Over 180 Years of History at Salem

Salem United Methodist Church was founded in 1828.  Originally a Methodist Episcopal house of worship, Salem is one of the oldest churches in this area of the state. It, like many other Methodist Churches in the area, has its origins in the Harris Meeting House which was founded sometime prior to 1778, possibly as early as 1771.

Bishop Francis Asbury visited the area and Harris Meeting House in 1798.  Asbury, a central figure in early American Methodism and largely responsible for the demomination's success in the United States, wrote in his diary, "Tuesday November 6, 1798 we crossed the Roanoke River at Mosely's Ferry and stopped at McLane's, here God is working amongst the people.  We came on Wednesday by riding two hours in the night, through the woods, to Harris' where I preached on Thursday the 8th from Second Peter 1-4.  On Friday we rode to Col. Edmund Taylor's.  Sabbath day at Banks Church I preached on Heb. 6 11-12 and administered the Supper of the Lord and ordained John Whitfield a deacon." (Vol. II of Asbury's Diary, p. 399)

Harris Meeting House was the first property deeded to the Methodists in Granville County. In 1828, a dispute took place among the members of the Harris Meeting House and those deciding to continue as part of the Methodist Episcopal Church tore down the structure and rebuilt it nearby.  They called the church "Salem" which means "peace."  The other members from Harris Meeting House fomed a church named "Rehoboth" which means "there is room."  Based on the development of churches in the area, many other congregations including Hermon Church, Shady Grove Church, Gray Rock Church, Marrow's Chapel, and Harris Chapel can trace their orgins back to Salem and Harris Meeting House. 

As the congregation at Salem grew, a new church building was needed.  In 1860, Col. Richard P. Taylor and James Crews bought additional land and paid for the construction of a new church building.  The construction work was done by John Short, a slave owned by Col. Taylor's wife.  The structure was dedicated in August, 1861.  Both Taylor and Crews, along with their wives, are buried in the cemetery next to Salem United Methodist Church.

The church building of Salem United Methodist Church was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1988.  In the Statement of Significance the following is noted, "Salem United Methodist Church, built in 1860-61, is significant for its handsome and unusual Greek Revival, Italianate, and Gothic Revival style architecture.  Its triangular temple front pediment, multiple brackets and exuberant, and varied decorative motifs were reminiscent of the work of noted regional architect Jacob W. Holt, who either designed the church or strongly influenced its construction.  One of only three extant church buildings raised in the county prior to the Civil War, the church is further significant as one of the county's oldest and most ornate, plantation era, non-residential buildings." 

Over the years, Salem United Methodist Church has grown.  Steps were added to the front of the church in the 1940s and in 1952 an organ was given in in memory of Ruth Ernestine, daughter of Rev. J. L. Smith.  That organ is still in service today.  Chimes were given in memory of N.G. Crews sometime shortly after the organ was installed in the sanctuary. Extensive remodeling to the building and the stained glass windows took place in 1954.  After many years of planning and effort, a fellowship hall and Sunday school facility was completed in 1963.  This building houses the church's kitchen, Sunday school classes, and pastor's office. 

Salem United Methodist Church is currently part of a two-point charge with Harris Chapel United Methodist Church.  Salem has been served by student pastors who are attending Duke University's School of Divinity since 1980.

The members of Salem United Methodist Church are proud of their long heritage.  They have added a "History Room" inside the church to ensure Salem's history is not lost and forgotten. The 'History Room" contains many artifacts and other interesting items from Salem's long history. Built in the 1800s, grown in the 1900s, and facing its future in the 2000s, Salem United Methodist Church continues to serve God and make disciples for Jesus Christ.

(Information adapted from Salem United Methodist Church: A Brief History of One Hundred and Seventy-Five Years, 1828-2003 by Thurman A. Horney)       

What time is worship service?

Worship service is 11:00 a.m. each Sunday. 

Do you have a Sunday School?

Yes!  We offer Sunday School classes for both adults and children.  Sunday School begins each Sunday at 10:00 a.m.  We also offer a Children's Time during the worship service when the pastor offers a special lesson for any children in attendance.

How often do you offer Holy Communion?

We celebrate the Sacament of Holy Communion once a month, on the first Sunday of each month.  We also celebrate Holy Communion during special services for Lent, Easter, Advent, and other times during the year.  In the United Methodist Church, Holy Communion is a means of grace and we offer an open table, meaning you do not have to be a member of the church to receive God's gift of Holy Communion.  Christ invites all who believe to his table to enjoy this feast.

