1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

THE
OLIVE BRANCH
November 2014
STAFF
Lon Larson,
Bridge Interim Pastor
[email protected]
(651)739-7094
(952) 412-3094
Youth Ministry Team
[email protected]
Jerry Johnson,
Building Manager
[email protected]
(651)739-3812
Jeff Lupelow, Custodian
Sarah Lutter,
Office Manager
[email protected]
Emily Olson,
Music Director
[email protected]
(651)739-7094
Carolyn Wagner,
Preschool Director
[email protected]
(651)739-1064
SAVE THE DATES:
Nov 1
Daylight Savings Ends
Set back your clocks!
Nov 2
All Saints Sunday
Nov 18
WELCA Thankoffering
Service
Nov 22
Movie Night
Nov 26
Thanksgiving Eve
Worship, St. Ambrose
Kising’a Partnership Update
This is the 15th year of our
partnership with Kising’a
village in Tanzania. Over the
years there has been a lot of
progress in Kising’a and we
have supported many
student scholarships and
construction of Church
buildings and a house for the
pastor. Each year we send
funds to support students in
Secondary School and in
Vocational School. Most of
our secondary school
students attend a school in
Kising’a which is cheaper
($100) because they live at
home. We have a couple
students each year at
Diocese schools which are
boarding schools with fees of
about $400. One of our
supported students is now a
pastor and we have at least
three students who have
become teachers. Other
students continue to live in
Kising’a with better
knowledge that helps them
farm and run small businesses.
By Dan McIntyre
Elias Kadinda dancing with Ruthie Mhanga (nee Zimmerman). Elias was one of our
supported students who is now a Pastor and married with two children.
Another supported student,
Sajeni, discovered a spring
with fresh water flowing year
round high on a ridge. He
laid almost 2 miles of plastic
pipe to bring water from this
Continued on page 2
Women carrying safe water from Sajeni’s source for the Kising’a dispensary.
The Olive Branch
Page 2
Tom playing drums to We Are Marching with a surprised Pastor
Wihale.
Pastor Wihale reading to his son, Stefano, from one of the books we
provided.
source to the edge of
Kising’a. The photo shows
people collecting water
from the end of the pipe.
He had to repeatedly fix
bursts in the pipe by
wrapping with strips of
rubber from inner tubes. In
January, a team of students
and the dean of the
Engineering Department
from the University of
Minnesota spent 4 days in
Kising’a evaluating this
source for their project.
They measured the
elevation drop and
determined what class of
pipe would be needed to
withstand the pressure.
Their work resulted in a
proposal to lay higher
quality pipe and install a
10,000 liter tank to collect
water 24 hours a day
instead of letting it just run
off when no one is
collecting. This proposal is
being implemented right
now by our St Paul Partners
staff in Iringa.
Groups from LCP traveled
to Tanzania to visit Kising’a
in 2007 and 2009. Dan and
Sue McIntyre have visited
every year since 2006.
Over these trips, we have
watched the progress
building a new large Church
on top of a beautiful hill
overlooking the village.
Our support provided the
metal sheets for the roof a
year ago and Dan and Sue
attended a service in the
church for the first time in
January. A communication
mix up meant they did not
know we were coming (this
trip was a vacation trip with
family and friends and we
only came to Kising’a on
Sunday for worship). Of
course this meant that
church had to be delayed
while they could prepare
food and Chai (tea) for us.
The congregation sang in
the church and waited two
hours for us. We had a
wonderful time worshiping
with them in the new
building. One member of
our group was quite skilled
with African drums and he
performed “We Are Marching” (a Tanzanian hymn we
sing at LCP) with one of the
Kising’a youth while we all
danced. Everyone was
surprised (even us) to see a
mzungu (white person) playing the drums like a
Tanzanian and the youth
gave Tom a big hug when
they were finished.
Another remarkable sign of
progress was when
someone’s cell phone rang
during the service.
Apparently construction of
a cell tower some place has
now allowed signal to reach
the main parts of Kising’a.
