Salem Grace Notes

grace notes

2012-12-14T17:36:00.001-08:00

Philippians 4:4-7 The Message (MSG)
4-5 Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as
clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with
them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to
arrive. He could show up any minute!
6-7 Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and
praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.
Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together
for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when
Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Advent Blessings from Salem Staff –
As Salem leaders met for prayer, encouragement, and planning this morning
we were particularly touched by Eugene Peterson's Biblical version of
Philippians 4: 4-7 above.

How many of us actually revel in God and what God has done/is doing in the
world? Certainly that is what we should be about as we anticipate
celebrating the birth of Christ once again.

Whether the end of the world is near as some predict/worry or we are
simply marking the close of another calendar year, we should be ready.
The Master is about to arrive! The call is to bathe Christ's arrival in
prayer, trusting our own concerns to the Lord as we center on Christ
Jesus.

I like the image of Christ displacing worry at the center of our lives.
Headlines in the papers and magazines and on the internet are far from
calming as nations clash and threats of financial ruin and natural
disasters install fear in the calmest believers. So much is out of our
control.

Yet into the uncertainty and chaos comes a tiny babe – hope personified.
This hope above all displaces the hurt and fear and worry that seems to
close in around us. This hope alone brings a redeemer to displace and
disempower sin. This hope displaces the hunger in our lives for more and
more and gives what satisfies to fill the believer with good, lasting
truth.

Indeed Christ will soon be here. Let us open our hearts and homes wide
and revel in God's great gift to all humankind! Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

Carla Vanatta, Associate in Ministry
Salem Lutheran Church, Sycamore, IL

Grace Notes, October 12, 2012

2012-10-12T06:50:00.001-07:00

Friday, October 12th, is my birthday. 58 years of life. Have you ever
wondered why you were born in one particular country to one particular set
of parents? Or maybe you were adopted and your destiny changed from what
it might have been.

Over the years I've daydreamed about the possibilities. I could have been
born in Africa, Italy, Uruguay, Mexico, or Japan. My looks, language,
lifestyle, and customs might be completely different. Certainly I may not
enjoy the freedoms I have as an American, nor the vast resources, but I
might have had just as caring of a family.

With global communication so available today we gain insight into the
lives of brothers and sisters around the world. We see pictures in
magazines and videos on the internet and news stories on TV. We're not so
ignorant about each other's circumstances anymore.

I have heard it said that with knowledge comes responsibility. Life
Magazine covers are heralded for exposing both delightful and shameful
human conditions without saying a word.

Recently I was overwhelmed by a Channel 11 program on sex trafficking the
world over….children as young as eight duped or sold into prostitution.
And why? Two reasons: a) there is a market b) people make money from it.
As long as men or women seek sexual gratification by abusing children,
youth, and adults someone else is willing to make a living by it. This is
absolutely sickening to me.

I watched as a woman from India worked a health and rehab center for
prostitutes and their children. She was divorced because her husband felt
threatened by her work in the slums, but she could not turn her back on
these people. The host said though India is the most religious nation in
the world, it has the highest use of prostitutes. So sad – what good is
religion doing that abuses fellow human beings? Of course the issue goes
much deeper into the Caste system…those who are born to a prostitute will
learn the trade and repeat it because they are doomed to that track in
their life. Unless, as this woman teaches, the children are educated and
trained for other work and given the resources they need. There is hope,
though it may be much harder in India and other countries than in a place
like America.

Why do I speak of this in a devotional? Because I believe as people of
faith we have responsibilities. The hosts of this program were bringing
celebrities to visit various countries as well as America to learn of the
problem in hopes their popularity and power could help bring it to light
and stir up people to do something about it. We need to do something
about it.

What can we do about it? First, pray. Ask God to have mercy on those
being used by others senselessly and work in their cultures and habits to
bring healing and change. Ask God to change human hearts from darkness to
light. Look for programs that reach out and help and support them with
your interest and your dollars. Look for those you know who could be
caught in this cycle of abuse and help protect them. Learn about the
issues and tell others. Make it unacceptable. While you might feel your
small contribution may have little impact, remember a sink filling with
water will eventually overflow and gain attention.

And thank God for your life, for every birthday. Try to have made a
difference between one birthday and the next. Start anew to be a catalyst
for change in the world and a refuge for those around you. Be a blessing.
A true blessing. A lasting blessing. Then your life will be a concert
of praise for the One who created you and celebrated you the day you were
born.
Thanks be to God.

Carla Vanatta, Associate in Ministry
Salem Lutheran Church, Sycamore, IL

Grace Notes, 8-14-2012

2012-08-14T14:53:00.001-07:00

Today's Grace Notes may be a little more "in house" than usual as I
reflect on Salem after a year of interim leadership, awaiting news of a
potential pastoral candidate.

It's quite unlike me to be depressed, but as I went home yesterday I had
such a heavy heart. Working on fall programming and anticipating the
liturgical season ahead felt overwhelming. There is often a lack of
momentum in an interim time; I have been through it many times at Salem as
pastoral leadership changed. It doesn't seem to matter how good or
accepted the interim pastor is, how many marvelous, faithful volunteers
and leaders we have, or how hard staff members are working - many families
and individuals just take a break, so to speak, until they see who will
come next. Volunteers lag for vital ministries of Sunday School,
Confirmation, and Worship leadership. Offerings decrease. Some folks
have moved away and new ones have not yet engaged. It is uncertain who we
will have to work with in the choirs and puppets or who will come for
Sunday School and Confirmation. Personally I am feeling it especially
right now with the loss of our diaconal minister as well. Judy was an
unending source of hope and energy and love. When she was around you knew
something was going to happen….she would make it happen. I feel alone,
without a team to work with. I am feeling very human and vulnerable.

Can you even begin to imagine how the Israelites felt after 40 years of
this?!? Wandering and wandering with the hope of a new land, a new life
of richness and abundance promised but not in sight….Moses exhausted from
the constant complaining and bickering, holding desperately to the
promises of God at a time when no one could see them.

Or can you imagine a farmer in drought, hope of his crop drying like
toast, livestock fading in the heat with no water ponds to cool or drink.
Or can you see the shoulders of one whose job just dried up, whose son has
cancer, whose daughter has turned to drugs?

Heaven help us if we choose to look for sorrow, for it will come crashing
in like a tsunami to overwhelm us!! I can remember a dear soul who
served on Salem prayer chain years ago.
She asked me not to pass on a prayer request to her if the person had
cancer; she just couldn't stand it anymore and felt like it was
everywhere, ready to pounce and devour.

I was also overwhelmed yesterday reading the newspaper. Political
clashes, mounting debt, earthquakes, cut programs - uncertainties and
fears everywhere! How Lord, I prayed, will we be able to sustain our food
pantry ministry in a time when it will be needed more than ever!?

Then my quiet, ever-hopeful teammate Sue told me she had great news this
morning… word of a new partnership between the Northern Illinois Food Bank
and Jewel. Three times a week we will be able to pick up meat, canned
goods, fresh vegetables, pastries, and seasonal items just at their last
date to fill our freezer, refrigerator, and pantry shelves! Manna and
Quail from heaven just needing to be picked up!!!
Psalm 43:5 New King James Version, reads 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise
Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.
Here it is in the Contemporary English Version : 5 Why am I discouraged?
Why am I restless? I trust you! And I will praise you again because you
help me, and you are my God.
And one more time in the Message version: 5 Why are you down in the
dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God –
soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.

How are you feeling? Are you discouraged, overwhelmed, no hope of
deliverance in sight? There are so many arenas for despair in our lives
besides the uncertainty of leadership for Salem congregation.
If we fix our eyes on anything but the Lord, we wallow in a sea of darkness.

God has great things in store for you, for me, and for the people and
mission of Salem. We will receive a new leader and new staff who will
have the gifts we need to move us ahead. Our confidence will be rebuilt
and the momentum will once again build. God will do it with our energy
and our help and our hope and His power.