Is this church formal or informal?  Do I have to "dress up" to attend?

Salem UMC is a loving community of Christians that welcomes everyone to worship God in His church.  As such, you are welcome to dress in a manner in which you are comfortable to attend church.  Some of our members and attendees dress up for church and others are very casual.  All are welcome at Salem.  

What's so special about the United Methodist Church?  How is it any different than other churches?

Good question!  The United Methodist Church was created in 1968 when The Evangelical United Brethen Church and The Methodist Church joined together to form the United Methodist Church.  Similarities in the structure, beliefs and relationships going back many years between the Evangelical Church, the United Brethren, and the Methodists made this combination possible. 

The United Methodist Church has a common history with other Methodist and Wesleyan groups and all are linked back to the life and ministry of John Wesley and his brother Charles Wesley and the societies and bands they formed to advance personal and social holiness.  John Wesley was a priest in the Anglican Church for his entire life and only reluctantly ordained Methodist ministers apart from the Anglican Church.  He did so mainly so that Methodists in America could receive the Sacraments following the Revolutionary War when most Anglican priests had returned to England.  Methodism in America started mainly as a lay movement.  In 1784, the Christmas Conference in Baltimore formed The Methodist Episcopal Church. The most influential forces in American Methodism were Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke.

The United Methodist Church is first and foremost a Christ centered church. We believe in a Triune God--Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. We believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone.  We believe that God's love is realized in our lives by the presence of the Holy Spirit.  God's kingdom is a present and future reality.  The Holy Scriptures (The Holy Bible) is authoritative on matters of faith and is the inspired Word of God. 

What makes the United Methodist Church different than other denominations is some of the emphases we hold to be important.  We place great attention on the means of grace--the means of God's presence.  These means of grace are public worship, prayer, searching the Scriptures, The Sacraments (The Lord's Supper and Baptism), fasting, and Christian conference. 

In public worship we focus on the real presence of God, not our human needs and desires

In prayer we focus on communing with God.  We focus on both private and corporate (public) prayer.

In searching the Scriptures we believe that the Bible is a means of the divine presence.  John Wesley referred to himself as "a man of one book."  We believe the Bible is to be read both in the privacy of our time with God and in open, public settings of worship.

In partaking of the Lord's Supper we share our community with Christ and with each other.  This Sacrament helps us to remember Jesus and his sacrifice for us as well as helping us anticipate the final victory that will come with Christ's return!  In terms of baptism, we believe that through this Sacrament God claims us.  We believe in infant baptism.  We baptize by sprinking, pouring, or immersion. 

We participate in fasting as an act of obedience to God and as a reminder of the emptiness we have when we are away from God.  Fasting was a personal discipline of John Wesley and helped remind him to always rely on God to fill our needs.

We participate in Christian conference because we are a connectional body, linked together by our church structure.  Early Methodists gathered in groups to discuss theology and other important church matters.  In the modern day, United Methodists meet in the charge conference at the local level and the annual conference at the conference level. There are also jurisdictional conferences and general conferences.    

United Methodist also participarte in an system of itineracy.  Methodist clergy are assigned to their local churches by the bishop of the Annual Conference.  Itineracy, in the practical sense, means United Methodist pastors move every so often to other churches and assignments to which they may be appointed.  However, to look at itineracy as simply a means of moving pastors around would not do the concept justice.  Itineracy is about obedience and fullfilling God's call for us wherever He may have need.

United Methodists do not believe we hold a monopoly on God's truth.  Therefore we strongly believe in the concept of the universal, or catholic, church.  We are tolerant of other beliefs, but we also hold to sound doctrine. 

I hear about three types of grace.  What is that all about?

United Methodists believe God can be restored to our lives through prevenient grace, justification, and santification.

Prevenient grace surrounds us all and woos us into a relationship with God.  We may not even be aware of that this type of grace surrounds us, but we can be awakened to its presence.

Justification is how God reaches out to us with a spirit of forgiveness.  Justification is how we are forgiven for our sin and reconciled with God.  This is described by some as "new birth" or being "born again." 

Sanctification is how we mature as God's children.  God's work in our lives does not end with justification.  John Wesley believed all followers of God needed to pursue Christian perfection through works of piety and works of mercy.  Therefore, United Methodist also place a great deal of emphasis on both social and personal holiness.      

Who do I call if I need more information about attending Salem UMC?

Call Alan Felton at 919-603-5844 for more information or with any questions you may have.