What to Expect
Many church websites I go to have this same tab about “What to expect when you arrive at this new church.” Most of them talk about wearing jeans or good coffee or some 80’s contemporary band.
At Salem Lutheran, the worship style is blended, with organ, choir, handbells, guitar, and drums. All giving room for God’s presence and hope to be revealed and experienced. Yes, you’ll see people wearing anything from jeans to suits. You’ll see babies and 95 year olds. You’ll see worship leaders in robes in a pulpit or talking in everyday language while sitting on a stool. Each week it might be a bit different. But yet the same classic experiences of God every week: forgiveness, hope, lessons, peace and communion.
No matter how we plan each week at Salem, what we tweak, or how it is dressed, we will be there to celebrate God’s presence with us. What can you expect on Sunday? People coming together and experiencing God.
Our Mission Statement
We exist to Welcome people to Jesus Christ. Equip people with a faith that works in their lives, and Send people into the world to serve in Jesus’ name.
Brief History
Founded by Swedish and Norwegian immigrants, the first worship service of the “Deerwood Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Church” was on Christmas Eve 1889. At first this congregation would meet together in small groups at various homes and whoever could speak fluently enough would read from the Bible. Later they were fortunate enough to have ministers come from neighboring towns. The first church building to house the congregation was built in 1898-99. The second building was erected on the same site in 1959-60 and added on to in 1977 and 1988. The present building was completed – also on the same site – July 2010.
Salem was a member congregation of the Augustana Lutheran Synod until 1962 when several Lutheran denominations merged to form the Lutheran Church in America (LCA). In 1987 the LCA merged with the American Lutheran Church (ALC) and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC) to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).