August 2013
Pastor’s Article
by Pastor Paul C. Sizemore
Getting Ready for Sunday Mornings
It certainly has been encouraging for me to see so many worshipers attending the Divine Service during these summer months. There is the faithful attendance of our own Mount Olive members, but there are also many guests present each Sunday morning, whom the Holy Spirit continues to draw into our sanctuary, to be gathered together with us around God’s Holy Word and blessed Sacraments; Baptism and Holy Communion.
Most every Sunday we begin the liturgy with words from I John 8-9, “If we say that have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Then we proceed to make a corporate confession of our sins. Coming into the presence of God intentionally, having called upon the name of the Holy Trinity, we purposefully set aside any false, misleading presumption of self-righteousness on our part, and celebrate once again that we are justified by grace through faith in Christ. Paul writes: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (v. 24-25)
The weekly ritual of confessing our sins and receiving the absolution from God, through the pastor, as though it was being given to us directly by God himself, reminds us that we come only knowingly, fully into the divine presence of God as “forgiven people,” as Easter people forgiven by the God whose Son Jesus had come to redeem us fully from the threatening power of our sins.
The Lamb of God has died on the cross and been raised to new life again to make the love of God our greatest personal possession. And we rejoice with the psalmist when he says: “Let us go into the house of the LORD! Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces!” (Psalm 122:1, 6)
So let me now ask you, what do you think? Do people look forward to participating in the Divine Service every Sunday as they are able? Do they sense that our sanctuary is an extremely beautiful place, not only architecturally, or because of its glorious interior design; with the beautiful chancel furnishings, stained-glass windows, candlelight and its lovely music?
Is our sanctuary also a magnificent place for many people, because they realize that they are being drawn here, away from all their other cares and problems of life, by the promise and the power of the Crucified and Risen Christ? You know what our Savior says prior to his crucifixion. “And I, when I am lifted up, will draw all people unto myself!” (John 12:32)
Our sanctuary is a beautiful place because here, Christ’s Gospel is proclaimed. It is here that his sacred Scriptures are read. It is here that his Holy Supper is faithfully celebrated.
I and others on our church staff, along with those who sing in the choir or ring bells, and those who write and publish bulletins, fold and staple them, spend a great deal of time getting ready for the Divine Service on Sunday mornings. But worshipers do well to prepare themselves for morning worship too.
Oh, there are the obvious things like getting enough sleep on Saturday night and getting up early enough to arrive at church on time without feeling rushed. Young families especially know the struggle of getting children dressed and out the door. The LORD God deserves our best.
If possible, arrive inside the sanctuary some 20 minutes ahead of time. Read those words on the front of the bulletin entitled: “Today’s Worship Emphasis.” Read through the appointed Bible readings before the Divine Service begins. Pray and ask for the Holy Spirit to keep you attentive to God’s Word that day. Review the hymns and meditate on their words. And by all means, pray for the preacher and for God’s blessings on the sermon that he is about to give, whoever he happens to be. St. Paul wasn’t afraid to ask for people’s prayers. With my namesake, I also ask you to: “Pray for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak it!” (Ephesians 6:19-20)
See you in church this coming Sunday!
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Board of Elders
by Jerry Garlington
Late in the month of August, we will be installing the newly elected officers and boards for the congregation. Due to the growth of our church, I added another Elder to the board. We are pleased that Charlie Sandt agreed to serve and was elected. He has experience serving as an Elder at Mt. Olive and will be a great addition. Three other Elders (Pete Witt, Charlie Stuck and Stan Slaughter) were re-elected to the board.
What this means is that there is going to be less turmoil in your Elder assignments. Almost all members will retain the same Elder as they had last year.
I am grateful for the faithful service of your Board of Elders and look forward to working with them again this coming year. Please don’t hesitate to call on your Elder with your concerns or comments. The church keeps a current Elder list posted outside the Secretary’s Office.
