Special Celebrations
Salem offers a unique environment in which to celebrate both holidays that are a part of the Christian tradition, and personal milestones.
Ash Wednesday
Our special services begin with our Ash Wednesday Service at 7:00pm. This service takes place on the first Wednesday of Lent. This service includes Holy Communion and the imposition of ashes. In Salem tradition, every Wednesday in Lent we have a Lenten Supper. Each Wednesday a congregation member provides a location and a big pot of soup and people come together to partake in good food, fellowship and some time together in the Word of God. Everyone brings a portion of the meal and together we feast! It’s a wonderful tradition that really pulls our Salem family closer together.
Palm Sunday
During Holy Week, we begin our celebration with a Palm Sunday Service that includes a procession of our children waving palm branches and a palm for each worshipper to take home.
Maundy Thursday
On Thursday of Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, we hold a Tenebrae Service that includes readings of the scriptures which tell the story of Jesus’ betrayal, crucifixion and death. This service begins with the lights of the sanctuary being up and the 12 candles, one for each of the 12 readings, lit. As each reading is read, another candle is extinguished and a few more sanctuary lights go down. By the time the last reading is read the candles are all extinguished and the sanctuary is dark, only the light of the Christ Candle remains. The Tenebrae Maundy Thursday Service has been a favorite of our congregation for years and will hopefully be for many years to come.
Good Friday
On Good Friday morning, we have a simple quiet service which reflects the mood of the day and Jesus’ sacrifice. We try to keep the service to about forty-five minutes to allow for those who are working to be able to join us on their lunch hour.
Easter
Our Easter celebration begins with a church wide Easter Breakfast at 9:00am prior to the service. We bring dishes to pass and decorate the gymnasium and it is a great time to be had by all! The service includes music by our Bell Choir, Resurrection Band and Volunteer Choir with some support from some trained Eastman students. Holy Communion will be served. The youth will also enjoy some spirited games, a thought provoking lesson and an Easter Egg Hunt!
Salem Birthday
Salem has been around a very long time and every year in May we celebrate our birthday. The second Sunday in May the Board of Elders plan a big potluck meal following service with balloons, streamers and cake to celebrate our beginning. We drag up some old Bibles and old pictures and have our eldest members share some of their most favorite and cherished memories here. We are currently 136 years old!!! It is a fun and festive time for everyone involved.
Outdoor Service
In Rochester we don’t get to play in the sun for very long so we like to take advantage of our short (really short) summer by doing a lot of outdoor activities. In July we have an annual outdoor service. For this service we move chairs, our Bibles and hymnals, even our organist outside to the lawn to celebrate Jesus under the sun. In the past few years we have incorporated a pancake breakfast and this year will be our Third Annual Pancake Breakfast!!!
Rally Day
Continuing with our desire to be outdoors, September brings us to Rally Day. This is the commemoration of the start of our Sunday School Year. We have an outdoor service as well as amazing picnic food for all. We also include some games for the youth and lots of goodies for the adults!
Christmas