Salem Lutheran Church
Barclay, Falls County, Texas
2 miles S of Barclay on FM 1772
Year Erected: 2002
Salem Lutheran Church Organized November 24, 1901, in the Hamilton schoolhouse,
this congregation began with 17 charter members, many of whom had come from the
Welcome community in Austin County. The Rev. W. Utesch, who also was from
Welcome, provided guidance and leadership at that first gathering. The
congregation of Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church held monthly services in its
first years. In May 1906, Lutherans in the neighboring community of Cyclone
decided to join the Salem church. That union brought about a strength in numbers
that allowed the church to call the Rev. August Dziewas as its first resident
pastor soon thereafter. Land was purchased for a parsonage, and the congregation
acquired the former Terry's Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church, south, building
to serve as its house of worship. A cemetery, with the first burial dating to
1903, is also associated with the congregation. As membership in Salem Lutheran
Church increased, a larger sanctuary was needed. The new church building was
completed and dedicated in 1924. Additional facilities were constructed through
the years to accommodate new programs and activities. With its emphasis on
worship, mission and outreach, Salem Lutheran Church has played a significant
role in the religious and cultural heritage of this rural area of Falls County.