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Christian Education
from Katrina Folks
Summer Sunday School & Rally Day
The preschool-3’s through 4th graders have had wonderful Sunday sessions upstairs in Summer Sunday school. We have focused on the W’s of prayer: Who, what, where, how, when, why. We have done this through Bible stories, songs, and a book by CPH entitled God Invites Us to Pray. All these ideas are reinforced using a “hands on” project each week. By the end of July we completed our focus on the Lord’s Prayer. In August we will extend our classes by learning about the acts of prayer: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. At the end of August those students who have successfully said the Lord’s Prayer on their own will receive a “prayer pin” similar to the Ten Commandment pins the children earned last year.
We anticipate Rally Day being held on August 25 after the late service, at Saluda Shoals Park, at the Red Bud shelter. This shelter boasts a nearby volleyball site, well loved by so many of our members. The Education Committee will purchase wristbands for entry into the Splash Pad. Those of you who have homemade ice cream freezers, contact Katrina if you would like to share that special treat with us! Everyone else, please bring side dishes to go with the hamburgers, hotdogs and beverages that will be provided. We will have signup sheets in the bulletin two weeks before the event. We had over 100 attend last year’s picnic and still had plenty of room for more! Join us and enjoy this annual Mt Olive favorite event!
First Communion & Confirmation Classes
Baptized young people who are entering the 5th grade (and up) this fall will be invited to receive Holy Communion if they participate in and complete a 4-week Sunday school class, August 18th through September 8th, taught by Pastor Sizemore. Faithful attendance on the part of students and their parent(s) is required. To be admitted to the Sacrament of the Altar, students must have memorized the Lord’s Prayer, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Ten Commandments. First Communion will be on Reformation Sunday, October 27th.
On September 15th, these students, along with our 6th graders, will continue in Confirmation Classes each Sunday. Bill Boykin will teach these classes during the Sunday school hour. Parents, grandparents, or other adult family members are being asked to attend as mentors for their children. The class will continue with the curriculum, Partners in Learning: A Family Confirmation Approach, which is designed to help parent-mentors share their faith and strengthen relationships with the students. If you have questions, contact Pastor Sizemore or Bill Boykin.
Assistant Sunday School Teachers Needed
“We offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first given us; ourselves, our time and our possessions, signs of your gracious love. Receive them for the sake of him who offered himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Recognize this prayer? You should! We pray it almost every week after the offering is gathered at Mt. Olive. Part of stewardship is ourselves and our time. We need your time. We have busily been cleaning and assessing our needs for the 2013-2014. If you have been down the fellowship hallway, you will see how Mt. Olive’s Sunday school has grown. By September 1, we should have 8 more little lambs on our bulletin board. We anticipate the need for four classes next year. We are looking for assistant teachers.
Please listen to “the voice of Jesus calling” you. Assistant teacher job description:
*Be dedicated to sharing your personal faith with children and to the presentation of God’s Word.
*Attend and participate in the opening, Bible and song time with your class. Various leaders will lead this time.
*Return to the classroom with your class. Discuss details of the story. Follow up with materials, *Bibles and handouts that you have previously reviewed during the prior week. In the CPH materials these are steps 4-6. Steps 1-3 will have been covered in the opening.
*Interact with the children when you see them at church. Encourage them in their daily walk with Jesus. Pray that they will remain true to the Triune God and their baptism.
*We are open to both female and male teachers. We have a lot of high-energy boys that could use strong Christian male role models.
What will be your time commitment? About 1.5 hours a week. Allow 30-45 minutes to review the materials. Allow 30-45 minutes for actual class time. Finally, be available to attend 3 quarterly meetings
during the year.
Do you “hear Jesus calling?” Is His Spirit tugging at your heart? Contact Lisa Sizemore (lisaseize@hotmail.com, 546-0600) to respond. “Here am I, send me, send me.”
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Youth Group News
from Vanita Fielder
Ten of our Mt. Olive youth attended the National Youth Gathering at the Alamo Dome in San Antonio, Texas: Zachary C, Jeremy F, Tyler F, Kayla G, August K, Emily K, Krista K, Tyler L, Zachary L, and Kathleen S. Jim and Vanita chaperoned. They attended various sessions, Bible studies, learning activities, testimonials, and praise and worship. They also took time to explore San Antonio.
