The Salem Connection
OCTOBER 2013
Salem Lutheran Church 21276 Archibald Road PO Box 100 Deerwood MN 56444
Phone: 218-534-3309 Email: Website: www.salemdwd.org
SUNDAY MORNING
WORSHIP
Schedule
Begins OCTOBER 6
Worship – 8:15 a.m.
Sunday School – 9:30 a.m.
Worship – 10:45 a.m.
Coffee/Fellowship time will be held each Sunday morning between Worship services in the Fellowship Hall
Sunday School Begins Sunday, September 29, 2013 10:15 a.m.
For ALL Children,
age 3-Grade 6
Beginning Sunday October 6, Salem will have two worship services each Sunday
Traditional Worship Service 8:15 AM
At this worship service, we follow the basic order of “Gather-Word-Meal- Send”, with the various spoken parts either being written specifically for the day, or taken from our primary worship resource: Evangelical Lutheran Worship(ELW) hymnal. Congregational singing will come primarily from hymns and songs in the ELW, which includes a wide range, from the “golden oldies” to “global” music and will be accompanied by organ and/or piano, with other instruments, such as guitar, drums, flute and oboe, joining in from time to time. The choir will sing at this worship celebration twice each month, and the Hand Bell Choir will ring once each month. The sacrament of communion will be shared each week.
Contemporary Worship Service 10:45 AM
During this time of worship, we do not follow the traditional liturgy, although we do follow the basic order of “Gather – Word – Meal – Send”. Music is provided by a “Praise Team” consisting of singers, guitar, piano, and drums leading the congregation in singing what may be described as “contemporary praise and worship” music. The music is repetitive in nature, so that even if people do not already know the music, they will be able to pick it up. Skits and video clips are frequently part of this worship experience. Though there is no printed worship folder, the entire worship experience is projected on a screen. The leaders do not wear robe. , the message is usually delivered from the aisle, nearer to the people. The sacrament of communion will be shared each week.
FROM PASTOR DAVE
Some movies start at warp speed. Case in point: Star Trek. I rented the latest release in this seemingly never-ending series from the Red Box last week. From the opening scene of “Star Trek: Into Darkness” to the end it barely lets you breathe. God’s Story – the Bible – starts out that way too. That’s one of the reasons I talked about last Sunday being “pre-launch”. Right away God’s story opens with launch force and quickly goes into warp speed. The first line reads, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”(Genesis 1:1).
Right off the bat we find the main character in the story is not you or me. It’s God. And the rest of
The Story will unfold out of the nature and person of this character. Just ten words in and there is enough
action to leave you breathless.
It doesn’t take long to find out what God’s great passion is. In Genesis 3:8 we find that God is walking in the Garden with Adam and Eve in the “cool of the day.” As we are now officially in Autumn we are beginning to experience “the cool of the day” - or perhaps more accurately the cool of the night. And yet the “cool of the day” is not the focus. God is, and he is near. He is right with Adam and Eve. And he is right here with us. His simple vision for his creation was to spend time with them every day, to take a walk with them; to do life with them. God’s goal, desire and passion is to be with us. He wants to be with you. He has not forgotten you, even though from our Lower Story perspective it sometimes may feel that way. In fact, maybe as we begin working our way through The Story we might imagine it being like a walk – with one another, but also with God.
This journey has three components:
1. READ. Every week there is a chapter of The Story to read. Copies of the book are available in the church lobby. I like reading. I usually enjoy a face-paced covert action, political suspense thriller. My current favorite author is the late Vince Flynn and his series featuring Mitch Rapp, counter-terrorism operative. I love the read, but when I’m done, I’m done. It doesn’t really have a long-term impact on my life. In contrast, when we read God’s Story – the Bible – and really dwell in it, it has the power to change us. It has the power to reveal to us the Living Word Jesus Christ. It has the power to mold us into living more Christ-like lives. It has the power to give us a vision for living out and expanding the Kingdom of God right here “on earth as it is in heaven.” That’s what we are hoping happens.
2. STUDY – It is not too late to join a small study group! After you’ve read the chapter, these groups help you process together what we’ve learned. One of the things we learn in scripture is that life is meant to be lived and experienced together; together as the Body of Christ; together as the Family of God; together as brothers and sisters in the faith. These study groups are one way of doing this. There are sign-ups for small groups in the lobby of the church.
3. WORSHIP – after you’ve read and studied a chapter of The Story during the week, our worship time together will be focused on the same material. The songs, bible reading and sermon will all be lifting up the same topics we’ve been reading and studying.
I really encourage you to commit to all three of these components of The Story every week for this 31 week series. It will also be the focus of Sunday School for the children, and a youth study every Sunday noon.
* * *
As I am writing this I’ve only been back from a time of sabbatical for about 3 weeks. I’m still catching up and finding out how God has been moving and the people of Salem responding. So many of you – staff and members alike – stepped up to the plate and energetically embraced the ministry that we are so privileged to do together. I was so impressed and blessed as I watched the YouTube clips of the messages given by members of Salem. How wonderful to know that members led worship, provided special music and offered their gifts and passion by leading children’s messages and became active in the visitation ministry of the congregation. I want all of that to continue! That’s how the Body is to function – each of us serving and being involved.
