Mission   
The Church is a people created by God in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, called and sent to bear witness to God's creative, redeeming and sanctifying activity in the world. Therefore, our purpose for existence as Christ's congregation in Welcome is to have members assist one another to grow in trust in the one God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and to mature in the task of holding high the honor of our God, by means of the Gospel of Grace and of authentic love.

Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church of Welcome--known familiarly in the community and by its people as Welcome Lutheran Church for nearly 135 years--was founded on March 28, 1869 when twelve pioneers in the Welcome area met at the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Peeble with the adoption of the congregation's first constitution. At this meeting the founders resolved to build a house of worship for the new congregation on land given by August Boecker and Henry Schmidt for $1.00 per acre. The first house of worship was built at a cost of $240.00! It was located on the north side of the "Brenham Road", now FM 109, approximately where the parsonage is now located. The first parsonage was located just to the west of the church. Also in 1869, the "old" cemetery was founded on the north side of the road behind the church.