Pekka Perho – “A Woman’s Worship”

Happy Mother’s day to all Mothers!
Pekka Perho speaks from Mark 14:3-9, where we find the account of the woman who broke her alabaster jar.

Saalem Family Celebration – Sundays at 11:45am.
Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

Pekka Perho – “Reaching for your Dream”

Pastor Pekka Perho speaks from Exodus 14:10-16.

Saalem Family Celebration – Sundays at 11:45am.
Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

Rob Freeman – The Squeeze pt.4 – “Heart Food”

In part four of “The Squeeze” youth Pastor Rob Freeman lays out five Biblical habits that happy people get into to stay that way.

Scripture: Psalm 119:9-16

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

Pekka Perho – The Squeeze pt.3 – “F-Bomb”

In this third part of “The Squeeze” Pastor Pekka speaks of the power of forgiveness. True forgiveness does not equal forgetting, diminishing sin or ignoring justice. But it does require faith and it does bring true freedom.

Scriptures: Luke 17:1-6
Matthew 5:8

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

Kids Camp 2012

WELCOME TO SAALEM KIDS CAMP 2012!

Testimonies:
“I love kids camp because we get to throw water balloons at the counsellors AND pie them in the face!”

“I like the sauna and swimming. And my friends. And Jesus.”

“I come to Kids Camp every year because of the food.”

The Saalem SonRock Kids Camp starts with a bang on Wednesday, July 4th at 10am and ends with closing celebration on Saturday, July 7th at 4pm. It is held at the Warnica Lake camp facility, about 20km north-west of Thunder Bay.
The kids will have tons of fun with Bible times, games, sports, sauna and swimming.
The camp is for children (going into) grade 1 through (going into) grade 8.

The cost is $100 per child and includes food and accommodation for the entire camp.
Family rates are available as follows: Second child: $90, third child: $80.

Please contact Saalem church at (807)767-6938 for further info.
You may download and print an invitation letter with a registration form here.
Please send a completed registration form for each child along with payment to: Saalem Church, 21 Walkover St., Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 1L1
Thank you and welcome to Kids Camp!

Pekka Perho – The Squeeze pt.2 – “Getting rid of Guilt”

Find out how to get rid of guilt as we dive into Jesus words from the sermon on the Mount. In this part two of the Squeeze series Pastor Pekka reveals one of the habits of truly happy people.

Scripture: Matthew 5:23-24

Saalem Family Celebration – Sundays at 11:45am.
Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

Pekka Perho – The Squeeze pt.1 – “Under Pressure”

Have you ever said something in the heat of the moment that you wish you could take back? Ever done something and afterwards thought “that was not like me”? So where do those words and actions come from?

Jesus would say they were in us all along.

The squeeze of life makes us say and do things we regret. The heat of the moment brings out the best and worst in us. Extreme experiences expose the true condition of our hearts.

But there is hope.

Join us for part 2 of “the Squeeze” next Sunday, April 15th 2012 at 11:45am.

Saalem Family Celebration – Sundays at 11:45am.
Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

Kimmo Sarajärvi – Prayers, Payers and Doers

Guest speaker, Kimmo Sarajärvi is a YWAM Missionary in Costa Rica.

These are the passages that Kimmo spoke from.
James 1:23-27
Matthew 28:18-20
Mark 16:15-20
Colossians 4:3
Luke 8:1-3
John 13:34-35

ANNUAL CELEBRATION Service

This Sunday was the Annual Celebration service.
Pastors Pekka Perho and Marko Selkomaa speak.

Saalem Family Celebration – Sundays at 11:45am.
Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

Marko Selkomaa – “All things work together for good, for those who love God”

Romans 8:28 (KJV)
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Saalem Family Celebration – Sundays at 11:45am.
Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

ELIJAH pt.8 – “How to receive a Double Portion”

Are you carrying a God given dream? Have you discovered your calling? What are the next steps in pursuing the dream? In this message, Elishas experience with Elijah serves as a model and inspiration for us to step into our call.

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:19-21 and 2 Kings 2:9-14

This is the eight message in a series of messages on the life of Elijah, one of the Old Testament prophets. More on the Elijah series here.

