) Twelve sheets of construction paper in assorted colors; 8) One box of 8, 16, or 24 crayons; 9) One cloth bag, approximately 12”x14” with cloth handles. LAYETTES - 1) Two shirts; 2) Two gowns or sleepers; 3) Two receiving blankets; 4) Four cloth diapers; 5) One sweater; 6) Two washcloths; 7) One bath-size bar of soap; 8) Two diaper pins. In refugee camps, mission hospitals and villages around the world, gifts of layettes convey a warm welcome to infants and their mothers. Wrap items in one of the receiving blankets and secure with the diaper pins. Size up to 24 months may be used. Sweaters should button or tie down the front. Infant sweatshirts may be substituted for the sweater. HEALTH KITS - 1) One hand towel; 2) One washcloth; 3) One bath-size bar of any brand of soap; 4) One toothbrush; 5) One comb, wide tooth preferred; 6) One metal nail file, or nail clipper with file attached; 7) Six band-aids, preferable 1/2” to 3/4”. Wrap items in the towel and tie securely with ribbons or yarn. SEWING KITS - 1) Three yards of 44” or 45” cotton or a cotton blend fabric; four yards if 36”; 2) One package of needles for hand sewing; 3) One spool of matching thread; 4) One card of buttons. Wrap sewing notions inside fabric and tie with string, yarn or a strip of fabric.
WOMEN’S WELLNESS RETREAT
“Grounded in Prayer” March 5-7, 2010
“Grant that I may not pray alone with the mouth; help me that I may pray from the depths of my heart.” Martin Luther
This incredible retreat gives time for your soul to breathe, your heart to sing, your spirit to unite, and your being to connect with sisters in Christ. Always refreshing, this year’s theme is “Grounded in Prayer.” Mark your calendar now and make a promise to yourself that this will be the year you prepare the ground of your heart and give thanks for the seeds of faith growing in your soul. Cost is $120 for the entire weekend; includes two nights lodging, meals, and supplies. Our retreat location will be at the Maryvale Retreat Center in Valley City. Please sign up in the church office with your $60 deposit. Perhaps this new year, going on the Women’s Wellness Retreat can be a way of growing in God’s grace for you. Questions: Pastor Tiffany 235-6603.
“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
BeFriender Ministry Congregational Training
– A Listening Presence happening April 9-11, 2010
Olivet is again offering a training for congregational leaders wanting to participate in BeFriender ministry. This is a listening ministry founded on 4 principles: God is present, we are there for caring, not curing; there as a non-judgmental presence, and there to actively listen. This ministry has impacted many people at Olivet through faithful BeFriending relationships. Please consider becoming a part of our Olivet team. This training is happening the weekend of April 9-11 and includes 20 hours of training. We have a one-on-one process for talking more about BeFrienders ministry before training. If you are feeling called to this ministry, please contact the church office or speak with Pastor Tiffany or Parish Nurse, Bev Gravahl for more details at 235-6603.
WE WANT A FEW GOOD MEN!
-- quite a few! The Olivet Men’s Chorus will once again be on deck at both services, on Sunday, March 7th. ALL men, all ages -- Dads, Grandpas, Youth, Friends, Guests -- are invited to be a part of this. Just come, and bring someone. Rehearsal is the Wednesday before, March 3rd, 8:00pm, Sanctuary. All are welcome in this place.
BEL CANTO TO SING AT OLIVET
On Sunday, March 21st, our guest musicians for the 8:30 worship will be Bel Canto, a women’s chorus from Concordia College. Comprised of all ages, and all major areas of study, these musicians perform in several concerts during the year, including the annual Concordia Christmas Concerts. One of several performing ensembles at the college, Bel Canto seeks to perform women’s literature which displays musicianship and glorifies God. They are directed by Nicki Bakko Toliver.