Remember the Biblical account of Moses' arm in battle? As long as he held
a rod outstretched, the Israelites succeeded; as he tired and weakened and
lowered the rod, they were overcome. TOGETHER THEY HELD UP MOSES' ARM TO
CLAIM GOD'S POWER. Now none of us are Moses but we are all the people of
God, and together we can move ahead in faith and love and might to be the
people of God we are called to be and do what needs to be done. So let us
lift up our dragging spirits and trust that good things are just over the
horizon. Let us believe in the call to be Christ to the world close at
hand and far away. Let us be overflowing vessels of love and hope, faith
and service so those who soon come alongside us will be inspired by our
faithfulness and perseverance and hope.

Soon we'll be praising again. Soon there will be smiles on our faces. We
are not alone; the very God who created the universe is our help and
power. Thanks be to God.

Carla Vanatta, Associate in Ministry
Salem Lutheran Church, Sycamore, IL

Grace Notes June 25 ... Final by Judy

2012-06-25T17:36:00.001-07:00

Do you remember when you or your wife was pregnant for the first time?
How excited and scared and ignorant and innocent you were? Mainly,
though, you were amazed and full of wonder as that belly grew! And that
joy, that exaltation when that glorious baby was actually born! You had
known it by touch but not by sight for a lo-o-ong time. And here was your
introduction face-to-face. How our hearts swelled! We thought we could
never ever love anybody again as much as we instantly do this infant.

And then we had a second child!

We learned immediately that our hearts have far greater capacity for
loving than we had dreamed. And so on. Apparently God made us for
loving.

Well, that's how it has been for me at Salem. Over the five years I have
gotten to be here, I kept getting to know more and more people, young,
old, men, women, children and each one had a story. SO interesting.
Sometimes I listened in such sadness, sometimes in sorrow, sometimes in
anger, sometimes laughter, always blessed to hear all these children of
God's.

I learned that ministry is simply loving. Loving people who need it,
loving those who say they don't, that they're fine. Loving those we see
and those we don't, loving those we know and those we don't. Again,
apparently God made us for loving. Downstairs Salem serves the hungry
with food and welcome. Upstairs Salem serves its members and strangers
looking for a church home. Salem is hospitable. It is also generous, as
it serves children affected by malaria, feeds children around the world
with manna packs. People at Salem really don't like to hear that children
are hungry. Salem does many acts of loving, whether the acts are called
that or not. The building and lawns reflect the loving care people have
for it. And on and on. The Sunday School is full of activity and
laughter on Sunday mornings, as is the Confirmation Study on Wednesday
evenings. And Salem hosts two Scout troops, an FHA group, an AA meeting,
and various recitals and weddings and funerals. This is no museum! There
is dust and wear and tear due to use, which is exactly what God wants
going on!

Are you getting the idea that I feel so deeply, profoundly blessed here?
It is very difficult to leave. But present or not, I will carry you all
in my heart, which I learned is indeed big enough to love you all, thanks
be to God.

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and
grant you His peace. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit, amen.

Judy Bergeson
Diaconal Minister

June 12, 2012 gracenotes

2012-06-12T16:46:00.001-07:00

Today I give thanks to God for my very best friend, my husband Ron. Not
that I don't thank the Lord often for him, but today is a special day –
our 36th wedding anniversary (June 12th). Whether you find yourself
single, widowed, divorced, or married, the Lord has given you
relationships that need care to grow and flourish. I share some advice
that was given to us at our wedding and things we have learned along the
way.

• Accept each other as you are. Planning to change someone usually has
disastrous results. Basic personalities are pretty well set early on.
• Love is a decision, not a feeling.
• Sometimes one gives 100%, not just 50-50.
• Be flexible; things and people change and it is a dance and gift to adapt.
• Live Ephesians 4: 26-27, not letting the sun go down while you are angry.
Talk it out or set a time to talk more about it.
• Lift up your partner in front of other people. Praise and build them up
instead of putting them down.
• Home should be a shelter and haven for all who live there, a safe place
to return to at the end of the day and share life's joys and burdens.
• Admit to your mistakes and ask forgiveness.
• Support each other's interests and abilities and encourage each other to
grow. Try not to be jealous of one another.
• Know when you are in trouble and get help.
• Make time together a priority.
• Try not to let your children come between you, even if you disagree on
how to handle them.
• Think before you speak and consider how what you say will sound to the
other person.
• Avoid power plays or struggles.
• Thank the Lord daily and ask how you can be a better partner, friend, or
parent.

Actually the list could go on and on, couldn't it? For the longer we
live, we continue to learn how to be in relationship with others.
Sometimes we learn by mistakes, sometimes we learn by observing others,
sometimes we learn by letting go of our control and listening. And there
are times when we have to say "no" if the way we are being treated is
unacceptable, for that leads to a broken relationship and that deep hurt
is not what God has in mind for any of us.

Each marriage or friendship will look different because the people
involved are unique, but there are ways of respecting and treating each
other well that are the foundation of all relationships.

Take time today to consider the gift God has given you in relationships,
and ask how you can be a better steward, or caretaker of them.

Blessings,
Carla Vanatta, Associate in Ministry
Salem Lutheran Church, Sycamore, IL

Salem Reminders:
Enjoy Salem Puppet Team's Salute to Fathers this Sunday, 8:00 & 10:30 and
take time to honor your own, forgiving them for their faults and failures.

A new member dinner is offered at 6 p.m. Monday, June 18th in Fellowship
Hall for those interested in exploring a faith connection with Salem.

A summer book study on "The Shack" continues Thursday evenings at 5 p.m.
in Fellowship Hall. Bring a sack supper and enjoy the discussion led by
Pastor Rob.

Grace Notes, May 29

2012-05-29T08:35:00.001-07:00

Grace Notes May 29, 2012

"I love being here." That phrase, nicely painted on a decorative sign, has
found its way from a recent garage sale to its new home at our house.
Deciding where to hang it was a challenge. There are so many places it
would fit. Our camping trailer…we love being there. Our back yard…we've
been enjoying our morning tea and quiet time outdoors this week. Where
would you choose to hang a sign saying "I love being here?" We finally
placed it on our porch, where we start and finish most of our days,
weather allowing.

"I love being here." Any place can be "here." In fact, every place is
"here." At this very moment you are somewhere…that somewhere is "here" for
you right now. "Here" may be your home or a favorite get-away spot. Or
"here" might be a place along the highway where you spend a few minutes
waiting for a construction zone. I remember such a stop on our trip to
Holden Village a few years ago. As we followed I-90 around a mountain
curve we came to a stop. It turned into a long wait as heavy machinery was
being repositioned and all traffic had to stand still. It was many miles
from any towns. But being forced to be there, we had time to begin to see
the beauty of the place. A valley to the left…the mountain to our right…a
few trees managing to hang on to the slope. If not for that road work, we
never would have noticed. But this place was just as beautiful and
God-created as any other. For the moment, I actually could "love being
there."
God made the world and everything in it. And it is wonderful. Now, to be
sure, human nature and sin have caused some situations that are, well,
less than loveable. But God is with us even in those places. Even if the
only pleasant thing you can find about a place is how much it makes you
appreciate another one. If we are open to his gift, God will give peace
and contentment even there. Carla and I marvel at how my Mom has learned
peace and contentment now that she lives at a care center. She wouldn't
have chosen to need that care, but when it has become necessary she is
accepting it. Usually smiling, she doesn't complain and seems to "love
being here."

The sign has found a home, at least for the present, above the doorway
leading from our porch get-away back into the main house. It certainly
speaks my special appreciation for that specific place. Perhaps I can also
carry its message with me as I leave that place each day, as a reminder to
thank God and appreciate every "here" that I will be in today.

Ron Vanatta

This Sunday Salem graduates will be blessed and honored at the 9:15 coffee
time and during the 10:30 worship service.

Sign up for the Thursday evening study group each week in June. Pastor Rob
will lead a discussion of the book "The Shack." Time is 5 to 6:30. Place
is fellowship hall. Bring your own supper. We'll eat at 5, then start the
study at 5:30.

