July 29, 2026
We had a really great turnout this past Sunday at our Connect Lunch after service – what a fun time! We enjoyed a really nice lunch – burgers, dogs, chicken and sides – even a birthday cake (happy birthday, Joyce)! Each table had several sheets of paper with most of Salem’s ministries/committees/teams listed by name, as well as a stack of Connect cards from the sanctuary. I saw many, many new faces, and entire families that I had not seen before, and everyone was laughing and talking together and looking over the opportunities to serve here (and subsequently get more connected). I do not know yet the number of cards turned in, but I was encouraged at the number of people who were interested enough to stay after Sunday school and Worship to find out how they can get more involved here at Salem.
Pastor Doug has spent a couple weeks now teaching us what a church should look like, sound like, give like, spend time doing, etc., and I am praying this teaching will take hold. We have so many needs in our community and our state – opportunities to serve our Lord and our neighbors and to make a difference. But serving the Lord here and abroad takes time and money and people to accomplish, and sometimes that’s where the disconnect happens. Recent studies have shown that a most churchgoers in the U.S. think they are active and involved in their church while only attending once or twice a month. Only 5-10% of American churchgoers tithe (give the full 10%) or even give regularly. And an abysmal 18-30% of American church people serve regularly in their own church’s ministries. Those numbers are embarrassing, people!
The Church of Jesus Christ is the hope of the world! How can we bring the gospel to a lost world when we’re not even carving out the time to hear it preached ourselves?! If we want to get serious about growing in our relationship with Jesus, we need to be faithful in our church involvement every week. Meeting, greeting, fellowshipping, discipling, ministering, giving, singing, working, loving, hugging, praying, learning, studying, and honing our skills so that what we bring to the Lord in worship – a tithe of our time, our talent and our treasure – is a worthy offering to our Sovereign God. After all, He gave His very best – His only Son – for us, right?
See you on Sunday for worship!
Careen
Worship Songs for August 2:
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee – Go Fish Guys – https://youtu.be/A8udnFjf958?si=jKmjbq3hWMwND5co
To God Be the Glory – Chet Valley Church – https://youtu.be/3vbGFupxwu0?si=XpHMN_MgZ7w1s3QP
Trust in God – Elevation Worship – https://youtu.be/iJE4yahElBQ?si=B6CDx-5aPXBRWdKM
Yes, I Will – Vertical Worship – https://youtu.be/NrTv39-lG4M?si=31YgVgLKcUK8SDWo