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​Salem – from Saturday evenings to Sunday mornings

Many of you know that I began at Salem as the Saturday evening worship pianist and song leader in 2004. My daughter Casey was only 9 months old, and had spent her first 4 months in the NICU after being born at 25 weeks, weighing less than 2 pounds. I was thrilled to join that intimate, tight-knit congregation, and found joy and friendship on Saturday evenings at Salem for 4 ½ years.

I was driving by around a year after the Saturday worship service ended, and was thrilled to see the construction on the building to add an elevator! Pastor Ron Olson, who had led the Saturday service, was a dedicated member of Salem. His wife Nancy was eventually wheelchair bound with MS, and was unable to enter the building to come to worship. She was such a support for us all – she was an organist, and although our service was casual, I would play the postlude on the organ for her. When she was no longer able to play she gave me her organ shoes, which I wear to this day. It was so frustrating for all of us that she couldn’t worship with us; hence my joy that the elevator was finally being added to our beautiful building!

Seeing the construction also gave me the clear message that Salem was supported and growing. It encouraged me to reconnect, and eventually brought me to be your full-time worship director.

Fast forward to the exciting time we are in now - I am thrilled about the possibilities that are just around the corner for Salem! I thought of our dreams to expand our worship space as 3 guitarists volunteered to play in our late worship Sunday – could you see Matthew way over in the corner? I dream of a choir room as I set up and take down 25 chairs in the back of Luther Hall for our special Sunday morning rehearsals. Our youth dream of expanding their Sunday school rooms as they are shoulder to shoulder and bean bag to bean bag, growing in their faith together. As we anticipate the outcome of our feasibility study, our dreams keep growing to allow our amazing ministries to have space to flourish. I cannot wait to see the plans to allow us to build our congregation’s ministries for Salem’s exciting present and bright future!

In Christ’s love,
Heather Lewis
Director of Music and Worship

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