Mission Statement

Our Mission Statement can be expressed with three simple words: Gather, Grow, Go.

To expand on those three words, we believe it is our mission to Gather in community, Grow in Christ, and Go into the world.

Discipleship Rhythm

The rhythm of discipleship at First Friends revolves around the idea of four “tables” because tables communicate both invitation and intimacy.

Inner Table | Common Table | Gathered Table | Mission Table

By making these tables part of the regular rhythm of life, we can continue to celebrate who Jesus is, learn from him, grow in him, and join him in his ongoing mission.

Friends Doctrine & Testimonies

Friends emphasize an experiential faith, rooted in the conviction that the living Christ makes Himself available to all who seek Him. We highly value the Scriptures, while also emphasizing the necessity of the Holy Spirit’s inner witness alongside the written Scriptures as the true and trustworthy interpreter of the Bible. For Evangelical Friends, both our Doctrine and our Testimonies play an important role in our understanding of how to faithfully walk with Jesus in our world.

Church History

First Friends Church has a long history in the Salem area which began during the summer of 1804 with the first public worship meeting, held in the cabin of Samuel Davis. The location of our worship space has moved several times over the years, and faces have come and gone, but we celebrate that God has remained the same and has continued to bless and call this community of Friends of Jesus.