olivet onthly beacon · 2020-08-03 · in scripture & prayer 7 6:30a men's bible study...

MONTHLY BEACON

Volume 13, Number 8 August 2020

Sharing the Light and the Love of Our Lord

OLIVET

Eric and Pam Hulstrand have been married for 31 years and have served together in ministry the majority of that time. Pam, having been trained in pastoral care and counseling at Luther Seminary served as a part time lay pastor in the churches Eric received a call at in both North Dakota and Minneapolis.

They are proud parents of two young adult daughters, Leesa (married to LeRoy) and Kaara.

Several years ago Eric launched Moving Forward Con-sulting Ministries out of his heart to help churches move forward through conflict and transition. Eric also teaches "Care and Counseling for Ministry" at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul. Together, Pam and Eric teach classes at the Master's Institute Seminary. Pam began her own ministry 9 years ago. On Bended Knee Ministries helps dating, engaged and married couples build strong marriages.

Pam and Eric are excited to use their gifts and experiences to serve the faith community at Olivet during this season of transition.

Please welcome our Interim Pastor Team who will be walking beside us during the next few months and helping us through

this season of transition.

Pastor James Glesne began his duties as an interim pastor at Olivet on the second week in July, 2020. He retired from Decorah Lutheran in Decorah, Iowa, after serving there for 20 years. Prior to that he has served parishes in Apple-ton, WI; Stoughton, WI; and Dovray, MN.

He is married to Ruth who is an RN, but who has also worked for AAL (now Thrivent) as a Sr. Life underwriter. Together they have four children. David in Bloomington, IL; Sarah in La Crosse; Erik in Appleton, WI; and Rachel in Spirit Lake, IA. They are blessed with 8 grandchildren. Among his interests are carving, model trains, learning to work with Arduinos (a work in progress) and reading.

One of many Biblical passages that are meaningful is 1 Peter 2:4-6: As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be

a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God though Jesus Christ. For in Scripture is says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” (NIV)

Olivet Monthly Beacon 2

Monday, August 10 through

Thursday, August 13

As you can imagine, it has been extremely difficult for us to make plans for VBS, as things seem to change almost daily. But we have prepared two tracks for a modified VBS and we are excited to share these options with you!

Option 1: Virtual VBS with Family Buckets

Families will be invited to request a bucket of supplies to use at their home while they participate in VBS at their own time and pace using the recordings online. This could be a great opportunity for families to have a mini-VBS with their neighbors or friends they have already been distancing with.

Our leaders will be recording the lessons, music and activities for you to follow along at home. Due to copy-right issues, we can only have the recordings available for the one week. We will need to send you the private VBS link, so registration is required for us to provide you with everything you need.

Option 2: Family style VBS

Families will be invited to reserve a time slot where they will be able to come into the building and work through the VBS activities together. Some leaders will be here to help guide you and the supplies will be pro-vided. The Chapel and education wing have been decorated so we can provide the VBS atmosphere we all love. This is a great option for families looking to get out of their home and do some fun activities in a con-trolled environment.

We will need to keep the building safe for all our participants, so registering for VBS and a specific time slot will be required. Thank you!

Theme Change:

We made the decision to save our “Victory” theme until next year in the hopes that we will be able to have a VBS that is closer to what we normally present. The “Victory” activities are truly best when done in person. Our theme for this year will now be Super Heroes. We believe that the Super Heroes theme will work better in this virtual and modified VBS format.

Thank you so much for your continued support, patience and understanding! Please let us know if you have any questions and don’t forget to register! https://www.olivetlutheran.org/vbs-2020-registration/

Super Heroes Shining

For Christ!

https://www.olivetlutheran.org/vbs-2020-registration/

“Sharing the Light and the Love of Our Lord” 3

Thank you, Pastor Dave There is a time for everything and a season for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

For the past 25 years, Olivet Lutheran Church has been blessed with a strong pastoral leader who has

gone above and beyond to tend his flock. He took Olivet from the brink of bankruptcy and with God

at the helm turned that very dark time into a flourishing family of worshippers and an active commu-

nity of evangelism.

Through the years, he worked to make Olivet a successful “meet you where you are at” house of the

Lord. He started Men’s Bible Breakfast on Friday mornings where our male population could feel

free to share and commune. He knew that the youth of the church were an important piece of the

church puzzle and with his leadership youth of all ages filled the rooms and hallways of Olivet. High

School youth trips every summer allowed our youth to learn the word of God through service.

Pastor Dave and Lisa raised three girls—Amy, Sarah, and Christa. They also gained two sons-in-law,

Eric and Jordan, and were blessed with granddaughter Luella during these years. His dedication to

his flock took him away from his family many times.

His legacy and teachings will always be remembered at Olivet.

Thank you, Pastor Dave!

Open House Celebration for Pastor Dave

Honoring 25 Years of Pastoral Services

We will celebrate the dedication Pastor Dave has for his Lord and Savior and for sharing that love with the

congregants of Olivet Lutheran Church over the past 25 years.

It is with joy that we announce that we are celebrating Pastor Dave with an Open House Celebration in his

honor. It will be held on Sunday, August 23rd from 1-5 p.m. at Huck Finns, 129 Marina Drive, La Crosse.

