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June 2020 Volume 24, Issue 5

Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church and School

Newsletter

The

Pilot

Salem Lutheran Church

9655 Pioneer Trail

Greenfield, MN 55357

Paul T. Schuler, Pastor

(763)498-7281(office)

(920)284-0172 (cell)

pastorschuler@ salemwels.org

Paul M. Kuehn, Pastor

(763)486-3397 (cell)

pastorkuehn@ salemwels.org

Brenda Berkenes, Church Secretary

(763)479-9161 (cell)

church@salemwels.org

Salem Lutheran School

9615 Pioneer Trail

Greenfield, MN 55357

Ryan Randall, Principal

rrandall@ salemwels.org

Tracy Schuler, School Secretary

(763)498-7283 (office)

school@salemwels.org

Faculty

Ryan Randall (7 & 8)

Eric Hahn (5 & 6)

Jodi Brandel (3 & 4)

Merry Leerssen (1 & 2)

Rebekah Bohlmann (K)

Lisa Charlson (PreK)

Shelley Kromschroeder

Kari Paul (Band Director)

www.salemwels.org

Finding Joy While Waiting Patiently

You would admit having joy is something that we

all want. That feeling of deep satisfaction, delight,

and overwhelming happiness is something we

welcome. Unless your hero and role model is

Oscar the Grouch, we would say the more joy in

our lives the better.

But we would also admit that having joy is hard,

especially if that joy mostly depends on what is

happening in our lives. Does it surprise any of us at

all that God’s people in the Bible struggled with

having joy, even when God gives the encourage-

ment “Be joyful always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16)?

Joy is mentioned 245 times in the Bible. Most

times it is used when a person’s current situation

in life seems anything but joyful. Through the

prophets, God said repeatedly that he was going

to take away his people’s joy, because they were

not finding delight and happiness in walking with

God. Their sense of satisfaction was coming from

walking away from God into words and actions

that were harming their relationship with him.

God then repeatedly encouraged his people to be

joyful in what he would do…in the future…when

he would restore them from discipline, when

Jesus’ work would lead them to walk with God

once again. Joy is either draining away into the

past or something to hope for in the future. Very

rarely is joy found in the present. Sound familiar?

There is a sense that somehow this summer is

going to be different. Maybe we can’t put our

finger on exactly how different it will be or what

will make it so different. But that sense is there. Is

it affecting your sense of having joy? You have

memories of joy from last summer, but that was

last year.

“Finding Joy While Patiently Waiting”

continued on page 3

By Pastor Paul M. Kuehn

Salem Lutheran Church

16 I heard and my heart pounded,

my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept

into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I

will wait patiently for the day of calamity to

come on the nation invading us.

17 Though the fig tree does not bud and

there are no grapes on the vines, though the

olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen and no

cattle in the stalls,

18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will

be joyful in God my Savior.

19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;

he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he

enables me to go on the heights. (Habakkuk

3:16-19)

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Salem Lutheran Church Financial Update

Board of Elders

Tom Bursch

Joe Siers

Kim Class

Keven Schmidt

Arvid Green

Lynn Jurrens

Board of Education

Scott Anderson

Chad Vik

Eric Quist

Lee Brandel

Jerome Meyer

Board of Finance

Tony Klein

John Ritari

Doug Beise

Grant McFadden

Chad Berkenes

Board of Trustees

Kerby Desens

Brandon Jochum

Mitchell Anderson

Derek Leider

Steve Gutknecht

Kenny Meyer

Salem Lutheran Church Council

Dear Members of Salem:

Due to the COVID-19 virus and stay-at-home order issued by Governor Walz in March, many of us have experienced some degree of financial hardship.

Salem has not been immune to these changes. This update will inform you of Salem's current financial status.

At the end of February 2020:

Total Church Offerings received were $7,000 less than budgeted needs for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-20

Mission Offerings were $3,200 more than budgeted for FY 2019-20

Total Church Operating Revenue was $31,000 less than budgeted needs for FY 2019-20

Note: last June, the Salem voters adopted a FY 2019/20 budget that contained a projected Total Church Operating budget with a $51,000 deficit.

