History

History of Salem Church (Founded 1819)

Founded in 1819, Salem’s roots are in the United Brethren in Christ denomination which became the Evangelical United Brethren in 1946 and United Methodist Church in 1968. Due to the denomination’s drift away from traditional Christian beliefs, in March 2023, Salem voted to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church and become an independent, non-denominational congregation, which became effective September 1, 2023.

• Chapter 1 – Early Beginnings in Wolfsville
• Chapter 2 – Church Building Constructed
• Chapter 3 – Denominational Affiliations
• Chapter 4 – Circuits, Charges and Pastors
• Chapter 5 – Major Building Projects
• Chapter 6 – Anniversary Services
• Chapter 7 – Lord’s Acre Festival
• Videos – “The History of Salem Church 1819-2009”
• The Heritage of Salem Church by Fonda Gormer (2019)
  Disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church (2023)

Resources & References

Writers and Editors:
William G. Burrier, Michael S. Burrier, and Fonda Gormer

Much of the information was extracted from old church records, newspaper clippings, and the following published sources:

“The Discipline of the Evangelical United Brethren Church.” Dayton: Otterbein Press, 1947.

Armstrong, James. “United Methodist Primer.” Nashville: Tidings, 1972.

Eberly, Rev. Deniel and Albright, Rev. Isaiah H. and Brane, Rev. C. I. B. “Landmark History of the United Brethren Church.” Reading: Behney & Bright, 1911.

Holdcraft, Paul E. “History of the Pennsylvania Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.” Fayetteville: The Craft Press, Inc., 1938.

Martin, Charles S. and Rose, Tom. “The History of Wolfsville.” Wolfsville: Wolfsville Ruritan Club, 1972.

Newcomer, Rev. Christian. “The Life and Journal of the Rev. Christian Newcomer: His Travels and Labours in the Gospel from 1795 to 1830.” 1834.

Martin, Cecil R. “Romance and Beauty Unite in Founding of Wolfsville.” Middletown: Article published in “The Valley Register” newspaper in 1941.

Special Thanks:

Thanks to Catherine Wolfe for providing newspaper clippings from the 1888 and 1890 editions of “The Catoctin News” newspaper published in Wolfsville in the late 1800’s.

Thanks to the “Middletown Valley Citizen” newspaper for reprinting stories from “The Valley Register” newspaper, which contributed to this history.

Thanks to Marvin Blickenstaff for providing a newspaper clipping from “The Valley Register” regarding the 1919 anniversary service.

Thanks to Fonda Gormer for writing the section on The Heritage of Salem in honor of Salem’s 200th anniversary, 1819-2019.