In the past, one had to walk
to high points on the edge
of the village to try to get a
signal.
Last fall, LCP very generously provided funds for books
for a library in Kising’a. I
brought books when I
visited last September and
more books when we
visited in January. This seed
has led to other groups
bringing books for their
partners. TPH Bookshop in
Dar es Salaam has a lot of
nice Swahili books for all
ages but especially children.
They put together a
recommended book list for
village libraries categorized
Continued on page 3
Page 3
The Olive Branch
Dan & Sue McIntyre are pictured in the center. Please visit with them
for more information about visiting Kising’a.
as Swahili or English and
target audience. Some of
these books are early
readers, HIV awareness, and
picture story books.
Evangelists at two remote
preaching points, Luhapo
where some of us have
visited and Msale where a
lion terrorized the village
for a couple weeks a few
years ago, are teaching their
own preschool so their
young children do not have
to walk the two hours each
way to get to the nearest
school and we gave preschool age books for them.
A Bega Kwa Bega group in
September purchased a
large number of books that
were split for two villages at
Image and Tungamalenga.
This gives us three
experiments at providing
books for village libraries
for this important project. I
am looking forward to
returning to Kising’a to see
how the books are being
used.
We welcome contributions
for scholarships which are
due soon so that students
can start the school year in
January. It has also been
five years since a group
from LCP has visited
Kising’a and we would like
to have a group visit next
year. It is a tremendous
opportunity to experience
the love and spirit of our
relationship with our
partners. Kising’a is a village
with mostly subsistence
farming and is quite different
from our environment here
yet people are the same
everywhere. Tanzania is also
fortunate to be on the
opposite side of the
continent from where the
ebola crisis is occurring in
West Africa. If you might
be interested in visiting our
partners, please speak to
Dan or Sue McIntyre. We
will plan some informational
meetings about a possible
visit. Thank you to LCP for
their strong support of our
partnership over the years.
It has really made a
difference in Kising’a.
“Of Note” Musicians Corner
Peace to you all in this
November season!
Music Director, Emily Olson and her son,
Kenneth.
With Thanksgiving (and my
birthday) coming up in
November, I tend to enter
this month with an ‘attitude
of gratitude’. There are so
many things I take for granted each day—food, water,
family, a roof over my head,
a vocation that allows me to
serve others… Here at
LCP, I think it’s wonderful that we get to host Project Home and provide
some basic needs and companionship to those in need
here in the Twin Cities. I’m
looking forward to serving
this along with you, as we
seek to be the hands and
feet of Jesus in the lives of
others.
During Advent, Jesus shows
up in powerful ways—I’m
sure we’ll see him all around
at LCP!
Thank you for your enthusiastic participation in worship—in singing, in reading,
in praying, in just ‘showing
up’. I am also grateful for
YOU and for my call to
serve with and among you
as we worship, serve, and
share Christ’s peace!
Peace, in Christ,
Emily
Upcoming Music
Ministry Dates:
REMINDER: Advent
Wednesday night services
begin on December 3rd—
“Joyous Light”
LCP Choir: Rehearsals on
Thursdays, 7-8:15pm;
In Worship on Sunday,
November 16th at BOTH
services; NO REHEARSAL ON
OCTOBER 30 OR IN
WORSHIP ON NOVEMBER 2.
LCP Band: Rehearsals on
Saturday before the 2nd Sunday
of the month, 9-11 am; In
Worship on Sunday,
November 9th.
October 2014
Page 4
Fallow Ground
Dear Friends,
I am just returning from my
hometown in Montana, and
am ready to step back into
the mission and ministry of
Lutheran Church of Peace!
Believe it or not, my
thoughts came back to you
folks numbers of times in
my absence, always causing
me to smile a bit and to feel
thankful for all that you do,
for each other, for the
community and for the
greater church of Jesus
Christ. Comparisons are
never fair, but inevitable.