Market Day sales will benefit Salem Food Pantry in June, July and August.
Call or visit Salem's office to get an order sheet.

Grace Notes May 17

2012-05-24T08:25:00.001-07:00

Grace notes for 5/14-19/12

Thursday, May 17th was Ascension Thursday. I picture Our Lord's Ascension
as occurring on a bright and Sunny day like today. Jesus spoke a goodbye
and a blessing to people who had staked their life on him. He had been
lost to them in his death. Now, miraculously, he was alive again and
appearing in their midst. But wait, he was leaving again. There was
something different this time. Before he left he told the disciples to
expect the gift from the Father that he had spoken to them about. They
would be enabled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Don't wander off, he
said, but stay in Jerusalem and wait. Not many days from now the Holy
Spirit will come upon you and you will be my witnesses.

The Easter season is coming to a close. In not many days we will
celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit's in-filling of the disciples and
the season after Pentecost will begin. This "green season" is so named
because following the day of Pentecost, the disciples did as Jesus said,
they became witnesses to his (God-in-flesh) presence with them. As they
did so, they were to experience all manner of growth. Again, the Lord
would be found true to his word as the Spirit of God empowered them to
share the good news and healing that Jesus brings.

As I drove to Salem this morning, I saw the new shoots and blades of green
that grew up in the fields. They will bear fruit and in so doing, are
witnesses to the Creator God who has made them. They will ripen and bring
forth fruit for the Lord and for his children throughout the growing
season.

On Ascension Thursday I am reminded that the Lord is present with us
precisely because he was taken from the sight of his first disciples. He
is alive and continues to call us to new growth and fruit bearing witness.
On Ascension Thursday I am reminded that the Lord is present in us,
sending us to "Live Christ's Love as the people of Salem and as
individuals called to see all that we do, wherever we do it as the place
where Jesus is present. On Ascension Thursday I am reminded that the Lord
is present to be our strength our hope and our way, every moment, every
day.

On Ascension Thursday I am reminded that the Lord is present and can be
seen in the beauty of renewing growth of the creation. Take the time to
hear and see Jesus alive in the beauty and power of life. Take the time
to let his presence fill you with peace.

On Ascension Thursday I am reminded that the Lord is present to us because
he said goodbye to the people, times and places of Jesus' earthly life.
On Ascension Thursday I am reminded that the Lord is present so that we
might live in the "perpetual HELLO" of his coming to us through the
Spirit. May you be open to the empowering enlivening and healing of Jesus
the Christ. We live because he lives. We live and Jesus tells to
recognize him with us and turn our hearts to making him known to others
that are being called to find their Spiritual Home in Him.

In thanksgiving for you ever-loving life Lord, we praise you and ask that
by your power we see the empowering of your life to enable us to do your
will.
AMEN
Pr. Rob

Grace Notes, May 10, 2012

2012-05-10T15:01:00.001-07:00

GRACE NOTES May 10, 2012

The end of last week, I met my two sisters in Madison for a couple days.
We had talked about doing this for 25 years. Are we slow??? Anyway, we
had a wonderful time, very special, with no demands on our time and energy
except what we chose together. Talking was of course the Number One
choice! And we can talk while we're walking, shopping, eating, laughing,
no problem at all! Did I mention that one of us lives in Rochester,
Minnesota, one in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and I, who live in Sycamore,
IL. See, Madison is the perfect meeting place.

Besides being blood relations and besides loving one another since birth,
we have another marvelous thing in common: we all love our life's work.
As God's children, we somehow heeded our Lord and made a living by using
our God-given gifts.

One sister taught. She taught high school and then had years of staying
home to raise her own four children. The last dozen years, she has taught
English as a second language, ESL, to foreign-born adults from Korea,
Somalia, Ecuador, on and on from all over the world. She has loved every
single minute of it. And it shows and so she is a superb teacher.
My other sister is an artist. She wrote a successful grant and got to
expand the Miller Art Gallery in Sturgeon Bay, WI. She organizes art
shows, teaches classes in various art media, and creates wonderful
exhibits for children to come and play in and with. Very hands-on
exhibits. She paints too and has an eye for paintings and pottery and rugs
and musicians and color and fabrics. She loves every minutes of all this.
And it shows and so she is a superb curator-artist.
I went to Seminary in my fifties to answer God's call to serve the
elderly. I get to visit the homebound, the hospitalized, the sick and the
dying. Everyone has a story. It is my great joy to listen. And I love
every minute of it.

And we three are only a few examples. God calls each and every single one
of us to a kind of ministry. There may be another name for our work, but
it is ministry, believe me. It is ministry if we love it and are doing
some good in this world, fulfilling a need that someone has. I don't care
if you are a nurses' aide, a mechanic, a professor, a seamstress, a shop
owner, a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker! One of my favorite things
to do before our worship service begins is look around and say, "she's a
Sunday School teacher, he's an usher, he mows the lawn, he weeds and
prunes, he organizes food and drink for funeral luncheons, she prepares
the church for weddings, she keeps track of visitors, they adorn the altar
properly every weekend", and so on. The people here, and one hopes in
every church, who do God's work are everywhere! And God is here to
comfort and console and inspire and provoke and renew and bless us, all of
us, every time.

I can only wonder: who would want to miss this? This joyful coming
together, here in this place, to talk and laugh and weep and find
sanctuary and friends and family.

So this week, this time, this turn of mine to write Grace Notes, I adjure
you to reach out, join, identify a job that interests you (want to be a
puppet? A bell ringer? A lawn mower? A cook for the sick?), and show up to
do it. We need you. And your sense of belonging as part of God's family,
one of God's own, contributing to God's kingdom, will strengthen and
buffer you from many worldly bumps and bruises. It's true. Ask anybody
here. And God bless you in whatever ministry you do.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
This Sunday, May 13, Salem will celebrate Mother's Day;

Salem Softball starts Friday, May 11 at 6:30 in Katz Park, DeKalb;
Memorial Day weekend we honor all Veterans. Come to the 9:15 Coffee Hour!
It's always timely to thank our Veterans.

Pentecost Sunday please bring red flowers to adorn our altar. One of our
Gardeners will plant them out front under the big "Salem" sign.

The American Cancer Society Relay for Life Walk begins at 3 PM Saturday,
June 2nd & goes till 6 AM the next morning at DeKalb High School. Salem
has a team Captain; call the church office to sign up (815-895-9171).

Bless your days, bless your weeks.

April 13, 2012 grace notes

2012-04-15T12:50:00.001-07:00

GraceNotes April 13, 2012

Christ is risen! Alleluia!
The Alleluias returned to worship Easter morning. We had put them away for
the season of Lent, but they burst back into our worship Easter Sunday. We
sang them. We shouted them. We exchanged them in greeting each other. At
the later service, three young butterflies helped us welcome the Alleluias
back. Assisting minister Pastor John explained that Alleluia means "Praise
God!" It can barely be spoken without a shout. At the very least it
demands energy and joy.

I just spent a few minutes in the yard with our Sheltie, Heidi. As often
happens, she ran in large circles around me, barking at the same place
every time she passed. Not at the neighbor dogs. Not at a rabbit or
squirrel. Just a bark for her own enjoyment. Her own shout of joy to be
playing in her backyard. Could it be her "Alleluia?"

Celebrate the risen Christ with your own shouts of joy. Join in the
"Alleluia" this Easter season and always.

Christ is risen! Alleluia!
Ron Vanatta

First communion classes begin this Sunday for third graders. 9:15 in
fellowship hall the next three Sundays. They'll commune May 6. Pray God's
blessing for all teachers and students.

The youngsters and adult leaders of Cherubs, Choristers, and Disciple Song
Choirs are finishing rehearsals for "Spend a While on the Nile." Don't
miss this musical telling Old Testament bible stories. It will be shared
in worship at 5 pm Saturday, April 21 and 10:30 am Sunday, April 22. They
will also share it with the residents of DeKalb County Home the evening of
Wednesday, April 25.