Saalem Family Celebration – Sundays at 11:45am.
Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

Burnout Prevention

You or someone you love may be struggling with symptoms of burnout. Here are some practical tips to overcome persistent exhaustion and avoid collapse:

1. CARE FOR YOUR BODY
Sleep
- Adults need 7-8 hours ever night.
- Schedule your evening activities.
- Do not stay up late watching TV.
- Talk to your doctor if you need help.

Exercise
- Go out for walks, hit the gym, play a sport. Bottom line: sort of physical activity at least 3 times per week.
- That extra hour at work is actually often the least productive!
- Neglecting this now will cause major problems later!

Eat
- Over-eating can be a sign of stress, but many burnout victims suffer from under-eating. Loosing weight can be fun at first, but extended periods of time without essential nutrients is devastating. Therefore: Schedule your meal times and watch what you eat.

Rest
- God ordained the day of rest!
- The Bible calls those who will not work “lazy”, but those who will not rest “disobedient”. Obey God and take a day off every week.
- If Sunday can not be your day of rest, set another day as your day off. (Rom. 14:5)

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2. PRIORITIZE RELATIONSHIPS
Ask for Help
- Spouse, Family, Pastor, Christian brothers & sisters, mentors

Encourage others
Professor Jean-Pierre Brun concluded:
67% of people who say they receive little recognition at work show high levels of psychological distress, as opposed to only 33% of individuals who say they receive good recognition; A significant lack of recognition at work multiplies by four the risk of substantial psychological distress.

Learn to say “NO!”
- Saying NO to good things gives you time for the best things.
- Prioritize family: If you are married, prioritize your spouse. If you have children, find ways to interact with them that are not burdensome. Many do not realize the true value of family until their deathbed.

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3. QUALITY TIME WITH GOD
A common professional advice for people dealing with burnout is: “Embrace a morning ritual” – make sure you have time alone first. Perhaps the best thing you can do to prevent burnout is: Start each day with God. Rather than jumping out of bed as soon as you wake up, spend at least fifteen minutes praying, writing in your journal and reading the Bible or a Christian book that inspires you.

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If you are facing burnout, know that God is not mad at you. Instead, God is looking for a way to get you connected to him. In our times of distress we often lack faith. We do not expect anything good from God. But God has not changed. Jesus is still good. He is still out to bless you. He wants the best for you. He desires to strengthen you. He will sustain you.

Pekka Perho

ELIJAH pt.7 – “Hearing Gods Whisper”

Who should I marry? Where should I work? Should say yes to a new business opportunity? The Bible gives us great guidelines for life, but it does not give specific answers to every question. Listen as we discover three attitudes that will help us hear Gods voice for the specifics in life.

Pastor Pekka Perho speaks his seventh message in a series of messages on the life of Elijah, one of the Old Testament prophets. More on the Elijah series here.

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:9-16

Saalem Family Celebration – Sundays at 11:45am.
Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

Burnout Warning Signs

A person who is burned out feels completely empty, emotionally disconnected and devoid of motivation. If burnout remains untreated, it may develop into a state where the smallest of tasks feels overwhelming, every sound seems excruciating and even the thought of work is unbearable. People experiencing burnout often don’t see any hope of positive change in their situation. Burnout can come suddenly, as if “hitting a wall”, but it can also build up and go unnoticed until all symptoms are fully developed. Here are four categories of symptoms that serve as warning signs for burnout:

A) STRESS RELATED PHYSICAL SICKNESS
#1 – Digestive disorders
#2 – Backaches
#3 – Skin problems
#4 – Headaches
#5 – Persistent viral infections

B) EMOTIONAL DISCONNECT
#1 – Even though you once loved your job, you are starting to hate it and often dream of quitting.
#2 – You are beginning to despise people you used to feel compassion for.
#3 – Caring about your spouse or your children often feels like a waste of time and energy. You are progressively becoming more and more withdrawn from family and friends.
#4 – You cannot remember the last time you had a positive emotion. Having fun is not part of your weekly routine. Joy is something you no longer experience.

C) CONSTANT WORRY
#1 – You can not stop thinking about the next thing you have to do. You are constantly worried about something or someone you are/feel responsible for.
#2 – You are consumed with what others think or say about you.
#3 – Insomnia: You stay up late and loose sleep because of your constant worrying.