Again, let me simply say that
it is an honor and wonderful
fun to be with you people,
and to experience your
great openness to the Holy
Spirit. I hear you praying to
God…and listening for
God’s response. I see you
moving forward with
confidence and hope, even
when the future is
unknown. I feel your great
concern for all who are
struggling and in need.
These are marks of a
healthy congregation.
Lutheran Church of Peace is
a mission with purpose, a
ministry that is strong in
compassion and love. I am
sincere in these words of
thanks. Please do embrace
the good that is at the
center of your combined
witness.
As you likely have heard
many times, the church
budget is a ‘moral
document’; we are called to
the task of ‘doing good’ with
our time, talents and
By Pastor Lon Larson
resources. Do building
repairs and maintenance
qualify as ‘doing good’?
Absolutely. I am so proud
of the manner in which this
congregation has maintained
its facilities. Unexpected
expenses, such as the
needed repair of the alarm
system, are met with
maturity and resolve. I hear
you saying, “Let’s get ‘er
done!” At the same time, in
the midst of hard economic
times for most families, I
also hear your commitment
to the synod and the
national church, not just
with brand allegiance, but
also with financial support
for regional and global
mission. We are blessed
with a local, regional and
national church structure
that allows YOUR
compassion to be felt by
people in need all around
the world. Thank you for
your generous and ongoing
financial commitment to the
larger church.
One last thought---while at
my mom’s house in Big
Sandy, I came across a
“Certificate of Religious
Instruction” which stated
‘This is to certify that Melvin
Foss (my uncle) has
completed the course of
Religions Instruction and has
passed a satisfactory public
examination…on the 4th day
of October in the year of
our Lord, 1925…signed, J.
Korsmo, pastor.” My uncle
was not a religious person.
Yet, this certificate was
framed and behind glass,
given a prominent place in
his house, witnessing to that
moment in time when he
made a public profession of
faith. The certificate is now
faded and brown, with
edges that are beginning to
fray. I plan to send it to his
daughter, who may, like
myself, find it a sign of her
father’s faith, a faith that did
not always shine brightly,
but faith that was never
extinguished.
Continued on page 9
Pastor Lon Larson, Bridge Interim
Pastor, Lutheran Church of Peace
Page 5
The Olive Branch
DEAR ELSIE P. WOMEN
It seems that the world
around me is in chaos and I
need to find a place of
peace. I need to be able to
focus on being thankful for
what great blessings God
has given me and the world.
Something that will remind
me of the daily blessings,
small and big, in my life.
I am reminded of
the THANKOFFERING
SERVICE that is
sponsored by the Women’s
group at LCP. When is that
service this year and what
happens there?
~~~Thankful Thelma
DEAR THANKFUL
THELMA:
The women of the ELCA
have a program called
“THANKOFFERING”.
During the year whenever
you feel the response
to “COUNT YOUR
BLESSINGS” from
our LORD, you place coins
or dollars in an offering box
(make your own or use one
that you have received at a
circle meeting) or envelope.
It is just amazing how fast
and how much the box fills
up as you realize the many
times God blesses you
everyday throughout the
year.
This year on Tuesday,
NOVEMBER 18 AT 7:00
P.M. the
THANKOFFERING
boxes will be collected
during a service held in the
sanctuary sponsored by the
Women of LCP. The
monies are then sent to the
Women of the ELCA
Churchwide to help with
women’s ministries and
missions worldwide. The
service (about 45 minutes)
is then followed by a
business meeting (about a
half hour long) and then
Installation of new officers.
After the meeting there is
time for Fellowship (about
one hour long) with treats
and visiting with friends,
new and old.
Besides remembering
your Thankoffering and
your regular free-will
offering, please bring
a food donation for the
food shelf.
You are invited to come for
the whole evening or whichever portion that you are
interested in.
WE WELCOME YOU!
~~Elsie
Any questions call Elsie’s
secretary, Gail, at 651-7391551.
SPEAKING OF BEING
THANKFUL…..
