Easter Breakfast March 31

We will have an Easter breakfast from 9-10am on Easter Sunday in Fellowship Hall.  The breakfast will be catered by Tom and Jerry's and will consist of three types of egg casseroles: bacon and cheese, sausage and cheese, and vegetarian.  There will also be fruit, muffins, and bagels.  Beverages will consist of juice, coffee, and milk.  The cost will be $5, with one of those dollars a donation to Love INC.  We will need volunteers to help with set up and clean up and to help sell tickets.  There will be a sign-up sheet in the Welcome Center.  If you have any questions please contact Sue in the office.

Holy Week Schedule

Palm Sunday Worship: Sat, March 23 (5pm) & Sun, March 24 (8 & 10:30am)

Maundy Thursday: March 28 (7pm)

Good Friday: March 29 (7pm)

Easter Vigil: Saturday, March 30 (5pm)

Easter Festival Worship: Sunday, March 31 (8 & 10:30am)

Youth Weekend at LOMC March 22-24

High School Youth & 8th Graders Weekend at Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center

- with Rachel Kurtz: singer, songwriter, guitarist, speaker, featured performer at the 2012 National Youth Gathering

March 22-24 with concerts on Friday and Saturday nights, worship on Sunday morning

Early bird cost: $69 before March 1
After March 1: $95

Salem's HS Youth Activity Fund is covering $30 of each participant! Scholarship funds available from Salem Youth Group.  Contact Julie Grendahl for information (julie.g@comcast.net) or pick up a permission form at the Welcome Table.

Easter Garden Orders Due March 18

Altar Guild is taking orders for potted seasonal flowers to place around the altar and on the Easter Cross for Easter Sunday.  Orders will be taken in the narthex before and after church services on March 9-10 and March 16-17.  To order a plant, please fill out an order form and give it to the Altar Guild member in the narthex on those dates, along with your payment.  Make checks payable to Glidden Florist.  You can also drop off or mail your order and payment to the church office any time before Monday, March 18.

If you would like to pick up the plant you ordered after Easter service, be sure to fill out a card with your name and telephone number, or you can donate your plant to a Salem shut-in.

G.E.M.S. Noon Potluck March 18

G.E.M.S. = Growing Every Member Spiritually (for those who are 50 years of age or better)
Spouses always welcome!

Monday, March 18, 2013
Noon potluck in Salem's Fellowship Hall

Please bring a salad - any kind that serves 6-8 (meat, veggie, fruit, pasta)
Everything else is provided by the G.E.M.S. Committee

Don't forget items for Salem's Food Pantry (non-perishables)

Please make reservations now (call Carol Saidat, 815-899-8383).  Let her know what you will be bringing and how many will be attending.

Program: "From Auld (Old) Sod to New Prairie: The Irish in America (Emerald Isle Immigrants)
Presented by Lee Murdoch

Come enjoy an afternoon of Irish pub songs, classic ballads, with a soft instrumental air and vigorous dance tunes from the Emerald Isle.  We look forward to our fellowship together and know you will enjoy the afternoon of lively music and stories.  We'll be looking for you!

Girl Scout Sunday at Salem March 10

March 10 is Girl Scout Sunday.  At our 10:30am service we will recognize and bless the Girl Scouts.  Salem's Girl Scouts will be participating in the service and hosting the 9:15 coffee hour on that day.  Danielle DuBois is the contact person at 815-501-7370.

Congregational Resourcing Event March 9

Northern Illinois Synod
2013 Congregational Resourcing Event
Saturday, March 9
8:30am - 3:15pm
Kishwaukee College
21193 Malta Road, Malta

The keynote speaker will be Rev. Dr. Rafael Malpica-Padilla, the Executive Director of the Global Mission Program Unit of the ELCA.

Registration deadline is February 25.  Contact Salem's office to register if you are interested in attending (815-895-9171).  The fee of $17 per person includes lunch and will be covered by Salem.  Childcare will be available with pre-registration.  Over 39 sessions to choose from, including:

"Social Media Ministry for Congregations"
"Bullying of Youth"
"Care for Returning Veterans"
"The Via De Cristo Method of Building Church Leadership"
"One Body, Many Members: A Journey Across Race, Culture and Class"
"Godly Living in the Golden Years"

Many other sessions from the following interest areas:

* Administration/Council/Treasurers
* Education
* Evangelism/Outreach/Hospitality
* Global/Specialized Mission Trips
* Leadership
* Social Justice
* Spirituality/Prayer/Health & Wellness
* Stewardship
* Technology
* Volunteers
* Worship
* Youth/Family/Children

World Day of Prayer Service March 1

Salem will host Sycamore's World Day of Prayer service Friday morning, March 1, at 9:30am for all people of faith in the surrounding community.  Prepared by the World Day of Prayer Committee of France and the the World Day of Prayer USA Committee, this year's service is entitled "I Was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me."

World Day of Prayer is a worldwide ecumenical movement of women from many faith traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year on the first Friday of March.  Each year a different country serves as the writer of the worship service and various churches in their communities host.  Though written by women with a female lens to justice and social issues, both men and women are welcome at the service.  A free-will offering will be received to benefit the mission of Church Women United, and a coffee fellowship will follow the service.  Salem sponsors include Alice Freier, Heather Jackson, and Jenny Ruff.

As the host church, Salem needs help in the following areas: worship participants (including readers, greeters, and ushers) and a fellowship team (including food donations, servers, and clean up).  If you are interested in helping in any way, please contact Jenny Ruff (815-793-2055) or Sue in the church office (815-895-9171).  There is a sign-up sheet in the Welcome Center if you can help or bring food donations.