Outreach Activities
Alpha
Alpha is for everyone! It's especially geared to
people interested in investigating Christianity, newcomers to the church,
new Christians, couples preparing for marriage, or Christians who want to
brush up on the basics.
Learn more
Barnabas Ministry
Young adults away at college enjoy this ministry! Members of Salem's
congregation (aka: Barnabas') are anonymously matched with a college
student. The Barnabas sends packages, cards, encouragement, prayers,
and smiles to the college students, providing them with support and keeping
them connected to Salem. At the end of the school year, a breakfast
celebration is held and the identity of the Barnabas is revealed! It's
a fun ministry for both the college student and the Barnabas! Contact
Laurie Murry, 938-1928 ext. 241.
Canines for Christ
Canines for Christ
is
a ministry that will give both you and your dog a new way of showing
Christian love to those who need it the most. This program will consist of
six sessions with a therapy dog evaluator, Kathy Gesford, and dog trainer,
Tyler Row. Kathy and Tyler will
assist you in training your dog with the basics of behaving well in a
nursing home or
hospital
setting, and will provide instruction on
interacting with patients or residents in a way that is both meaningful and
safe. Being part of this ministry will also give participants the chance to
be a member of a group of owners who can bring their dogs to other
activities in our church such as Kids Club, VBS, Sunday School, and
Neighborhood Fun Night, as well as participate in our home-bound ministry.
The ministry will allow you the opportunity to go to any nursing
home or hospital, as well as many stores and schools anywhere in the world
by yourself or with others from the group at anytime. The
first three sessions
Tues., July 22, Thurs., July 24, and Tues., July 29
will be held at the church pavilion, with the last three sessions
Thurs., July 31, Tues., Aug. 5, and Thurs,. Aug.7 at
Bethany Village Nursing Home from 6:30-7:30pm. (We will certainly be
flexible around vacation days.) There is no charge for the sessions,
however, a $30 donation for Kathy's time and equipment is greatly
appreciated. Kathy will evaluate your dog during the sessions and enable you
to qualify for a one million dollar insurance policy (cost is $25.00/year)
should a dog injure a patient or resident.
There will be a brief meeting in the Church Library at 9:15 AM 9:30 AM on
Sunday, July 6 when Kathy will provide an introduction and answer any
questions for those who think they may be interested. If GOD is calling you
to show Christ's love and comfort in a different way, please consider
joining this new and compassionate ministry.
If you have any questions, please call Tyler Row at (c) 571-9034 or
(h) 938-2826 or email him at
hcocurlyman@yahoo.com.
Chick Flick
Sorry guys, this one is just for the ladies! Once a month, they gather
for dinner and a movie, a "chick flick". Contact Tracey Michelsen, 938-1928.
Learn more
Date Night
Looking for more opportunities to spend with your spouse? Join Date
Night! On the first Saturday night of each month, from 5:30pm to 8:00
pm, child care is available for couples interested in spending a few "quiet"
hours together. Advanced registration, and a means (ie: cell phone,
telephone) to contact parents are required. All couples participating
in this ministry take a turn in providing child care. Contact Laurie
Murry, 938-1928 ext. 241.
DivorceCare
There aren't many
people around you who understand the pain your divorce or separation has
caused. To you. Your family. Your friends. DivorceCare is a series of support groups and seminars conducted by people who
understand what you are experiencing. Most importantly, you'll learn how to
deal with the pain of the past and look forward to rebuilding your life.
The group is
nondenominational and open to all. There are two parts to each weekly
DivorceCare session. During the first 30-40 minutes of the meeting, the
group watches a videotape featuring top experts on divorce and recovery
topics. These tapes contain valuable information about recovering from
divorce and are produced in an interesting-to-watch television magazine
format. Following the video,
the participants spend time as a "support group," discussing what was
presented on that week's videotape and what is going on in the lives of the
group participants.
For more information
about DivorceCare or to find out when the next class begins, please call the
church office at (717) 938-1928.