Please join us September 29th at the Mt. Olive potluck to hear about the Gathering, its impact on our youth, and to view pictures. We look forward to sharing the special things we learned.
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OFFICIAL LCMS RESPONSE
TO SUPREME COURT’S STRIKING DOWN SECTION 3 OF DOMA
June 26, 2013
Today the Supreme Court issued its ruling, striking down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), allowing for federal benefits for legally married gay couples and potentially allowing for gay marriage in all of California with regard to Proposition 8. Though the ruling is not a surprise, we are saddened for our nation, even as we call our fellow Christians to faithfulness and prayer.
As Christians, we believe and confess that God himself instituted marriage as the lifelong union of one man and one woman. Same-sex unions are contrary to God’s will, and gay marriage is, in the eyes of God, no marriage at all. As Christians, we proclaim this truth, no matter what the courts or legislatures may say. We are called not to popularity but to truth. Therefore, we call on our fellow Christians to be faithful first to God’s Word, knowing that another court is ultimately supreme.
Marriage is a fundamental building block of society, binding parents to their offspring. Every child benefits from the nurture of a mother and the leadership of a father. While having one mother is a blessing, having two mothers or two fathers is confusing for the child and detrimental to her well-being. The divorce culture has done great harm to the institution of marriage as well, and the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) has and will continue to respond to that heartache with Christ’s comfort while simultaneously working to restore a culture where marriage is upheld.
While this occasion reminds us that Scripture calls homosexuality sinful (Lev. 18:22, 20:13, Romans 1:24-27), the Bible also says plainly that those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness,” that is to say, those who repent and show genuine sorrow over their sin, are forgiven and loved by Christ.
And so as Christ’s Church, we forgive and love too, following his lead with compassion and humility. We forgive and love because we are all sinners in need of his grace and mercy; because no matter the sin, we have all rebelled against our Creator and fallen prey to unbelief, because he has justified us by grace through faith, freely given and joyfully received (Romans 3:23-24); because Christ has reconciled us to the Father; because he has declared us righteous and we are.
In love, we will continue to teach marriage according to God’s plan and gift. We will continue to proclaim marriage as a picture of Christ’s love for his bride, the church. And we will continue to be a place of forgiveness, mercy and healing for all people, even as we will continue to proclaim God’s truth in love. As we move forward, we offer up our prayers for this nation and particularly for marriage, family and children.
Rev. Bart Day, Executive Director
LCMS Office of National Mission
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Altar Guild’s Message
by Susie Hoffman
The SUNDAYS AFTER PENTECOST in the church-year calendar comprise about one half of the year. The green paraments symbolize the life and teachings of Jesus and the nourishment our souls receive as we study His words and works. It is a time when the church should live and exercise its ministry.
We are reminded when we see the vestment Pastor Sizemore wears during communion, called a chasuble, that as this garment surrounds Pastor, so Christ surrounds each of us with His love. As we are told in Acts 17:28, “For in Him (GOD) we live, move, and have our being.” The symbols on the chasuble remind us of the Triune God. The triangle has three equal sides demonstrating the equality of the three persons of the Godhead. The empty cross reminds us of the great sacrifice Jesus has made to gain forgiveness and salvation for us. The descending dove represents the Holy Spirit. The symbols on the parament are the CHI RHO, from the first two letters of the Greek language for the word “CHRIST”; the CROWN which indicates Christ is our King and we are the heirs of heaven because of Him; the CROSS, again, to remind us of Christ’s death and atonement for our sins and the sins of the whole world; and finally, IHS (sometimes also seen as ICS), a monogram in the Greek alphabet using the first three letters in the name “JESUS”.
The early church fathers stressed the importance and value of keeping the “traditional liturgical forms such as order of the lessons, prayers, vestments, etc.” which have been handed down for centuries from the early Christian Church. In general, all Lutheran churches follow the same three-year cycle of Old Testament, Epistle, and New Testament readings. Many other Christian churches follow this same cycle.
