Fax: 641-782-2920

website www.salemluth.net

"What we have here is failure to communicate."

So goes a famous line from a motion picture. The consequences of poor communications can range from the irritating to the disastrous. Which brings up the question, "How are we at Salem doing at keeping the lines of communication open to God?" Another way of putting that question is, "How is our prayer life?"

We’re going to spend some time in January focusing on prayer. Many of us are confused as to exactly what prayer is, what it is for, and how it is to be done, and whether or not it accomplishes anything.

Some people view prayers as a way to access miracles. We often hear this in everyday conversation. When a basketball player throws up an off-balance shot as the time clock expires, they are "sending up a prayer." When no medical procedure is available to remedy a particular situation, then "all we can do is pray."

Some people have even less expectation from prayers. There are those who are quite adamant that they do not want to be prayed for.

Some people have huge expectations from prayers; that prayers are sort of a mail-order requisition list of what we need or would like, and that God fills those orders as best as possible.

We have touched on the subject of prayers before, but it is such an important and complex and misunderstood issue that we need to keep working at it. During Adult Education in January, we will study in more depth what prayer is all about. We’ll spend at least one service focusing on prayer as well.

Prayer is the greatest link we have between ourselves and God. The last thing we want is failure to communicate.

Salem Church Council Minutes

December 14, 2006

The meeting was called to order by President Warren Woods with the following members present: Tim Kinkade, Helen Mosman, Raquel Linch, Warren Woods, Dennis Nardy, Dave Riley, John Schlaht, Chuck Taylor and Mike Linch (Treasurer). Also in attendance were Pastor Aaseng and Margaret Kneedler.

Pastor Aaseng led us in devotions.

M/S/C by Chuck Taylor, John Schlaht to approve the November council minutes.

M/S/C by Chuck Taylor, Helen Mosman to approve the November treasurer’s report.

Pastor’s Report

a. Pastor discussed the worship teams and felt they had worked well for the first year. He asked for suggestions on ways to improve them for next year.

b. The church is looking for a nativity scene.

New Business

a. M/S/C by John Schlaht, Helen Mosman to give the Thanksgiving offering to the Ministerial Alliance for Utility Assistance.

b. M/S/C by Raquel Linch, John Schlaht to give the Christmas offering to the Rural Iowa Crisis Center.

c. Mike Linch presented the proposed budget for 2007. It has a negative $26,293 net income. M/S/C by Chuck Taylor, Tim Kinkade to present the 2007 proposed budget to the congregation at the congregational meeting in January.

d. M/S/C by Raquel Linch, John Schlaht to set the Congregational meeting for January 28, 2007 after the 10:00am service. We will need new council members for Raquel Linch, Dave Riley, Warren Woods and Annette Boswell as they will be going off the council. A replacement will also be needed for Tim Kinkade.

e. The Capital Investment Fund wad discussed.

f. M/S/C by Helen Mosman, Chuck Taylor to allow Arlan and Carolyn Biere to use the fellowship hall on May 20^th for their 50^th wedding anniversary party.

g. There is $10,000 in the Endowment Fund. A gift was given to the church to start the Endowment Fund.

Committee Reports

Christian Ed; The Christmas program on the 10^th went very well. They youth are doing soup suppers in December before the Wednesday night services. Proceeds will go to an offering at Youth Quake.

Church property: Things have been fixed around the church. The new Projector has been delivered and set up at church. It is hooked up to a new DVD/VCR player and can also be hooked up to a laptop. The projector is on a rolling cart so it can be used in the fellowship hall, library or the Sanctuary. The church also received $1000 in donations for the purchase of a laptop, six MP3 players and other necessary connecting equipment. This equipment will be used to digitally record our services and download them to MP3 players so that homebound members can hear the full service. The laptop and projector can also be used to show a Power Point presentation. Warren has ordered the equipment and will get ready to use.

Social Ministry: The church served at the Open Table in December and served over 100.

Worship and Music: The blended services are going well. The organ is getting played more.

The next council meeting will be Thursday, January 11 at 6:30pm. John Schlaht will lead devotions.

Meeting adjourned. Closed with the Lord’s Prayer.

Respectfully submitted by Raquel Linch.

DECEMBER OFFERINGS (DECEMBER 1-31) FINANCIAL REPORT FOR DECEMBER

Current $ 9,548.75 Beginning Balance 12/1/06 $ 1,351.08

Christmas 395.00 Income

Replacement 170.00 (Current & Loose) 9,548.75

Sunday School 6.50 Expenses 9,547.85

Thanksgiving 155.00 Balance $ 1,351.98

World Hunger 227.00

Because God said, "Bring the whole tithe..Test me in this and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Malachi 3:10

Sunday…111

Advent Services…41

Pfc. Matthew Cruse, Major David Cruse, Pvt. Aaron Cunningham, Chief Msgt David Groff, Sgt. Luke Kinkade, Sgt. Mark Kinkade, Str. Airman Travis Mathis, Cpl. James Paup, Airman 1^st Class Zacary Sedlmayr, Sgt. Matt Tysdal, Col. Vic Wager III---We ask God to lead and protect our young men and women who are protecting our country and serving in the Middle East. Please keep our servicepersons and their families of our military in your prayers.