If COVID-19 should change this, we will notify you.

Please spread the word and RSVP and/or direct any questions before August 16, 2020, so we can make the

necessary food preparations.

Thank you!

Donna Bentzen - (608) 769-4556 Email: [email protected]

Ann Wuensch - (608) 781-2107 Email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



Church Contacts/E-mail Addresses

Interim Pastor Team…………………...……. Jim Glesne…………………………...… [email protected]

Interim Pastor Team…………………………. Eric Hulstrand……………………….. [email protected]

Interim Pastor Team…………………………. Pam Hulstrand……………………….. [email protected]

Director of Family Ministry......……...….. Trish Kapelke……………………….... [email protected]

Worship Arts Director……………………….. Abigail Hoy……………………………. [email protected]

Church Administrator…………………...….. Dorothy Payne……………………..… [email protected]

Weekend Office Support.……………...…… Alice Gerken……….…………...……. [email protected]

AV & Tech Support……………………………. Jim Kapelke…………………………… [email protected]

MOPS Leader…………………………………... Kelly Remus……………………….…. [email protected]

Children’s Church Coordinator.……...…. Melanie Wuensch……………..……. [email protected]

Librarian…………………………………...…….. Carla Swerman………………….…… [email protected]

Custodians…………………………………...….. Brie Murdock and Jim & Carol Thiele

Maintenance……………………………...…….. Kevin Caulum

Olivet Beacon of Light Lutheran Church

2100 Bainbridge Street, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54603 Church Office 608-783-1484

E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.OlivetLutheran.org

Current Office Hours:

Monday—Friday 8:00am—2:00pm

Sunday 8:00am—noon

Olivet Vision Board

As we move forward with reconciliation in our hearts, if you have a question or concern for the Vision Board, consider emailing the entire board at [email protected]. Individual contact information for Board members is set forth at the bottom of this page.

The Board would like to extend a warm welcome to our Interim Pastor Team. We look forward to working with Jim, Eric and Pam, the staff and the congregation as we discern together what God’s plans are for Olivet.

The next Vision Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 11, at 5:30 p.m.

Miles Harter - Vice President

[email protected] - 608.792.3926

Kevin Josephson


Steve Kemp


Cliff LeCleir

[email protected] - 608.786-2173

Terry Miller - Treasurer


Jan Pearson


Carla Swerman - Secretary


Phillip Wanke - President


General Vision Board Email: [email protected]























Worship Assistants for August

We will continue selecting worship assistants from the people who sign up to attend a worship service. We appreciate all of our volunteers who are flexible and are sometimes called on at a moment’s notice. We also understand that not everyone is comfortable with that level of interaction yet, so just let us know that when you are contacted and we will ask someone else to serve.

~ August 2020 ~

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 8:30a Census

Worker Training 5:30p NO

SERVICE

2

8:30a CrossRoads Bible Fellowship 8:30a Gospel of John Study 9a RECONCILIATION AND HEALING SERVICE (Outdoors) 11:15 Chaplain Cont. Ed. 5:15p ACA Meeting

3

6p Stephen Ministry Continuing Education 6p Prayer Gathering

4

7a Women's Bible Breakfast 8a Women's Prayer Group 9a Staff Meeting 9:15a Small Group Study

10:30a Prayer Circle 2p Harvest Dinner Team Meeting

4p Marshall Visitation (Drive-Thru) 7p AA Meeting

5

10a Life Group Bible Study

11a Marshall Service (private) 5:30p Women's AA

6

1p Stephen Ministry Leaders' Meeting

1p Grief Share 6:30p Meeting God In Scripture & Prayer

7

6:30a Men's Bible Study & Breakfast 7:30a Men's Prayer Group

8

5:30p Blended Worship/Communion

9

8a Traditional Worship/HC 8:30a CrossRoads Bible Fellowship 8:30a Gospel of John Study 9a Hospitality Team Meeting 10a Contemporary Worship/Communion 11:15a Second Sunday Monthly Youth Gathering 5:15p ACA Meeting

10 VBS

9a Mask Ministry 6p Prayer Gathering

11 VBS

7a Women's Bible Breakfast 8a Women's Prayer Group 9a Staff Meeting 9:15a Small Group Study 10:30a Prayer Circle 5:30p Vision Board Meeting 7p AA Meeting

12 VBS

10a Life Group Bible Study 5:30p Women's AA

13 VBS

1p Grief Share 14


15

5:30p Blended Worship

16

8a Traditional Worship/HC 8:30a CrossRoads Bible Fellowship 8:30a Gospel of John Study 10a Contemporary Worship 5:15p ACA Meeting

17

MONTHLY BEACON DEADLINE 5p MONDAY MEALS (off-site) 6p Stephen Ministry Continuing Education 6p Prayer Gathering

18

7a Women's Bible Breakfast 8a Women's Prayer Group 9a Staff Meeting 9:15a Small Group Study 10:30a Prayer Circle 7p AA Meeting

19


20

10a LCMC Ministerium 1p Stephen Ministry Leaders' Meeting 6:30p Meeting God In Scripture & Prayer

21


22

5:30p Blended Worship/Communion

23

8a Traditional Worship/HC 8:30a CrossRoads Bible Fellowship 8:30a Gospel of John Study 10a Children's Church 10a Contemporary Worship/Communion 5:15p ACA Meeting 7p MOPS/MomsNext

24

6p Prayer Gathering 25

7a Women's Bible Breakfast 8a Women's Prayer Group 9a Staff Meeting 9:15a Small Group Study 10:30a Prayer Circle 7p AA Meeting

26


27

28


29

5:30p Blended Worship

30

8a Traditional Worship/HC 8:30a CrossRoads Bible Fellowship 8:30a Gospel of John Study 10a Contemporary Worship 1p Prayer Shawl Team 5:15p ACA Meeting

31

6p Prayer Gathering Notes:

All events subject to change. Call the office or your group leader if you have any questions.

VBS Week—Super Heroes Shining for Christ!


Olivet Beacon of Light Lutheran Church

Application to Serve on the Lead Pastor Call Committee

The Call Committee will perform an essential and vital role for the church as it lives out Christ’s call to ministry. The work of a Call Committee is always very rewarding and special. Serving on the Committee can also be demanding and requires a mutual team commitment.

According to the Constitution of Olivet, the Call Committee will consist of six mem-bers. There will also be three alternate committee members selected, who may be asked to step in if needed. In addition, Pastor Eric Hulstrand will be serving as a non-voting member of the committee. Candidates to serve on the Call Committee must

submit an application to the Vision Board. Criteria to be used in discerning the make-up of the com-mittee are on the back of this form. The term of service will be as long as the process requires but will likely be a minimum of six months.

Thank you for your interest in serving on the Lead Pastor Call Committee of Olivet. We expect there will be more applications to serve on the Call Committee than there are places available. We encourage you to consider other ways you can serve Olivet if you are not selected to serve on this committee.

Please complete the application using a separate piece of paper or document and attach it to this application form, or attach it to an email reply.

The information you provide will be shared with Pastor Eric and the Vision Board, but will otherwise be kept confidential. Please return your completed form to [email protected] or the church office by August 31.

If you have questions, please contact Pastor Eric at [email protected].

Information Requested:

Name: ______________________________________

Phone: ______________________________________ Text ok? Yes_____ No _____

Email: _______________________________________

Years affiliated with Olivet Lutheran Church ______________

Have you previously served on a Call Committee? No ______ Yes _____ Where?_____________

1– Please share a little personal information about yourself.

2– In what ways have you been and/or are currently involved at Olivet?

3– There are many ways you could share your time and abilities in service to Olivet’s Ministry. Why are you interested in serving on this Call Committee in particular?

4– What skills, gifts, and prior experience (personal and/or professional) in your background would be of particular value in the work of the Call Committee?

5– How will your Christian faith play a role in your service on the Call Committee?

6– What else, if anything, would you like to share that would be helpful to Pastor Eric and the Vision Board as they discern the make-up of the Call Committee?




Considerations for Discerning the Make-up of the Call Committee

Of course, no one candidate will meet all of these items listed. The considerations will be used as a guideline for forming a balanced and representative Call Committee. All who are interested are encouraged to apply.

-Church involvement

-Committed to prayer as an essential part of the Call process

-Varied tenure of church affiliation (brief to lifelong)

-Character and integrity

-Committed faith

-Commitment to the ministry of the whole church (not just one ministry or area)

-Willingness to set aside personal agenda

-Understands the needs of the congregation

-Experience in interviewing and hiring

-Diversity of background among committee members:

-Gender Balance

-Age Diversity

-Education

-Life Experience

-Work Experience

-Respectful of others

-Ability to listen and discern

-Willing to make the Call Committee a top priority

-Good communication skills

-Willingness to be honest and frank (speaking the truth in love)

-Positive temperament

-Observes confidentiality

These considerations are both general and specialist. A general consideration is one that broadly applies to all who serve on the Call Committee and a specialist consideration is one that need only apply to one or two members of the committee. For example, a commitment to the ministry of the whole church is a general consideration and applies to all members of the committee, while experience in interviewing and hiring is a specialist consideration that need apply to only one or two members of the committee.


Face Mask Ministry Team

Next Meeting: Monday, August 10, at 9:00 a.m.—Fellowship Hall

Olivet has started a Mask Ministry Team. The team will be making masks for the Olivet family and our local community first. We have been contacted by an elementary school in Tomah to make child size masks, as well as Lutheran World Relief and we will be pledging to provide a certain number of masks to them.

Marilyn Caulum is the team leader for this ministry. She has mask templates, rotary cutters, mats and sewing machines to lend out.

The team is looking for volunteers to cut fabric, sew masks or donate materials. Materials needed are: 100% cotton fabric, thread, 1/8" and 1/4" elastic or elastic cord. Donated items can be dropped off at church.

The Ministry Team will meet the 2nd Monday of each month at 9:00 a.m. to talk about patterns and to pick up supplies.

Please contact Marilyn Caulum at [email protected] or text to 608-790-0258 if you would like to be involved in helping with this ministry either by making masks or through donations!

