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VBS July 30 - August 3

Don't let this summer's biggest blast pass you by.  The "Sonsurf Beach Bash" is this year's exciting Vacation Bible School!

July 30 - August 3, 2012
9am - noon

Free to all
For ages entering kindergarten through 5th grade
Don't forget to bring your friends!

You can print the registration and medical forms from our website (www.salemsycamore.org).  Look under "Youth" and then "VBS."

College Scholarship Applications Due August 1

Salem students who will be attending a Lutheran-affiliated college this upcoming school year may submit an application for a scholarship to the Trust Fund by August 1, 2012.  This scholarship is administered by the Trust Fund, but is made available by an endowment fund established by the former WELCA organization.  Students should submit a letter of request to the Trust Fund that includes the name of the college they will be attending, the class level they will be at in the fall, and a brief statement as to how this scholarship will help them.

It is anticipated the Trust Fund will review requests and then distribute scholarships proportionately based on the monies that are available for distribution.  Students should expect announcement of scholarships prior to September 1, 2012.

Tanzanian-Style Auction July 22

It is hard to believe that it has been four years since five Salem members traveled to Arusha, Tanzania to begin our lifelong partnership (Udugu) with our companion congregation, the Kijenge Lutheran Parish.  The Global Missions Committee is committed to keeping this lifelong partnership alive and well.  We have tried to bring the members of Salem pieces of our journey so you too can experience some of this amazing place and these amazing people we now call our friends.

One of the most interesting experiences was conducted after each service, for you see, many in that congregation do not have money to give for the offering.  Instead they bring goods -- livestock, produce, eggs, flour, sugar, coffee, you name it -- that is placed at the front of the church during their offering time.  After the service, many gather in the front of the church and these goods are auctioned off.  The amount collected for each individual item is then logged as the amount the person who brought the item gave as their offering.

We have held a Tanzanian-style auction twice since our return from Arusha and both auctions were met with much interest and Salem friends.  We will again be conducting this auction on July 22 at 9:15am.  To make this again a success, we need help from the Salem congregation.

First, we need your prayers to help us continue to keep the partnership alive.  Second, we are asking for donations to populate our sanctuary at the 5pm and 8am services that weekend.  Past years have brought us experiences with chickens (who were quite vocal during the sermon), potatoes and other staples, craft items, beef, service vouchers, baked goods, and the list goes on and on...

And finally, we need you to come and experience this little bit of Tanzania with us between services.  It promises to be a lot of fun and a day you won't soon forget.  Funds raised at the auction will be sent to our companion congregation, the Kijenge Lutheran Parish, so they too may keep God's word alive.  See you there!!