SHEILA RIDDIN
Salem is holding a special community service’ on Sunday September 8. This will be an opportunity for old past pupils of the Salem Academy and friends of Salem to gather together, renew old friendships and reminisce. The service will be conducted by Reverend Rod Burton – our superintendant minister – assisted by several others who conduct services regularly in Salem.
The service will be followed by a ‘Spring Tea’ in the old Salem School next door. The school building houses a treasure trove of photographs from bygone days.
This is an important milestone year for the Salem Church. The first services in Salem took place from the very first days of arrival of Sephton’s party of British Settlers in 1820. These were led by Reverend William Shaw, chaplain to this party of Settlers. The first services took place in an old abandoned farmhouse which stood where the cricket pitch is situated today. But in 1822 they set about building the very first Church building in Salem – this was built with wattle and daub (wattle poles and mud), and was consecrated in 1824 – exactly 200 years ago. It was replaced in 1832 by a stone building, which served as church and school for all the inhabitants of Salem. And then in 1850, another church building was added. Both these churches still stand proudly on the hill above the cricket field, and both still have regular services every week and are lovingly maintained by the community. A wonderful legacy.
