With a history that goes back to the early 1740's, Salem Presbyterian Church is a new church charting a course into God's unknown and exciting future.

Salem Church is a congregation of people with a rich heritage going back to the first Presbyterians in Hanover County. In the 1740's a Hanover bricklayer named Samuel Morris, along with several devote neighbors, withdrew from the state approved Anglican Church and held services centered in the reading of scripture. After a period of difficulty with local officials, this "reading house" finally obtained permission from the state to worship as Presbyterians under the 1689 Act of Toleration. In 1746 this developing congregation called a young and energetic Presbyterian minister, Samuel Davies, to be its pastor. Under Davies' able leadership, the Pole Green Presbyterian Church was officially organized in 1748.

In 1813, or possibly earlier, a presbyterian congregation was organized at Hanover-Town. This congregation moved to what is now Studley in 1829 and took the name Salem Presbyterian Church. The Salem and Pole Green churches united this same year, 1829, to become the United Church of Salem and Pole Green, one church in two locations. The United church in the 1840's established the Beulah congregation in what is now Cold Harbor.  During the Civil War, the Pole Green building was destroyed and the congregation there began to worship with the Salem congregation. (Today, a granite memorial and memorial park marks the location of the former Pole Green Church building.)

Because of difficult times after the War, in 1872 the United Church of Salem and Pole Green, including the Beulah congregation, united with the Bethlehem Presbyterian Church. The resulting union, the Samuel Davies Presbyterian Church, worshipped and ministered as one united church comprised of three congregations: Salem, Bethlehem, and Beulah.

The three congregations of the one, united Samuel Davies Presbyterian Church continued until 1973, when the Bethlehem Church was organized as a separate church. Salem and Beulah, the continuing church from the original Hanover Presbyterian congregation at Pole Green, remained the Samuel Davies Presbyterian Church. In 1985 each of these congregations, however, was organized by Hanover Presbytery as an individual church.

Today, the Salem Presbyterian Church grateful for its heritage, looks toward the future confident that the God almighty who provided for her in the past will equip her mightily for ministry in the days & years to come..

                                     WORSHIP AND WORK

Salem strives to take advantage of the unique opportunities inherent in being a small church: intimacy and warmth, flexibility, quick responsiveness, and attention to the individual. Quality in programs is stressed in contrast to quantity of programs. The opportunities for work and worship with Salem are:

Adult Sunday School

Each Sunday morning at 10:00 AM there is the opportunity to study and discuss the biblical faith and its application to life through the scriptures.

Worship Service

On Sunday Mornings and other occasions the church serves God through worship. The church gathers to praise God and to thank him for the blessings of life, particularly for Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sin and the opportunity for new life through him. During the service time we have a childrens sermon

Presbyterian Women

Through the Presbyterian Women organization there is opportunity for all women of the church to meet at least once a month (Third Thursday of the month) for fellowship, study and service.

Bible Study and Discussion

As needs and interests indicate, members and friends gather in small groups for Bible study and discussion to discover God's word relating to current issues and for growth and fellowship.

Vacation Bible School

During the evenings of one week in the summer, the church gathers in classes and activities to learn the faith of the church, to enjoy one another's company, and to stimulate growth as followers of Christ.

Other Opportunities for Work and Worship

Periodically the church gathers as a family for special services of worship, for family suppers, for picnic and games on the grounds and for other opportunities for fun, growth, and sharing. Annually the church provides for the Sunday School Picnic and the Salem community steak dinner which is a fund raiser for community needs

Cemetery

In addition to giving sympathetic support to the bereaved, the church maintains a cemetery.

                                              Summary

The worship and work of Salem includes a sense of community that extends beyond the church into the neighborhood and world. Salem Church sees itself as a church for the larger community.