MINNESOTA FOOD SHARE
During March Olivet will be taking part in Minnesota FoodShare. Thanks to donatons from corporations and individuals, Minnesota FoodShare has an Allocation Fund from which it is able to provide an Incentive Allocation to food shelves that participate in the Minnesota FoodShare Campaign. Thankfully, Fargo has been included. This means, the more local food shelves raise during the March campaign, the larger their share of the Minnesota FoodShare Incentive Allocation! More than half of the hungry who visit the food shelves are children. Olivet can help! Checks written out to “Olivet Lutheran Church” with MN Food Share on the memo line, can be given to the church office.
SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM
The Orphan Sponsorship Program is a ministry that provides the opportunity for an orphan to know God, experience the blessing of family, and acquire the skills necessary for independent life. Specific benefits include the opportunity for orphans to meet and overcome many of the challenges they face. Enhancing a child’s environment, emotional network, health, and spiritual development alike, a child who feels abandoned is given special attention from a sponsor who truly cares. If you have any questions and to RSVP, please email kolfesponsor@gmail.com.
Team Boaz - A Partnership of Churches:
Bethel, Olivet & Salem announces...
BIKES FOR NEW AMERICANS
Refugees who come to our community because of religious, political or ethnic persecution in their home countries face many challenges in adjusting to life in the United States. One of those challenges is transportation. Bicycles are a valuable form of transportation for people who do not have a driver’s license, cannot afford a car or car maintenance, and for folks with limited financial resources for bus fares. Adult refugees use bikes to attend classes, to go to work and medical appointments, and for other needs. Refugee children and teens use bikes like their American peers; kids are kids. Bicycles are familiar, manageable, and effective in meeting the need for transportation. Working with community partner organizations, Team Boaz plans to distribute good, used bikes of all sizes to refugee families. Used bikes from your garage & neighborhood are needed! Please spread the word to neighbors, friends, and co-workers so they can help, too. Are you mechanically inclined? Like to fix things? Your help is needed to make all donated bikes safe and ready. Teams will meet through April and May at convenient times to go over all the bikes. Men, women, neighbors, and teens are all welcome. Funds are also needed to buy helmets, locks, and bike licenses for recipients. To donate funds or bikes or to ask about volunteering, please contact the people listed below. Look for further announcements in weekly bulletins. Thank you in advance for your contributions!
Katy & Trevor Christianson 701.200.2017 or trevchri@gmail.com
Steven Wood at steven.allen.wood@gmail.com
Ken Storm at kjstorm52@yahoo.com
CHURCH WOMEN UNITED
World Day of Prayer 2010, “Let Everything That Has Breath Praise God,” was written by the women of Cameroon in West Africa. World Day of Prayer will be celebrated all around the world on Friday, March 5th, and in Fargo-Moorhead at Faith Methodist Church, 909 19th Ave. N., Fargo, 9:30am. Everyone is welcome!
QUILTS DONATED!
Our Olivet Quilters were very busy this fall/winter making beautiful quilts. In December they donated 60 quilts to our area shelters in Fargo/Moorhead: Salvation Army, New Life Center, Churches United for the Homeless, YWCA Women’s Shelter, and the Dorothy Day House. Thank you for caring for those in need!
PATHS OF PRAYER:
experiencing the grace of God together
Learn and experience different forms of prayer as we gather the 3rd Sunday of every month from 2:00-5:00pm. Nursery is available. Come for all three prayer times, or come for just one. All are welcome. Sunday, December 20th, 2:00-5:00pm, Fellowship Hall. 2:00pm Centering Prayer, 3:00pm Labyrinth Walk, 4:00pm Taize Worship. Sponsored by Olivet’s Spiritual Life Team.
BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS
Parish Nurse Office, Room 124
1st Floor, South Hallway
Parish Nurses will be doing blood pressure checks on Sunday, March 7th from 9:30-10:00am in the Parish Nurse office.
FINANCIAL PLANNING
Beginning January 1, 2010, individuals with modified adjusted gross income exceeding $100,000 will be able to convert all or some of their IRA into a Roth IRA. In 2010, taxpayers have a one-time opportunity to split the income equally into 2011 and 2012 thereby spreading out the tax owed. Eligibility, however, does not automatically make it a good idea. One size doesn’t fit all so be sure to consider your current and future tax brackets, non-deductible basis in your IRA, cash flow needs, estate intentions, and whether you can pay the tax due from outside sources, among other things.
