Are you new to St. Peter’s?
Welcome to the website of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Dartmouth. If you would like to join our church, we can help you do that. Please complete our “Getting to Know You Form” and a team member will be in touch with you!
About St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
When you enter our church, especially for the first time, there is always a joyful feeling and a certain spirit. We want to help people become disciples of Jesus Christ and to experience a growing, deepening relationship with him.
We are growth-oriented and growth is one of our central values because anything that isn’t growing is dying. Jesus gave us the invitation to “go, make disciples of all nations.” So, we invite everyone who belongs here to be part of our mission of growth by sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. We often encourage our parishioners to invite their neighbors, friends, and family members to be part of our family of faith. Most people who have been invited here have stayed and have become active members.
- A church that welcomes you “as you are”
- A church that embraces people of all ages
- A comfortable, laid-back, and FUN atmosphere for young families and children
- Uplifting and inspiring worship
- A Church that is focused on “mission” and not “maintenance”
- Outreach programs to serve the community
- A deep sense of welcome no matter where you are on life’s journey
A brief history of St. Peter's
In August of 1956, the first Episcopal chapel was founded in Padanaram Village in Dartmouth. The Episcopal congregation moved into the former St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Elm Street. Previously, the building was a chapel of the Congregational Church and was purchased by St. Mary’s in 1923 and became the first Catholic Church in Dartmouth. This original building still stands today at 338 Elm Street and became the first worship site for Episcopalians in Dartmouth when the people of St. Mary’s built their current church on Dartmouth Street.
St. Peter’s grew quickly in the early years and soon plans were being realized to build a new church building across the street. A new parish house, the former home of Attorney Frank Vera, was purchased in 1958 and was used for Sunday school classes. This building currently is home to our church offices, meeting space and Christian formation classrooms. In September 1959, the Rev. John N. McLaughlin became the Priest-in-charge and was called as Rector in 1963.
On June 31, 1963, ground was broken for the new St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. It was originally built as a temporary church but is still our worship site many years later. This building was first used for services on the first Sunday of April in 1964. The church was dedicated on June 7, 1964. St. Peter’s and the Congregational Church of South Dartmouth worked together to establish a shared youth program. Rev. McLaughlin left St. Peter’s in 1968 and became rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
In almost 60 years of parish life, the story of St. Peter’s has been one of perseverance and growth. At the center of our story has been the desire to live the gospel and to be a beacon of hope in our community. St. Peter’s parishioners come from all walks of life. Today, we are witnessing extraordinary growth. We are not a church for “Padanaram,” but we are a church for all people in Dartmouth, Westport, New Bedford and beyond.