D) LOSS OF INTEREST IN LIFE
#1 – Loss of appetite. You are uninterested in food and begin to loose weight.
#2 – Loss of sexual interest in your spouse.
#3 – Loss of laughter. You seem numb to humor. Jokes that were guaranteed to crack you up barely cause a smile.
#4 – Abnormal bouts of depression, anxiety and/or panic attacks.
#5 – Complete hopelessness. You are beginning to despair life.
#6 – Suicidal thoughts. The pressure of life causes you to fantasize of death as a way out.

If you are experiencing several of the above symptoms, read the burnout prevention article in the Saalem Pastors Blog.

Pekka Perho

ELIJAH pt.6 – “Burnout”

Prophet Elijah goes from wonderful victory to utter defeat as he hits a sudden wall. Many tend to think that exhaustion, depression and burnout are things that the truly Godly never encounter. Yet many are secretly struggling with those very issues. This message examines some of the symptoms of and remedies to Burnout.

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-9

This is the sixth message in a series of messages on the life of Elijah, one of the Old Testament prophets. More on the Elijah series here.

Saalem Family Celebration – Sundays at 11:45am.
Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

ELIJAH pt.5 – “Preparing the way for the Lord”

Elijah squares off with 850 false prophets at Mount Carmel. The rules are simple: The God who sends fire from heaven is the true God. Confident in God, Elijah teaches us four lessons about those who prepare the way for the Lord.

Scripture: 1 Kings 18:1-39

This is the fifth message in a series of messages on the life of Elijah, one of the Old Testament prophets. More on the Elijah series here.

Saalem Family Celebration – Sundays at 11:45am.
Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

Worry on Schedule

Jesus said: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

Most of us know that worrying doesn’t really change much. But in the midst of the difficulties life throws at us it is almost impossible not to feel concern, experience anxiety and begin to worry. When we continually worry, we begin to loose energy, stop enjoying everyday life and start heading toward burnout. Since many have a natural propensity toward constant worrying, we recommend planning ahead. It is time to start scheduling a worry time!

Schedule your worrying between 7:30pm and 7:45pm every night. If during the day you begin to worry, stop yourself and say: “Thank you for your concern but I will see you later today.”

When you worry time finally arrives, dive into your worries and let yourself ponder and worry as much as you can. If you find yourself getting bored, dig deeper. Surely there is something more to worry about?

When the 15 minutes are over, thank your worries and tell them you will see them again tomorrow.

With a scheduled worry time, you don’t have to loose sleep over your worries any longer, just tell them: “Too late today, but I will see you tomorrow night at 7:30pm!”

This blog post is written tongue in cheek and hopefully it brought a smile to your lips, but scheduling a worry time is actually one way that cognitive behavioral therapy treats various anxiety disorders. Perhaps in the midst of the humour there is a lesson to be learned for all of us.

Pastor Pekka

ELIJAH pt.4 – “Relationship Rescue”

Extreme experiences expose the true condition of our hearts. In 1 Kings 17, a widows reaction to the death of her son exposes her need of relationship rescue. Is someone you love in need of relationship rescue? Listen as we discover the source of trouble in our relationships.

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:17-24

This is the fifth message in a series of messages on the life of Elijah, one of the Old Testament prophets. More on the Elijah series here.

Saalem Family Celebration – Sundays at 11:45am.
Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

ELIJAH pt.3 – “The Blessed Life”

From a widows experience with Elijah, Pastor Pekka shares the simple keys to the Blessed Life.

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:7-16

This is the third message of a series of messages on the life of Elijah, one of the Old Testament prophets. More on the Elijah series here.

Saalem Family Celebration – Sundays at 11:45am.
Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

ELIJAH pt.2 – “Dip Happens”

Can we do everything right and still end up feeling down? What do we do in the though times of life? How do we recover from the valleys? What’s the way out of the dip? We find some answers in Elijah’s experience with the brook that dried up.

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:1-10

This is the second message of a series of messages on the life of Elijah, one of the Old Testament prophets. More on the Elijah series here.

Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

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