By the end of April 2020:

Total Church Offerings received were $7,500 less than budgeted needs FY 2019-20

Mission Offerings fell to $7,600 less than budgeted needs FY 2019-20

Total Church Operating Revenue was $16,600 less than budgeted needs FY 2019-20. By God's grace, significant improvement has been made.

Two-Month summary:

The drop in Mission Offerings was due to canceled in-person church services during Lent, Holy Week, and Easter. Offerings made at these services are

designated for our Mission budget.

Although it appears church offerings have remained steady, Salem was blessed to receive a large one-time donation, as well as donations contributed

during a Thrivent Match campaign, to offset decreases in weekly donations.

On March 27, 2020, the US Congress passed the CARES Act. Part of this stimulus bill provided funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to help

small businesses and nonprofit organizations with revenue to retain their employees. Upon encouragement from our WELS Synod, your Board of Finance

applied for and received PPP funding on April 17th. This funding covers Salem's anticipated payroll expenses through mid June. Under program rules,

funding is considered a loan, but becomes a forgivable grant if utilized for payroll and utility expenses, which is what Salem intends to do.

Moving forward:

While the PPP funding has been a reassuring stabilizer for Salem's finances, it is very short-term and will only continue through the middle of June. Even

with PPP funding, the Board of Finance still projects an overall deficit to close our budget for FY 2019-20, which at a minimum, may still reach up to

$35,000. And, heading into the next budget year Salem could be looking at a larger deficit than previously anticipated. Prayerfully consider how the Lord

has blessed you and respond to His grace generously. Your first fruit gifts are needed as we plan for an uncertain financial future due to COVID-19. May

God continue to bless Salem through your grace-driven generosity.

In Christ,

Grant McFadden

Salem Lutheran Church Treasurer

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Finding Joy While Patiently Waiting– Continued You have hopes for what next summer will

bring after all this is over, but that is next

year. Our current summer? We still find our-

selves waiting and wondering. What will

happen next? Can you find joy while waiting

patiently?

The prophet, Habakkuk, lived during a time

when believers were finding it especially

difficult to be joyful. We know very little

about him, but he appears to have been a

leader among the believers still left in Judah

and Jerusalem. Likely he lived in the years

right before Jerusalem fell to the Babylonian

Empire. And Habakkuk was inspired by God

to write his letter perhaps 20 years before

Jerusalem actually fell.

King Josiah would have just died. He was

the last bright light that the Kingdom of

Judah would see until after they returned

from Babylon. He was one of a handful of

kings that the Bible describes as good and

godly. He led the people in walking with God,

finding joy in having God at their side.

Josiah’s descendants were different. Within

a couple years of his death, many of Josiah’s

reforms were undone. Believers soon found

themselves in the minority. Habakkuk says it

was a time of violence and conflict (1:2-3), a

time when justice never prevailed (1:4), and

God didn’t seem to be doing anything to

prevent it. When was he going to put an end

to the evil? Joy was in the past. What would

happen next?

God answered Habakkuk, but not with the

answer Habakkuk was hoping for. Things

were going to get worse, physically, spiritual-

ly, economically, for Judah. Babylon would

come. God would discipline. Jerusalem would

fall. The people, believers and unbelievers,

would be taken away. Yet God promised the

situation was not lost. God would never take

his hands off it. God would discipline

Babylon. God’s people would return.

Though there is the promise of future joy,

what should amaze us most is Habakkuk’s

response, the song with which he ends his

letter: “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be

joyful in God my Savior.” (Habakkuk 3:18).

Habakkuk is not describing a joy he hoped to

have sometime in the future. He is describing

a joy that he had and would continue to carry

in his heart even now.

