The people of Mt. Olive Lutheran Church recently served local and international families through two church projects to feed the hungry and provide Christmas surprises for children around the world. Both projects were supported with funds from Thrivent Action Grants. The church’s Micah’s Cupboard ministry packs food boxes for families in need to use during extended school holidays. On Sunday, Nov. 22, 36 volunteers packed 101 food boxes to be distributed through six schools and three individual families for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Earlier in the month, 171 people gathered for a free meal and a giveaway of much needed school supplies, clothing, and various other household items. Mt. Olive partnered with Longview Baptist and 40 volunteers served a meal to people representing 23 schools from a multi-county area. The Thrivent Action Grant helped to fund the meal and to purchase school supplies.
On Sunday, Nov. 8, 76 Mt. Olive volunteers packed 124 Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes for needy children around the world. Operation Christmas Child has sent gift-filled shoeboxes to over 124 million children affected by war, poverty, natural disasters, and other crises in more than 150 countries and territories. The children of Mt. Olive were assisted by adult volunteers to fill the boxes with small gifts, school supplies, toys and toiletry items as they learned about how they serve as “God’s Hands” in our world. The Thrivent Action Grant helped to fund items that were packed in the boxes.
The mission statement of the church is “Believe. Belong. Serve. God’s Work. Our Hands.” Projects to support this mission are ongoing throughout the church year. The community is invited to worship with Mt. Olive and/or to join us in serving the community through our many servant projects.
Mt. Olive Lutheran is located at 2780 North Center Street in the Viewmont section of Hickory, next to the Rite Aid pharmacy. The church is a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and worship is held at 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Sunday School for all ages is held from 9:45 – 10:30 a.m. For more information, please call Mt. Olive Lutheran at 828-324-6198.