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Preschool News
by Krista Bernthal
Kindergarten Kamp will be here soon! Do you know any children who are heading to Kindergarten in the fall? Invite them to join us August 5-9 in the mornings for some fun preparation for their first big day at school.
The preschool will start back up the last week of August. We still have some openings in our 2 and 4-year-old classes. We are looking forward to a great year. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Thrivent Choice Dollars Grant Opportunity
Lutheran educational institutions including our preschool have a chance to receive a $2,500 grant—and more—through Thrivent Choice. You can help make it happen with a simple click or call!
Here’s how it works:
Thrivent Choice is a member-advised charitable grant program from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. It allows eligible benefit members of Thrivent Financial to recommend where the organization distributes some of its charitable funds.
If you have Choice Dollars® available to direct, it’s easy to help our preschool. Simply direct Choice Dollars to Mt. Olive Lutheran Preschool between May 1 and Sept. 30, 2013:
*Recommend that our preschool receive Choice Dollars grant funding from Thrivent Financial.
*Help give us a chance to receive an additional $2,500 grant!
It’s easy to direct Choice Dollars now:
*Go to Thrivent.com/thriventchoice and click on the red “Get Started” button, or
*Call 800-THRIVENT (800-847-4836) and say, “Thrivent Choice.”
Join others in supporting Mt. Olive Lutheran Preschool in a new way. Click or call today!
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LWML (The Olive Branch)
by Carole Mueller, President
LWML – an organization with a heart for missions. All members are working toward the same goal, to help share the Good News of Jesus Christ with people throughout the world. Members work to support, encourage, and lift each other up in prayer as they grow together in their faith as sisters in Christ. The Olive Branch will resume their monthly meetings in September. Scheduled days are the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays of each month, with a Bible Study from 10:00-11:00, a brief meeting and lunch followed by crafts/projects. More information on Bible studies and upcoming projects will be announced in the bulletins and fall newsletters. Suggestions for both are always welcomed. We again plan to assemble Chrismons along with completing hand tied quilts for charities.
The Carolinas District Camp Retreat Weekend is Aug. 16 through 18 at Camp Linn Haven, Linville, NC. The Foothills Zone is sponsoring this event. Registration deadline is Aug. 5th. If you are interested in attending, please review the LWML bulletin board for details and complete paperwork for forwarding to Camp Linn Haven Registrations. Camp fees are $95.00 with a $5.00 registration fee to the Carolinas District LWML.
The first Sunday of the month is designated for LWML mite box collections and the large mite box will be
located to the left as you enter church. All other Sundays, you will find it in the back of the Sanctuary. Mite donations are divided with 75% support for district efforts and 25% for the national level mission grant goals and program support. Further information is posted on the LWML bulletin board. Thank you for your contributions.
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A Stewardship Minute
from David Buck
“Stewardship means responsible use of that which we hold in trust from God,
but which God has loaned for our blessing and enrichment while on this earth.”
This means that everything of worth we have is on loan to us from our God: Our bodies, our brains, our talents, possessions, and the time we have here on earth. Whatever we have is on loan to us from our loving Creator. The only thing we will have left at the time of our death is our spirit. The bottom line regarding our time here on earth, whether short or long, is the quality of our stewardship. Either we are faithful and diligent servants of God or we are not. Recall Jesus’ message about judgment day found in Matthew 25? He said that on judgment day, the sheep representing good stewards would be on his right hand and the goats representing the poor stewards would be on his left hand. The sheep would be welcomed into the kingdom and the goats would not have that honor. The sheep represented the good and faithful servants of the Lord and the goats were the opposite.
The good stewards had fed the hungry, given them water to drink, found clothes for the poor, visited the sick, welcomed the stranger, and even visited those in prison. Good stewards are a caring, loving, giving and thoughtful group of the Lord’s people. The others are not. They are a selfish group with little concern about the needs of the poor, the sick, the hungry, the friendless, and the mistreated. Jesus said, “I am among you as one who serves.” (Matthew 22:27) He was…and you and I should be people who serve as well.
