St. Paul's Episcopal Church - Edenton, NC - Oldest Regularly Used Church Building in NC

Located at 100 West Church Street in Edenton, North Carolina, St. Paul's Episcopal Church is North Carolina's second oldest church building. In addition, it is the oldest church building in the state that is still being used regularly. Under the provisions of the Vestry Act of 1701, St. Paul's was the first parish in the colony to organize.

St. Paul's was originally a post-in-ground church building that was erected to the east Queen Anne's Creek. At the time, Edenton had not yet been founded. In fact, Edenton was not founded until eleven years later. In 1736, Edenton was the capital of the colony, and it was decided that a new church building should be built. Due to a lack of funding, work on the building eventually came to a halt.

The Vestry was not even able to meet for the first time in the new building until April 10, 1760. At that time, the building still was incomplete. The windows remained unglazed until 1767, and the woodwork on the interior of the building was not finished until 1774. By the time the new building was complete, Edenton was no longer the capital.

The edifice, which is a Flemish bond brick, is one of Edenton's most important buildings from the colonial period. The church building has had extensive repairs twice. From 1806 to 1809, William Nichols added a steeple and installed a wooden floor, as well as much of the present woodwork. The second set of major repairs took place from 1949 to 1950 and was due to a fire that destroyed the steeple, the roof, and the galleries. The only reason that Nichols' woodwork and pews still stand today is that they had been removed due to a planned renovation prior to the fire.

St. Paul's still possesses the book of vestry minutes that was begun in 1701. In addition, the church still has a silver chalice and paten that Edward Moseley gave to the church in 1725. Rich in history, St. Paul's is a point of interest for many that are interested in its link to the colonial days. St. Paul's still operates as a house of worship today.

With more than 230 families and 700 or more active members, St. Paul's holds services every Sunday. Holy Communion, Rite One, is held at 8:00am without the choir. A 9:00am breakfast takes place in the Church Hall. At 9:45am, the Church Hall is used for Christian Education for all age groups. Holy Communion, Rite Two, is held at 11:00am with the choir. Nursery services are available in the Parish Hall during the 11:00am service.

In addition to the youth group, the present-day St. Paul's offers a total of four adult programs, which take place on Sundays and weekdays. Church members are encouraged to serve the community by helping the following organizations: Edenton Emergency Aid, Habitat for Humanity, the Clothes Closet, the Emergency Response Center, and Edenton-Chowan Food Pantry. Each summer, St. Paul's also sponsors a seminarian and does mission work in Haiti, Honduras, and Uganda.

St. Paul's is home to a churchyard that dates back to 1722. Many of the 700 known graves are unmarked, but a group of tombstones known as the Governors Graves is located under the magnolia. The grave of Charles Eden, the individual that Edenton was named for, is located here. Believed to have been erected in the 1950s, the Rector's Study is an old one-room structure that is located on the western boundary of the churchyard.

St. Paul's is significant because of its present-day role in the community and its long-standing historical link. Anyone interested in contacting St. Paul's Episcopal Church can do so by calling 252-482-3522.