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Founded: October, 1840
In 1840 the Salem Meeting House was officially designated a church. The residents of the local community had been gathering there for worship previous to that time. Three families subsequently donated three “parcels” of land and construction of the first building began. Enough support was raised to retain Rev. Stephen Senter as the first pastor. Rev. Senter traveled to the area for one service a month, and received the sum of a $30 yearly salary.
From the first one-room building to the current 22 acre campus with over 120,000 square feet of worship and educational facilities, Salem has been a dynamic presence in a dramatically changing community.
As was written in the records of the 1840 meeting, “This church (Salem) recently constituted under very favorable circumstances though their number is small, yet the prospects of an increase are very flattering for the work of the Lord is progressing in the neighborhood.”
Every year, on the fourth Sunday of October, Salem celebrates its heritage with an event we call Harvest Day.
Salem’s mission statement (adopted in January of 2000)
"At Salem, our mission is to glorify God by transforming the people of the Triangle and beyond into devoted followers of Jesus Christ..."
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