Grace Notes, 4-4-2012

2012-04-05T15:41:00.001-07:00

I mentioned before that Ron and I have been trying the ELCA Wellness
Program "Slow Down" during Lent, where you practice centering prayer,
focusing on a phrase or image. Mine has been "Be Still, and Know that I
am God". While I confess to not getting to it every single morning, we
have a routine that supports it well.

Ron takes our sheltie Heidi outside while I make a cup of herbal tea for
us and set out the dog's breakfast. As soon as she eats, she begs to get
on Ron's lap, and the picture of her contentment there is priceless.
Often the sun is shining on her multi-hued fur as she drapes her body over
Ron's crossed legs…you see, it makes a perfect cradle, for she is a little
large for a lap dog at 23 lbs. If Heidi misses her time with her Dad for
some reason, she lets us know impatiently she's ready and waiting.

The other day as I watched Heidi relax into Ron's lap and close her eyes
in sweet bliss, it gave me a picture of what Jesus must have done when he
came to this time in his life…..a time that would demand everything he had
just to move one foot ahead of the other. What could he do but place
himself in the lap of his father God and trust this intense love to help
him through what he must face?

This morning's newspaper had an article about "helicopter parents" that
intrigued me. It talked about a generation of children being raised by
parents that "swoop in" and rescue their children from the most basic
disappointments of life: getting a bad grade on a test, losing a game in
little league, not finding the same number of Easter eggs on a hunt as
everyone else. Evidently the move is to eliminate red ink in grading
papers, play non-scored games, and make sure everyone finds the same
number of Easter eggs.

It is very difficult as a parent to stand by and see your child get hurt.
Sometimes you must intervene, but most often you know there are necessary
lessons your child has to learn. Life is not always fair. Not everyone
gets the same grades or the same toys, the same education or the same
promotion. Skills learned in childhood help shape the nature of our kids
for their whole life, including the resiliency to bounce back from
disappointments and the will to find purpose and satisfaction in life.
As I wrestle with God allowing His Son to be put through a cruel death, I
can only understand it by realizing that we are all God's adopted children
– God's love is so intense for each of us He saved all of us by letting
His precious Son face what He must to fulfill His purpose – knowing that
what Jesus endured would save the world – and that in return Christ would
reign forever right beside His Dad – God the Father.
We call this Holy Week as we move through Christ's passion, death, and
resurrection…..for Jesus' sacrifice makes us Holy as He is Holy…..and say
- maybe for our souls, Jesus is the ultimate "Helicopter Parent", swooping
in to take our sins away and give us a new start – though we still might
have to face the consequences of our choices. What do you think?

Carla Vanatta, Associate in Ministry
Salem Lutheran Church, Sycamore, IL

Salem Holy Week Services:
7 p.m. Maundy Thursday, April 5th
7 p.m. Good Friday, April 6th
5 p.m. Easter Vigil, April 7th
8:00 & 10:30 a.m. Easter Sunday, April 8th
9:00/9:40 Easter Breakfast

Grace notes, march 29, 2012

2012-03-31T12:39:00.001-07:00

Enough already! Here it is, close to Palm Sunday, where Jesus is welcomed
into Jerusalem that day with shouts of Hosanna and palm branches beneath
his feet, and I'm whining. Why? On top of being cross, I was crosser
because I didn't know why I was so cross. Does that make sense to you, I
hope? Well, this morning it finally dawned on me: this month alone,
March, I have officiated at four funerals and attended a fifth. I feel a
pall has been cast over me, pun intended. The Lord's Prayer and "Amazing
Grace" echo in my mind, over and over, along with "ashes to ashes, dust to
dust" and, finally, the benediction and sign of the cross.

Yet it is such a privilege to walk with people who are tucking in a loved
one for the last time. It is so intimate. I don't know about you, but I
love the Twenty-Third Psalm, especially the lines, "yea, though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil for Thou
art with me". These are the most comforting words in the world, as far as
I am concerned. Usually I ask people to read this Psalm responsively, so
they hear it; my hope is that its certainty, its promise is balm to the
hearers.

And now we face, dead on, Jesus' final week on this beautiful earth. And
He knows it and faces it anyway. Only once, just once, does He ask His
Father "if this cup can be passed from me?" How human. He knew what the
answer would be, but He asked anyway. Who wouldn't? The incredible truth
is that He steeled Himself and went through the whole torturous week, day
by day, each one worse than the last.

And He asked no more. He stood up, straightened his spine and shoulders,
and took it all. Beyond belief, isn't it? This young man, ostensibly
normal, quite human, and He bore for us that incredible pain and scorn and
mockery and vile behavior. We'll face it all this week too. It's the
least we can do, to look face on at our Saviour's steps, bloody but firm,
straight to the Cross. Imagine! One telling of this story blows you
away; a thousand tellings aren't enough. It takes a while, maybe a
lifetime, to sink in, this ultimate sacrifice. May you get enough rest
on Palm Sunday. Holy Week not only takes your breath away, it takes your
strength away, just to watch it.

Easter blessings to all.

Judy Bergeson, Diaconal Minister
Salem Lutheran

UPCOMING EVENTS AT SALEM:

Services at Salem are at 5 PM Saturday and 8 and 10:30 AM on Sunday, rain
or shine! All are welcome. No kidding.

During Holy Week, services are on Maundy Thursday at 7 PM for footwashing
to remember the Last Supper at which Jesus washed His disciples' feet;
Good Friday services are at 7 PM; this is perhaps the most solemn of all
Holy Week services. We remember Jesus nailed to the Cross, hanging there;
Easter Vigil is at 5 PM Saturday; we wait and remember the mourning of
Jesus' followers;

Easter Sunday services are at 8 and 10:30; the sanctuary is decorated in
glory and thanksgiving. There will be an Easter breakfast in the
Fellowship Hall, one seating being at 9 AM and the next at 9:40. Tickets
are $6 ($4 for little ones); this is a fundraiser for our teens who are
going to New Orleans this summer for the ELCA National Youth Gathering.
Please make reservations ahead of time for the breakfast so we can prepare
for everyone.

Grace Notes 3/8/2012

2012-03-08T20:05:00.001-08:00

GraceNotes 3 / 8 / 12

I didn't find my intended destination. I was looking for the cell phone
lot at O'Hare Airport, where I could wait for the call that my son's
family was ready to be picked up. Even with the guidance of a few well
intentioned signs, I missed it. Couldn't find it. He called while I was
driving around the airport the second time, so I never did find it. What I
really needed was someone beside me who had been there before…telling me
just when to turn.

Salem is on the journey of the call process for our next pastor. It may at
times seem unsure and like we could miss a turn. But we can trust that we
will reach the destination God has planned for us. For signs along the way
we have the call process so carefully developed by the ELCA. Steering our
direction is a great call committee committed to seeking God's will. And
we have that someone right in the car beside us who has been there before
and can help us know when to turn…actually several someones: Pastor Rob,
the bishop's staff, and most of all – the Holy Spirit.

We are about halfway through this 2012 Lenten journey. Like other Lents,
it is both familiar and new. We observe many practices the church has
clung to since its very early history. And we find new actions or words or
ideas as well. We might have many destinations for this journey. To gain
deeper appreciation of Christ's loving sacrifice. To grow in faith. To be
more like Jesus, "Living Christ's Love".

Thanks be to God, we have a guide right beside us every step of the way.
The one who has been there before and keeps coming back to shepherd us on
the journey. May Christ be our guide through Lent and always!

Ron Vanatta

There are three more Wednesdays in Lent with soup suppers at 5:30 and
Holden Evening Prayer worship at 7.

Mark all the Holy Week opportunities on your calendar beginning with Palm
Sunday April 1. Maundy Thursday service is at 7 on April 5. Good Friday
service at 7 April 6. Easter Vigil at 5 April 7. Easter Morning
celebrations include worship at 8 and 10:30 with the youth serving
breakfast at 9.

