Message from the Pastor

Dear Members and Friends of Salem

As 2008 comes to an end, and as we anticipate the beginning of a new year, 2009, I would direct your attention to the Leadership Team report in the Kingdombuilder newsletter. (link to the left) Contributions for this were made by all of us on the leadership team and then put together and presented by our 2008 outgoing Lay Leader, Pam Heller.

This report on the “State of Salem Church” was presented at our yearly Church Conference on Monday Dec 1st. As you read this, it becomes clear that Salem is fulfilling our mission statement Serving Through Christ. This does not make us better than any other church. We want all churches to succeed and be faithful at winning persons to Jesus Christ. Simply, Serving Through Christ is what God calls us to do and what God calls Salem Church to be. Thank you for those on the leadership team and many who are members and friends who are so faithful.

Two surprises this year: The first is our website www.salemumch.org. In May we began to put audio of Sunday morning messages on the website. These small user-friendly files make it possible for someone who misses church to listen to the Sunday morning message. Recently an older woman, recuperating from surgery at home, shared her appreciation that although she cannot attend, she does listen to the sermon each Sunday. But beyond just our members, when we began putting these messages on the website, our weekly visitors to the website increased from approximately 200 a week to 1500-1700 a week, with 500-700 each week listening to the Sunday morning messages. As we come to the end of this year, we celebrate and thank God that our website is a ministry reaching out, literally, throughout the world.

The second is, reality, which is not a surprise. In today’s post-Christian culture, new people are not going to come to church without being invited or personally brought by someone who is already a Christian. As we come to the end of this year, I thank God that we are being blessed each week by someone new coming to church for the first time because they have been invited. The message is getting through. We are to win new people to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As Mrs. Heller says in the “State of the Church” report, there will be people in heaven because of your invitation. This is wonderful.

Thank you Salem Church for the ministries of 2008. I can hardly wait to see what God will do in the new year to come.

Blessings and love,
Pastor Richard