The 31TH ANNUAL
CRAFT AND BAKE
SALE held Oct.25, was a
great success because of all
who helped…..from baking
and cooking, to crafting and
quilting, to moving tables
and chairs, to candy-making
and shopping. Many talents
and much time go into
putting on this big event.
We are grateful to each and
every one of you who share
of yourself.
THANK YOU!!!!
October 2014
Youth News
Moonlight
Madness
is November
14-15. Meet
in the youth
house
by 8:30. We
need drivers
for this
activity as well. We need kids to sign
up so we have an accurate count to
determine number of drivers needed.
Sign ups are on the youth board in
church.
Food Shelf Support
“God is
good. God is
great. And
we thank him
for our food.
Amen.” For
many that is
the first table
prayer we
learned. We thank God for providing
what we need and one of the ways
we give thanks is by sharing the gift
of food with others. Last week Don
Berglund delivered 43 pounds of
food that you donated to the food
shelf. Thank you for sharing of your
abundance. May the blessings
multiply.
Stewardship Update
At this time
our giving
statements are
being updated
with third
quarter giving
information. This
summer we
moved our data to a new computer
application, and Dan McIntyre and
Steve Seilhymer have done a
phenomenal job with the information
transfer, shoring out the list,
Page 6
etc. When the mailing is sent,
along with the statements, you
will find information regarding
changes to our offering
envelopes, Thanksgiving in July,
Simply Giving, Capital Appeal
updates, and a combined pledge
card, among other things. —
Speaking of the Sowing Bountifully Capital Appeal, we would like
to do one more matching event
this year. You will see more
information regarding the time
frame and amounts in the near
future. We have more families
who plan to anonymously match
congregational donations. Thank
you for all of your support so far
this year! Yours in Christ, The
Stewardship Committee
November 1, Daylight
Savings Ends — Set Back
Your Clocks
Early Sunday
next Sunday
morning
Daylight
Savings Time
Ends, so
don’t forget
to turn back
your clocks one hour before you
go to bed Saturday night. Then
join us on Sunday morning for All
Saints Sunday worship.
Carver Backpack Program
Thank you for
your
continued
participation
in this
ministry. The
children and
families at
Carver School
are grateful for the food we
provide.
Items to return to church by
Sunday, November 16:
 1 box 8 - 12 oz. cereal
 1 package breakfast bars or
granola bars
 1 box or 2 pouches instant
mashed potatoes
 2 cans soup (any type)
 1 container 4-6 pack fruit cup
(not mixed fruit)
To return to church by Sunday,
November 30:






1 box individual hot cereal
packets (10 - 12 count)
1 pouch or box muffin mix
1 jar peanut butter
1 small jelly (no glass please)
2 boxes macaroni and cheese
1 - 4-6 pack fruit cup (not
mixed fruit)
Project Home at LCP
We are hosting
families for
Project Home
in November
and looking for
volunteers! On
evening shifts
(5:30 - 8:30
p.m.) you help the PH Coordinator
prepare a light meal and then spend
time with the guests. On overnight
shifts (8:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. or 9:00
a.m.) you sleep at Church, wake up
guests in the morning and put out a
quick breakfast before they go to
Family Place for the day. Buses pick
up children at Family Place for
school and the adults have
resources there to help them find
jobs and permanent housing. Grace
Lutheran and Woodbury Baptist
are each covering a week for us
and LCP will staff the first two days
and Nov 16 - Nov 30. Sign up on
the calendar in Montgomery Hall
or online.
Page 7
The Olive Branch
Snow Removal Help
Needed
This coming
winter,
Dallas
Swenson has
agreed to
coordinate
the snow
shoveling and
snow blowing tasks at
LCP. Accumulated snow needs to
be removed from the entrances
and sidewalks, in the morning,
before church and preschool
activities begin. Sometimes
additional snow removal is also
needed during the day, depending
on weather conditions; icy
conditions require salt to be
applied at the entrances and on the
sidewalks. This is an ideal task for
those who are retired or those
who do not have to go to work in
the morning. Training provided
upon request. Please contact Jerry
Johnson ([email protected]) or
Dallas Swenson ([email protected]).