Fifth Quarter
Offered following the Red Land High School home football games, Fifth
Quarter invites youth to the church grounds for safe, alcohol-free,
drug-free, and violence free fun. Students enjoy basketball and
volleyball games, ping-pong, music provided by a DJ, bon-fire, pizza, soda
and s'mores. This event is free and open to all Salem Church high
school students and Red Land High School students. Fifth Quarter is
held from 9:30 pm to 11:30 pm. Contact Joan Dean, 938-1928,
jdean@fcsalem.org.
Fishing Creek Geek
Ever have a computer problem you couldn't solve?
Tired of asking your kids to
show you how to set the time on your VCR/DVD player?
Ever wonder just how you get those amazing digital pictures from
vacation 5 years ago off your camera?
Ever wonder if HDTV is that big of a deal? Just ask the
Fishing Creek Geek!
This is your place to get answers to all your technical questions.
Just email the Geek at
FCGeek@fcsalem.org
and he will reply directly to you giving you direction in your time of need.
While the Geek cannot actually come fix your problem for you, he can
give you helpful advice or even simple instructions to solve your problem,
all for the cost of an email.
The Geek will post his most frequently asked questions each month in
The Stimulus and keep a record of all
questions online at
www.fcsalem.org.
Chances are you are not alone and maybe your problem has already been
addressed.
Greeting Card Ministry
Do you have a creative side? Or would you like to discover your
creative side? A great place to do so is through the Greeting Card
Ministry! This ministry provides beautiful hand-made stamped cards for
the HomeBound Ministry, Barnabas Ministry, Welcome Baby Ministry, and so
much more. A group meets in the mornings, and a second group meets in
the evenings. Both groups get together once a month. New
participants are always welcome! Contact Laurie Murry at 938-1928 ext.
241.
Hands and Feet Missions
The Summer of Service staff has been working on a project to present
opportunities to volunteer outside our doors. Christ has called us to be
servants to those in need, and we're trying to answer that call! Look for
dates to sign up with your family in the Welcome Center. If you have any
questions, contact Krissy Kline at klinekj@jmu.edu or 774-4995.
Handyman Ministry
This ministry is designed to help alleviate the stress and unexpected
inconvenience that can arise when persons are experiencing illness, recovery
from surgery, physical limitations, or simply have a limited "know-how" of
certain household mechanical issues. This ministry is designed to
provide temporary, short-term, or occasional help and is not designed to
provide long-term or permanent assistance. The assistance is geared
toward "light" handyman needs. Volunteers are not expected to get
involved in laborious or extensive projects better suited for a hired
professional. Contact Laurie Murry at 938-1928 ext. 241.
HomeBound Ministry
For those who are unable to attend (either temporarily or permanently)
Sunday morning worship services or other church activities, the HomeBound
Ministry provides a link between them and Salem Church. Each week,
tapes of the Sunday morning worship services are delivered to the homebound,
and notes and cards are sent each month, for holidays, and for birthdays.
Through Lay Assistants, in-home communion is shared at the beginning of the
various liturgical seasons, about 6 times each year. Contact Laurie
Murry, 938-1928 ext. 241.
Library
Salem's library has something for everyone. If you are a child, teen,
adult, Sunday School teacher, youth group leader, or someone looking for a
good Christian book to read or CD to listen to, this is the place for you.
(Click
here for Brochure)
Lunch Bunch
Are you free for lunch? The Lunch Bunch is a group that meets once a
month at a local restaurant. This is a fun and "fulfilling" way to get
to know members of Salem's congregation on an informal basis. Everyone
is welcome! Contact Laurie Murry, 938-1928 ext. 241.
Meals Ministry
There are times in life
when we encounter difficult circumstances, and need some help to make it
through. The Meals Ministry offers a helping hand during such times. When a
member of our congregation has a baby, is hospitalized, or is temporarily
disabled, the Meals Ministry team is there to ease the burden of everyday
living. The Meals Ministry team consists of volunteer willing to
prepare and deliver a meal. There are no meetings with this ministry. Everything is done from the home, at the volunteers
convenience. Because there are so many volunteers, each person may only be
called upon to cook once every three or four months, depending on the
current needs of the congregation. For more information, or to join the Meals
Ministry, call Alice Frederick at 918-1328.
