History of Salem United Methodist Church
Salem has had a rocky road over the yeas. It has been closed 4 times but reopened each time. After being reopened in 1959 the church has never closed again. Below is the detailed history. Opened 1895. James Garrison, a visitor to the Widewater community saw the need for a church in the area. The first services were held under an arbor, and there was a large attendance. It was not until 1896 that the building, that still stands today, was built. The benches and the pulpit that are being used at the present time are the original ones. Noble Decatur, a member of the church, gave 1.47 acres to the church and John Lee and his wife gave one acre. The building was bult by the people in the community. The deed for the property is recorded in Deed Book 9, page 339, in Stafford County Circuit Court, it was recoreded on October 15, 1896. The church was used as a Methodist church until 1921. The church was reopened in 1941. Several structural modifications were made during this time. The plaster on the walls was torn down and sheet rock was used to replace it. Additionally in 1942 electric light fixtures were installed. It was used by the Methodist community until it closed in 1948. In January 1949 Salem Church was again reopened to hold Sunday school classes. Shortly thereafter full services started. During this time the community erected a steeple on the original building. In 1952 the church was again closed. In 1959 Salem Church was reopened again. Rev W.G. Coward, a ministerial student, held a meeting of the people in the community to see if they wanted to have the church reopened. There were 22 people present at this meeting. A quarterly conference was held in May, 1959, in which people were told that the church would become part of the Midway-Salem Methodist charge. The Midway-Salem charge comprised both Midway Methodist ChurchMidway VA, and Salem in Widewater. In 1962 Rev G. G. Fletcher, another ministerial student, was appointed to the Midway-Salem Charge. At this time a charge W.S.C.S was started with Mrs. George (Rebecca) Decatur, Jr. as president; also a charge PYF was begun. In June 1962, Rev Clyde Dews was appointed pastor of Midway and Salem Churches, with another church, Andrew Chapel being added to the charge. The charge was renamed to the Potomac Charge.
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