Mount Olivet News

Dear Mount Olivet Members and Friends,

The Congregation Council of the Edina Community Lutheran Church (ECLC) has recently voted to recommend Pastor Anna Helgen as their new Co-Pastor. Pending a successful congregational vote on October 6, Pastor Helgen will conclude her service at Mount Olivet on Reformation Sunday, October 27, and transition to her new role at ECLC soon after. While we will miss Pastor Helgen’s creative and joyful presence among us, we are excited both for her with this opportunity and for Edina Community Lutheran Church as they will be blessed by her leadership.

Pastor Helgen came to Mount Olivet in 2017 and has played an important part in our ministry as the pastoral advisor to our Children and Family Ministry team. She has also overseen our Young Adult outreach, including coordinating events for Young Marrieds.

On October 13, Pastor Helgen will be at the West Campus to say farewell in-between services and will do the same at the Minneapolis Campus on October 27. In the meantime, we offer our prayers for Pastor Helgen and her family as they look forward to this exciting new chapter at Edina Community Lutheran Church.

Thank you,

Pastor David J. Lose
Senior Pastor

Pastor Rebecca Wold Freeman

August 6, 2019

Dear Mount Olivet Members and Friends,

At a special meeting this evening, the Congregation Council received the Call Committee’s unanimous recommendation to call the Reverend Rebecca Wold Freeman to serve as an Associate Pastor at Mount Olivet. The Council also set the date for a special congregational meeting to vote on this recommendation: Sunday, August 25, 2019, at the Minneapolis Campus at 12noon.

Pastor Freeman brings 12 years of pastoral experience to Mount Olivet, having served at St. John American Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD (2007-2010), Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD (2011-2014), and Bethel Lutheran Church in Northfield, MN, since 2014. She is a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College and Luther Seminary. Pending a successful congregational vote, Pastor Freeman will serve as Pastoral Advisor to the West Campus with Pastor Dixon, and she will share responsibilities for our disability ministries programs with Pastor Hammersten. She will start her role at Mount Olivet on or about September 8.

Pastor Freeman eagerly shares that she loves God and loves people. As a Pastor, she enjoys connecting with people of all generations, walking with people on their journey of life, and helping them understand how deeply they are loved. She is married to Sedge and is a mother to two beloved children: a son, Stellan (age 10), and a daughter, Liv (age 7). Pastor Freeman was a three-sport college athlete at Gustavus and continues to love sports. She reports that her favorite things to do include spending time with family and enjoying a good cup of coffee.

Sunday, August 25, 2019 will be an important day for Mount Olivet, and so I encourage you and all members to come to our special congregational meeting at the Minneapolis Campus at 12noon on that day to vote on the Call Committee’s recommendation.

With joy and thanksgiving,
David J. Lose
Senior Pastor