Salerno Southern Methodist Church—“the little church that could”—traces its origins to 1912, when a devoted group met first in homes and then a one-room Salerno schoolhouse under Rev. W. J. Bartlett. Early members supplied their own chairs and lanterns until Benjamin W. Mulford and his wife deeded land in 1916 for a permanent building. Over the next decade, successive pastors guided the young congregation, which moved and paid for an old schoolhouse on its lot, installed a pulpit from New Jersey, and built the foundation of what would become a century-strong community.

During the mid-20th century, under leaders like Rev. F. L. Crowson, the church weathered denominational shifts—becoming independent in 1934 and affiliating with the Southern Methodist Church in 1946—while several building campaigns added educational wings, a fellowship hall, and a parsonage. Generations of families (Clark, Osborn, Merritt, Quigley, Wilbar, and others) sustained vibrant ministries: Sunday School and Wesley classes, the Women’s Missionary Society, the Epworth League, Vacation Bible Schools, and the Trover Boys Ranch outreach, all reflecting a deeply people-centered faith.

In recent decades, Salerno SMC has expanded its community impact through Meals on Wheels, a SHARE food-savings program, a Spanish-language congregation, and support for international missions. A modern sanctuary renovation, praise band, and digital enhancements (live streaming, screen displays) have complemented its traditional ministries. Guided by the motto “God is Good All the Time,” the church marked its centennial in 2012 and continues pressing forward—offering hospitality, outreach, and resilient faith to future generations.