For over two hundred years, Home Moravian Church has stood on the northeast corner of Salem Square.  The Christian community of Salem had less than three hundred members when construction was begun in 1798, and covering building costs challenged the town’s financial resources. Yet the faith of the congregation persevered, and in the winter of 1800, the new brick building was consecrated with the trombonists playing the hymn “Bless, oh God, our going out.  On our entering lay Thy blessing.” Indeed, our church has been blessed by God over time as each generation has taken the responsibility to maintain and improve the building in order that subsequent generations will benefit from having this historical house for worship.

     Home Church has once again reached a time when improvements are needed in several areas of our worship space.  As we continue to hold to our rich heritage that is molded in every brick and cut into every timber, we must prepare the building to adequately serve a new generation.

     A planning committee of church members has been created and is being chaired by John and Susan Mickey.  Each member will be mailed an invitation, if one has not already been received, to one of many Congregation Conversations in upcoming weeks in the homes of fellow members.  In these small groups, you will have an opportunity to learn about needs, ask questions and share ideas. Please respond to your invitation and attend a session.  Your thoughts are important. You can help guide planning for important changes that will be good for the church, good for each man, woman and child in the congregation and good for those we serve in the broader community. 

     At each of these meetings you will have an opportunity to see photographs and a few of the ideas that are already in exploration.  We hope that in seeing these images and hearing about some of these ideas that you will be inspired to share your own ideas or expansions of the ones presented.  So we can keep the conversation going after the meeting you attend, we have the Congregation Conversation Presentation Booklet

available here for you to view as you wish.  We also want to encourage you to add to the conversation, please submit your ongoing ideas and comments by sending us email.  The Capital Campaign Planning Committee looks forward to receiving your imput in this way and incorporating these 'electronic' thoughts with all those received in the Congregational Conversations during this phase of the Campaign.