This joy would remain and nothing, no hard-

ship or trouble, could touch it. No figs, no

grapes, no olives? No sheep or cattle? No

problem! I have my answer from God. He has

answered my prayer! And that answer is:

even when things get worse, even when the

road ahead seems dark, even when I am told

to wait, my God is in control. God has his

hands on my life and will not let me or any of

his believers go. With his hands on my life, I

can jump joyfully like a deer leaping along

the side of a mountain. I can find satisfaction

and delight whatever may happen. I can have

joy even now as I wait patiently for the fu-

ture that God has planned for me to unfold.

This joy isn’t destroyed by hardship. This joy

doesn’t depend on circumstances. This joy

doesn’t depend on you. This joy is yours in

Jesus!

The 2020 Confirmation Service which was originally scheduled for Sunday, May 3rd has been

tentatively rescheduled for Sunday, September 13th. While it is difficult to anticipate what the

situation will look like in September, based on recent news reports it looks like some things will

begin to reopen beginning June 1st. It is anticipated that reopenings will be done gradually and in

phases with group sizes increasing gradually and incrementally over the weeks and months of

summer. Between the confirmands and their parents alone we have a group of roughly 50 people.

We would like to celebrate the Rite of Confirmation with our confirmands with a gathering that

would include siblings, grandparents, godparents, family and friends. While only God can see the

future, we are prayerful that a gathering of the size we hope to have for our confirmation service

will be possible by early September. God's blessings to our confirmands! God-willing, we look

forward to celebrating your confirmation with you in early September!

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Salem Lutheran Church Mission

Salem Lutheran Church exists to support, encourage and train God’s people in

Christian discipleship at every age level and ability

Salem Lutheran Church News

Member News

Funeral

Elaine Mulinex was called to her heavenly home on Saturday, May 23. Plans for her Christian

Funeral are still pending.

Joanne (Muehring) Tolzman was called to her heavenly home Sunday, May 3rd. A private

ceremony took place at the Concordia Lutheran Cemetery in Fair Haven Minnesota, Sunday,

May 10th.

2020 Advent by Candlelight

Planning is underway for this year's Advent by Candle-light event. The event is time of fellowship for women of Salem and their guests to reflect upon the Advent sea-son. Please see the following testimonial regarding last year's event by Salem member, Amy Kindschuh:

"As a new member of Salem Lutheran Church, I was invited to participate in the Advent by Candlelight event. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by the beauty of it all. It truly was a pathway into the advent season. I enjoyed listening to the scriptures, songs of our choir and singing along to hymns. It was very festive with the tables decorated so elegantly and the desserts were delicious. I will definitely be attending again and look forward to meeting new people and getting into the true spirit of what Christmas is all about.”

Please contact Deb Beise at deb.beise@gmail.com or 612-201-4776 if you are interesting in joining the planning committee.

Worship Updates:

In light of the Governor’s recent “Stay Safe MN” order, which permits churches

to fill only to 25% capacity, we have made the decision to: Continue to

suspend all worship and fellowship gatherings through Sunday, June 28.

Video services will continue to be posted each week on Salem’s YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7KRe5Nr2jqQuDJU02yw

The Church council is also working on a plan to offer multiple communion services for small

groups in church during the month of June in compliance with Stay Safe order. More information

will be coming soon. Thank you for your patience as we work to navigate our way through this

unique time.

Quarterly Voters and Annual Budget

Meeting– DATE CHANGED:

Just as Covid-19 has been taking a financial toll on families

and business around our country, so it is having an impact on

Salem. As a result, the church council has had to schedule

several extra meetings to discuss next year’s budget as well

as distribute their recommendations to the entire congrega-

tion prior to the Voter’s meeting, they decided to move the

meeting date to June 14th. A copy of the proposed 2020-21

budget will be mailed to every household very soon. Please

review this information prior to the June 14th meeting. It is

our intention to hold this meeting in person in the church

on the 14th. The time of this meeting has not yet been de-

termined. Please stay tuned.