Grace Notes 3-1-12

2012-03-03T08:17:00.001-08:00

Ron and I are trying an ELCA Wellness program for Lent called "Slowing
Down". It invites you to daily meditation by use of centering prayer.
All that means is that you choose an image or phrase to concentrate on.
You can have your eyes closed and your hands open while you think and pray
or you can be doing something repetitive like knitting or riding a
stationary bicycle. Some people like to picture a serene lake or
waterfall, something restful, or an animal they love.

I chose the phrase "Be Still and Know that I am God" from Psalm 46. Then
I remembered we have some anthems on that text – I wondered if I could
find one of them on the web. Before I knew it, Ron was helping me figure
out how to download music to my IPhone – something new for me. He
reminded me the phone had come with pretty sophisticated ear phones too.
So in my online search I ran across a lovely CD recorded by the Notre Dame
Folk Choir that has a beautiful tune to that text as well as many others,
including The Lord's Prayer. All of a sudden I was in the 21st century,
feeling like a young thing as I drank in the gorgeous stereo sound while
these pegs stuck out of my ears like the character Shrek!

While the music plays, scenes flash before my closed eyes. I think of
things that are stressing me, people I feel out-of-sorts with, situations
beyond my control, and every time the chorus comes I picture myself giving
them over to God, trusting the Lord's deep wisdom, power, and love to work
in me and in these situations, claiming "Be still and know that I am God".
Then I move the phone to a song called "Blessings" recorded by Laura
Story that I purchased for the choir recently in memory of my mother who
suffered so terribly for 20 years with rheumatoid arthritis. Every time I
hear this song's lyrics I cry. And I am finding these daily tears to be
healing and cleansing for my soul too. The song claims God's healing
through the terrible losses and trials of this life, and I know my
mother's soul grew beautifully through her pain and struggle though it was
so very hard. I end my time of meditation with the Notre Dame Folk
Choir's version of the Lord's Prayer. Again the music and so familiar
text helps me turn things over to the Lord.

I am finding this morning routine very restful and a way to center my day;
giving over my fears and worries right from the start, going forward
reminded of who is in control and whose I am, and humbled by such great
love and grace.

I encourage you to try centering prayer/meditation. Choose an image or
phrase and try it for a few minutes. The video promoting this practice
had a male pastor talk about his image of a fish. The fish both lives in
water and breathes it in and out of its body…water is constantly flowing
in and out of the gills. He compared that to the Holy Spirit's presence
in our lives – in, out, around, buoying us up.

And you know what? The next time I see a teen or young adult walking
around or curled up on a sofa with those Shrek-like earphones, I might not
be so quick to condemn….for God's gift of music piped directly into your
ears in stereo glory can be mighty moving indeed.

Blessed Lent as we grow in God's loving embrace on the cross,
Carla Vanatta,
Associate in Ministry,
Salem Lutheran Church

Salem Reminders:
Midweek Lenten Worship and Soup Suppers Wednesdays: 5:30-6:30 Soup
served; bring breads or desserts to share; 7:00 p.m. Evening Prayer
Weekend Lenten worship includes Communion at the Rail by Intinction, a
more penitential posture during this season of reflection. Dip your
fingers in the baptismal font and remember your baptism.

Grace notes, Feb. 22, 2012

2012-02-23T06:32:00.001-08:00

What's in a word? Have you heard that expression all your life? I have.
I don't know where it comes from, so if you do, please let me know! I can
tell you there is a LOT in a word! Wars have been fought, marriages made,
babies named, companies dissolved over a word. It can be a
misunderstanding; it can be someone not hearing correctly, it can be an
old fight carried on for the sake of a grudge continued too long. Words
are powerful.

The word we're going to lift up today is "committee". This word is
utilitarian, seemingly fitting many chores and tasks. I serve on the
stewardship committee, on the property committee, on the Sunday School
committee, etc., etc. you hear people say. You say it yourself too. We
all serve on committees some place some time in our lives. Maybe church,
maybe work, maybe for the school or the library or some other town
governance office. It's part of civic duty, it's part of Christian duty,
it's part of putting our money where our mouth is, showing what's
important to us by our deeds as well as our words.

I would challenge you: substitute the word "ministry" for the word
"committee". There are a couple of reasons: first is that people make
jokes, cynical jokes, about committees. "Oh if you don't want to
accomplish anything, send it to committee" is one thing you've heard,
right? Work done in or by a committee is looked down upon; people act as
if it is a miracle that anything gets done by committee. But use the word
"ministry" instead and you and others too feel differently. "I'm part of
the Homebound Communion Ministry". How does that sound? God-blessed,
that's how! "I serve on Worship Ministry" sounds pretty special. And the
truth is, it is special. So are all the works done for the glory of God.
All are ministry. "Oh, all I do is send a birthday or anniversary card
once in a while". That's really a card ministry, isn't it? Who doesn't
like to receive something special in the mail? It lets people know they
are not forgotten, that someone thinks of them kindly. Hallelujah! The
beautiful baptismal blankets women make for every newly baptized child at
Salem are a ministry, a baptismal ministry. Every song the choirs learn
to enhance our worship together is a ministry. The huge Salem lawns are
mowed just before each weekend so our outdoors looks inviting to all,
members and strangers alike. Our Food Pantry is a ministry. Our
membership in Love, Inc. is a ministry. Our Sunday School teaches
children about Jesus. That's certainly a ministry, done by faithful
teachers week after week. Ushering is a ministry. People are welcomed
well here. The list goes on and on. No way have all been named.

People give time and thought and effort in all these ministries. The
creativity is amazing. We all need to name the work done around here.
Next time somebody asks you what you do to support God's people, please
name your work properly: you do ministry! Yes, you. You do ministry.
The priesthood of all believers that Martin Luther described includes you.
Thanks be to God.

Judy Bergeson
Diaconal Minister

UPCOMING EVENTS at SALEM:

Ash Wednesday service began at 7 PM; ashes imposed;

Soup Suppers will be served at 5:30 before Lenten services every Wed. at
7 PM; bring crackers, bread or a dessert to share.

World Day of Prayer service is written by women of Malaysia this year and
held at the United Methodist Church on Friday, March 2nd at 9:30 followed
with refreshments. All are invited.

No. Illinois Synod hosts the Congregational Resourcing Event Saturday,
March 10 from 8:30 till 3:15. Theme is "Seeds Grow Fruit – From God's
Story to Our Story". All are welcome! Call Salem's office to register at
815-895-9171. Cost is $17 before March 1st, $22 after that date.

Support Salem's Global Missions: Order butter braids before March 23; six
delicious flavors. Delivery date is just before Easter – perfect for
company. It's to raise money to send a team to Tanzania as we did a
couple years ago.

Love, In the Name of Christ is hosting a community baby shower on Feb.
25th 1 till 3 PM at Wesleyan Church, 115 S. Malta Road, DeKalb. It's a
new Gap Ministry. Bring your gifts to Salem, if you like, and we will
deliver all gifts to the Wesleyan Church.

Grace Notes 2/14/2012

2012-02-19T10:15:00.001-08:00

Grace Notes 2/14/12------------------O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain
and feel the promise is not vain
that morn shall tearless be.

Have you found the expression of your love that you want to share with
your loved ones—each made in the image of God?

Have you decided how to express a healthy love for yourself—a creation of
and delight to God?

These are 2 of the things that I ponder in the days leading up to and on
the celebration of St. Valentine's Day. The legends surrounding
Valentine have obscured the details of his life and death. There were 2
Valentines: 1 a priest who was martyred in Rome and the other the Bishop
of Terni. Not a lot more is known. In any case, the celebration of the
Saint's day has been imbued with hearts, flowers and sundry gifts related
to romantic love. Love is truly at the heart of the feast, but it is a
broader love, a love that was directed and sustained by the Spirit toward
the creator, redeemer, revealer God whom Valentine served.

All love is a gift from God and this note is not intended to pan the
romance and friendships celebrated on this day. What I do hope to do is
provide a reminder for us that our Heavenly Father is among those whom we
acknowledge on this day. Just as we build relationships with other
creatures/persons who share our experience, a relationship is the focus of
our prayers, worship and encounters with Holy Scripture. Our Father's
voice calls to us through the Bible and speaks tenderly to us in prayer so
that we might build and deepen a relationship with our God. Psalm 139
reminds us that never and nowhere is there a time or place where we are
not in the presence of the loving being that made us. Romans 8:31-39
emphatically witnesses to the Christian treasure as St. Paul proclaims—"I
am persuaded that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God which is
ours in Christ Jesus!" St. Valentine trusted his life to that never
failing love.

Let us find in this feast day the sure and certain grace of the LOVE that
is beyond all others, the love which is a model for the love with which we
meet one another and the healthy love with which we hold ourselves.

Pastor Rob
Salem Lutheran Church

Grace Notes January 31, 2012

2012-02-02T07:15:00.001-08:00

I couldn't decide which calendar to give to my Aunt Eileen. Born to a
farm couple in the late 1920's, she was the last living of the four
sisters that made up my Mom's family. She had moved to the Sycamore Grand
Victorian last June following a heart attack, leaving behind a quaint
round red house I loved on the rolling hillsides and wandering creek of a
dairy farm in Byron. Her health continued to fail this fall and when she
needed more care she became a resident at Bethany Healthcare. When I
visited I would see the calendar she marked off, day by day.

Should I give her the cow calendar? The farm calendar? The covered
bridge calendar? Which pictures would give her the most joy and pleasure
as she marked each day? You see, I love sales, and I love calendars, and
these beautiful Lang calendars sold at 1/3 of the original price early
January online. I debated and debated as I waited until I was healed
enough to go see Aunt Eileen after my recent knee replacement. Finally
last Tuesday the weather was good and I felt strong enough to walk to her
room, calendar in hand.

Only Aunt Eileen wasn't in her room. She was fighting for her breath down
the street in the hospital. Soon my cousin called to say she was not
going to make it; could I come? Of course I would come; I could get there
in a wheelchair.

Now I have dreaded the day I would lose my Aunt Eileen. I had grown to
love her more and more the last few years and she was my last connection
to my Mom. Visiting her on the farm satisfied a yearning and longing for
the days of my past. But life had grown hard for my aunt.
Her lungs and heart were worn and sore and her back was giving way. She
had been faithfully marking the days of her life, hoping for relief and a
way to escape the confines of her body.
We had talked many times about dying and the courage it takes to go on
when life gets so hard.

Aunt Eileen didn't need a calendar anymore. She had reached January 24th
and that was to be her last day. Or maybe I should say, her first day –
her first day of a new life, a new body that would never again give her
pain or limitation. Her first day of seeing the Lord face to face and
marveling in God's glory. Her first day of being reunited with husband
Henry, her sisters and parents and friends.

These four sisters are now fond memories, leaving a heritage of nine
children to step up as the matriarchs and patriarchs of this family. It's
a little scary for many of us, a reminder of the clock ticking and the
calendar pages turning in our own lives. None of us knows how much time
we have. But perhaps we will step up to the plate a bit more and exercise
our new role, becoming a beloved aunt or uncle or cousin for the younger
ones, quick to love and encourage and forgive.

Perhaps we will take a little more time for one another and keep the bonds
strong. Perhaps we will grasp the gifts of each day with love and
appreciation for those who have gone before.

Today marks the last day of January 2012. As we turn the page to
February, let us humbly move ahead into the future, full of hope and love,
for Jesus has already crossed over.

God's Rich Blessings,

Carla Vanatta, Associate in Ministry
Salem Lutheran Church, Sycamore, IL
Salem Reminders:

This weekend Salem Youth will collect your spare dollars, change, or
checks in Soup Pots for Souper Bowl of Caring, an offering of love on
Super Bowl weekend to support our Compassion International Teen, Noe.

Salem Boy Scout Troop will host 10:30 worship service and participate in a
Blessing of their learning and service. All are welcome.

Sign-up is ongoing to write a Lenten devotional; choose your date and
scripture at the welcome center table.

You can also sign-up to give blood on Sat. Feb. 11th as we remember the
4th anniversary of the campus shootings at NIU and choose to support
others with life.

Salem Food Pantry can always use gifts of food, paper goods, personal
products or financial gifts to purchase these items as they seek to assist
almost 200 families who are visiting this mission outreach for help each
month.

Grace Notes, January 25, 2012

2012-01-26T07:22:00.001-08:00

GraceNotes January 25, 2012

It was time to wind the clock yesterday. Just like most months, I was
reminded only when the clock came to a stop.

It's always time to be with God. To praise. To thank. To serve. To trust.
To tell him we love him. Sadly, I sometimes forget…something has to stop
to remind me.

Thanks be to God! He never needs a reminder. He loves and cares for us
without interruption. To God be all praise and glory!

Ron Vanatta

Salem Reminders:

5:00 Praise Team worship this Sat. Jan. 28th
8:00/10:30 Traditional worship Sun. Jan. 29th

Prayer for the New Member Dinner this Sunday night as new folks consider
joining Salem's mission to "Live Christ's Love".

First weekend of February will be "Souper Bowl of Caring" with our Youth
collecting your spare change or dollars to help sponsor our Compassion
International youth. It is also Boy Scout Sunday and Salem's Troop will
help host 10:30 worship. Blessings on all our youth!

Grace Notes, January 11, 2012

2012-01-11T10:38:00.001-08:00

My spirit, my prayers were in Rochester, Minnesota today. So was my
family's. My brother-in-law was asked to do the eulogy for his 13 year
old niece Shannon. She had struggled to beat a malignant brain tumor for
nine months. She lost. Today she was buried.

How do you do this? My brother-in-law and sister have prayed, wept,
supported, fed, held, loved this little girl, her sister, and her Mommy
and Daddy. They were solace and comfort in every way they could but the
one way they couldn't, no one could including marvelous, caring doctors.
Shannon's life. No time for braces or high school or prom. No college,
no adventures post-grad, no falling in love, no wedding, no babies. And
in Shannon's family people get married and stay married. They like each
other, their mates, enough to bridge the times of intense dislike. And
they stick together. Every aunt and uncle, and there are nine of them,
every cousin no matter the age, all came home, all gathered for today. I
know them. There was conversation and hugs and more conversation and more
hugs. This family knows how to do these things and with gusto, with joy,
with enthusiasm, with inclusion. Everyone is welcome in to this family.

I know how they are. I was just at a wedding in Minnesota over Labor Day,
where they were all gathered because one of the other children, my godson,
got married. It was so joyful, the setting, the flowers, the dresses, the
music, the beautiful bride and handsome groom. He couldn't take his eyes
off his bride. Truly, she was a vision. And Shannon was there too and
looked darling in the prettiest dress and so happy to be among family and
people who loved her family so they came too. This was just a few short
months ago.

How do you bury a child? I have always always found great comfort in the
23rd Psalm, especially this part, "Yea though I walk through the valley of
the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me". Do you
think Shannon knew that God was with her? Every step, every breath of the
way? God was, of course, but did she know? When my own mother died almost
two years ago, I saw angels come to take her Home. I had believed that no
one goes alone but that actual sight of them bending over her to gather
her to them was plain miraculous affirmation that what I had believed
sight unseen was absolutely true. So while I want to and have railed at
God, I have at the same time been profoundly reassured that Shannon too
was taken Home by angels, perhaps young ones, like her, God had sent them,
so she would feel welcomed, that she would know right away that she would
have playmates her size and age. And they better have a lot of spirit and
spunk too, because that Shannon surely does. Neither heaven nor earth
could contain that girl's spirit!

So perhaps the best farewell is one of heart-filled faith, faith that she
is indeed Home where we all will go one day. Faith that she has no more
pain at all, that she is whole and free of all illness of any kind. Faith
that she will run and skip and jump in Heaven, bringing smiles to the
faces of even the most serious angels. And God? God will open God's arms
and hold them out to her for the biggest welcome ever and she will nestle
in that lap, God's lap, and smile right back. Let it be so, Lord. Amen.

Judy Bergeson
Diaconal Minister, Salem

UPCOMING EVENTS at SALEM
Lenten Devotional to be written by Salem members; choice of passages in
the Welcome Center; please take one;

Annual Meeting Sun., January 22: lunch at noon, meeting at 12:45;

Women's Retreat Sat., Feb 18 at Grace Place at NIU, 8 till 4ish;

Celebrate Ron & Carla's 36th year in Music Ministry at Salem Feb. 19, 2
till 4;

December 28, 2011 Grace Notes

2011-12-29T07:47:00.001-08:00

Waiting...We'll be doing a little waiting this week as Carla has knee
surgery.

Waiting at several presurgery appointments the day before. Waiting during
the surgery. Waiting for healing. While we can't help but feel some
anxiety, we wait with confidence...confidence in the skills of doctors and
staff, confidence in the prayer and support of so many family and friends.
Most of all...confidence in God's complete love and care.

We have just finished a season of waiting in the church year. All through
Advent we waited once again for the gift of the savior. And amidst the
uncertainties and troubles of these times, we still waited with confidence
in the sure and certain fulfillment of God's promised son.

Salem is in a time of waiting for our next pastor. Perhaps there is a
little uncertainty. A little anxiety. But we can wait with confidence.
God loved the world so much that he gave his son...isn't he most certainly
preparing a new pastor to walk with Salem in our call to live Christ's
love?

May God bless our waiting. May he grant us confidence in his love and care
that never ends. Let him keep us moving forward in faith and trust.

Ron Vanatta
Salem Lutheran Church

Salem Grace Notes 12-21-11

2011-12-21T06:40:00.001-08:00

Christmas is almost here. Most of us are exhausted, some of us are
excited, and many of us carry sorrows from one Christmas to the next.
Though it is my favorite time of the year, I am keenly aware of the losses
and life changes which can affect how we feel about this sacred holiday.
The best advice I can give is to keep it sacred. Enjoy the fun with
family and friends if you are so blessed, but deep in your heart let the
precious gift of a tiny baby, full of hope and promise and love, be the
center of your celebration….the wonder of God with us, Emmanuel, and all
that means.

Marty Haugen, hymn-writer, pens these sentiments. May they bring our
celebrating into focus with much hope and love.

Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn

1 Awake! Awake, and greet the new morn, for angels herald its dawning.
Sing out your joy, for soon he is born, behold! the Child of our longing.
Come as a baby weak and poor, to bring all hearts together,
he opens wide the heav'nly door and lives now inside us forever.

2 To us, to all in sorrow and fear, Emmanuel comes a-singing,
his humble song is quiet and near, yet fills the earth with its ringing;
music to heal the broken soul and hymns of lovingkindness,
the thunder of his anthems roll to shatter all hatred and blindness.

3 In darkest night his coming shall be, when all the world is despairing,
as morning light so quiet and free, so warm and gentle and caring.
Then shall the mute break forth in song, the lame shall leap in wonder,
the weak be raised above the strong, and weapons be broken asunder.

4 Rejoice, rejoice, take heart in the night, though dark the winter and
cheerless,
the rising sun shall crown you with light, be strong and loving and
fearless.
Love be our song and love our prayer and love our endless story;
may God fill ev'ry day we share and bring us at last into glory.

Text: Marty Haugen, b. 1950
Text © 1983 GIA Publications, Inc., 7404 S. Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638.
www.giamusic.com. 800.442.3358. All rights reserved.
Used by permission, Reprinted under OneLicense.net A-708 303

May your Christmas be blessed by the One whose birth we celebrate,

Carla Vanatta, Associate in Ministry
Salem Lutheran Church
Sycamore, IL

Salem Reminders:
· Last Advent service Wed. Dec. 21st, 7 p.m.
· Christmas Eve services at 4,7,11 p.m.
· Christmas Day service 10:30 a.m.

Grace Notes, 12/7/2011

2011-12-06T18:33:00.001-08:00

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands"!

That sentence from Psalm 100 has been echoing in my head for many days
now, as Salem celebrated Thanksgiving with blessings and pie, as we enter
Advent with gorgeously decorated trees and candles to be lit on the Advent
wreath, as we watch the children begin to get more excited. And then I
just plain stopped and listened. The Salem Sounds around here are just
wonderful! We have Food Pantry workers welcoming families as they come in
search of food to serve. We have Altar Guild members laughing as they
decorate the altar beautifully to prepare for worship. We have women in
the office typing, collating, answering phones, planning, and laughing.
We have men washing windows and putting up storms, quietly preparing for
winter. We have Sunday School teachers faithfully showing up weekly to
teach our children stories about Jesus with words, paint, colors, books,
puzzles. We have choir members from age 3 till older who come to sing in
such dear harmony. They add to the beauty of the worship of our Lord. We
have mowers who come a day or two before the weekend, so Salem's huge lawn
looks manicured, ready for all who come to its doors. We have bells that
ring in glorious song every hour. They say "Welcome!" They say "We
worship Jesus here!" They say "You can too, just come on in!" We have
three generations of puppets who show us a different way to worship, a way
that enchants the children. The Confirmation children do lovely, loving
service projects, both for our shut-ins and for others who need to be
remembered with warm scarves and pretty handmade Christmas cards. We have
members of the Witness Team making hot chocolate and cookies to pass out
at Santa's new house on the Courthouse lawn. We have a history of such
fine pastors, who teach us by their very presence. They are kind and
smart and steeped in the Word of our Lord. They care deeply about us,
their parishioners. They do so many constructive acts that we marvel.

The second verse of Psalm 100 is, "Serve the Lord with gladness; come
before His presence with singing." All these Salem Sounds do exactly
that. We say to that "Hallelujah!" We say "Thanks be to God!" God's
people say "Amen!"

Judy Bergeson
Diaconal Minister

UPCOMING EVENTS AT SALEM
Each year we put up a Christmas tree with names on it from Avancer
(formerly Genesis House), home for 90 mentally challenged adults. The
cognitive age and a couple of wished-for items are on this tag. We
purchase them, wrap them, and return them to Salem by the weekend of Dec.
10/11. Everyone may help in this effort to make Christmas nicer, better
for those less fortunate.

The High School students will have a Christmas baked goods sale on Sunday,
December 18th. This is a fine time to get your baking done! The
selection is always varied and delicious.

Salem's choir will give us an always beautiful Christmas concert at 5 PM
Saturday, December 10 and again Sunday, December 11th at 10:30. All are
welcome.

2011-12-02T18:40:00.001-08:00

"Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." In the Gospel of
Sunday, December 4, 2011 that is the call issued to God's people. Quoting
the prophet Isaiah, John the Baptist announces the Lord's coming.
In the middle of the week, as I write this, I'm aware of the Spirit's
claim on me, you and Salem. It strikes me that this cry is not just a
part of a story about another time and place. It is a present reality for
all of us as disciples. Our mission is to make His paths straight so that
our Savior and Lord is available to those who hear the Spirit calling them
to join the "kingdom life".

The thought was impressed upon my mind and spirit that this is not
something added to our already busy lives. "Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight." is about discerning the Spirit's direction and
pursuing the mission that has been given to all disciples, personally and
collectively—"Living Christ's Love" in every situation and circumstance.
Again, this isn't something added onto living, it is the way of living the
gift of life that we have. The challenge lies in how we act Christ's love
in the presence of others and in the company of only our own self. It can
be tough to do. Indeed on our own, it often seems impossible. BUT as we
are willing and as we surrender ourselves to the Lord, His Spirit can work
"living Christ's love" through us.

It is simple, but not simplistic. Simplistic actions tend to lead us into
a maze of seeking a problem—solution models for each different situation.
That sounds exhausting at best. Simple action means seeking and being
open to the same solution in any setting; namely, asking the Lord to "let
others see Christ in me" in every encounter. I believe this is what the
wisdom writer meant when writing in Proverbs. "Trust in the Lord with
all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways,
acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."

Does that mean we'll always get it right? No, and that is when we make
straight the Lord's path for the Child of God in us. We make the path
straight by hearing, receiving and accepting, by faith, heaven's grace.
Advent is here. The Lord is coming to us in the celebration of God's
birth as a little baby boy—the angel said his name is Jesus— Emmanuel.

