Our Values

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Mt. Olive is a CARING community

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We desire to share God’s love tangibly.

We walk alongside individuals and families here at Mt Olive and in the community providing support, resources and guidance for personal growth and spiritual development. We strive to follow Jesus’ example of love and compassion to meet the needs of others in all seasons of life.

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Mt. Olive is an EQUIPPING community

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We gather and learn together for the purpose of being sent out to live our faith daily.

Through fellowship and our unique gifts, we empower one another to reflect Jesus’ love and teachings. We strive to create a culture where every believer can be inspired to impact others with the transformational power of the Gospel.

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Mt. Olive is a SERVING community

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We use our gifts to be a blessing to others.

Driven by our faith, we model Jesus’ servant leadership. We encourage everyone to use their talents to serve and actively meet the needs of others here at Mt Olive and in the community while reflecting Christ’s love.

What We Believe

There is no escaping the reality that something is not quite right. We live in a broken world that is riddled with sin and each one of us has felt the effects first-hand in one way or another.

It’s a problem we can’t solve on our own and one that can easily leave us feeling helpless and hopeless and yet at the very same time, the rays of hope shine through God’s mysterious and extravagant love.

He provided the answer to our problem of sin by sending His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to become sin so that we might be made right with God through Christ’s victory over sin, death, and the power of the devil. This is the hope we cling to and share with everyone we meet.

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Our Faith

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Grace Alone

Forgiveness and eternal life are free gifts from God to undeserving sinners, which includes everyone. Ultimately, it’s not about what we can do; it’s about what God has done for us through the sinless life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Faith Alone

We believe that through faith—a relationship of dependence upon Jesus that God Himself gives us—forgiveness and new life become ours. We receive what God is already offering out of His great love.

Scripture Alone

God reveals Himself to us and gives us direction through His Word which is our only source for God’s plan of redemption. The truth contained in God’s Word shows Jesus Christ is the only Way for people to escape from the condition of being opposed to God and living outside His perfect plan, into being His friend and experiencing His blessing.

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Our Confession

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We confess there is only one true God

He has revealed Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe and respond to the love of the Triune God: the Father, who created all that exists; Jesus Christ, the Son, who became human to suffer and die for all of our sins, and rose to life again in the ultimate victory over death; and the Holy Spirit, who creates faith in us through God’s Word and His means of grace.

Together with the historic Christian Church throughout the ages, we share in confession with the faith set forth by the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds, which have served as a summary of Spirit-filled and scriptural belief since the earliest days of Christianity. They summarize what Christians have always confessed when gathered around God’s Word in the name of God’s Son–and they are the truths that we believe, teach, and confess at Mt. Olive.

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Baptism

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We believe that in Baptism, we receive the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37-39). This sacrament is for people of all ages, including infants and children (Acts 2:39). Baptism joins us to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-5). It is God’s work, not man’s doing. He brings us, through Baptism, into a covenant relationship with Him.
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Holy Communion

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We believe that Christ is truly present in the bread and the wine. We believe that we are eating bread and drinking from the cup, but that the elements do not change into His body and His blood. Still, we believe that Christ is present. He is in, with, and under this sacrament. He truly comes to us with His grace in this meal (1 Corinthians 11:23-30).

We believe Holy Communion is a meal given by Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, the strengthening of faith, and the building up of the family of Christ until the day of His return.

He gave this meal to His disciples on the night He was betrayed, saying, “This is my body” and “This is my blood.” Because of this, we believe Communion to be simultaneously both bread and wine and His body and blood. We do not fully comprehend this mystery, but we trust in His words (Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-26, Luke 22:14-20).

If you’d like to visit with Pastor Jason, schedule a meeting here.

For an overview of all our beliefs as well as our take on current cultural issues such as marriage, life, and more please see the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod website.

Our Team

Jason
Wallingsford

Pastor

Karen
Harris

Director of Music

Brandy
Sego

Preschool Director

Melissa
Robertson

Office Manager

Leigh Anne
Austin

Children’s Ministry Director

Molly
Gurasich

Finance / Accounting

Laura
Utley

Media Manager

Connor
Colangelo

Youth Intern

Governance Board

The Governance Board is charged with directing the ministries at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church and Preschool. Board members are elected by the voter’s assembly at the annual December meeting, serving a two-year term.

Laurie Mackey – *Interim Chair

Rebecca Albe

Rich Fritsche

Meredith Kapchinski

 

Andrew Parker

Walter Woicyk

Robin Wurzel

History of Mt. Olive

In 1977, a group of members at Bethany Lutheran began meeting in the Oak Hill area to establish an Oak Hill mission. The congregation was started under the auspices of the Texas District – Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and Bethany Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas.  

Expand the section below for a detailed timeline of our history!

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Timeline

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September 25, 1977

First Service

First service and congregational meeting of the Lutheran Church of Oak Hill.

October 30, 1977

Official Name

Mt. Olive selected as the official church name. Other names considered were Solid Rock, Conviction Hill, Mt. Calvary, Convert Hill, Church of the Hills, Hill Country, and St. Peter.
January 8, 1978

Charter Sunday

Mt. Olive was officially recognized and chartered by the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.
February 26, 1978

First Baptism

Our first Holy Baptism was conducted!
May 21, 1978

First Pastor

The Reverend D.R. Nelson was installed as Mt. Olive's first Pastor.
October 1979

First Worship

The first Mt. Olive worship service was held in the sanctuary on Hwy 71.
July 1980

New Pastor

The Reverend Everett Gerdes was installed and served through 1983.
October 23, 1983

New Pastor

The Reverend Paul Meyer was installed and served through 2021!
April 1995

Preschool

Mt. Olive Preschool was established as a full-time Lutheran preschool.
October 27, 2001

Dedication

Dedication of the new property on Hwy 290 and Circle Drive.
December 7, 2003

Ground breaking

Ground Breaking and the Dedication of the Cross of Christ.
January 30, 2005

Sanctuary

Dedication of the current Sanctuary.
January 17, 2021

New Pastor

Installation and Ordainment of Pastor Jason Wallingsford.
January 31, 2021

Retirement

The Rev. Dr. Paul E. Meyer retires after 37 years of ministry.
July 30, 2023

Re-affirmation

Pastor Jason Wallingsford re-affirmed as Sole Pastor.