Movie Night
Save the date for
Movie Night
Saturday November 22nd 2014,
starting a little
after 6:00 pm
Popcorn and snacks will be
provided. We will invite our
Project Home guests and show a
family friendly movie on the big
screen in Montgomery Hall.
Deadline for the next issue: November 15.
We are called by Christ to worship, serve, and share God’s peace.
47 Century Ave S
Maplewood, MN 55119
Phone: 651-739-7094
Fax: 651-739-0835
Website: www.lcponline.org
E-mail: [email protected]
ADDRESS SERVICE
REQUESTED
We are on the web
www.lcponline.org
Please submit articles for
The Olive Branch on or
before the 15th of each
month.
Office Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8:30am—3pm
(Closed from 12—12:30pm for
lunch)
LCP Preschool:
651-730-1064
[email protected]
Join us for worship on
Sunday mornings at
8:30am
10:00am
Sunday School at 10:00am
Fallow Ground
Continued from page 4
I think about the kids now
in confirmation class, doing
their worship notes and
service projects, sitting in
class with me…I think about
the prayers that you folks
say on their behalf…I think
about that particular day
when each one will make
their own profession of
faith, and individually receive
a ‘Certificate of Religious
Instruction’…I think about
these things when I look at
my uncle’s certificate, and I
am heartened. I am
encouraged that the
efforts of this church are
not in vain. I am ever
more assured that faith
formation is a sacred
experience, one that is
enduring, life altering and a
deeply comforting memory
as our lives unfold. Thank
you for helping these kids
witness to Christ both in
word and deed. Thank
you for helping them know
who they are, and whose
they are.
Mon
3
7pm Boy Scouts
10
6:30pm Trustees
7pm Boy Scouts
17
7pm Boy Scouts
7pm Lydia Circle
24
7pm Boy Scouts
Sun
2 ALL SAINTS’ SUNDAY
8:30am Worship
9:30am Coffee
10am Worship
11am Coffee
9
8:30am Worship
9:30am Coffee
10am Worship
11am Coffee
2pm Brownie Troop
16
8:30am Worship
9:30am Coffee
10am Worship
11am Coffee
23/30
8:30am Worship
9:30am Coffee
10am Worship
11am Coffee
25
18
9:30am Quilting
6:30pm Cub Scouts
7pm Thankoffering
11 VETERANS DAY
9:30am Quilting
6:30pm Council
7:30pm Cub Scouts
6:30pm Cub Scouts
4 ELECTION DAY
Church is voting
precinct. Building open
6am—10pm
Tue
26
10am Pr. Lon/Preschool
7pm Ecumenical
Thanksgiving Eve
Service @ St. Ambrose,
Woodbury
19
10am Pr. Lon/Preschool
6:30pm Afiirmation/Sr Hi
12
10am Pr. Lon/Preschool
6:30pm Afiirmation/Sr Hi
5
10am Pr. Lon/Preschool
6:30pm Affirmation/Sr Hi
Wed
21
9am Men’s Fellowship
28
9am Men’s Fellowship
27 THANKSGIVING DAY
14
9am Men’s Fellowship
7
9am Men’s Fellowship
Fri
20
12:30pm Staff Mtg
7pm Choir
7pm Entira Family Clinic
Workshop
13
9:30am Esther Circle
12:30pm Martha Circle
12:30pm Staff Mtg
7pm Choir
7pm Miriam Circle
6
9:30am Women’s Board
12:30pm Staff Mtg
7pm Choir
Thu
November 2014
29
22
9:30am Prayer Shawl
15 Olive Branch deadline
10am Amy Stedman
8
9am Cont Band
9:30am Prayer Shawl
10am Amy Stedman
10am Amy Stedman
1
Sat