May you sense "God with us" Emmanuel as we gather for the activities of
Salem's faith community as we journey to the manger outside of Bethlehem.

Advent blessings,
Pr. Rob

Grace Notes November 23, 2011

2011-11-24T06:30:00.001-08:00

Grace Notes Nov. 23, 2011
"O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures
forever." Psalm 136.1

'Tis the season to be thankful. The turkey on the calendar is reminding
us. Thanksgiving Day has been celebrated officially since President
Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving Nov. 26, 1863. But God's
children have been giving thanks much longer.

An article in the morning paper tells that scientists are studying
thankfulness. Psychologists are identifying gratitude as one of our most
powerful emotions. Gratitude makes us happier and can change our attitude
about life. An emotional "reset button".

A key component of thankfulness is the way it connects us to others. While
it is good to give thanks for everything, we should remember that it's the
people in our lives that are most important. Family, friends, all who walk
with us on life's journey. When I remember to give thanks, I am reminded
that it is not just about me. All of life is a gift from our loving God,
often delivered by others of his children. And sometimes I am allowed to
deliver his gift to another…

Give God thanks as you count your blessings. And be a blessing to others.

Ron Vanatta

>Thanksgiving Eve Worship today, Wednesday, at 7:00 pm.
>First Sunday of Advent this weekend.
>Advent Holden Evening Prayer every Wednesday at 7:00 pm starting Nov. 30.
>Christmas Cantata, "Tapestry of Light,"at 5:00 Sat, Dec 10 and 10:30 Sun,
Dec 11.

Grace Notes, November 17, 2011

2011-11-17T16:18:00.001-08:00

Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 16/17, 2011, hundreds and perhaps thousands
of people gathered at Salem to honor God's gift of Dee Palmer to this
community. Heralded as DeKalb County's "Music Man", the more of himself
he gave to his community, the more beloved he became. His seemingly
endless energy and enthusiasm carried him to almost 100 years of life.
While few people can say they have served at anything continuously for 63
years or have had a life-size statue erected in their honor, this man
humbly carried on his work, receiving joy and energy from the support of
the musicians who worked with him and the community who loved the music he
so ably chose and conducted.

While we pause to honor Dee and express appreciation, sorrow, and loss,
let us also pause to give thanks to God for one who so keenly loved the
work God created him for, and one who so faithfully fulfilled his role in
life. Family shared they never knew a more loving, kind man, one who
chose to look for the best in people and refused to blame anyone if he was
wronged.

Times like these are a gift to us if we use them well. While we are not
called to worship or idolize any human being, there are the "greats" in
our communities and world whose candle seems to shine a bit brighter than
those around them. If we take the time to learn from their lives, look at
their choices and values, and the results – seen or unseen – they can
become a worthwhile model for us, a "shining example". No one is perfect,
but some people certainly seem to make better use of God's gift of life
than others.

In faith we trust that God has welcomed Dee into the heavenly realm,
bestowing upon him unknown joy and love, that his heart might sing forever
God's praise and his soul know the Lord face to face. Thanks be to God.
Thank you, Dee.

Carla Vanatta, Associate in Ministry
Salem Lutheran Church, Sycamore, IL

Salem Reminders:
Christ the King Sunday completes the Liturgical church year this weekend.
Traditional worship at 5 p.m. Saturday &, 8:00 Sunday and Praise Team
worship 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Salem Sunday School Children are rehearsing
for their Christmas Program as well as regular class lessons at 9:15 a.m.
Sunday.

Thank you to all who have signed up to work at the Feed my Starving
Children pack days – Confirmation students and Families Friday night and
other Salem helpers on Sunday. Financial gifts are also welcomed to pay
for the ingredients @ 24 cents per manna pack.

Salem Christmas Cantata rehearsals continue Wed. evenings at 8 and Sunday
evenings at 6.

Take time to worship and give thanks. Plan to attend Salem's Thanksgiving
Eve worship next Wed. Nov. 23rd at 7 p.m. followed by pie and coffee in
Fellowship Hall. Invite a friend or your family.

Grace Notes, November 5, 2011

2011-11-06T14:33:00.001-08:00

For some reason, I pulled from my bookshelves my old Confirmation Bible
this week. Written on the face plate in the front: "To Judy Oehlert, a
member of the Confirmation Class of Salem, at Sycamore, IL on the 21st of
Oct, 1956. Martin W. Gustafson, Interim Pastor". This is so special to
me. It has yellowed over time and is falling apart some, but the memories
come spilling out. I see that Matthew must have been my favorite in those
days; there is a lot of underlining, especially chapters 5 and 6. Here's
a taste: "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother
shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable
to the council, and whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the hell
of fire" (verse 22). See, this helped keep a rein on my tongue. I have
five younger brothers and sisters. There was ample opportunity to be
angry, or so I thought! But Mom and Matthew both said I shouldn't. Tough
combination. I tried to meet this goal. What do we say? You win some,
you lose some! But I had a goal that was clear: govern my tongue.

The last verses of chapter 5 state this, "You have heard that it was said,
'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy'. But I say to you,
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be
sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the
just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward
have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute
only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the
Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly
Father is perfect." Jesus' logic is unassailable. But this goal is
harder. Of course my first question at that time was why in the world
would God shine his sun on the unjust? That's not fair! But one of the
things we have to learn before we can consider ourselves grown up is that
life is not fair. Another goal then: pray for our enemies.

The Lord' Prayer is next. Jesus gave us this perfect prayer. It is
ageless. It is part of me, essential to my prayer life, as it is to every
praying Christian.

And then starting in chapter 6: 24 is that lovely, vivid image of lilies
in the field. This was an important passage for me to read in High
School. I wasn't to be anxious! Clothing, the right kind of clothing was
terribly important then, as it is now for that age, and I sometimes didn't
have it. Yet when I read this passage, much of the self-consciousness
dissipated. What a blessing!

Chapter 7 begins boldly: "Judge not, that you be not judged." This aims
right at cattiness and gossip, doesn't it? What I said could be said
about me, so what would I want said? Ugly half-truths, imagined slights,
mean words? Of course not. One choice was to say nothing. Another,
better choice, was to speak up for someone being maligned. The latter was
the goal. And one certainly isn't to participate in slander. Sometimes
in our society, people mistake kindness for weakness. That's a big error.

There are more underlined passages, but these admonitions Jesus gave us
speak to our hearts. Clearly Jesus wanted us to "get" all these things.
Their clarity and words of one syllable tell us that. These are still my
goals over 50 years later. Jesus set the bar high. But He did it because
His Father made us to be His loving, obedient people.

Judy Bergeson, Diaconal Minister
Salem Lutheran

COMING EVENTS AT SALEM:

This Tuesday, Nov. 8th: take a coupon from the
Narthex at church & eat at Applebee's 11 AM to 11 PM!
15% goes to Feed My Starving Children

Nov. 13: Pastor Seth Sululu from Tanzania was invited by our
Global Missions Team to preach & visit with us at the
Coffee Hour. He is completing work on his Master's degree in
Music at NIU. Come hear! And Salem's puppets help celebrate
our relationship with the Arusha Diocese of Tanzania.

Grief Support begins again for the 5th year. From Nov. 6 for 11 weeks, we
meet in the Chapel Lounge from 3 till 4:30 PM every Sunday to offer
grieving people comfort through the holidays. No fee, no registration
required. Just come. Phyllis Castenson, Carole Lichty, and Judy Bergeson
co-lead this group.

Thanksgiving eve at 7 PM, we gather to give thanks for all our blessings.
Pie will be served in the Fellowship Hall after the service.

We look forward to Advent which begins at 7 PM Wednesday, November 30th.
Pastor Rob will tell us how "A Christmas Carol" is also a story for people
of faith.

Shop in the Red Sofa Lounge area two weekends after Thanksgiving for gifts
from the Fair Trade Fair. Unique gifts will be available.