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Salem Lutheran School News

By Merry Leerssen

1st & 2nd Grade Teacher

Salem Lutheran School Mission

Salem Lutheran partners with families, providing Christ– centered education of children while nurturing

lives of honor and service to the Lord.

Au revoir, adiós, Auf Wiedersehen are great ways to say good-bye if you speak French, Spanish, or German. But in the United States we

have all sorts of ways to say good-bye. Of course the obvious is ‘bye! At the end of the school year that just isn’t enough. There has to be a

fist bump, a high five, or a hug to go along with that ‘bye.

Not this year. As I write this article, we are on our last week of school. It’s always a bittersweet day when we say good–bye to our students

but this year it will be a little harder. There will be no fist bump, high five, or hug. Our last online class will close with the words “End this

meeting”. What a way to say good–bye!

There is so much that we want to say to students to let them know that they are important. We want to let them know that they meant

the world to us in our school family this past year. The students leaving Salem School for the last time will always be in our hearts and are

always welcome back. This is their school home. We want them to have a great summer and wish them well as they go on to high school

where they will do well. The teachers want to assure the students that they are indeed ready to move onto the next grade and maybe new

classrooms. We just want them to know we care.

So this year, we send these wishes through video and written words. The wishes are just as meaningful as if they were said in person. We

hope you have an awesome summer. Stay safe and healthy.

Until we meet again (the best way to say good-bye)!

Saying Good-Bye

Congratulations and God’s blessings to the 2020

8th grade Salem Lutheran School graduates!

Emily Alderman, Ayla Auseth, Ava Dale,

Allison DeRosier, Audrey Radintz, Aaron Schuler,

Madeleine Tusler and Maxwell Varner

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Salem Lutheran School News Continued

Interested in Volunteering? The Building Committee will always accept volunteers. As Lee Brandel mentioned at the February

23rd Capital Campaign Open Forum, anyone interested in helping with Phase 1 (building remodel) and also, in the near future, with Phase 2

(the building expansion), should feel free to contact any of the building committee member noted below. Due to time limitations, the build-

ing committee members will NOT regularly be calling individual members to solicit help. So anyone interested in helping is encouraged to

contact them in order to check on upcoming work dates. Your efforts as members of Salem in reaching out to these building committee

members will help them tremendously in planning out their work dates. Call Lee Brandel cell (763) 354-9654, Kenny Meyer cell (612) 272-

8104 / home (763) 682-3754, Steve Gutknecht cell (612) 221-5769. Thank you for your willingness to help with this important project.

At this time, Camp Croix still planning to have the 2020 Youth Bible Camp! The staff and volunteers are very excited

to put on an awesome camp for your children! They will continue to monitor the situation and will update families

as soon as there are any. “Like” our Facebook Page and join the Camp Croix e-mail list to receive the latest updates

and developments. https://campcroix.org/bible-camp/

Bible Camp is Camp Croix’s longest standing ministry. It is a great opportunity for youth entering 4th-9th grade to

enjoy a week filled with camp activities while growing their faith in their Lord surrounded by friends and Christian

role models. Many of our campers come back year after year and make friendships that last long after the week of

camp is over. Many campers, when they become old enough, move on to be counselors for other campers.

There are currently four one-week sessions for Bible Camp in the months of July/early August. If you are interested

in learning more about Bible Camp, please visit the Camp Overview page. If you have questions about the Bible

Camp, feel free to e-mail Camp Croix at youthbiblecamp@campcroix.org.

