Salem United Methodist

Supports the Wexford Community

By Paula Green

Tucked away on Manor Road in Wexford is Salem United Methodist. It is a small, quaint church that is mighty in community support. Their roots date back to 1868, when they began worshiping in a living room. Over the years, they have built a strong foundation of trust and tradition that continues to this day.

Their brick building on Manor Road was built in 1924 to be near the Pittsburgh-Harmony trolley line station on Brennan Road. Over the years, the church’s ministry has continued to expand.

“We have a congregation of about 150. The English family of English Road was one of the founding members of the church almost 190 years ago. There is still a lot of that groundedness among the congregation members, many of whom have been in the area for over 40 years. We have three generations of Eagle Scouts in our two Scouting America Troops (one for young women and one for young men) and a Cub Scout Pack,” said Salem United Methodist’s Pastor, Rev. Stephanie Gottschalk. 

"We have developed a community of communities as we open our doors at different times to recovery groups, Scouts, music groups, our preschool families, and others.

Community and service are vital expressions of our faith as a congregation.” 

One recent holiday project that the church congregation poured their hearts into was a Thanksgiving meal outreach.  Numerous volunteers participated in preparing and implementing the traditional dinner.

"Years ago, one of Salem's members realized that the local Meals on Wheels program had many clients who still needed meals on Thanksgiving. To meet that need and give the loyal volunteers of North Country Meals on Wheels a holiday for their families, Salem offered to prepare and deliver a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Over time, it has grown to include anyone who requests a meal on Thanksgiving," said Rev. Stephanie. 

"The menu has evolved. The individual meals include the traditional turkey meal with the fixings. Church members from Salem United Methodist, Community Presbyterian, and Bradford Woods Community churches roast turkeys at home in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. The carved meat is then heated and served with the sides made Thanksgiving morning. 

Students from our preschool, from North Allegheny, and our Scouting America troops color Thanksgiving cards and turkey place mats for the meals. Shifts volunteers deliver the hot meals to those who have requested them. We ask everyone whether they want the meal delivered or someone to stop by and chat. Some request that meals be left on their doorstep, and others look forward to a friendly visit. This year, we delivered about 240 meals on Thanksgiving Day." 

Salem United Methodist also has a storefront ministry, Olive Branch, at 11160 Perry Highway in Wexford. The fair-trade ministry includes volunteers from North Hills area churches and the community. Olive Branch recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.

"One of our longtime passions is economic justice, especially for women and children. Before fair trade was a mainstream concept, Salem took seed money of $250 to buy fair trade items, making them available for purchase at prices that ensured workers were paid a living wage. We do fundraise for certain partners or ministries there. Still, the idea of fair trade is to recognize the importance of human skills and how proper compensation honors human dignity," Rev. Stephanie noted. 

Salem United Methodist's preschool has been an integral part of the Wexford community since 1971. "We have teachers and staff who are dedicated to helping each child learn and build community in the classroom. They work with the child and the family to do so in ways that connect with each child. I'm especially proud of how successful we are at making it a value for children to support one another in the classroom. It is why we have the phrase "Where Children and Families Thrive," Rev. Stephanie noted.

To learn more about Salem United Methodist and its ministries, visit www.salem-umc.org, email CommunityLife@salem-umc.org, or call (724) 935-1627.