In 1887, Francis Johnstone Murdoch founded this mission and the congregation soon built a wood church on 5 acres of land given by Ann McNeely. Before this church was built, the families in the area had held services in their homes.

This was one of 3 missions started in rural western Rowan County. The other missions, one on Gheen Road that apparently remained unnamed as well as St. Jude’s on Sherrill’s Ford Road were short lived. However, St. Matthew’s has survived into the 21st century with the descendants of the original families still being a vital part of the church. Our church was located in a central part of Rowan County between family farms and offering services to the founding families with surnames of Carscaddon, Kepley, Wood, Dillon, Rufty, Lyerly, Graham, Hall and Christie.

The first sermon preached in the church was by The Reverend Sidney Bost and his text was from Romans 1:16 with the following words: For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jews first and also to the Greeks.

The original Statesville Road, today’s Hwy. 70, was a dirt road that ran behind the current Parish Building and the gulley, the path of the road, can still be seen today. The railroad tracks that ran a little further south of the public road served as a walkway for the members of the congregation from the surrounding farms. It was said by an original Kepley founding member that “they walked about a mile of the railroad to tracks to church”.

Most of the farmers and land owners maintained identity though their descendants and they continued to build and grow this mission.

A note from a Kepley Family Genealogy states; “Lawson Monroe Kepley, born 6/19/1857, died 6/1/1921 was an original founder of the church”. It also states “Lawson was the first Sunday School Teacher at St. Matthew’s and had the first Christmas Tree with all the trimmings and presents for the students”.

At the 75th Annual Conention of the Diocese of North Carolina, May 13-15, 1891, Dr. Murdoch reported of St. Matthew’s a “plain and inexpensive frame building that has been erected, and services are regularly held by a lay reader licensed as lecturer, who is also a candidate for Holy Orders. Quite a number of families in the neighborhood are constant attendants upon the services and show much interest in the work”.

The annual Diocesan Journals show from 1887 through 1895 the Reverend Murdoch served at St. Matthew’s clergyman. Starting in 1895, the Diocesan Journals listed Rev. Murdoch as well as the Reverend R. Bruce Owens and the Rev. S. S. Bost as clergy.

The burial records show that the first interment in the church was Lillie Magnolia Rufty in 1895 and Reverend Sidney Bost preached her funeral.

From 1901 until 1911, clergy changes occurred, however, Dr. Murdoch continued to serve as priest until 1909 along with the Rev. John L. Saunders, the Rev. R. L. Bame and the Rev. L. W. Blackwelder.

It was reported by members that sometime around 1910 the white framed church fell into disrepair.

In 1911, 2 years after the death of Rev. Francis J. Murdoch, his widow Eliza and his sister Margaret donated funds for St. Matthew’s to erect a new church. Mrs. Murdoch and his sister requested that this church be built in memory of Reverend Francis Murdoch. Therefore, this new brick church would serve as a historic memorial to Mr. Murdoch. It is therefore a building that reflects his ministerial mission.

The petition for consecration for St. Matthew’s, dated October 25, 1912 list J.A. Harrison, Clinton Kepley and W.A. Rufty as representatives of the church which indeed were surnames of some of the founding families.

In his address at the 97th Annual Convention in Tarboro in May of 1912 Bishop Cheshire states that on October 25, 1912 he had consecrated St. Matthew’s in Rowan County and that it had been erected in memory of the late Rev. Francis J. Murdoch, DD by his wife and his sister. He had administered the Holy Communion and confirmed 11 persons. He also states “it is a beautiful and substantial brick church, replacing a small framed structure; and it was erected wholly at the cost of the widow and sister of Dr. Murdoch, as a tribute to his zeal and interest in the building up of the Church in Rowan County”.

Eight years after the new church was built a committee of members undertook to buy a bell for the church. Nine members contributed to this fund and on July 31, 1919, the bell was first rung by Mrs. J.F. Burg.

From 1912 until 1948 the church families and congregation continued to grow. The names of the ministers included the Reverend William Hardin, the Reverend Walter L. Loflin, the Reverend Theodore Andrews, the Reverend Jacob F. Burg and The Reverend Reuben Meredith. The Reverend Burg and his family are buried in the graveyard at St. Matthew’s.

In 1948 with continued growth, a parish house was built by the members and it was dedicated on September 5, 1948. The parish house included a basement with kitchen and main level offices and Sunday School rooms.

St. Matthew’s continued its growth from 1948 to 1964 with the following clergy: the Reverend Jadi Levi Martin, the Reverend Stark Spottswood Dillard, Jr., and the Reverend John N. McAllister. From 1964 to 1968, clergy included the Reverend Robert N. Davis, the Reverend Carey E. Sloan and the Reverend Thomas Garner.

The Reverend Willis M. Rosenthal began his mission at S. Matthew’s in 1969 and continued to serve until 1978. After serving may ways as a minister, teacher and director of many Episcopal Churches and schools, he came to St. Matthew’s from Florida. He remained dedicated to St. Matthew’s and upon his death in 1997, he chose to be buried in its graveyard, his widow Patricia Rosenthal was later buried beside him.

The Revered Royal F. Dedrick served from 1983 until 1993. Then from 1995 until 2001 the Reverend Wendell Roncevalle Phillips served as vicar and the Reverend Marvin Brady Aycock, Jr. served until 2003.

On September 20, 1987, St. Matthew’s celebrated their 100 year anniversary and the morning sermon was preached by the Reverend Stark S. Dillard, Jr.

In an attempt to fill a void and energize the congregation in January of 2002, Sara Palmer became a Lay Hispanic Missioner to begin a new Latino congregation in rural Salisbury at St. Matthew’s. The new congregation was called San Manteo Episcopal Church. Sara used this mission to each Spanish to the Anglo laity and to teach English to the Hispanic in the community. She led the Liturgy weekly and provided prayer books and bibles in Spanish. A food and clothing bank was started and provided for members and the Hispanics in the area.

Sara Palmer was also responsible for writing and acquiring a grant to pave the back driveway of the church. Money from the building fund and private contributors then finished paving the front driveway and added a playground in the years of 2004 and 2005.

In 2004 due to falling membership, the church chose to form the Yadkin Valley Cluster with surrounding Episcopal Churches. It was served by the Reverend Joan Vella with Decon Bonnie Duckworth. Joan served the church until 2008.

Services at St. Matthew’s and San Mateo continued from 2009 until 2012 with the Reverend Frederick C. Clarkson. However, when Reverend Clarkson left St. Matthew’s, the Hispanic Congregation dissolved into one English Service which some of the Hispanic families still attended occasionally.

In 2012, a grant from The Cannon Foundation enabled the kitchen in the basement of the 1948 parish house to be completely remodeled and furnished with new tables and chairs.

Starting about 2013, St. Matthew’s was served by a supply priest Candis Burgess. When Candis left St. Matthew’s in late summer 2016, supply priests Edwin and Frances Cox served until 2024.

Currently St. Matthew’s is still served by supply priest.

In the summer of 2017, a grant was again received from The Cannon Foundation, this time the carpet was replaced in the Parish House.

The church continues to survive and support itself by the members of the congregation which are the descendants of the original members. It continues services and activities to the members and communities.

S. Matthew’s has spent the last 130 years building on history and family in the western part of Rowan County. Generation after generation have come, participated, given, worked, provided and kept the church alive.

This church has been a continued stable part of the community and provided to the families of the church a service and opportunity to have a church home. It's long life has given support to its members and been a strong part of the history of the area.