Our Lenten Journey is about to begin! Pastor Jim Price Email: Pastor@MountOliveOnline.net Greetings to one and all in Jesus’ name, The month of February has arrived and this month we have a number of important events taking place here at Mount Olive Lutheran Church. First will be our “Ground Breaking Ceremonies” held at the end of each worship service Saturday and Sunday February 18 and 19, to celebrate the beginning of construction on phase 1 of our building program which will remodel and enlarge our sanctuary. Everyone is invited, cake and refreshments will be served afterwards on the patio (weather permitting) or in the narthex. The second important event this month is the beginning of the Season of Lent on February 22, Ash Wednesday. Our Ash Wednesday services will be at 12:15 and 6:30 pm in the Sanctuary and will include the imposition of ashes along with Holy Communion. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning, our 40 day journey through Lent in preparation for Easter. To help us on our Lenten journey we are once again preparing a Mount Olive Daily Lenten Devotional Booklet. We are asking you to help us create the devotional by submitting one or more of your favorite devotions based on this year’s theme, “FACING THE FUTURE WITH FAITH,” John 14:1, where Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me.” Please submit your devotion to the church office before noon Monday February 13. They will be printed and ready for our Ash Wednesday service on the 22. The third event this February will be the beginning of our 2012 Stewardship Drive on February 4 and 5, when we will begin having regular “Temple Talks” during our worship services. Our Stewardship Drive will conclude with our “Consecration Weekend” services February 25 and 26 when we will invite members to bring their pledge cards forward at the end of the service. Cake and refreshments will be served after each service in the narthex. So come and celebrate all the exciting things taking place this month here at Mount Olive as we worship our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ as He makes His way to Jerusalem and to the Cross. See you in church. God’s Peace, Pastor Jim Price

Pastor Matt March Email: PastorMatt@MountOliveOnline.net Why don’t you say Amen? I have heard the question more times than I can count in the 11 years that I have regularly been filling a pulpit. It seems everywhere I go, it comes up, even here. Some of you have asked me personally and I have explained it to you. If you already know what I’m going to say you can go and read Pastor Jim’s article for more edification. For the rest of you—here is my two part answer. Part number one: I don’t say “amen” at the end of my sermons because that is your job. I treat a sermon as a participatory action within the worship service. As I am sharing with you what I have gleaned from the texts for the day, I expect that you are taking those words and thinking about what the text means for you. Some days you may feel that I have hit the nail on the head and you really want to show your affirmation of what I have said. That’s where you say amen. But you can also not get a word I’ve just said and you don’t really know whether you can assent to what has been said. You might find it interesting, but at that point it really doesn’t make sense or you feel I am way off base. Then you would not say amen. Part number two: It is a deep-seated habit from my days in radio and television. When I was learning to write copy for advertising, my teacher emphasized to us the importance of the last line of an advertisement. He would exhort us to not “throw away” the most important part of any advertisement—the last word. This affects my preaching because I don’t want to leave you with the same word week after week. I try to make the last line a wrap up for the theme of the sermon. I can preach a wonderful sermon filled with the Holy Spirit—but if it ends on a weak note, it can all go to waste. I try to begin strong and end strong so that the middle has a good foundation to stand on. Each preacher brings his or her own style to the holy calling of preaching the Gospel for the worshipping community. There is really no right or wrong way to approach the task. Thank you for everyone who asked the question—it tells me you’re paying attention. Pastor Matt

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