The Salem Story begins in the late 1950s when a rural area in east Orange, California was adding families. A landscape once covered with Orange Groves was quickly becoming a community of homes, horses and people who needed a good, local, community church.
Arnold Kluender, a poultry rancher in Orange Park Acres and his friends Ernie and Bernice Elchlepp sought permission from the Synod to start a local Lutheran church. By 1964 Pastor Myron Hartwig joined them. This formidable group started knocking on their neighbor’s doors and gathered the first members inviting folks to join them, become part of the story, and see what Jesus was up to in the neighborhood.
And on September 26, 1965, Salem Lutheran Church held their first worship service – not on the beautiful property where we worship today – but close by, at Villa Park Elementary School. 113 people attended!
God set the DNA of this church immediately.
Known as a family and community oriented congregation it didn’t take long for this mighty body of believers to acquire property and build. They broke ground on August 4, 1968 at the corner of Orange Park Boulevard and Santiago Canyon Road.
Not only were they building a church, but a body of believers too. Salem was bursting at the seams before there were seams (or walls) to burst... made abundantly clear when, on March 2, 1969, it required two worship services so that 700 people could attend the dedication ceremony. Church buildings included the Sanctuary and some office and classroom spaces.
Jesus, Family, Community and School were the focus of this new body of believers.
The Early Chapters
1976 ushered in another decade of growth and change. Missional Outreach to families was a hallmark of Salem, and in 1976, our preschool opened its doors. With this great gain also came some loss. After 13 years of leadership, Pastor Hartwig departed, and in 1977, Pastor Stanley Peterson was called to replace him as Senior Pastor.
God was on the move in a mighty way at Salem.
In 1982, an energetic professor from Concordia University in Irvine was asked to assist Pastor Peterson. Filling the dual role of Christ College professor and Assisting Pastor, Reverend Doctor Paul Meyer brought with him a Ph.D. in “the History and Philosophy of Education,” an invaluable partner in education, his wife Charlotte, and three amazing kids.
It didn’t take long for Salem’s popular preschool to field increasing demand for a next step – a Kindergarten. In September 1983, the Kindergarten classroom doors opened.
Our church was attracting more young families, and our Preschool and Kindergarten were full. Early in 1984, the vision for another building with classrooms and a fellowship hall began to take shape. Although this seemed like a great risk for a small community church,
God rewarded the faithfulness and personal sacrifice of this body of believers.
By the 1984/1985 school year, an abundantly capable Charlotte Meyer assumed the dual role of 2-3-4 combo class Teacher and Principal of a growing Salem Lutheran School. One classroom at a time, Salem church members slowly and intentionally built the elementary program and what is today known as the ‘B’ building.
It seemed a foregone conclusion, or God ordained through-line, when on April 15, 1988, Paul Meyer was called to become the next Senior Pastor at Salem Lutheran. Salem Church and School were in full ministry partnership. Everybody was included in the unfolding story – Paul and Charlotte made sure of that!
The Story Continues
Jesus was on the move, and the people of Salem Lutheran Church and School were following. It was Church from the pews, not the pulpit... and volunteerism grew exponentially during this exciting time.
Salem was not only growing in ministry and outreach, but also in learning.
In 1990, Salem Lutheran School graduated their first 8th grade class – just six short years after Charlotte Meyer took the lead we were educating and ministering to children and families from Preschool through 8th grade.
Education was taken seriously in every corner of the Salem campus, not just in the school. Pastor Meyer and a team of volunteers built a small group bible study ministry that included more than 60% of Salem’s members.
Young families were taking over...or at least rapidly increasing in numbers with the success of Salem School. With this growth came some concern... we were turning people away – our school was full to capacity. Pastor Meyer cast a vision to the future. A multi-faceted outreach vision that included worship, mission, and school ministries. It was all hands on deck for the next explosive years.
In just two short years, Contemporary Worship was ushered in at the Easter Sunrise Service in 1994, a Mission board was established, and the “Building a Blessing” capital campaign was launched. Outwardly, Salem was on fire, burning bright for the Lord. Inwardly, they were a church in surrender to the will of Jesus.
In short order, the people of Salem Lutheran realized the fruits of these prayer-filled labors. In 1997, Pam Hansen became the first Director of Worship Arts at Salem. The new two-story ‘C’ building was completed. It included much needed church and school offices and a grand multi-purpose room, and opened up needed space for a second classroom in every grade, a gymnasium, and meeting areas, as well as a larger home for Sunday morning Contemporary Worship. By 1999, Salem was overflowing with energy and people.
Jesus was on the move.
Ministry outreach was catching on in every corner of the campus. Perhaps the capstone of these two busy years was the decision by the congregation to give 10% of our Sunday offering – our first fruits – to Mission work.
Outreach flowed through our members, into our community, in partnership with our school, and celebrated in worship. Jesus, Family, Community, School, and Worship were the foundations of our success.
A New Chapter Begins
The path was laid so many years ago by families willing to follow Jesus into the community; families who became friends, neighbors who became neighborly, all working together in cooperation and community. Salem would continue to ebb and flow through the sunny seasons and the rainy seasons.
Yet our foundation would remain, and our vision would endure: Jesus, Family, Community, School, and Worship.
In the early days, it was no surprise to find a chicken wandering in during services. Today, we see horses mosey by. We hear the roar of motorcycle pelotons on their way into the Canyon, and on some Sundays, the din of cattle and equestrian competitions in the Arena just below. And, for decades, on the Fourth of July, we are the staging ground for an old-fashioned community parade.
A wise man once observed, very simply, “Salem Lutheran Church is a small-town community church at the corner of Orange Park Boulevard and Santiago Road,” a small town church... perhaps... but filled with a big-hearted community of people.
This it seems is the DNA of our church – of our Salem body of believers, set more than 50 years ago – Jesus, Family, Community, School, and Worship – with a little “volun-told” mixed in.
What does God have in store for this small-town community church?
It is hard to say, but one thing seems certain – He is still writing the story, adding characters and chapters, and twists and turns, inviting us to join Him and see what new opportunity is just a page turn away.
