Jim & Judy Bangsund visit Salem

    Jim and Judy Bangsund are home -- or some of the places they call home. They both grew up in Southern California where as children, they both attended church where Judy's father was pastor. Later, they attended college together at CalLutheran in Thousand Oaks-- so they both have family and friends here. And up north, in California, was his first parish. But they are also a long way from home. For twenty years they have been missionaries to Tanzania in eastern Africa where Jim teaches Old Testament and Hebrew in the seminary and Judy teaches music, hymnody, and liturgy. So they are half-way around the world from home, even while they are here visiting home. Salem helps to support their ministry with prayers and with financial gifts.

    Judy and Jim teach at Makumira University College in northern Tanzania -- but are in the states now for a year while Judy finishes her study at Luther Seminary in Minnesota after which she will be ordained pastor. The ministry that they serve in Africa teaches local students -- who are often fresh out of high school but sometimes are older and currently serving as pastors -- giving them formal theological training so that when they return to their homes they can teach and preach with the authority that the Holy Spirit infuses into scripture-based evangelism. The ministry they do gives wings to workers who want to soar in the Spirit.

Judy & Jim discuss the morning service with Pastor Banke.	Judy leads Salem musicians in a Swahili hymn during worship.
Keyboards and drums...	and bongos and shakers.
After worship we meet...	many parishioners in the narthex.
Jim enjoys hi-tech.	Judy gets ready to rehearse for second service.
Jim starts out the Adult Sunday School class.	They brought pictures.
Jim wrote a textbook ,,,	to teach Hebrew to Bible students.
Judy returns from her rehearsal...	and they talk to us about their ministry.
Pastor Banke expresses our welcome and gratitude to the Bangsunds for their ministry.	Second service we follow an East African liturgy brought to us and led by Judy Bangsund.
Pastor Glen, Pastor Jim, soon-to-be-pastor Judy, and Pastor Dale yoked in divine ministry.	We enjoyed meeting, face-to-face, the Bangsunds. It is a joy for us to be partners with them in their ministry. They have a website where you can learn more about their work, their family, their home, their visions. (link to Bangsund site -- opens in different window)