Plethos (http://www.plethosglobal.com) is offering an online discipleship group experience for you. We have experienced Discipleship Coaches ready to train you to be disciple-makers in your home and circle of influence.

We have men’s groups that meet almost every day of the week (our women’s group is full, sorry).

The only expense is the price of a cup of coffee per meeting ($99 for the year).

Here is an introduction to Plethos - https://youtu.be/D3RK8RS-MyE.

We encourage you to join us. Tim Jensen, a member here at Olivet, is a certified Plethos Coach. You can register for his group here: https://plethosglobal.com/store/men-huddle-wed7am-jensen

During Covid-19 this is an easy option for you because we meet via Zoom. This is an online discipleship training. If you have more questions please contact Tim Jensen at 608-518-1000 or email him at [email protected].

In the July Beacon, the Olivet AV/Sound Tech Team told you about equip-ment they were hoping to purchase to enable Olivet to live-stream our worship services. The equipment would allow us to present a quality product with the least amount of manpower and in-depth technical knowledge. It was reported that the project would cost over $15,000.

Many of you responded with donations to this project and we are happy to report that we have raised almost $9,000—over half of the cost! In addi-tion, the church received a gift earlier in the year to be used for a special project. The remainder of the cost will come out of the technology budget for the year.

The equipment is on order and the hope is that it can be installed in early September.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your generous support!


http://www.plethosglobal.com

https://youtu.be/D3RK8RS-MyE

https://plethosglobal.com/store/men-huddle-wed7am-jensen



Olivet Lutheran Church recently established the Safety Committee that is looking to improve many aspects of safety in our church.

First, we are asking for everyone to review the alphabetical labeling on the door for entering and exiting the building. In case of an emergency, those marked doors are very important in alerting the Police, Fire Department, First Responders and Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance personnel to the

location of need within the building. Please be sure that someone goes to the door to as-sure access. Area emergency personnel are aware of the labeling.

Secondly, please take time to review the location of the Automatic External Defibrilla-tor (AED) mounted on the south wall of the main vestibule near the restrooms. It is well marked, but in an emergency, it is important that everyone knows where it is and feels comfortable getting it to the people caring for the person having a medical crisis.

The Safety Committee is hoping to acquire a better base knowledge of church members and regular attenders that are Medical Professionals or are certified in Cardio Pulmo-nary Resuscitation (CPR) and are willing to assist in an urgent/emergent medical crisis. Our future vision is to provide CPR training to church members interested in responding should need arise.

Please respond to Mary Dangerfield at [email protected] if you are a medical professional and/or trained in CPR and willing to assist if necessary.

Finally, when attending the many activities at Olivet Lutheran Church, always be aware of the nearest exit for your own personal safety.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

Galatians 6:2, 10

Safety & Security Ministry

HARVEST Meatball Dinner

Tuesday, September 22

4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Although this year’s Harvest Dinner will look a bit different, we didn’t want to cancel this well-loved community dinner.

Because we cannot plan for a large indoor gathering, we are bringing the meal to you! We will offer drive-thru service, as well as limited delivery service.

Watch for more details as plans are firmed up!



We welcome the following New Mission Partners who joined Olivet during the first half of 2020!

Our next Discover Olivet class is scheduled for:

Sunday, September 20, at 11:15 a.m.

“We work together as partners who belong to God.” 1 Corinthians 3:9

Al & Kathy Blencoe

What drew you to Olivet? We were searching for a Biblical-based church.

Where are you from? Al has been in La Crosse for many years; Kathy is from Wautoma, and lived in Oshkosh for many years before settling in La Crosse.

What are your hobbies & interests? Sports—Packers, Brewers & Badgers; health and travel.

What is/was your vocation? We both worked in 911 dispatch. After 25 years, Kathy transitioned to become a massage therapist and is self-employed.

Christopher Fry

What drew you to Olivet? The welcoming nature of Olivet.

What are your hobbies & interests? Athletic activities, walking and swimming. I also collect shoes and hats!

What is/was your vocation? I am employed as a broadband technician for Spectrum.

“I am happy with the life God has given me, and how he has gotten me to where I am today.”

Sheryl Gilbertson

What drew you to Olivet? The love of Christ, emphasis on Bible references, praying church, and acceptance as a visitor.

Where are you from? Originally from New Albin, Iowa; now living in Melrose.

What are your hobbies & interests? Scrapbooking, growing flowers, assisting at school blood drives, watching sports, music, helping at a respite care program taking people to appointments.

What is/was your vocation? I am a retired RN.

Eugene Johnson

What drew you to Olivet? Olivet preaches God’s word.

What are your hobbies & interests? Exercise, tennis and biking. I also like to read. I like to lead Bible study in singing and enjoy attending Olivet’s monthly Young @ Heart lunches.

What is/was your vocation? Before retirement, I was a machine designer.

Debbie White

What drew you to Olivet? I came on a recommendation from a friend.

Where are you from? I am originally from Winona, and currently reside in Onalaska.

Debbie is currently on our Chaplain Team at Olivet.


Mike & Rachael Pierce & Family

What drew you to Olivet? Parents worshipped here.

