Education

Essential Eight Bible Stories Taught by Pastor Lose
If you had a friend or family member who wanted to know what this “Christianity-thing” was all about and asked you for some good Bible stories to them get started, what stories would you share? This year in Living the Message, we’re trying to answer that question by looking at – actually, reconsidering – eight important stories that reveal who God is for us. Each of them is reasonably familiar. And each of them, in my opinion, is often either underestimated or misinterpreted. Finally, each of them, when read differently, gives us access to a God bigger, bolder, and way more interesting than the one we’d perhaps imagined and, in this way, can revitalize our faith. The lineup of this year’s “essential eight” includes the following:

• October 1: Exodus 3: God is revealed by what God does. 
• November 12*: Exodus 20: God’s chief desire is that we love each other. 
• December 3: Mark 7: God became one of us. Really!  
• January 7: Genesis 3: God will not give up on us.  
• February 4: Luke 15: God doesn’t wait for us to be ready.  
• March 4: Jonah 4: God’s love is bigger than we think.  
• April 1: 1 Kings 19: God shows up in the most unlikely of places.
• May 6: Luke 24: God is available to us here and now.  

Series runs the first Tuesday of the month October 2024 through May 2025, 6:30-7:30pm
All held at Mpls except for November and March are at West.
*One week later due to Election Day on November 5.

Mpls Campus: 5025 Knox Ave South, Mpls, MN 55419 in Room 207
West Campus: 7150 Rolling Acres Road, Victoria, MN 55386 in the Rehearsal Hall
Also available via pre-recorded videos emailed the first Tuesday of the month

All are welcome at any time! 

Register here

Questions? Contact Katie Stevenson, Coordinator of Adult Education by email or at 612.767.2232.

In the Footsteps of Paul
A Word with Your Pastors Class – Spring 2025
Join Reverend Dr. Theresa Latini, Executive Director of Mount Olivet Conference & Retreat Center, and Pastor Jeni Grangaard, in exploring the Apostle Paul’s missionary journeys as recorded in the book of Acts. This class offers a rich exploration of Paul’s travels through Greece and Turkey, bringing biblical history to life through Dr. Latini’s firsthand experiences, photos, and videos from her recent pilgrimage.

We will visit key locations where Paul preached and taught, including Mars Hill in Athens, where he boldly addressed Greek philosophers; Corinth, the city that inspired two of his most well-known epistles; and Ephesus, a major center of early Christianity where Paul spent two years spreading the Gospel. In addition, we will glimpse the rise of Christian monasticism through the breathtaking Meteora Monasteries of Greece.

Through historical insights and theological reflection, we will explore how Paul engaged diverse religious traditions and cultures, courageously sharing the love of Christ. Together, we will consider the transformative power of Paul’s message, its impact on the ancient world, and its relevance for our lives today. Come be inspired by the Apostle’s journeys and the enduring call to follow Christ wherever he sends us!

Apr 30/May 1: Paul in Athens: Proclaiming the Gospel Amidst Greek Religion and Philosophy with Rev. Dr. Theresa Latini
May 7/8: The Spread of Christianity in Greece: Kalambaka as a Geography of Grace with Rev. Dr. Theresa Latini
May 14/15: Paul in Corinth: Conflict and Compassion in a Cosmopolitan Port City with Pastor Jeni Grangaard
May 21/22: Paul in Ephesus: Riots, Miracles, and Conversions with Rev. Dr. Theresa Latini

Wednesdays at Mpls; 10:30-11:30am; 5025 Knox Ave South, Mpls, MN 55419 in Room 207
Thursdays at West; 10:30-11:30am; 7150 Rolling Acres Road, Victoria, MN 55386 in the Rehearsal Hall
Also available via recorded videos emailed one week after Mpls class

Register Here for the Mpls Campus Classes

Register Here for the West Campus Classes

Cost is donations either given in class or online via the link sent in the confirmation email for this class.
Questions? Contact Katie Stevenson, Coordinator of Adult Education by email or at 612.767.2232.

Evening and Daytime Options

Come and enjoy a lively discussion of a new book every month. The same book will be discussed at the evening and daytime options. New members are always welcome! You can join in for one discussion – or all!

Daytime Discussions: 10-11:30am the second Tuesday of the month; Mpls; Bonnie Morris, facilitator
Evening Discussions: 7-8:30pm the second Wednesday of the month; Mpls; Mary Slinde, facilitator

Register here for Daytime Discussion
Register here for Evening Discussion

Or contact Katie Stevenson at katies@mtolivet.org | 612.767.2232.

Upcoming Books:
2025
June 10/11: The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
July 8/9: The Women by Kristin Hannah
August 12/13: The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
September 9/10: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
October 14/October 8: March by Geraldine Brooks
November 11/12: Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
December 9/10: Table for Two by Amos Towles

2026
January 13/14: Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
February 10/11: Master Slave Husband Wife by Lyon Woo
March 10/11: Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad
April 14/April 8: James by Percival Everett
May 12/13: The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede
June 9/10: The Measure by Nikki Erlick