5th Annual BLUES BREWS N BBQs music line up announced. Plymouth, Minn. (May 17, 2016) – Mount Olivet’s BLUES BREWS N BBQs (BBNBBQs) music fest returns for a fifth year on August 6, once again benefiting PRISM and Twin Cities Habitat. To celebrate the fifth year, event organizers are going all-out and bringing some of Wisconsin’s best blues performers to Plymouth, Minnesota.
The Jimmys are a seven man blues and soul powerhouse out of Madison, boasting a three piece horn section and named one of the top ten blues fest acts by Elmore magazine. They bring tight harmonies, powerful horn lines, and award-winning keys from band leader, Jimmy Voegeli.
Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys are a raw, unadulterated, Chicago-style blues ensemble from Milwaukee. The “Reverend”, a south-side Chicago native, lends his charisma and vocals, keeping the band true to Chicago blues the way it’s meant to be.
Staying with the tradition of showcasing local music, Twin Cities staple, Lisa Wenger will kick the day off with a mix of rockin’ blues classics and contemporary soul. Cole Allen, lead guitarist for Sena Ehrhardt, is bringing his blues-rock band to play the tent stage between the main sets.
BBNBBQs started in 2012 as a fun idea where music, beer, and barbeque could benefit local nonprofits. Four years later, BBNBBQs has distributed $56,000, entertained over 4,000 music lovers, and become the summer showcase in Mount Olivet’s Higher Grounds music series.
BLUES BREWS N BBQs is set for Saturday, August 6. Gates open at 3:30 p.m. and close at 10:00 p.m. Profits will benefit PRISM and Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity for the fifth year in a row.
$12 early bird tickets available through Eventbrite at http://highergrounds.moply.org
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About Mount Olivet Lutheran Church of Plymouth
Mount Olivet is a missional congregation in the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) that seeks to be a community partnering with God in the world. As a church that recognizes faith as a journey, the ongoing mission, “Finding our place in God’s unfolding story,” is central to congregational life through dwelling in God, connecting in community, and engaging in callings. www.moply.org
Higher Grounds is a yearlong music series at Mount Olivet, started in 2001 with a vision of supporting nonprofits through music. In 14 years, Higher Grounds has distributed $72,000 to organizations making a difference in the world. http://highergrounds.moply.org
Karen Anderson helped found Plymouth-based nonprofit, Helping Haiti Work, to provide small business loans to women in northern Haiti. Every year, Karen, who is a graphic designer, has created greeting cards that help support the organization and directly fund these micro-loans. This organization is working to end the cycle of poverty in Haiti, and equip women to run their own business.
Helping Haiti Work has also equipped two sewing centers, employing Haitian women to construct reusable menstrual pads and diapers, which are then marketed to the Haitian public. And by making sanitary, reusable pads available, girls are encouraged to attend school regularly, even when reaching puberty.
"God has given me a real joy in Helping Haiti Work! I pitched in several years ago to help my friend and doctor, Leslee Jaeger, with an idea after her annual medical mission in northern Haiti. Reading how microfinancing women’s businesses can help break a cycle of poverty, we started Helping Haiti Work. It is exciting to be part of this nonprofit from the ground up and to use my graphic art skills for its marketing and fundraising, providing almost 250 small business loans for women in Haiti and equipping two sewing centers. Though I am not one to go into the field, I am able to use the talents I have to make a difference in the lives of some underprivileged families. It is humbling to know how hard our loan recipients work with their $200, and how determined they are to pay back their loans in order to provide for those still on the waiting list.
Camp Noah is an organization started in 1997 by Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, and grew dramatically as a national program in response to Hurricane Katrina. The camps are locally hosted events for elementary-age children whose communities have been impacted by disaster. With the help and leadership of volunteers, Camp Noah has served over 13,000 elementary school children!
"As someone who’s always enjoyed engaging with kids through day camps and VBS, I found the idea of using this kind of setting to respond to community disasters intriguing. Because of other commitments, I hadn’t been able to serve on either the Mount Olivet team that responded to Hurricane Katrina in 2006 or the 2009 team that served children affected by
After losing our son, Alex, to suicide in 2012, I personally experienced the echoing trauma of tragedy—as well as the power of the healing compassion that was directed our way. Camp Noah became a way of somehow bringing meaning to my loss and making my pain purposeful. On the three-month anniversary of Alex’s death, I found myself in Moose Lake, MN, serving a small community of children that had experienced a series of big losses, including a flood that had overwhelmed their homes and stolen away their playground. As my small group of children and I worked through our experiences, we healed together. A recommissioning prayer for the new playground demonstrated for all of us the power of resurrection and second chances.
On Friday April 22nd, the 1st annual “Helping Heroes” Babysitting event was held in the Jungle Room. Approximately 20 kids got 2 hours of dancing, musical chairs, crafts, story reading, and games. Parents got a night out or some time to take care of things.
Camp Noah is a week long summer camp supported by Lutheran Social Services for kids in communities that have experienced a crisis or natural disaster. In the past couple years Mount Olivet has visited families struck by horrible flooding in Colorado, as well as up north in Cloquet, MN. Organized by MO member Lisa Hansen, these experiences are transformative for both the children who attend, and the volunteers who are impacted by the pain and resilience exhibited by these young survivors of natural disasters.
"I am called to serve these camps because I am passionate about helping kids build resiliency and see hope after a traumatic event in life. This is the 3rd blanket drive I have hosted at Mount Olivet. Every year we have met our goal of making 50 fleece blankets. These blankets are used in activities throughout the week and at the end of the week this is gift to for the kids to keep forever. I am excited to further my call this summer when I join the Mount Olivet Camp Noah team for a week in June!"
Our first mission for Moms on a Mission was a success! We celebrated an early Valentine's Day with the women and children currently at Home Free. We offered Healing Touch sessions (Healing Touch Spiritual Ministry) and spa treatments for the women, while we entertained the children with crafts, games, Valentine making and treats!