John Louk

Our Leadership Board has been intentional the last several years about Salem’s direction. Our goals this past year have been to engage everyone in the life of the church; to develop a system of congregation care; to continue holding “bridge events” outside the building to reach out to our community; and to increase the payment of our apportionments from 40% to 50% (our giving beyond the local congregation to support the general church as well as our denomination’s mission locally and throughout the world). We learned much as we worked on these goals. We learned that while God is in control, everything takes longer than we think it will. We have to have patience and trust in how God is working. We discovered that it’s hard to get people to commit, especially to long-term things, but it’s more fruitful with a personal invitation from someone already participating. We also wondered if perhaps we’re attempting to do too much, if the congregation is sometimes spread too thin. Still...

Who passed the faith on to you? You’re here because of somebody. It could be your mom, dad, grandparent, spouse, friend, neighbor, co-worker. It could be an entire congregation. The thing about Christianity is, it’s all about relationship. Someone with whom you’re in relationship passed the faith along to you.  In 2 Timothy 1:5 the Apostle Paul says to Timothy, “I am reminded of your sincere faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now…lives in you.” Timothy’s faith is indebted to those who preceded him, his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. Faith is handed down, in this case, from mother to daughter to son. For many of us, faith is passed from generation to generation. In November we observed All Saints, a celebration of the Communion of Saints. So first, we give thanks for the people who have gone before us, the people who passed the faith along to us. We’re standing on their shoulders. We are who we are because of them. Furthermor...