Q. How many members?
A: About 650, with an average Sunday worship attendance of about 170 in person and 330 online. About a third of worshipers come from nearby neighborhoods.
Q. How often do you celebrate communion?
A. Every Sunday and on all feast days that do not fall on Sunday; also at most weddings and funerals.
Q. How long are your services?
A. About an hour and 15 minutes, a bit longer on festival days.
Q. As Protestants, why do you kneel, bow, chant, burn incense, and make the sign of the cross?
A. Martin Luther and the early Reformers didn’t reject any of these practices. Many of us embrace worshiping with all our human senses. It’s not the only way to worship God; it’s just the way that suits many of us best.
Q. You are located in a relatively poor neighborhood. What are you doing about that?
A. Industrious immigrants have turned our neighborhood around in recent years, but poverty persists and the needs are great. Our ministry with neighbors is moving beyond offering helpful programs to building partnerships that help all involved to lead lives of dignity and hope.
Q. Given your location, is it safe to come to Mount Olive?
A. Yes. Our leaders are attentive to security concerns and are thankful that the neighborhood’s crime rate has declined significantly over the past twenty-five years.
Q. Do you welcome LGBTQIA+ people?
A. Yes. We have many members who identify as LGBTQIA+. “Child of God” is the identity most important to us.
Q. What’s your political agenda?
A. We are led to care not just for our personal needs but also for the needs of neighbors near and far. There’s a diversity of opinion on how best to apply social and economic solutions, but our central aspiration is to be faithful to God’s call for justice and peace for all people.
Q. What’s the role of women?
A. Women are ordained as pastors in our denomination. Many parish leaders are women.
Q. What about children?
A. We do not have a staffed nursery but welcome children to worship with the congregation. We also offer Sunday school, musical opportunities, confirmation, and a youth group.
Q. What are Lutherans all about?
A. We have been called the original Protestants, people who left the Roman Catholic Church in the 1500s and hope for reconciliation one day. Recently leaders of both churches have found agreement on issues that once divided us.
Q. Where does Mount Olive fit among the scores of other Lutheran choices in the Twin Cities?
A. Lutherans have developed a wide variety of worship styles. If you like formal liturgy, classical music, an atmosphere that welcomes all, and a commitment to social ministry, you may find us to be good partners for your spiritual journey.
Q. What are ELCA and RIC?
A. The ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) is the nation’s largest and most “mainline” Lutheran body. RIC (Reconciling in Christ) is shorthand for parishes that affirm all people’s full participation, no matter their race, gender, or sexual orientation.
