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Volunteers at Salem

Who We Are

At Salem, we are fortunate to have many people who volunteer to staff our various groups and committees, so that the work of the church can be done. This page is to give you a brief overview of the groups that we have and what each of them do. If you are interested in getting involved on a group or committee, see the pastor or someone on our Council.We are always looking for people who want to serve in this way.

PreK-Grade 5 Calendar

Sunday School 2019-2020

September

15 Rally Day Potluck Breakfast

22 Sunday School: Saul Sees the Light, Acts 9:1-31

29 Sunday School: Paul’s First Missionary Journey, Acts 13-14

October

6 Sunday School: Mission in Philippi, Acts 16:11-40

13 Sunday School: The Church in Corinth, Acts 18:1-17; 1 Corinthians 13

20 Sunday School: Aquila & Priscilla, Acts 18:1-3;18-28

27 Sunday School: Building the Temple,1 Kings 6,8

**Children Sing in Worship**

November

3 Sunday School: King Josiah Follows God, 2 Kings:1-23:30

10 Sunday School: Jeremiah and A New Covenant, Jeremiah 1:1-10; 31:31-40

17 Sunday School: Fall of Jerusalem, 2 Kings 24:18-25; 21

24 Christmas Program Rehearsal

**Children Sing in Worship**

December

1 Hopscotch Sunday*: Ornament Sunday/Launch Advent Mission Project

8 Christmas Program Rehearsal

14 9am SATURDAY Christmas Program Rehearsal

15 9am Christmas Program Rehearsal

3pm Christmas Program

22 No Sunday School

29 No Sunday School

January

5 Hopscotch Sunday: Review Advent Mission Project & Stewardship

12 Sunday School: Ezekiel & the Dry Bones, Ezekiel 37:1-14

19 Sunday School: Returning to Jerusalem, Ezra 1

26 Sunday School: Rebuilding the Temple, Ezra 4-6

February

2 Sunday School: Reading God’s Word Together, Nehemiah 8

Sunday School: Jesus & the Samaritan Woman, John 4:1-42

16 Sunday School: Jesus Refuses to Cast Stones, John 7:53-8:11

23 Hopscotch Sunday: Understanding Lent

March

1 Sunday School: Jesus Raises Lazarus, John 11:1-44

8 Sunday School: Mary Anoints Jesus, John 12:1-19

15 Sunday School: The Last Supper, Matthew 26:1-5, 14-30

22 Sunday School: Jesus’ Arrest & Death, Matthew 36-27:66

29 Sunday School: Jesus is Risen!, Matthew 28:1-10

April

5 Hopscotch Sunday: Palm Sunday Pilgrimage

12 Easter: No Sunday School

19 Sunday School: God Hears Hagar & Ishmael, Genesis 16:1-15;21:8-21

26 Hopscotch Sunday: Earth Day

May

3 Sunday School: Moses is Born, Exodus 1:1-2:10

10 Sunday School: Jubilee, Leviticus 25:8-55

17 Sunday School: Don’t Worry, Matthew 6:25-34

24 Sunday School (Last Day!): Caring for Those in Need, Matthew 25:31-46

*Hopscotch Sundays & Christian Education Events

Hopscotch Christian education events are times when we break from our normal routine to explore a different topic, have an intergenerational program, or focus on a subject in greater depth.

Curriculum: Shine! Living in God’s Light

Follow the Facebook page for the curriculum we use in Sunday school (shine:living in god’s light). They provide ways to continue the Sunday school learning at home.

Sunday School 2019-2020
Middle/High School Calendar

Sunday Topic Title of lesson Teacher

Sept 15 Rally Day ~no lesson~ Cathy

Sept 22 Romans "Something That Sticks" Lisa

Sept 29 Colossians "The Amazing Headless Man" Kathy

Oct 6 Amos "Insult, Anyone?" Cathy

Oct 13 Amos "Just Worship" Lisa

Oct 20 Open Discussion** Question Board / Video / etc. Cathy

Oct 27 1 John "Walking in the Light" Kathy

Nov 3 1 John "Do You Love Me?" Lisa

Nov 10 Open Discussion** Question Board / Video / etc. Kathy

Nov 17 Psalms "With New Eyes" Cathy

Nov 24 Psalms "Forsaken" Kathy

Dec 1 Hopscotch Sunday* Ornament Sunday

Dec 8 TBA TBA

Dec 15 TBA TBA

Dec 22 No Sunday School No Sunday School

Dec 29 No Sunday School No Sunday School

The combined middle school and high school Sunday school class meets every Sunday at 9am. Their classroom is on the 2nd floor next to the choir loft. Bagels or donuts and juice are provided. This is a relaxed environment and questions are encouraged. The teachers us the “Spice Rack” curriculum to guide the topics and discussions.

*Hopscotch Sundays & Christian Education Events

Hopscotch Christian education events are times when we break from our normal routine to explore a different topic, have an intergenerational program, or focus on a subject in greater depth.

**Open Discussion

On these Sundays, we allow time for open discussion from the Question Board, other topics raised, watch a Nooma video, discuss current events, or generally check-in with one another.

Hopscotch Sundays!

Hopscotch is a game that you can play with many people and it involves hopping around to different areas on a grid drawn on the ground. On Hopscotch Sundays, we will not actually be playing this children’s game, but we will use these Sundays to mentally “jump around” and engage a variety of ages in a special project or learn about specific theological topics in greater depth. “Hopscotch” Sunday simply indicates that our Sunday morning schedule will look a bit different that day. Currently, we have 5 Hopscotch Sundays planned for the 2019-2020 school year:
Dec. 1 @ 9am, Ornament Sunday, PreK-Grade 12 & Families
Jan.5 @ 9am, Stewardship: Review Advent Mission Project, PreK-Grade 12
Feb. 23 @9am, Understanding Lent, All Ages
April 5 @9am, Palm Sunday Pilgrimage, All Ages
April 26 @9am, God & Creation: Celebrate Earth Day, All Ages

Mark Yurs

Senior Pastor

The Rev. Dr. Mark E. Yurs is the longest-serving pastor in our church's history. He has been with Salem since 1991.

Mark views himself as a teaching minister. He tries to develop sermons that use the Bible to shed light on life today. Mark is an attentive and sensitive pastor as well as an effective teacher. He understands what an old-time preacher meant when he said, "In every pew there is at least one broken heart." Mark strives to be caring toward that broken heart, and open to and accepting of all who look to Christ for hope, help, and courage. The above tells of Mark's serious side, but you really understand him only when you know his light-heartedness and his delight in finding humor wherever it can be found. One of our pastor's favorite texts is the one in which Jesus says, "I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete" (John 15:11).

Mark regularly teaches preaching in the Lay Academy of the Wisconsin Conference of the United Church of Christ and has taught preaching and worship on the seminary level. In addition, he has written extensively in the fields of preaching and ministry. He is the author of three books (see below), numerous articles, and is a contributing author to a number of other books, including Feasting on the Word and Feasting on the Gospels, commentary series published by Westminster John Knox Press. His writings have also appeared in the well-known devotional publication These Days.

He holds the Bachelor of Arts degree from Carroll College (now Carroll University), Waukesha, WI, and both the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, Dubuque, IA. He was ordained in 1982 and served St. John's United Church of Christ, Belvidere, IL, for nine years prior to coming to Verona. In 2001, Dubuque Seminary awarded him its distinguished alumni award, the Herbert E. Manning Award for Excellence in Pastoral Ministry.

Mark is married to Sherrol, and they have three grown children and two grandchildren.

Books by Mark E. Yurs: