About St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church
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Our Mission
"Seeking God, Serving God, Sharing God"
We hope that this website will give you a picture of how we at St. Bart's work to reflect the love of God. St. Bartholomew's is a small church that thinks big. We show it in how we worship, how we serve our community and the world, and how we build powerful bonds with one another.
Our History
Our little church has a rich history that began in colonial times, when the Church of England was the established church in the colony of North Carolina. The name of the parish dates from 1770, when a bill was introduced at the Colonial Assembly in New Bern to establish a county "by the name of Chatham County, and St. Bartholomew Parish." The act was ratified in 1771, to become effective the first day of April. The subsequent turmoil of rebellion and the Revolutionary War (1775-1783) resulted in a complete break between church and state and in disestablishment of the Church of England in this country.
The Protestant Episcopal Church of America arose to replace the Church of England. Many years later, in 1820, the earliest recorded Episcopal Church service was held in PIttsboro (probably at the courthouse). A church building needed to be constructed in order for the parish named St. Bartholomew to become a reality, however. The cornerstone was laid in March of 1832. St. Bartholomew's first service was held in December of that year.
Much has happened at St. Bartholomew's since 1832. Many devoted parishioners and clergy have worshiped together here. And many notable people have been buried in our cemetery.
