St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church was established in November 1959 as a Mission of the Diocese of Est Carolina with three families, six adults and six children, as her charter members. Services were conducted in the American Legion Building by visiting priests and lay readers from St. Anne’s, Jacksonville. Mr. William Noe, a seminary student, worked with the congregation in the summer of 1960.

Construction began on the present church building in the fall of 1961 and Mr. Noe was ordained as priest in the undercroft of the partially completed building in early 1962. Easter 1962 marked the first services conducted in the sanctuary. The Rev. Elmer A. Keiser served St. Peter’s from November 1963 until his retirement in 1972. He was succeeded by the Rev. W. Reed Wood, Jr., who served from 1973 to 1975. 

Father Keiser was asked to come out of retirement by the Bishop and served the congregation again from 1975 to 1976 and the arrival of the Rev. John S. Armfield, who served until his retirement in 1981. Our former office building, completed in 1981 and dedicated in memory of Father Keiser, has been used for many things including the ECW, pastoral care, funerals and bridal parties. The church sign is in honor of Father Armfield. The pews, pulpit, and other woodwork in the church were gifts from St. Mary’s, Kinston, and the altar, built in the early 1900’s, is in memory of the Rt. Rev. Alfred A. Watson, first Bishop of the Diocese.

In October, 1995, a Parish Hall was built and dedicated. It is a lovely, multipurpose building containing offices, classrooms, nursery, kitchen, dining and meeting facilities.

The Rev. M. Johnson Hagood II, a former Army Chaplain, began his tenure at St. Peter’s in late 1981 until his retirement in 2003. Fr. Bert Eaton served as Rector from 2004 until 2019. His wife, The Rev. Deacon Carol Eaton served as our deacon until Fr. Bert’s retirement, and she now serves at St. Andrew’s in Morehead City. Our beloved Fr. Bert is interned in our beautiful Memorial Garden.

The Rev. Michelle Bullock was called to St. Peter’s in January 2020. St. Peter’s has grown steadily since its small beginnings and now has over 200 members whose mission is to be a cohesive, supportive, and loving family called to serve our community. We look to the future with joyful anticipation!