John Louk

It has been about six months since the flood and my arrival to pastor Salem Church. As we begin a new year, it is good to examine the state of the church. The flood is the worst disaster in Iowa’s history. It is one of the ten worst in our nation’s history. Along with the terrible destruction throughout the city, many of our own members lost homes and business. Likewise, it devastated the Salem church building. We received gracious hospitality from Lovely Lane UMC and from Echo Hill Presbyterian Church in providing us space to gather. Still, Salem has experienced loss, chaos, and instability from the disaster. As if that wasn’t enough upheaval, two-and-a-half weeks after the flood, Salem received a new pastor. Even in the midst of disaster, however, Salem has continued to gather as a worshiping community. Each week we gather together to worship the Lord God and support one another in community. Though it would be easy to simply look inward, we have continued paying our apportionments i...

I am proposing a new, transitional organization for Salem for 2009. This information has been shared with the Executive Leadership team as well as the congregational Q&A session on December 17. The decision will be made by the Ad Council at the January 20 meeting (our Charge Conference in November gave the Ad Council authority to make this decision). The Book of Discipline 2004. The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world (¶ 120). The Book of Discipline requires that a local congregation be organized so that it can pursue its primary task and mission in the context of its own community…In doing so it shall be organized so that adequate provision is made for these basic responsibilities: 1. planning and implementing a program of nurture, outreach, and witness for persons and families within and without the congregation; 2. providing for effective pastoral and lay leadership; 3. providing for financial support, physica...