Our monthly newsletter gives you a glimpse of all the things happening at Mount Olive Lutheran Church. You can click on any of the links to the left, read online or download it and print it off if that is easier for you.

October 2025

October Birthdays!!

Shannon McDonald

Amy Romm

Larry Mitchell

Carol Nelson

Josh Sondrol

Barbara Green

Cashton Falldorf

Weston Falldorf

Susan Thomas

Larry Schneider

Liz Godsell

Leighton Kidder

Hailey Ramsey

Roberta Heldt

Betty Christenberry

Ethan Trejo

Alexis Clark

Jean Davis

Jack Cobb

Jo DeRousse

Janice Dewey

Shell Beck

Gail Bemis

Glen Mitchell

Joyce Ruscitti

Debra Soden

Jeff Bodnar Jr.

John Connolly

Johnita Tyson

Delores Rucks
Craig Corbin

Prayer Shawl

A Message from Our Prayer Shawl

A huge thank you for the yarn donation to our ministry! We had so much fun choosing the colors we wanted! Each skein will be used to bring a blessing to someone.

We have lots of prayer shawls to gift to someone. Do you know of a person who is grieving, has health issues, lonely, or another issue? We send shawls out of state and there’s no cost to the recipient. Our entire ministry is funded by donations, and we have been extremely blessed! By the way, the men appreciate them too! Please contact one of these persons if you would like to give a prayer shawl:

Dorothy Schneider 928-453-8560

Jerry Bodnar 928-680-1847

Kathy Sporre 928-706-4626

Our next meeting will be October 14th at 10:00 in the Fireside Room. Please consider joining us!! Happy Fall!!🍁

Mark your calendar for Halloween Fun!

This year’s event will feature fun prizes, hot dogs, Mac n Cheese, chips, chili from Deweys (plus a homemade batch by Alice), and the joyful glow of fellowship as Pastor has arranged for parking lot lights to make the evening welcoming for all ages.

How you can help:

Donate bags of candy to help us stock the trunks, we will need plenty!
Volunteer to decorate a trunk and hand out treats.
Join us for the fun and invite your neighbors, friends, and family.

This Month in Mount Olive’s History July Edition

Did you know...?

October Edition

October has always been a month of celebration, dedication, and transformation at Mount Olive.

On October 28, 1990, the current Worship Center was officially dedicated, with a joyful service featuring former pastors and a message from Bishop Howard Wennes. Earlier that month, on October 8, a Service of Disposition moved sacred items from the old sanctuary, a sacred passing of the torch.

Back in October 1975, we broke ground for the multi-purpose building that would expand Mount Olive’s ministry footprint. And in 2006, we honored our 40th Anniversary, celebrating decades of faithfulness, growth, and Gospel impact.

Fast forward to October 2016, we celebrated our 50th Anniversary with events, worship, and crosses made from the original church roof—crafted lovingly by the Woodshop Ministry.

Clearly, October is not just about pumpkin spice.

It is about God’s faithfulness through every generation.

Welcome Spring Rydel!

We are excited to welcome Spring Rydel as Mount Olive’s new Administrative Assistant. Spring and her family made Lake Havasu their home nine years ago, moving here to be closer to her husband’s family. Now, she feels God has drawn her to Mount Olive, where she hopes to reconnect with her faith and grow in her walk with Christ.

Faith has always been an anchor in Spring’s life, carrying her through both joys and challenges. She shared that faith sustained her through the heartbreaking loss of her first child in 2003 and again this year when her mother and brother-in-law passed away within months of one another. Even in grief, she has experienced God’s presence and grace, and she looks forward to deepening her faith here at Mount Olive.

Outside of the office, Spring enjoys an active and creative life.

She spends much of her free time hiking, reading, and traveling

with her family. A licensed cosmetologist for more than 22 years, she brings both skill and creativity into her work. Spring is also a lover of music of all kinds, and her favorite movies include The Vow and My Girl. While she admits dark chocolate is her weakness, she’s been following a carnivore lifestyle for almost two years and rarely strays from it.

When asked about her favorite time of year, Spring’s heart turns to Christmas. She loves celebrating the birth of our Savior and finds joy in spreading love during the holiday season. If given the chance to travel anywhere, Spring would love to visit Italy, Greece, and Israel, each rich with beauty, history, and spiritual significance.

Most of all, Spring is looking forward to meeting new people, serving alongside the congregation, and building meaningful relationships here at Mount Olive. Please join us in warmly welcoming her into our church family!

Welcome Brandon Powell

Mount Olive is blessed to welcome Brandon Powell as our new Custodian. Brandon is a husband, Navy veteran, and, most recently, a proud new father. Originally from Southern California, he ventured to Northern Minnesota for a few years before settling in Lake Havasu in 2020 to be close to family. As Brandon shares, “Being close to them, I’ve learned, is the most important thing in my life besides my faith.”

When praying for a new opportunity, Brandon sought a job with purpose, work that would bring real reward and allow him to make a positive impact. He feels God has answered those prayers in bringing him to Mount Olive. He is excited to be part of something bigger than himself and to join such an inviting congregation.

Faith has long been Brandon’s foundation. It has carried him through struggles by offering peace and direction, and in joyful times it has reminded him to give thanks and see God’s hand at work. A verse especially dear to his heart is Psalm 127:3: “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” This verse holds special meaning as Brandon and his wife recently welcomed their daughter this September, a true blessing for their family.

Outside of work, Brandon is passionate about genealogy. Known in his family as the “Family Historian,” he enjoys researching ancestry and uncovering historical records. His deep dives into family history have uncovered ties to remarkable figures such as Charlemagne the Great, Captain Thomas Trowbridge, President Rutherford Hayes, and even Cindy Crawford! His favorite book, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, is one he treasures because his mother read it to him when he was a child.

When it comes to favorites, Brandon enjoys Italian food and ice cream, and like many of us, he loves Christmas. The holiday holds a special place in his heart, not only for the celebration of Christ’s birth but also for the way it draws his entire family together to share memories. If he could travel anywhere, Brandon would visit Groningen, Netherlands, where his great-grandfather’s family lived for centuries before immigrating to the United States in 1907.

Brandon is eager to meet more of the Mount Olive family, share his story, and serve faithfully as part of our ministry team. Please join us warmly welcoming him to Mount Olive!