The time of sabbatical was a blessing for me as well. As I have shared elsewhere I was able to dwell in the Word of God like I have not done for the 21 years I’ve served as a pastor. And what I found is that the Word of God is a life-giving Word! That’s not to say I hadn’t spent time in scripture, but normally it has been because I had a sermon or some kind of class to get ready for. It was more “utilitarian” rather than life-giving. This past summer I spent 32 days reading and studying and watching and meditating on the Word using The Story as my focus. And now I get to do that again with you!
I was blessed to be able to worship. It’s simply an “occupational hazard” that pastors rarely worship as we are usually involved in leading worship. I worshipped at least once each week – sometimes multiple times a week – in a variety of settings, including congregations and camps, indoors and out, experiencing different denominations and worship styles. I was blessed.
I was blessed by classes I took through the Kairos program at Luther Seminary, and was blessed in my physical being as I experienced “re-creation” through the training that led up to and then my actual participation in the Habitat 500 bicycle ride. Just this past week I received a card from our local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity thanking me – which really means you! – for the financial support. (I had not told them that I was directing the funds I received in donations to them. They were surprised when the opened the mail that day. Fun!)
As you will see in the minutes from the September meeting of the Congregation Council, I have recommended that Salem’s sabbatical policy be expanded to include not only pastors, but also those who are rostered in the ELCA as an Associate in Ministry. In our setting that would give Greg Meyer, our Director of Care and Outreach the ability to design and request a sabbatical. I feel strongly that this is only right and fair and equitable. But what I am recommending is bigger than Greg. Just as I did not want the Council to grant Pastor Dave a sabbatical, but rather adopt a sabbatical policy that would cover all pastors that serve Salem, I am not saying “let’s grant Greg a sabbatical”. I am asking for the council to expand the policy to include Associates in Ministry under call to Salem. (Greg, of course, would be the first AiM to have the opportunity to request a sabbatical) As I have been blessed by a sabbatical, so I believe, Greg – and/or others would be as well.
* * *
Please read elsewhere in this edition of The Connection about the ministry goals the congregation as adopted through the long and multifaceted process of discerning ministry goals. The three goals are 1. Increased involvement from and ministries for children, youth and families 2. Increased volunteerism for current and future ministries of Salem 3. More venues through which we can experience deepening relationships here at Salem. Rather than being my goals for Salem, they are Salem’s goals for the next three years. They were discerned through a process I had little to do with: a survey and responses to “the wall” this summer, and then finally table conversations and voting by members of the congregation. My role, rather participation in the discernment process, will be to keep on publically lifting up these congregational goals, and together with the council to offer encouragement and resources to the groups working on these goals.
It is good to be part of this family of faith!
Pastor Dave
FALL STEWARDSHIP EMPHASIS
Each year at this time we are asked to prayerfully consider what we believe God is calling us to give to support the ministry done in and through Salem Lutheran Church for the following year. As members and partners of the congregation we are typically asked to return an Estimate of Giving card so that the leadership of the congregation can put together as realistic a budget as possible.
This year is no different, but what is different is that the Congregation Council has chosen not to purchase a program or resource to educate us and to encourage us in giving. Because most members of Salem know the routine and the importance of sacrificial giving to further God’s work, we are putting together and sending out our own letters to members of Salem, making an appeal and asking them (you!) to partner with their congregation. The first letter looked at the spiritual/faith aspects of generous and sacrificial giving. The second letter will look at more of the practical/worldly aspects of our giving. An Estimate of Giving card will be included with the second letter. Members of Salem are asked that those cards be returned to Salem by Sunday, October 13. Thank you!
PRAISE TEAM DIRECTOR
After deciding to return to two worship services the Congregation Council began work on creating and filling the position of Praise Team Director. The person filing this part-time position would work with the Pastor to oversee the selection, presentation and direction of the music incorporated in the contemporary worship experiences at Salem. This person would be responsible for recruiting, rehearsing and scheduling vocalists and instrumentalists to lead worship as part of a Praise Team. Positions Descriptions and applications are available in the church office and are also available on the congregation’s website (www.salemdwd.org). Applications will be accepted through October 9th. If you know someone you think may be interested in learning more about this opportunity, tell them about it!
SALEM 101 OCTOBER 13 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
This is a four hour Sunday afternoon class for all people interested in joining Salem It’s a time to learn about the history, present and future of the church. Ministries and programs of the church are introduced and explained. We cover the basics of Christianity from a distinctly Lutheran perspective and how that is lived out in and through Salem. We share some of the foundational pieces of this congregation including the Mission Statement and the six Marks of Discipleship. It’s a time to ask questions, hear preliminary answers ,and meet other people. Please call the church office to indicate your interest no later than October 9th. A minimum of 6 participants needed for the class to proceed.