Men's Morning Cup of Jesus
Men of all ages are invited to join Pastor B for morning devotions on
Wednesdays at two different times (6:15 - 7:15 a.m. or 7:30 - 8:30 a.m.)
Missions
Salem has a covenant relationship with three missionaries - Bill
Lovelace in Kiev, Ukraine; Miguel Arenas-Herrera in Salto, Uraguay; Daniel
and Kris-Ann WIlcox in Unalaska, Alaska.
Learn more about their
missionary work
Parents of Pre-Schoolers (POPS)
Developed to nurture "stay-at-home parents" who have children through
kindergarten age, POPS offers the parents support, education, friendships.
It also provides an opportunity for the preschoolers to socialize and
interact. The group meets every other Friday from 10:00 am - 12:00
noon. Activities occur at the church, at local parks and local
attractions. Please contact the group coordinators for specific details and information.
The group leaders are Bethann Kerlin,
kbkerlin@ptd.net, 932-9944 and Samantha Freeman
bcsam@ptd.net, 938-8882.
Plant an Extra Row Ministry
This ministry provides those who enjoy gardening an opportunity to share
their bountiful harvest with persons, agencies, or organizations in the
community who need the food. In the spring, plant an extra row of
beans or corn, or put in an extra tomato or pepper plant. When you
have extra fruits or vegetables, simply bring them to Salem Church and leave
them in the bushel basket located at the South Entrance (or if the items are
heat sensitive, place them in the walk in refrigerator in the church kitchen
and leave a note in the basket!). Your goodies will then be delivered
to the Red Land Food Bank, New Life for Girls or other organizations that
can benefit. Contact Laurie Murry, 938-1928 ext. 241.
Prayer Shawl Ministries
Prayer shawls have been
used throughout the generations our ancient Israeli ancestors used prayer
shawls to help them to pray and remind them of Gods constant presence.
Do you know someone grieving, or facing
another kind of deep loss due to health or broken relations? There are
many individuals in our church and community who could benefit from this
gift of love and compassion, created in Gods spirit. The Women of Light are sponsoring a Prayer
Shawl Ministry here at Salem. If youre an experienced knitter or
crotchetier, or if youve always wanted to learn, or if you enjoy creating
something in a meditative and prayerful way, please consider joining us.
Contact Linda Wrightstone , 938-3237, or Susan Huntsberger, 938-5525 for
more information.
Refugee Resettlement
Salem has been involved in the sponsorship and resettlement of three
families. In 1993 Salem formed a sponsorship team, headed by Fatima
Nelson, to welcome the Tran family of four from Vietnam to the United
States. Neither parent, nor either of the two teenaged sons spoke English
upon their arrival. Currently the Trans reside in their home in New
Cumberland. Both sons, Vinh and Thai, have earned degrees from Penn State and are now working
in the corporate offices of Giant Food Stores, Inc. The father, Quang, is
working for Merck Medco in Mechanicsburg.
In January of 2002 Salem ventured into a new relationship of
sponsorship with the Idzakovic family of four from Bosnia. Together this
church helped the parents, Tonka and Darinko, enroll their children in
school, enroll themselves in English classes and establish employment.
Presently the Idzakovics are living in their own home in East Pennsboro. Both children, Ivan
and Ivana, speak English beautifully. Darinko is
employed by R.J. Davis Company as a mechanic. Tonka presently works as a
custodian with the West Shore School District.
Most recently, Salem sponsored the Roesler family from Liberia. The
Roesler's arrived in the US in December 2003. The family includes
Nathaniel and Ellen and their children Connie, Roseline, Moses and Timothy.
Nathaniel is currently employed at Patton Picture Company and Ellen is
employed at the Cedar Cliff McDonalds.
