First Church in Salem Unitarian

First Church in Salem is a Unitarian congregation with roots in the earliest years of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Gathered by Puritans in August 1629, it is one of the oldest Protestant churches founded in North America and the first governed by congregational polity. That tradition of self-government continues today: the congregation follows its own by-laws and democratically elects its officers, and it welcomes all regardless of color, race, creed or sexual orientation.

Rather than asking members to adopt a set creed, the church celebrates theological, philosophical and spiritual diversity and asks only that people try to live kind, helpful lives with dignity. Its stated values include freedom, reason, interdependence, equity, justice, pluralism and generosity, with love as the central tenet. Congregational life extends beyond Sunday through a Soul Matters small group ministry, a reading group and a monthly crafting circle for knitting, crochet and sewing.

What to Know

• Sunday services run with Sunday School for children at the same time.
• A coffee hour called Fellowship follows each service and is open to all.
• The Henny Penny Nursery School is connected to the church and is open for enrollment.
• Visitors can find limited street parking plus nearby public metered lots.
• Past sermons and the minister’s messages are archived on the church’s website.