This service offers the congregation a form of worship that focuses on the proclamation of God’s Word. Believers respond to this divine gift with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.

The Service of the Word is used at the 8 a.m. service on the first Sunday of the month, at the 10:30 a.m. service on the second Sunday of the month, and at the second 7 p.m. Thursday service of the month.

Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal, pages 38-44

The Service of the Word

Morning Praise is based on the historic service called Matins. As Christians we are connected to Christ through His Word and Sacraments, therefore we glorify God as we rise to the activities of a new day.

Evening Prayer is based on the historic service called Vespers. Christians gather at the end of the day to raise their voices in thankful praise and prayer.

Morning Praise is used on the third Sunday of the month at the 8 a.m. service and on the fourth Sunday of the month at the 10:30 a.m. service. Evening Prayer is used on the fourth Thursday of the month, alternating with the Common Service.

Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal, pages 45-61

Services of Morning Praise & Evening Prayer

The Common Service is a version of the historic liturgy of the Christian Church. It became the service commonly used by English-speaking Lutherans in America and appeared as “The Order of the Holy Communion” in The Lutheran Hymnal. The present revision may be used either with or without the Sacrament.

The Common Service is celebrated with the Sacrament at the 10:30 a.m. service on the first Sunday of the month, the 8 a.m. service on the second Sunday of the month, and on the first Thursday service of the month. It is also used without Communion on the fourth Thursday of the month.

Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal, pages 15-25

The Common Service

The Service of Word and Sacrament is a version of the historic liturgy of the Christian Church. This order is used as an alternate to the Common Service when Holy Communion is celebrated.

The Service of Word and Sacrament is celebrated at the 10:30 a.m. service on the third Sunday of the month, the 8 a.m. service on the fourth Sunday of the month, and on the third Thursday of the month.

Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal, pages 26-37

The Service of Word and Sacrament

Weekly Divine Services

Thursdays at 7 p.m.          Sundays at 8 a.m.          Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

 

God Comes to Us in the Bible

God brings forgiveness and comfort to us with His Holy Word and Holy Communion every week. We gather in God’s house on Thursdays (7 p.m.) and Sundays (8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.).

God serves us in His Holy Word at every service with the hymns that we sing to one another, the lessons from the Bible, the sermon, and with the beautiful Bible words of the Liturgy. The sermon preached on a Thursday will be the same sermon preached on the following Sunday.

God serves us with the Sacrament of Holy Communion in every other service: the first and third Thursday of the month, the first and third Sunday (10:30 a.m.), and the second and fourth Sunday (8 a.m.). 

God also serves us with the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Whenever a new baby is born to one of our Salem families, we happily anticipate the Baptism of that child. Whenever a unbaptized young adult or adult has studied God’s Word and confesses the true Christian faith and expresses a natural desire to be baptized, we rejoice that one of our pastors will soon be able to pour plain water on their head and in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God makes that infant, youth, or adult His own dear child.

 

Our Communion Practice

We ask that only those who have previously spoken to Pastor Bare or Boehringer and are members in good standing of Salem or another WELS or ELS congregation come to the Lord’s table. This is in no way a judgment of anyone’s faith, but rather we have the Scriptural desire (1 Corinthians 11) to ensure that all who come to the altar know what they are receiving, have examined themselves, and share in our confession of the faith, as it is revealed in the infallible Scriptures and properly explained in the Lutheran Confessions. This has been the historic practice of the Christian Church and is intended to safeguard both the Sacrament and those present. St. Paul warns that those who receive the Sacrament unworthily (that is, without examining themselves, recognizing the real presence of the Body and Blood of our Lord) eat and drink judgment on themselves. No one would want a doctor who prescribed medicine without knowing his patient’s condition, and no Christian should want a pastor who would administer this Sacrament in a similarly inappropriate way. This is an act of love and is done with the full hope of communing with you in the future, after we are better acquainted and any appropriate instruction has taken place.

 

The Divine Liturgy

Salem commonly uses five orders of service, rotating them throughout the month. Details about each service are given below. Two are services of Holy Communion; the other three revolve around God’s Word and do not celebrate the Sacrament. The following is a list of the liturgies we use at Salem.

When We Worship

The Altar prepared for God’s Service and Sacrament