01/02 Alice Swanson 01/15 Nancy Groth 01/25 Jesse Rathe

01/04 Dick Bergstrom 01/18 Chuck Groff Debra Springer

01/05 Sue Bergstrom Hunter Sickels Warren Woods

Bernard Herzberg 01/20 Helen Mosman 01/26 Jeremie Peterson

01/06 Gene Smith 01/21 Damian Richardson 01/27 Dick Johnston

01/07 Ann Levine 01/22 Paul Grumley Adrian Richardson

01/08 Kyle Shaffer 01/23 Cory Rathe 01/29 Dorothy Henry

01/14 Lynne Schlaht 01/25 Aaron Paup 01/31 Brenda Slight

01/10 Ron & Bonnie Johnson

Salem now has a new projector to play DVD’s. video tapes and PowerPoint programs. This is a really nice piece of equipment for use at Salem. If anyone is interested in showing a DVD, video or PowerPoint presentation, please talk to Warren Woods to make sure that you know how to use it and that it is available when you need it.

Last January, the congregation set up a stewardship program known as the Salem Lutheran Endowment Fund, as a way to manage and channel monetary gifts in a way that will provide an ongoing ministry for years to come. For most of the year, discussions have centered on the hypothetical—what will happen when gifts come in.

Now, thanks to a generous gift from Don and Bev Butler, the discussion is no longer hypothetical. The Endowment Fund has been given a great start. We hope that, now that the ice has been broken, others will consider adding to the fund as a way to impact the future.

In last month’s newsletter Donna, Mary Jo and Emily Schroeder were omitted from the list of people who helped with the Haunted Barn. The Salem Youth Organization apologizes for the error.

Yearbook, it’s time to begin gathering material for the church yearbook. Please be thinking about your information to be submitted and turned in to the office as soon as possible. Committees, fellowship groups, etc. is your information ready and up to date. If your email as changed or if you now have email, let the office know and that can be also be included in the yearbook. Thank you to everybody who has given the church office their information.

Women of the ELCA:

Thank you for your donation to Home Care/Hospice. We appreciate your

and assure you that your donation will be used in a way that benefits all

Thank you so much for your recent donation to our Food pantry. It is greatly appreciated!!

Terri Bovee

Team #1 Helen Mosman & Don January

Dave & Barb Abildtrup

Paul & Pat Grumley

Lanny Herzberg & Donna Cunningham (Alex)

Linda Hulquist

Mike & Emily Miller

Judy Pringle

John & Lynn Schlaht

Troy & Donna Schroeder (Mary Jo, Emily)

Mike & Deb Springer

Team #2 Dave Riley & Barb (Jessica, Daniel) February

Linda Aaseng

Randy & Joni Cook (Ryan, Kaleb, Jacob)

Kenton & Nancy Groth

Linda Huffman

Gary & Jannene Jorgenson

Clinton & Dorothy McNaught

Marc & Deb Roberg

Darrel & Rosalie Wilson

Laverne & Joyce Anderson

Sara Bolinger

Dick & Marilyn Engleson

Barbara Jacobson

Mary Richards

Mike & Lacy Richardson (Damian, Donovan)

Brenda Sedlemeyer (Isaac)

Kris Sherrod (Khy)

Alan & Julie Shaffer (Kyle, Steven)

Team #4 Warren Woods & Judy April

Dick & Sue Bergstrom

David Ekblad

Ben & Helen Herzberg

Larry & Claudia Peppers

Michelle Folland (Zach, Keirstan, Travis)

Vi Johnson

Frances Roberg

Gene & Coral Smith

Zac & Carissa Stuklik (Eli)

Team #5 May

Arlan & Carolyn Biere

Mike Henry

Jodi & Andrew Hitz (Jake, Levi)

Ron & Bonnie Johnson

Cathy Lents

Floyd & Janet Nesbit

Flossie Roberts

Brenda Slight (Andrea, Jerica)

Todd & Suzie Stofferahn

Team # 6 Joan Liennemann June

Bill & Barb Bjorn

Carole Fox

Dick & Jane Johnston

Tim & Barb Kenyon (Liz)

Clifford & JoAnn Rathe (Cory, Jesse)

Duane Schmidt

Don & Alice Swanson

Brooke Tyler (Oliva, Rees)

Team #7 Bert Henry & Chuck (Josh, Nick) July

Dave & Gwen Buck

Jack Freese

Gary & Carolyn Kessler

Bill Kunert

Bill & Carol Ott

Lola Strausser

Vic & Betty Wager

Joe & Erin Walkup (Madison)

Team #8 Sherri Nissen & Jerry (Amanda) August

Don & Bev Butler

Sandra Gross

Chuck & Dawn Logston (Blaire, Jacob)

Jack & Phyllis Keuter

Donna Swanson

Terry & Sherry Taylor

Todd & Tammy Wolverton (Regan, Jace)