Prayer: Lord of all, we remember that you lived a life of caring and serving. Stir up our own zeal and concern that we may follow your lead closely day-by-day, year-by-year. In your name we pray. Amen
A Stewardship Minute is available to subscribers of Stewardship at www.parishpublishing.org. Parish Publishing, LLC (888) 320-5576
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Public Relations
by Aresa Boykin
Thank you so much to those of you who have made photo appointments for Mt. Olive’s upcoming pictorial directory! Sign-ups have been so successful that we’ve added two additional days of photography! There are still 12 appointments left on Friday, August 30th between the hours of 2:15 PM to 6:30 PM. If you have yet to sign up, please see me at church between services or contact me at (803) 260-7198 (cell) or e-mail me at aresaboykin@sc.rr.com.
RELUCTANT or CAMERA SHY? Please bear in mind that the pictorial directory is not only for our current Mt. Olive family and friends, but will be a tremendous help to our new members as they assimilate into our family. There is no charge for your photography session. As long as you stay a few minutes to view your photos, you will receive a free 8x10 of your directory photo. You are not obligated to purchase pictures, but of course, you will have the opportunity to do so. Each family will also receive a free Mt. Olive Pictorial Directory in one of three formats: standard size, pocket size, or DVD version. Mt. Olive also receives more extra directories based on our participation.
OUT OF TOWN or HOMEBOUND? For those of you who are unable to make it to Mt. Olive for a photo appointment, you may submit a picture for the directory. A photo with a solid background works best. Please bring or mail your photos to the church office by Aug. 18th.
OR, if you would like a current photograph made, I will be more than happy to work out a time with you. In fact, I have already had a photo-shoot with one of our homebound members! For those who are homebound, either Bill or I will be calling. For those who will be out of town, I will bring my camera to church on August 11th and 18th. It will be very helpful if you can let me know in advance so we can work out a time after either service. (My contact info. is above.)
FUTURE NEW MEMBERS? Those of you who plan to attend Pastor’s New Members Class in September, you are also invited to sign up to be in the directory! You are already “well on your way” becoming Mt. Olive family and friends!
Our photography weekends are:
August 22-24, in the fellowship hall. (Use the main entrance.)
August 30-31, in the preschool area. (Remember to use the preschool entrance.)
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Fellowship
by Flora Weed
Our June Fifth Sunday Potluck was very well attended. We had plenty of good food and ice cream treats for the kids. Our dessert table was overwhelming, but we'll make sure that we use a bigger table for all those wonderful treats next time. I would like to give a big" thank you" to everyone who helped with the cleanup. It's easier and faster cleaning up when you have many helping hands.
Our next Fifth Sunday Potluck will be September 29th. The group who attended the National Youth Gathering will tell us about their experiences.
On a different note, starting in September after the 10:30 AM service, we will be trying something we haven't done in many years. We will have a "Lemonade and Cookie" social located at the front entrance of the church. This will be a time for us to chat and laugh and get to know each other a little bit more. If you would like to donate or bake cookies, please see Rita Witt or me.
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Evangelism
by Jon Richter
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:11-12
As Our Lord gathers us around His Word and Sacraments every week, we often see His love growing in us as we abide in Him. Feeling the love between one another is based on relating with each other on a regular basis. For example, I could tell that Pastor Sizemore loved me from his manner in the pulpit and serving me at the altar when we first came to Mt. Olive; but, after several conversations and his visit to our home, I knew he loved me more. And now that much more relating has occurred, I see the superhuman love of God’s abiding in Pastor that makes me feel more secure than ever in that love!!
Are you “the only Bible that some folks will ever read”? If that old saying has any truth to it – it might be said that you may be the only “abiding love of God that some folks will relate to”… and that relating takes time and commitment. Who are you praying for – that does not already know our Lord? It does take our will to intentionally reach out to others. But once we do reach out, we can trust God’s abiding love to be visible through us and to be perfected in us as well!
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Stephen Ministry
by Bill & Aresa Boykin
The Ministry of Listening
Think of a time when you really felt cared for. Chances are someone focused on what you had to say, was attentive to your needs, and listened to how you felt instead of telling you how you should feel or what you should do.
