Our next Charity Coffee Morning will be on Saturday 1st August in aid of Sunnyside Kennels. This will be in the Lecture Room from 10:30 am and homemade cakes will be on sale to enjoy with your beverage, or to take home to enjoy later. The one after that is Saturday 5th September in aid of Action for Children, and after this Saturday 3rd October in aid of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

Please note that there will be no 11am Service on Sunday 2nd August as r there is a Circuit Service at Trinity Bourne, Norton Canes at 11am. 

Our next Garage Sale is scheduled to be on Saturday 15th August. This will be at 24b High Street (opposite Salem) commencing at 10am, close will be by 4pm.

There are some fundraising events being planned in aid of the Baby Bear Project. (See “About Us” page to learn about the important work of this National Charity). We would love to have you visit one or more of these events which are:

Knitathon 7th September 8am to 8pm

Open Day 12th October 10am to 4pm.

More details will be available as we get closer to these events.

Following the success of last year we are planning another Irish Night on Saturday 19th September. Further details will be available when plans are completely firmed up, but to register an interest please contact Ruth. 
 

On Sunday 7^th June the AGM took place and the following report was given about ‘The Life of the Church’:

“There is much more to say than what happens on a Sunday.  Sunday worship of course, is the glue that binds us to God and in fellowship with each other.

We often comment that we have no children or young people here, but actually we do, because we have a healthy Boys’ Brigade here.  On Friday (12^th) at 7.30 they will seen receiving the awards that they’ve earned during the year.  Boys’ Brigade is a Christian organisation and they are very much part of this church.

Growing our faith:  As Churches Together we ran an Alpha course which led up to Easter, and I have to say that no-one from Salem, except myself (Ruth) attended. Maybe we’ve all done Alpha courses before but I think it’s good to think again about what we believe and how it affects our daily lives.  Currently we are showing ‘The Chosen’ on a Thursday afternoon – it’s detailed in the notices and after each viewing we usually have a chat about what we’ve seen.  We are at the stage in the series where we are being introduced to the disciples before they actually became disciples.  Yes, it is a drama, but it provokes thoughts and self-examination.  Also with Churches Together we are meeting for Prayer and Praise – again dates are shown in the notices.

As outreach Coffee Stop meets on three days each week.  Over a drink we talk about everything and nothing, but sometimes we have deep and meaningful conversations which witness to our visitors something about our reason for being here, and being ‘church’.  Our flower ministry is also a form of outreach.  Flowers are donated to church each week and then go out to people who are celebrating, or who are ill, or in need of some sort, and these people are not necessarily church people.

When it comes to mission work we are a very active church in that we support Christian Aid, Action for Children, Baby Bear Project, and various local needs with our advent giving, as well as the charities we support with our monthly coffee mornings.  As individuals, as individual local churches, and as Churches Together we try to fulfil the commission given to all disciples, to take the Christian message to all in word and deed.  

Not all Coffee Stop volunteers are from this church, and the bereavement support group and food bank is supported by people from various churches, and some who don’t have a connection with any church.

We keep in contact with the various groups who meet on Salem premises:  local history society, flower club, table tennis, the dance school, and Ruby Doo, the mother-toddler group.  By working in liaison with each other, people see that Salem is a welcoming church.

We hold various social and fund-raising events such as barn dances, skittle evenings, Irish evenings, and table-top sales.  People are happy to come and help and by working alongside us are drawn into the fellowship and hopefully one day, will enter fully into Church worship and membership.

There is a lot going on at Salem, and information is at hand, on the weekly notice sheet, in Meeting Points, and on the web-site.  It is a good place to be, so bring your friends along to enjoy the fellowship we have here.”