To learn more about Salem's Refugee Resettlement history or if you are
interested in helping with the next refugee family if Salem is called to
sponsor one, contact Beth Little at 938-8376.
Scrapbooking
Do you like to scrapbook? Are you looking for a different way
to scrapbook your pictures? Salem offers a Christian
Scrapbooking Class the second Sunday of each month at 4:30 p.m.
The class combines scrapbooking with scripture-based devotions that
point women toward a deeper faith using topics closely tied to
seasonal themes. January will center on new beginnings; April on
rainy days and August takes participants to the beach! Contact
Tracey Michelsen at tmichelsen@fcsalem.org. with questions or for
more information.
Scouting
Fishing Creek Salem sponsors Cub Scout Pack
#198 and Boy Scout Troop #198. Below is a brief description of the different
age groups. Check out their websites for further information. There are also several Girl Scout
troops that use Salem's facilities.
Learn more
Stephen Ministries
Stephen
Ministry
is our congregation's one-to-one caregiving ministry.
Learn more
Support our Serviceperson's (SOS) Ministry
The SOS Ministry was developed to show Salem's support and care for persons
in the military, and to help keep them connected to their hometown church.
Each month, cards, letters, or notes are sent reminding our servicepersons
that our thoughts and prayers are with them, and card drives are held for
birthdays and holidays. Every 4 to 6 weeks a group or ministry from
the church assembles and sends "personalized" care packages. A
bulletin board, located in Salem's Welcome Center, provides information and
photographs of Salem's servicepersons. Current serviceperson's
addresses are:
Michael Meredith
Wesley Eagle
561st Medical Company
(DS)
201st RSAC AF ETT
APO AE 09391
Camp Blackhorse
APO AE 09320
Edward L. Kautz
CMR 415 Box 4994
Ryan C. Elder
APO AE 09114
1/11 HQ BTRY Comm.
Edward.Kautz@us.army.mil
Unit 40420
FOI AO 96426-0420
John Batson
Remington Troop, RHHT
3rd ACR
APO, AE 09334
United Methodist Women
This mission-oriented group is open to all women of the church. They
have monthly meetings and sponsor the Spring Breakfast and Mother Daughter
Banquet. Contact Betsy Kline at 774-4995.
Wednesday Night Kids Club
On Wednesday evenings, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM, Salem Church offers
Wednesday Night Kids Club. Designed specifically for children ages 3
to 12, this ministry provides childcare while parents participate in
Sanctuary Choir practice, Informal Worship Team practice, Bible studies, or
other ministries offered within the church. The children enjoy crafts,
games, mission projects, playtime in Fellowship Hall, or outdoor activities.
This ministry begins in late August and runs through May. Contact
Laurie Murry at 938-1928 ext. 241.
Welcome Baby
New births excite Salem Church! Through this ministry the church
congregation can welcome Salem's newest additions to the church family,
share in the family's joy of new birth, and offer support and care.
This ministry includes: posting birth announcements on the Welcome Baby
bulletin board, in the Stimulus, and the Sunday morning worship folders; the
placing of a rosebud on the Communion Table; and the delivery of a goody
bag, filled with items made from Salem's church family. Contact Laurie
Murry, 938-1928, ext. 241.
Women's Book Group
The Women's Book Group meets on Thursdays from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm to discuss interesting
books on a wide variety of topics. The evening includes great discussion, great desserts and snacks,
coffee and the company of other women. If childcare is needed or a
list of upcoming book discussions, please call Susan Schell at 938-4822.
Women of Light
Women of Light is open to ALL single women. The group meets the first Sunday of each month at 2:00
p.m. to share time together, to support each other, to laugh and to cry, and
to each chocolate! In addition to wanting the support, perhaps there
are activities that you miss doing, such as going to the movies or going out
for dinner. Here's an opportunity to connect with other women who feel
the same way and who would love to join you! Contact Linda Wrightstone, 938-3237.