Listening is one of the most powerful ministry tools at your disposal. It demonstrates that you care about the other person. In Stephen Ministry, a great deal of time is spent in teaching and practicing listening skills because of its importance as a caregiving tool. You too can become a more caring listener by understanding and applying these six listening concepts from Stephen Ministry training:
1. Listening is active. Focus your attention on what the person has to say instead of thinking of what you will say next. Look at him or her so the person will know that you are tuned in.
2. Listening takes patience. Often you will need to build trust before someone will open up.
3. Listening involves more than just words. Pay attention not only to what is said, but also to what is not said, or how it is said. Also pay attention to body language and facial expressions.
4. Good listeners aren’t completely silent. They restate key thoughts to be sure they understand or ask focused questions to encourage the person to dig deeper.
5. Listening happens over time. One conversation can build upon another.
6. Listening is confidential. A great way to build that trust and to show the person you really care is to maintain confidentiality and not share private conversation with others.
Jesus was the model of a good listener. By listening to what people had to say, he demonstrated how much he really cared about them. Think of the stories of Nicodemus, the road to Emmaus, or the woman at the well. Jesus listened first, and then gave them what they needed.
We all want Mt. Olive to be a caring place where members and guests truly feel people care about who they are and how they feel. Listening is a great gift we can give to one another, and one we can all use to make
Mt. Olive a more caring place.
Most importantly, a huge thank you goes out to each of our care receivers for having the faith and courage to accept a Stephen Minister! Without you, Stephen Ministry is nothing.
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Announcements & Opportunities
September Newsletter Deadline
Mark your calendar! The deadline for submitting articles for the August newsletter is Tuesday, August 20.
Send articles to: aresaboykin@sc.rr.com.
Midweek Bible Studies
The Caring Evangelism course will take a summer vacation and reconvene on September 11th. For questions, contact Jon R. Look for announcements in the Olive Seeds for updated information about Bible Studies this summer.
Stephen Ministry Snacks
Did you know that our Stephen Ministry team meets twice monthly throughout the year? There is a sign up sheet for summer snacks, located in the hall beside the fire extinguisher, or contact Stephen Leader Aresa Boykin (407-6040, 260-7198, or aresaboykin@sc.rr.com). Since classes are on Mondays, you can bring snacks on Sunday, mark them “Stephen Ministry,” and leave them in the kitchen. Thank you so much to those who provided snacks during the months of June and July: Jan Mc, Judy B, Marge C, and Mary S.
Attention Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Members: CHOICE DOLLARS PROGRAM
Are you aware of the Choice Dollars Program offered by Thrivent to its policyholders? The program allows policyholders to direct a portion of available charitable outreach funds to a pre-approved non-profit agency. Mt. Olive Lutheran Church and Mt. Olive Lutheran Preschool are approved agencies to which you can direct the funds assigned to your policy. This can be done very simply on-line or with a phone call to (800) 847-4836. Ask for the Thrivent Choice Program. There are presently several members of Mt. Olive who have directed their Choice Dollars to our Preschool and church. To continue to receive these funds, this process will need to be repeated with each notification to you that funds are available.
Free Photos from Bulletin Boards!
Parents, Grandparents, Sunday School Teachers, etc.: Please take the photographs of your loved ones from the bulletin boards. If you’d like to share photos with our homebound members, please do! These are a gift to you! Take them and enjoy!
Nursery Reminder
The church nursery is open during the Sunday school hour and the second Worship Service from 9:10-Noon for children, ages birth to 2 years, during Sunday School, and through age 3 during Worship. The nursery is located inside the back entrance of the church, across from the Wagner House. Parents, remember to bring your diaper bag with extra diapers, clothes, sippy cup, etc. A light snack is served. Mrs. Flora is in charge.
Sharing God’s Love (Our local food bank) Always Needs:
Pantry – jelly, grits, rice, flour, sugar, cereal, spaghetti sauce, dried beans, pork & beans
Toiletries – toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, deodorant, toilet paper, soap
Household –laundry detergent, dish detergent, children’s clothing
Linens – towels, wash clothes, sheets, comforters
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