Where are you from? Our family lives in West Salem.

What are your hobbies & interests? Rachael enjoys educating people, gardening, cooking, health & wellness and essential oils.

What is/was your vocation? Rachael has a paralegal degree, M.O.M. educator. Mike is employed by Walmart.

Rachael is involved with family ministry at Olivet, teaching during Children’s Church and leading a youth group on Wednesday nights. Rachael and her husband Mike have five children: Hannah, Marshall, Seth, RubyAnne, and Hudson.

Marc & Jenny Zettler

What drew you to Olivet? We came Olivet on a recommendation from Betty Fagan.

Where are you from? Marc & Jenny reside in La Crosse.

What are your hobbies & interests? Marc enjoys biking, hunting and architectural photography. Jenny plays clarinet in a concert band and also enjoys cross-stitch, reading and architecture.

What is/was your vocation? Marc is a preservation architect and Jenny is a building code official and an architect.

Thank You received from Pastor Andrew & Family:

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Dear brothers and sisters at Olivet,

My family and I would like to extend our sincere thanks for all the cards, messages, and kindness we have received from you. I am thankful to God for the privilege of serving you for these five years. The blessings, the memories, the victories and even the struggles all are evidence that God will never forsake us. His love for Olivet is great and He has wonderful plans for the church going forward. You are all dearly loved by our family.

Our big family news is that we are soon moving across the state to Sheboygan. Heather has accepted a professor position at Concordia University in Mequon. I will take the first few months to help our family settle into the area. Please always know that you--the people of Olivet--will always be close to our heart. We will be frequent visitors back to the Coulee Region and hope to keep in touch.

God’s blessings to each of you and again heartfelt thanks to all of you,

-Pastor Andrew, Heather, Elliot, and Anna

New Mission Partners - Continued:


Our summer Children’s Church has been put on hold due to COVID

and the transitions happening at Olivet. We have been providing

Children’s Messages each week in place of Children’s Church.

The Fall Kick-off is planned for Sept. 13th. Our hope is that we will

be starting the 2020-2021 version of Children’s Church on that day.

We aren’t exactly sure how the year will progress and what changes

will need to be made.

Our team is working to develop ways that we can enjoy Children’s

Church and keep our safety measures in place. More specific details

will be shared in September. If you have specific suggestions, con-

cerns or needs please let Mrs. K know so that the Family Ministry

Team can take them into consideration. Thank you!

Important Dates for Children and Youth:

Aug. 2

Reconciliation Service

Aug. 10-13

Vacation Bible School

Aug. 15 & 16

VBS Share Weekend

Aug. 30 & Sept. 2

Confirmation & Youth

Orientation

Sept. 9

Wednesday Night Youth Begins

Sept. 13

Fall Kick-off

Confirmation Class

Children’s Church Resumes

Oct. 10

Living Waters Work Day

Oct. 18

3rd Grade Bible Class

Oct. 25

Baptism Information Class

Since our school year in Children and Youth Ministry ended so strangely, we didn’t get an opportunity to formally thank the many leaders we had in ministry this past school year. Please join me in thanking the very dedicated and wonderful leaders we had during the 2019-2020 school year. We have been so blessed by their gifts and abilities.

Children’s Ministry: Youth and Confirmation:

Darron Fanning Patti & Bob Barney

Melissa Fanning Bill & Jane Binnebose

Michelle Hendrickson Pam Eilertson

Linda Johnson Heather Fortuine

Pam Jones Jim Kapelke

Halie Kapelke Rob Kneifl

Kylie Kapelke Mike Lefevre

Sherri Kneifl Lisa McCormick

Rob Kneifl Dave & Gina Mikrut

Rachael Pierce Shelly & Todd Nelson

Kelly Remus Rachael Pierce

Julie Wanke Patrick Strain

Melanie Wuensch Bruce Todd


The Second Sunday event in August will be an all church event and will actually take place right after the 10 am service. We will be transforming the Education wing into a Superhero Spectacular.

I hope you will join us!

August 9th

11:15am– 2:00pm

Decorating Party

It’s not too late to join us for our VBS Aug 10-13. With

décor going up, you may want to say “How fun – I want to

be a part of that!” To register visit Olivetlutheran.org,

complete a form in the lobby or contact the office today!

Vacation

Bible

School

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your servant

hearts to all who spent their days and nights with us! Lead-

ers, decorators, those who donated items and prayed for

us. Thank you for giving our children the ability to SHINE

as they learned about Biblical Superheroes, and how God’s

power can work in us as well.

Youth Night and Confirmation Class The plans and ideas for the 2020-2021 school year are numerous and ever changing. We know that this school year will be filled with many new adventures and challenges.

Here are the initial thoughts and plans for our youth classes for this school year. Our prayer is that as the year progresses, that we can slowly return to a more familiar way of connecting with each other

and learning more about Christ. We are offering two parent and student information meetings on Aug. 30th at 11:15am & September 2nd at 6:30pm. Please attend the one that works best for your family.

Confirmation Class:

Our Sunday morning confirmation classes will resume meeting on September 13th at 9:10am. Students are welcome to attend these classes in person or by zoom. We will continue studying the various elements of the Christian faith during these classes.

