December 28, 2025
Flowers on the altar for Sunday, December 28, are given to God’s glory in honor of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
People We Are Praying For (We included prayers for these individuals in our recent church services): Ben Springer, Patricia Elwood, Katie Tweit, Lorena Merseth, Jeanette Koberg, Mark Graham, Ruth Faye, Donna Lee, Annette Feistner, Jenny Krosch, and all of our loved ones who have been sick and facing challenges with their health.
Join us for worship on New Year’s Eve, Wednesday, December 31, at 6:30pm. This service includes individual absolution and Holy Communion. Please note that there is no worship service on New Year’s Day, January 1.
Volunteers are needed for the Kiwanis Holiday Lights teardown on Thursday, January 1. A sign-up sheet is on the narthex table. Contact Matt Holt at mholt@blc.edu if you have questions.
Altar Guild Christmas Tree Undecorating: Saturday, January 3, beginning at 9am.
2026 Offering Envelopes are now available on a table in the old narthex area. The 2026 offering envelope order was placed based on individuals who were using them in 2025. Please look for the box with your name on it as your number might have changed. To avoid confusion in applying your contributions, please only use 2026 envelopes in 2026. Thank you. If you would like to have a box of offering envelopes and did not see them on the table, please let the church office know.
The Year of Jubilee “Match Challenge” is back! An anonymous member has pledged up to $25,000 for the Year of Jubilee debt reduction drive. All donations received between December 14, 2025 and January 12, 2026 for the YOJ campaign will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $25k! Donations can be made through the offering plate or online at mtolivelutheran.org. This is a fantastic opportunity to reduce our debt by $50,000 or more and put us closer to reaching our goal of $250k for the 2025-26 fiscal year. Please be sure to earmark your funds for the “Year of Jubilee” so that they can be counted for the match!
Care Share helps students whose families face financial or medical hardship, keeping Christian education accessible to all. Starting January 1, 2026, our current Tuition Assistance fund will be rolled into Care Share, the official tuition support program of Newco, funded by all three congregations and outside donors.
To give, mark “Care Share” on cash or check donations, or use the Tuition Assistance button on Mount Olive’s Online Giving platform, Vanco. In January, this will be transitioned to Care Share.
Donations and pledges continue to come in—see the updated amounts in the Weekly Financial Update section at the end of the Announcements. Thank you! If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Tenold at school@mtolivelutheran.org or 507-345-7927.
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LAST WEEK’S ATTENDANCE/LORD’S SUPPER
Sunday: 8:30am, 234/176; 10:45am, 153/117; Monday: 28/22
Christmas Eve: 4:30pm, 455; 7pm, 175; Christmas Day: 262/189
Live Online Viewing: Sunday: 28; Christmas Eve: 28; Christmas Day: 27
WE THANK THOSE SERVING OUR LORD THIS WEEK
Greeters: Mark Klammer, Barents Family
Joyce Petersen, Emily Christensen
Offering Counters: John Baumann, Jana Finken
Altar Guild: Sharon Madson, Heidi Graham
WEEKLY FINANCIAL UPDATE
Given Last Week (excluding Year of Jubilee): $50,867.66
Year of Jubilee Debt Match Challenge Given Last Week: $6,821.82
Year of Jubilee Match Challenge Total (December 14-25, 2025): $11,184.73
Fiscal YTD Actual Expenses vs. Budget Surplus (Deficit) as of 11/30/2025: ($36,058.25)
An anonymous donor will match up to $25,000 given to the Year of Jubilee between December 14, 2025 and January 12, 2026.
Care Share Tuition Assistance Account (balance as of December 25): $25,805.19.
2 Corinthians 8:9: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
To give your offering online, go to mtolivelutheran.org and click on the “Online Giving” tab.
Mount Olive Lutheran Church Mission Statement