Salem Lutheran Church was organized on August 27, 1854, in Alexander County, North Carolina, under its first pastor, the Reverend P.C. Henkel. In 1892 a sister congregation, Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, was organized in the City of Taylorsville, North Carolina, at which time both congregations were served by one pastor. At the time of its organization Salem Lutheran Church was a member of the Tennessee Synod, but in 1905 it affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (then known as the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other states). Salem Lutheran Church and Saint Paul's Lutheran Church continued to share a pastor for a period of seventy years, and in 1962 each church decided to call its own pastor.
In 1963 Vicar Howard G. Visser was called to serve Salem Lutheran Church. He left in 1964 to complete his studies for the Holy Ministry. The Reverend Don Edward Burch was called as the shepherd of Salem Lutheran Church in 1964, serving faithfully until 1968. In that same year the former Vicar, Howard G. Visser, having completed his studies for the Holy Ministry, was called and installed as the pastor of Salem Lutheran Church, serving until 1969. The next pastor to shepherd the congregation was the Reverend James N. Keehn, who served until his resignation in 1972, at which time the Reverend H.W. Hitzman was called to serve until as the twenty-sixth pastor of Salem Lutheran Church. He remained as shepherd of the congregation until December 1979. It was during the pastorate of the Reverend H.W. Hitzman that our new, eautiful sanctuary was planned, built, and then dedicated to the service of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
In July 1980 the Reverend WIlliam A. Hill was installed as the new pastor of Salem, and he continued shepherding the flock for twelve years, until his retirement in April 1992.
Salem then extended a divine call to Reverend Ray Ohlendorf, who accepted the call. on September 20, 1992. He was installed and became the 28th shepherd of Salem.
The Lord has been good to Salem, and several significant events transpired over the next few years. The members of Salem gathered on October 15, 1995 to dedicate its new Salem Community Park. Voices lifted high as the members thanked the Lord for blessing the congregation with this new complex. The entire Sugar Loaf community has rejoiced over the excellent facilities provided by the members of Salem. The ballparks, walking trail and concession stand were considered to be the finest in Alexander County.
On September 22, 1996 the members of Salem gathered at the church for a full day of celebration. This special celebration was the high cost of freedom. It was a day in which Salem thanked the Lord for blessing them with a two-fold freedom. First, the glorious freedom God's children find in the Gospel, and secondly, the freedom found in the greatest country on earth, the USA.
It was on April 27, 1997 that the members of Salem joined their fellow brothers and sisters throughout the Missouri Synod as we celebrated our Synod's 150th Anniversary. In keeping with the solemnity of the occasion we had a special guest preacher, Dr. Dean O.
Wenthe, the President of Concordia Theological Seminary. Also in keeping with this joyous spirit the members buried a time capsule on September 14, 1997. The time capsule contains significant memorabilia chosen to be of interest, when it is dug up by future members of Salem.
On November 14, 1998 there was a burning of the Recreation Park note. In the year 2000 5.29 acres of land and a house were bought from Randy Daniels. This house became the new parsonage, and the old one was purchased by Haskel and Wanda Deal. On February 2, 2002 the congregation had the burning of the parsonage note. On June 2nd of the same year the new Salem Park playground set was dedicated.
Salem held a yearlong celebration of its sesquicentennial (150 years) in 2004. There were four special services held in May, June, July, and August with various guest speakers, including former pastor Reverend William Hill. Catered meals were provided after each special service.
The final culminating event, Founder's Day, was held on Sunday, August 1, 2004. Festivities began in the Salem Cemetery, then continued across the road to the Park for a fun-filled afternoon and concluded with a fireworks display at 9 P.M. A history book of Salem was published in 2007 as a part of the sesquicentennial celebration.
In the summer of 2018, Ray Ohlendorf retired and in January 2019, Reverend Reed T. Shoaff was installed as pastor of Salem.