Youth Night:

Our Wednesday evening youth night will resume meeting on September 9th at 6:30pm. We are hoping to offer a light dinner each night around 6:15pm.

Our desire is to have our Wednesday nights be as close to what they typically look like as possible. However, we plan to be offering a zoom options for those youth and families that need that flexibility. Students will be able to participate in both the large group teaching and the small group discussions over zoom.

Special Guests:

We will continue to connect with our area CRU chapter to bring in college students to share different aspects of their faith and to encourage each of us to walk firmly with Christ through each and every difficult phase that we experience in life.

http://www.Olivetlutheran.org


Recovery & Support Groups

Hosted at Olivet

PRAY * STUDY * SUPPORT

Tuesdays:

Co-ed AA group meeting @ 7:00 p.m.

Wednesdays:

Women’s AA group meeting @ 5:30 p.m.

Sundays:

Adult Children of Alcoholics @ 6:00 p.m.

Prayer Gathering Meets on Monday Evenings - Prayer is not based on the words spoken, it’s about lifting our hearts to God who can be trusted. It’s not about religious sounding phrases, since tears and groans often receive the strongest responses. Hebrews 5:7 tells us while Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.

We welcome all who feel led to join us. We meet in the Fireside Lounge from 6-7 p.m. on Mondays to pray for the prayer concerns of our faith community here at Olivet. This includes your prayer requests at the weekend services that you write on the Connection Cards found in the pew racks, as well as any prayer requests that come in through the office, by your permission.

Colossians 4:2—“Don’t be weary in prayer, keep at it; watch for God’s answers and remember to be thankful when they come.”

When God answers your prayers, please let us know so we can join you in giving God all the glory. Thank you.

Many of our small groups, including prayer groups, Bible studies and life groups have started back up. Please contact the church office or your small group leader for more information and restrictions for your group. We are limiting the number of people per room and disinfecting between usage.

If you would like to just meet as a small group to socialize (with proper precautions), you are welcome to do so. We just ask that you call the office to let us know ahead of time, so we can prepare a room for you. Call 783-1484 or email [email protected].

Tuesday 9:15 a.m. class beginning a new study on July 28

Just Enough Light for the Step I’m On

—Written by Stormie Omartian

Come join us as we discover how God is teaching us to trust in Him for every step we take. Even when we can’t see where we’re going, He’s near to help us walk through new areas in our lives and to face all the difficulties of Covid-19, plus the challenges our church now faces.

Join us any time — all are welcome!

Blessings,

Edye Eklov, Group Facilitator



NO “NEW NORMAL” IN THE OLIVET LIBRARY

• You may come into the library to browse and check out items.

• The “Books by Bike” home delivery and/or pick-up service continues.

• FREE items are available inside the church’s front doors and in the Fireside Lounge.

• Returned items continue to be “sanitized” before being returned to the shelves.

YET, THERE IS “NEW” IN THE LIBRARY!

• Carla Swerman now has the library’s e-mail account on her cell phone, which guarantees a quicker response than in the past. When you email [email protected] to renew items, to request a home delivery, or to ask a question, you can expect a reply within hours.

• New fiction and non-fiction continue to be added to the Olivet shelves. Some will be featured in a “Back to School – Back to Youth” display outside the library. These two 2020 books for teens – one on anxiety/depression and one on financial man-agement – are timely during COVID-19. Each book also has an accompanying book for parents/adults. So, check out the display – and all that is new inside the library!

Women’s Clothes Closet Now Accepting Spring & Summer Items

The Women’s Clothes Closet is always in need of gently used in-season clothing that is fashionable, clean and in good repair. They are currently accept-ing spring and summer clothing items.

Bras (new), shoes, handbags, scarves and jewelry are always appreciated.

The mission of the Women’s Clothes Closet is to provide gently used clothing to low-income women, especially those who are entering or are in the workforce.

Your donated items can be placed in the large barrel located in our collection area near the Fellowship Hall doors.

Food Pantry

Suggested items for the month:

Spaghetti & Spaghetti Sauce Non-perishable food items and personal care items can be dropped off in our front entry area. Donated items are given out to walk-ins who are in need of

assistance and are used to restock our on-site pantry. Excess food items are donated to our local community food pantries.

Thank you for your continued donations!

We are sorry to inform you that we will again be cancelling the monthly Young@Heart lunch for August.

We will continue to monitor the situation in La Crosse County and will resume lunches when it is deemed safe to meet together or a meal again.

CANCELLED



Communion served: 2nd and 4th weekends

of each month and

every Sunday at 8:00am

All are welcome to receive communion at Olivet.

Communion is served by intinction (dipping of the wafer into the grape juice). Gluten-free wafers and individual servings of grape juice are also available.

Hospital Visits

Due to HIPPA privacy laws and changes at our local hospitals, we are unable to verify your stay at the hospital, even if you list Olivet as your church.

If you or a family member are hospitalized, please call or have a friend or family member call the church office at 783-1484 to let us know of your hospitalization and your room number so we can provide pastoral care.

