|
 Salem Church was organized in 1824. The first building was a log structure built on a
five-acre plot near what is now called Salem Camp Ground spring.
It is known from family records kept by the Plunkett family that Eli Bennett was one of
the founders of Salem Church. He was born in 1790, in Virginia, and came to Newton
County, Georgia in 1822 as a local preacher, preaching at Salem for a number of years.
He was also Justice of the Peace. According to hand written conference minutes he died
in the Civil War Battle of Resaca in Georgia.
Salem was in the Yellow River Mission, Athens District, South Carolina conference,
which included what are now Walton, Henry, Newton, Rockdale, Fayette, and Clayton
counties. The Georgia Conference did not become a separate conference until 1830.
Between 1865 and 1870 a new church building was erected. It was described as being
exactly west of the present sanctuary, which would place it in Section One of the
cemetery. The location of the road and the new church relative to it are not known.
The Conyers Circuit was organized about 1896. Salem Church was admitted to this
circuit in 1901. The Salem Circuit was organized in 1905, with four churches: Salem,
Prospect, Union, and Snapping Shoals. On the second Sunday morning in July 1946,
four new Sunday school rooms (where the choir room, choir directors office, and the
restrooms along the hall behind the chancel are now located) were dedicated, followed by
a barbecue dinner. This annex was built at minimum cost because most of the
construction was done by church members. Prior to this time the women’s class was on
one side of the sanctuary; the men’s on the other side. Sunday School was held every
week, even though there was a preaching service once monthly.
There was a pot-bellied stove in the center of the sanctuary for heat until the gas line was
put in the 1950s. By the end of 1952, the Salem Circuit had a total membership of 501.
Salem had 292, Prospect, 135; and Snapping Shoals, 73. In May of 1953, the members of
Salem voted to become a station church. That became a reality on July 1. On July 5th, the
occasion was celebrated with a Homecoming and Revival. The Ladies Bible Class,
assisted by the Methodist Youth Fellowship donated a new piano, which arrived that
week. Previously only four services per month were held. Now they could have morning
and evening services each Sunday for the 294 members. In 1956, the annex behind the
sanctuary was remodeled and more Sunday school rooms were added including a
kitchenette. In 1966 the front porch was added, along with central air and heat, and the
sanctuary redecorated. The steeple (which is made of aluminum) wasn't added until
1977. The Educational unit was constructed in 1977. During the period 1984-1987 the
church buildings were improved by addition of siding, painting, upgrading of air
conditioning and heating systems. An acoustical ceiling and new lighting were installed
in the Fellowship Hall. Other improvements included the purchase of a new 15-
passenger van, and a new stove, ice maker, and larger refrigerator for the kitchen. In 1995
eight acres were purchased from Salem Campground to be used for a future building. In
1998 a capital fund drive was held to build the Family Life Center (FLC). Rev. Dr. Mac
Brantley joined Rev. Alan Smith (senior pastor) and Rev. Gail Seibert (Associate Pastor)
in leading the ground breaking ceremonies. The $1.5M facility was completed in 2000,
and dedicated July 30 of that year. The FLC is 17,890 square feet, and has a capacity of
988. The facility houses a basketball gymnasium, full stage, 7 classrooms on two levels, a
commercial kitchen, the church library (which was moved from the old
education/administration building), and large storage facilities. It is used often for
church activities and civic events.
There is a stained glass window in the upper back of the center, which was donated by
Gladys Bloodworth. Her husband, Marion was raised in this church and volunteered as
Minister of Evangelism from 1990 until his death in 1995. They had bought it from a
church in Iowa (where he served until his retirement) that was being torn down, and had
it in their solarium in their house in Conyers until the planning of the FLC.
Read the complete Church History
View our Photo Gallery
|