PLAYERS LOOK FOR TEAMMATES
There are some Olivet members who are wanting to get a couple additional bell choirs going. But they can’t do it without YOU. They need a few more people to step up and be willing to become part of the team. One bell choir -- JuBELLation -- would be made up of Jr/Sr High youth. The other bell choir -- Touch of Bronze -- would be made up of, perhaps, adults. (Separating by age helps with scheduling.) Would you please consider playing on one of these teams? We’ll learn together. We don’t know who you are, so please contact Coach Marlys marlysherr@aol.com No experience necessary, altho’ a basic understanding of music notation would help immensely.
OLIVET LIBRARY:
Christian Romantic Fiction
“Christian Romance Novel”—isn’t than an oxymoron? As it turns out, it’s not! This genre, also known as “Inspirational Romance”, has quite a following among Christian readers. According to the Romance Writers of America, the main plot of a romance novel revolves around two people as they develop romantic love for each other and work to build a relationship together. These stories have an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending, and tend to reward characters who are good people and penalize those who are evil. In the Christian version, a Christian world view is also part of the plot or a trait of its characters. These stories can take place in contemporary or historical settings and have a wide variety of plot material which is secondary to the theme of romance. Inspirational Romance books in our library include selections from authors Karen Kingsbury, Beverly Lewis, Janette Oke, Tracie Peterson, Lauraine Snelling, Lori Wick, and others. Stop in the Olivet library and check out this popular genre.
Olivet Library Welcomes Your Donations
Does the term “bookworm” describe someone you know? Is there a hard-to-buy-for person in your life? If you’re looking for a meaningful gift for that special someone, please consider making a donation to the Olivet Library Fund in their honor. Maybe you enjoy our selections of books and DVDs, and would like to see more new titles on the shelves? A monetary gift to the Olivet Library Fund supports new purchases that can be shared by lots of happy patrons. The library also welcomes donations of gently used books and DVDs, which may be dropped off in the main office. The Olivet Library is a wonderful resource—use it, enjoy it, support it!
OLIVET QUILTERS
If you are interested in experiencing the fun and fellowship of quilting, you are welcome to join the Olivet Quilters when their weekly quilting sessions resume on Wednesday, September 17th at 9:00am in the Fellowship Hall. No previous experience is necessary. If you’re able to sew, rip, cut, pin or tie, you’ll find something useful and satisfying to do. The quilters have a continuing need for materials suitable for quilting. If you have any used sheets, drapes, etc. that you can contribute, please drop them off at the church during office hours.
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, starting September 3rd. For information please contact Nora Gale 237-6301 or Lisa Engebretson 293-9280.
COLLEGE/YOUNG ADULT
FELLOWSHIP AND SERVICE NIGHTS
Gather with other young adults for a night of free coffee, mocha’s, cappuccinos and good discussion followed by sandwich making in the kitchen for the Gladys Ray Shelter. Mondays, October 12th and 26th at 7:00pm. Meet at the cafe tables outside the Olivet office. Email Josh or Amy with questions jswanson@olivet.org or acrawford@olivet.org.
BEFRIENDER PRINCIPLES
There is a healing power in telling ones story. BeFrienders know the value of listening, and listening skills are part of BeFriender training. A BeFriender listens with compassion.
BeFrienders understand the importance of hearing another’s story from that person’s perspective. Respect and empathy allow them to listen and respond without judgment. BeFrienders accept people as they are.
BeFrienders are a living reminder of God’s love. As companions, BeFrienders give those they befriend the chance to recognize, value, and use their own God-given, spirit led wisdom. BeFrienders respect another’s spiritual journey.
BeFrienders are aware that they are in God’s presence when befriending someone, and that the time shared is a blessing to both people in the relationship. BeFrienders embody the caring presence of God.