Caller : Alice Gerken Kitchen lead: Sue Wittenberg

Provide dessert: Sue Aiken, Phyllis Buchner, Kim Dearman, Betty Fagan, Alice Gerken, PJ Green, Carol Halverson, Sharon Hoover, Audrey Johnson, Marilyn Jones, Nelleen Noack, Jessica Teff, Betty Thiele, Sue Wittenberg

Serving & Cleanup: Sue Aiken, Phyllis Buchner, Alice Gerken, PJ Green, Audrey Johnson, Marilyn Jones, Nelleen Noack, Claudia O’Keefe, Mike Pavel, Jan Pearson, Doris Schwingle, Pam Welch, Sue Wittenberg

Please call Ann Wuensch at 781-2107 if you are no longer able to serve and want to have your name re-moved from the list, or if you would like to be added to a list for future months.

Thank you for volunteering for this service to others.

Funeral Team

for August

And he took bread, and gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them saying “This is My body which

is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.” Likewise, he also took the cup after supper, saying,

“This cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you.”

Luke 22:19-20

Memorials

In Memory of Robert “Bob” Brudos

Tim & Paula Betlach Don & Cheryl Brenengen

Elaine George Glenn & PJ Green

In Memory of Ralph Koglin

Ladies Tuesday Morning Bible Breakfast Carol Barney

Don & Cheryl Brenengen Dave Johnson

Kevin & Kristi Josephson Jan Kehr

Jim & Marianne Shugrue Jean Ann Voss

In Memory of Michael “Mike” Marshall

Don & Cheryl Brenengen Glenn & PJ Green


The Art 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.

Jesus was the model of a good listener. Much of His ministry was listening to people. By listening to what people had to say, He demonstrated how much He really cared about them. Remember the stories of the woman at the well, Nicodemus, or the disciples on the road to Emmaus. All were times when Jesus showed His care and concern by first listening to people and then giving them what they needed.

Listening is one of the most powerful ministry tools at your disposal. It demonstrates that you care about the other person. You can become a more caring listener by understanding and applying these 6 listening con-cepts from Stephen Ministry training:

1. Listening is active. It takes energy and commitment to listen really well. Focus your attention on what the other person has to say instead of thinking of what you’ll say next. Look at them while you listen, and nod along from time to time so the person knows you’re tuned in.

2. Listening takes patience. Often you need to build trust before someone will open up to you. Constant, patient listening is a key.

3. Listening involves more than just words. Pay attention not only to what is said, but to what is not said - or to what is said with a smile or a sigh. Pay attention to body language too. Does it agree with or contradict a person’s spoken words?

4. Good listeners aren’t completely silent. They restate key thoughts or ideas to be sure they understood correctly or ask focused questions to encourage the person to reach a little deeper.

5. Listening happens over time. One conversation might build upon an earlier one. As you listen over several conversations, are there any recurring themes or patterns in what the person has said? Are there any contradictions from what was said earlier? These are signs there may be more to explore underneath.

6. Listening is confidential. A great way to build that trust and to show the person you really care for them is to maintain confidentiality and not to share with others what was told to you in private conversation.

We all want Olivet to be a caring place where members and guests truly feel people care about who they are and how they feel. Just as our Stephen Ministers use good listening skills to communicate how much they care, so can you. Follow and practice these listening principles and make a concentrated effort toward becom-ing a better listener. Listening is a great gift we can give to one another, and one we can all use in order to make Olivet a more caring place.

You must understand this, my beloved; let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak. —James 1:19


Attendance and Offering - 6/22 through 7/26

A Variety of Ways to Give

Each of us is called to worship God with our entire life, including our time, talents and resources. For many, giving is a way of life. “Remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth.” Deuter-onomy 8:18. Sharing our resources is a good way to worship the Giver of all good things. You may make your tax-deductible gifts to the ministries in and through Olivet in a variety of forms:

Give by cash or check.

Give one-time or recurring gifts online through the link on our webpage under the Giving tab.

Set up automated giving from your checking or savings account or credit/debit card by filling out a Simply Giving form and returning it to the church office. Form is also available on our webpage.

Use our giving app: GivePlus Church, available for download from the App Store or Google Play.

Give by text to 608-467-5654.

Don’t like to have the collection plate pass you by? Stop by the Usher Stand on your way into worship and pick up a pink chip which indicates that you use electronic giving and drop in the plate.

Date Attendance Automatic Giving

Saturday, June 27 45 General $3,358.00 June 22 through July 24

Sun., June 28 8am 42 Mort/Prin $860.00 General $15,432.16

Sun., June 28 10am 70 Designated $345.00 Mortgage $4,337.50

Online Views 148 Designated $1,150.00

Total 305 TOTAL: $4,563.00 Total: $20,919.66

Above totals not included in figures to the left

Saturday, July 4 NA General NA

Sun., July 5 8am NA Mort/Prin NA Beginning Loan Balance: $1,479,932.22

Sun., July 5 10am NA Designated NA (October 2017)

