Church News

YouTube Salem Worship Services

During this time of social distancing and suspension of Sunday services at Salem due to the COVID-19 proliferation, Pastor Betty Lou will be providing services via YouTube videos. Click on the links below to view video worship services. Service programs are emailed prior to the video availability to those who provided their email address to the church or Pastor Betty Lou. You may also click the program link to the right of each worship service.

December 6, 2020 2nd Sunday of Advent Service ******December 6, 2020 Program

December 13, 2020 3rd Sunday of Advent Cantata ******December 13, 2020 Program

December 20, 2020 4th Sunday of Advent Service ******December 20, 2020 Program

December 24, 2020 Christmas Eve Online Service ******December 24, 2020 Program

December 25, 2020 Christmas Day Online Service *****December 25, 2020 Program

December 27, 2020 DE-MD Synod 1st Sunday of Christmas Service (Available 9:45am Sunday) ******December 27, 2020 Bulletin

January 3, 2021 2nd Sunday of Christmas Service ******January 3, 2021 Program

January 10, 2021 Baptism of Our Lord Service ******January 10, 2021 Program

January 17, 2021 2nd Sunday After Epiphany Service ******January 17, 2021 Program

YouTube Inspirational Music Videos

The following are inspirational YouTube music videos that were included in Pastor Betty Lou’s “Daily Devotion” emails sent to our Salem Lutheran congregation during this pandemic. Listen to them for comfort and hope during these trying times. There will be a day when we all will be able to return to our church building for services.

Amazing Grace

YOUR GRACE STILL AMAZES ME ** Wonderful, Merciful Savior

Dona Nobis Pacem ** Create in Me a Clean Heart

Wonderful Merciful Savior ** Make Me Holy

Open the Eyes of My Heart ** Trust In You

Listen To Our Hearts ** Thy Will

You’re Not Alone ** Keep Me In The Moment

I Wonder As I Wander ** Do You Hear What I Hear?

A Christmas Alleluia ** O Come All Ye Faithful

The First Noel ** Child Of Peace

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus ** On Jordan’s Bank

The Star Still Shines ** Oh What a Glorious Night

Messiah ** Somewhere In Your Silent Night

The Hope Of Christmas ** A Strange Way to Save the World

Love Comes Down ** Come Jesus Come

A Moving Story About Gratitude ** Behold The Lamb

Psalm 28 Song ** Soon and Very Soon

O, Come Let Us Sing For Joy ** When You Believe

Make Room ** Patiently Enduring

Jesus I Just Wanna Say I’m Sorry ** A Thousand Years

Keep Me In The Moment ** What Faith Can Do

The Lord Bless You and Keep You ** How Deep The Father’s Love For Us

Come Jesus Come ** Be Thou Near To Me

Annoint Me Lord ** Only Jesus

Light Of The World ** God’s Will

How Can I Keep from Singing ** God is So Good

Bread of Life ** I Will Run To You

Breath Of Heaven ** Psalm 23 – Surely Goodness, Surely Mercy

Shepherd ** You Are My All in All

Christ Our Hope in Life and Death ** How Beautiful

Yet Not I, But Through Christ In Me ** Fall Foliage

Not For A Moment (After All) ** Abide

He Will Not Let Go ** Come To Jesus

Remember Me ** Humble And Kind

I Just Want To Be Where You Are ** Will You Come and Follow Me

In His Presence ** Whom Shall I Fear

When Life Gets Broken ** One Family Under God

Pachelbel Most Beautiful Version Gospel ** You Say

Our God is Compassionate ** My Prayer For You

I Will Follow ** The Servant Song

How Can I Keep From Singing ** We Are the Body of Christ

Your Grace Still Amazes Me ** The Gospel

I Look to You ** What I Need Is You

You’ll Never Walk Alone ** I Will Call Upon the Lord

Create in Me a Clean Heart Oh God ** I Will Boast

We Are Unity ** He Touched Me

What Would Jesus Do? ** He Has Made Me Glad

Remember ** I Could Sing of Your Love Forever

Here I am Lord ** Dream Small

Patiently Enduring ** God Is Generous In Giving

Lord of the Dance ** My Defense

Wisdom Song ** In Christ Alone

A Soldier’s King ** Build My Life

Give Thanks ** If Not Now

He Will Hold Me Fast ** ABOVE ALL

Open My Eyes That I May See ** The Lord Bless You and Keep You

I Am Not Alone ** Beautiful Savior

The Nature of God ** Lord, Speak to Me

Live Like That ** The More I Seek You

Dear Younger Me ** Perfect Peace

In The Garden ** Every Promise of Your Word

Diamonds ** How Great Thou Art

Leaning On The Everlasting Arms ** 10 Men in Concert

All We Like Sheep ** Love In Any Language

Back to God ** Bridge Over Troubled Water

It’s Always Love ** Tell Your Heart To Beat Again

Greater ** The Potters Hand Worship Video

Bless The Broken Road ** On the Wings of a Dove

You Promised ** O Day Full of Grace

10,000 Reasons ** Make My Heart Your Dwelling Place

Still In Control ** Christ be Our Light

God Who Moves The Mountains ** Knowing You

I Will Cast All My Cares Upon You ** On Christ the Solid Rock

Smile ** Father, Son, Spirit

Wonderful, Merciful Savior ** Create in Me a Clean Heart Oh God

You Do Not Walk Alone ** On Eagle’s Wings

I Choose Christ ** What a Wonderful World

The Hawaii Blessing ** Virtual “America The Beautiful”

Days of Elijah ** Praise to the Lord Almighty

In His Time ** Will You Come and Follow Me

Sometimes It Takes A Storm ** Perfect Peace

O Wondrous Love ** Lord, Prepare Me to be a Sanctuary

It Is Well with My Soul ** I Know The Plans

Open the Eyes of My Heart ** Who Am I

Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God ** Shout To The Lord

When Life Gets Broken ** Create In Me A Clean Heart

Only Jesus ** You Raise Me Up

Savior Like A Shepherd Lead Us ** You Are My Hiding Place

Blessings ** Perfect Wisdom of Our God

God Will Make a Way ** Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)

Make Me a Servant ** Lead Me Lord

God Hears Our Prayers ** If God

The God Who Stays ** Let Go

Living Hope ** My Eyes are Fixed on You

The Change in Me ** When We Pray

Speak to Me ** Cornerstone – Hillsong Live 2012

Through My Father’s Eyes ** I Will Trust in You

Cry of the Broken ** Joy of the Lord

You Can Do This Hard Thing ** God of All My Days

Tears ** Power of Your Love

Turn! Turn! Turn! ** Thy Word

God Delights in You ** Waymaker

I Get on My Knees ** Grace

Word of God Speak ** Light Of The World

COVID-19 Coronavirus

Click on COVID-19 link to see Pastor Betty Lou’s message to Salem.

Click on the additional links below for more info from the government.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Maryland Department of Health

World Health Organization

Previous Online Worship Services

To view past YouTube worship services and service programs click the dropdown menu under “Church Events” near the top of the page.

Ash Wednesday Anthem

Members of Salem’s adult choir presented the anthem at the 2020 ecumenical Ash Wednesday service at the Norrisville United Methodist Church. Pastor Betty Lou also participated in the service along with other ecumenical church leaders.

Welcome Cathy Hoefler, Interim Organist/Choir Director!

Salem’s interim organist and choir director.

2019 Salem Craft Fair & Flea Market

On October 5th, Salem Lutheran Church sponsored their annual Craft Fair and Flea Market. There were flea items, crafts and baked goods to purchase along with children activities and food to enjoy. This is an annual event usually held the first Saturday in October. Come early next year to enjoy everything there is to offer.

Salem Church Feeds Homeless People from Harford County Shelter

On March 10th, members of our congregation provided a dinner for a group of homeless people from the Harford County Shelter.  We met at the Norrisville Methodist Church Social Hall and prepared the meal there.  The folks really seemed to enjoy the hot meal and the company.  These are  photos of the group saying cheese in the kitchen after preparing the dinner. 

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Meet Our New Synod Bishop Bill Gohl

Rev. Gohl was elected as our new Synod Bishop on June 4th of this year, and installed into Office at Evangelical Lutheran Church in Frederick, MD on October 9 by Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton.

Education:  He has a BA from Gettysburg College and a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg.  He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.

Congregations:       Peace Lutheran in Glen Burnie  2000-2007, Epiphany Lutheran in Baltimore 2007-2016

Family:    Married to Arwyn Gohl of Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Baltimore.  Children  Saliese age 16, David age 15, Andrew age 13 and Joyanne age 8.

Most Joyful Parts of Ministry:  Working with small groups of disciples in areas needing renewal and revival of ministries.   Celebrating the gift of baptism for children and young adults

Synod’s Greatest Strengths:   Strong Council Leadership, “Vision 2018”, Campus ministries, Lutheran Community Services, youth and family ministries,

Synod’s Challenges:    Congregational Health, fostering a sense of connection with our synod at large and ELCA.

Plans for First 100 Days in Office:    Shape 2017 agenda from planned visits with rostered leaders in the 11 conferences, October retreats with Synod Council, deans and rostered leaders, November calls for new staff leadership.

Bishop Gohl will be preaching at a workshop series on November 5th at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Aberdeen, MD.  The theme for this Saturday event is “Disciples Together”  Please come join with neighboring ELCA congregants to hear Bishop Gohl and participate in two of four offered workshops.

El Salvador Mission Trips

Lynn Larsen from our congregation has participated in two mission trips to El Salvador in 2014 and one each in 2015 and 2016.

In February 2014, 2015 and 2016, he served with others from around the USA as a volunteer for Eye Care International.  A Facebook link to that organization is https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eye-Care-International-El-Salvador/163391223765260.  The website is http://www.eyecarint.org.

Photos, left to right:  top row – Fitting prescription glasses, optician examination, Lynn with a near-vision screening patient; bottom row –  distance vision screening, registration line, cataract surgery.

In August 2014, he joined a delegation from the Metro-DC Synod on its “Accompaniment” journey to El Salvador to visit and worship with sister congregations in that country.  The Lutheran Church in El Salvador is a sister synod to the Metro-DC Synod.  The visit included participation with three other ELCA synods and congregations throughout El Salvador in an annual procession and ceremony to celebrate the anniversary (28th) of the Lutheran Church in El Salvador as a national church.  The delegation published a blog about their trip:  http://2014metrodcelsalvadormissiontrip.blogspot.com.

Photos:  top row left to right – chapel altar where Archbishop Oscar Romero was assassinated in 1980, chapel at the Univ. of Central Am. (UCA)  dedicated to Oscar Romero and near to the UCA residence where the 6 Jesuit priests were assassinated in 1989, youth group at one church we visited (Iglesia de Rios de Agua Viva); bottom – our delegation in the procession celebrating the 28th anniversary of the El Salvador Lutheran Church as a national body.

The featured image for this post is a worship service at Iglesia Nueva Esperanza.  Our delegation was seated on the porch of a congregation leader’s house, and the the local congregation was seated in the sunshine in the yard.