Message From the Principal By Ryan Randall

7th & 8th Grade Teacher

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers as the final quarter of the school year required us to go to Distance Learning. Together, the parents, students, and faculty made Distance Learning a success. With efforts of many individuals the 2020 Graduation Service was recorded and posted on YouTube. God is great all the time, all the time God is great. Our final faculty devotion of the year was entitled “Pray Big” it served as a great reminder that we have a powerful and big GOD and he can do anything. The closing paragraph of the de-votion reads, “God is waiting to hear you talk over all the things of your heart. Do not be afraid to ask for big things. Remember, you are praying to an almighty and loving Lord.” This has been a great reminder to thank God every day and pray for the big things and small things in my life. Thank you for your big prayers for Salem Lutheran School. This pandemic caused a lot of people to step out of their com-fort zone and learn new ways to do things we often take for granted. Students admitted they missed school, which is not something that we normally hear in May from any student. There is a phrase that is often heard that bring great comfort

as we look to the 20-21 school year: the say is, “I do not know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow.” As we look forward to the start of the school year on August 31, 2020 there are many unanswered questions, but we can all find comfort in knowing that all things are in God’s almighty all knowing hands. Thank you for your prayers and continued support for the school God has blessed us with. The members of Salem are the best marketing tool that Salem has, please continue to encourage your friends and neighbors to come in and give Salem a look, we would love to give them a tour. Please have them contact Mr. Randall to schedule a school tour. Thank you to everyone who worked to make the faculty and staff feel appreciated during the 2020 Teacher Appreciation week. The kind words, gifts, video messages made the 2020 Teacher Appreciation Week one to remember. Thank you for the prayers, words of encouragement, and uplifting conversations that you have shared with us this school year. God's blessing on your summer.

Youth Bible Camp at Camp Croix

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Message from the Pilot

The Pilot has acquired an official email address! For all future article submissions, inquires, ideas, etc., please send

all to Pilot editor Aaron Leerssen at: newsletter@salemwels.org

The Pilot is a monthly newsletter of Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church and School. The intent of the newsletter is

to provide members and families of Salem school with information about Salem Lutheran Church and School, as well

as highlight pertinent information from the WELS Synod, West Lutheran High School, and other area affiliated

organizations.

There are many organizations within the Salem congregation and keeping the communication lines open is very

important. Information for The Pilot needs to be submitted to newsletter@salemwels.org or church@salemwels.org

by the 20th of the month for the next month’s edition.

Tired of paper? Prefer to receive your newsletter by email? Contact the Salem Administrative Office (763)

498-7283 and request to be added to the Pilot newsletter email distribution group.

Members of Salem Graduate List

Congratulations to Salem members who graduated from high school, college or trade

school this school year:

Buffalo High School: Derek Bursch (Bob & Tanya Bursch)

Rockford High School: Taylor Lange (daughter of Joshua & Tiffany Lange) Taylor will be attending

Ridgewater College in Willmar, MN for Marketing & Sales.

Maple Lake High School: Ben Schleif (son of Chad & Susan Schleif)

West Lutheran High School: Matthew Edwards (son of Chad & Kimberly Edwards) Matthew plans

to go to Wisconsin Lutheran College this fall to study Sports Management and play both football

and baseball.

The College of Saint Scholastica: Janell Ritari (daughter of Kari Mika-Nelson and John & Jeni Ritari)

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Deaf Language and Culture minor. Janell will be going to Gal-

laudet University in the Fall of 2021 to get her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.

University of St. Thomas: Ashley Beise (daughter of Doug & Deb Beise) Masters of Science in

Healthcare Innovation

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Salem Ev. Lutheran Church and School

9655 Pioneer Trail

Loretto, MN 55357-9694

Address Service Requested

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 20

Loretto MN

Salem Evangelical Lutheran

Church and School-

www.salemwels.org

Located in the City of Greenfield,

2 miles south of Hanover on County Road 123

A member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

Congregational Officers:

Chairman: Tom Bursch Vice-Chairman: Kevin Schmidt Council Secretary: Kim Class Treasurer: Grant McFadden

Paul T. Schuler, Pastor

Paul M. Kuehn, Pastor

Salem Administrative Office

(763)498-7283

INSIDE

- “Salem Lutheran Church

Financial Update” page 2

- “Confirmation Service” page 3

- “Saying Good-Bye” page 5

- “Message from the Principal”

page 6

Members of Salem Graduate List page 7