Online Views 248 July Principal Paid $4,509.88

Total 248 TOTAL: $0.00 July Interest Paid $2,544.12

Total Principal Paid $696,585.80

Saturday, July 11 39 General $15,714.00 Total Interest Paid $114,325.20

Sun., July 12 8am 25 Mort/Prin $1,895.00

Sun., July 12 10am 48 Designated $7,083.00 Mortgage Balance

Online Views 129 As of 7/25/20: $783,346.42

Totals 241 TOTAL: $24,692.00

Saturday, July 18 28 General $7,044.00

Sun., July 19 8am 33 Mort/Prin $2,750.00

Sun., July 19 10am 63 Designated $1,256.00

Online Views 116

Totals 240 TOTAL: $11,050.00

Saturday, July 25 35 General $24,234.00

Sun., July 26 8am 36 Mort/Prin $715.00

Sun., July 26 10am 36 Designated $395.00

Online Views 78

Totals 185 TOTAL: $25,344.00


“The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

Genesis 2:18

BIRTHDAYS

8/2 David Hellerud, Brayden Wessel 8/3 Phyllis Buchner, Barb Lutz, Jim Rausch, Westyn Burch 8/4 Christine Hughes, Justin Adams, Luna Deters, Gabbie Raymer 8/6 Joan Howard, Kathy Hampel, Cheri Kjos 8/7 Jan Kehr, Barbara Thomson, Joshua Gruen, Carson Nelson 8/8 Robert Snodgrass, Rachel Szewczyk, Jayden Szewczyk 8/9 Kathy Koch, Dean Coates, Kaeden Apuan, Nathaniel Apuan 8/10 Braden Sanwick 8/11 Steve Hockenberry, Laurie Hamilton 8/12 Karen Johnson, Bob Dearman, David Gibbons 8/13 Cindee Bottcher 8/14 Linda Liethen, Brandon Wanke 8/16 Larry Rugotzke, Sara Rugotzke, Vickie King, Karry Thorson 8/17 Carol Maier, Ruth Davis, Lynn Hockenberry, Tammy Gruen, Katie Herold, Daniel Suiter 8/18 Betty Fagan 8/19 Herb Hucke, Dick Knutson 8/21 Judie Doolittle, Bill Binnebose, Sr., Kaia McCormick, Brandon Dawson 8/22 Karen Howe, Carrie Jensen, Katie Hampel 8/23 Carol Barney, Frank Gerken, Richard Johnson, Jordan Wilke, Rachel Klingforth 8/24 Sonya Mix 8/25 Charles Prise - 93 years old! Kristi Josephson 8/26 Doris Schwingle, Adelina Remus 8/27 Brian Remus 8/28 Donna Jobe, Barb Newburg, Travis Herold, Travis Suiter 8/29 Sherry Grabinski, Rebecca Ehlers, Laurie Duncan, Faith Hellerud

Happy Birthday!

"This is the day the Lord has made;

Let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

ANNIVERSARIES

8/1 John and Doris Schwingle - 55 years Mike and Sandy Bittner Dean and Julie Coates 8/2 Dick and Judy Knutson 8/3 Scott and Brittany Fiksdal 8/6 Tim and Alice Ackerman 8/9 Mark and Sharon Hellerud 8/10 Tom and Melissa Garson 8/11 Cliff and Sandy LeCleir 8/12 Dennis and Sue Johnson 8/14 Gerald and Betty Baldner - 55 years! 8/15 Jim and Karen Rausch 8/17 Tim and Sherry Herold Jeff and Tamra Thomson 8/20 Jim and Sandy Bivens 8/21 Luke and Kelly Raymer Eric and Amy Baldukas 8/24 Kory and Leanna Duerst 8/26 Brian and Sara Connor 8/27 Dave and Lisa Baldukas Gregg and Pam Jones 8/28 Al and Cheri Kjos 8/29 Brian and Linda Liethen Ryan and Brenda Krause 8/30 Jered and Jessica Luedke 8/31 Ray and Gloria Beaser - 58 years! Mike and Heidi Hodgins

Olivet’s Card Ministry [email protected]

Email if you know of someone who could use a little pick me up, note or greeting!

We invite you to check out our new and updated Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OlivetLCMC/.


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Non-Profit Organization

U.S. Postage Paid

La Crosse, WI 54603

Permit No. 521

Address Service Requested

Olivet Beacon of Light Lutheran Church 2100 Bainbridge Street La Crosse, Wisconsin 54603

Every weekend at Olivet we have a B.Y.O.B. party at our worship services.

We encourage you to Bring Your Own Bible to worship and Bible studies.

Worship Service Times:

Saturday @ 5:30 pm

Blended Worship

Sunday @ 8:00 am

Traditional Worship

Sunday @ 10:00 am

Contemporary Worship

Children’s Church @ 10:00 am

Interim Pastor Team 1

Church Contact Information 4

August Calendar 5

Call Committee Application 6-7

Family Ministry 12-13

Attendance & Finances 18 Sunday, September 13 will mark our fall kick-off celebration!

Although COVID has put some uncertainty into planning ahead, we plan to resume programming for our children and youth, as well as kicking off a new worship series and new ministry opportunities.

We will keep you informed as we navigate the weeks ahead!

September 13th

olivet onthly beacon · 2020-08-03 · in scripture & prayer 7 6:30a men's bible study...

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