Mission Statement and History of St. Paul's Union Chapel
Mission Statement
The mission of the St. Paul’s Union Chapel Society is to maintain and preserve St. Paul’s Union Chapel for the benefit of the Dutch Neck community, providing a place for fellowship, spiritual growth, education, and artistic expression. The chapel's principal use is as a space for the arts, including, but not limited to, music, dance, and the visual arts. The schoolhouse will be used as a community center for community projects, meals, and events that advance friendship, cooperation and neighborly exchange.
History
St. Paul’s Union Chapel was erected in 1885 and dedicated in February of 1886. The Society was incorporated in 1883 to care for and maintain the building, to hire preachers and religious teachers, and to act as ambassadors for the chapel. In the latter capacity, Society members welcomed new residents to Dutch Neck and invited them to join the Society and by extension, the religious community it served. The word “union” in the chapel’s name distinguishes it as nondenominational and open to people of all faiths. The Dutch Neck Schoolhouse, built in 1883, was incorporated into the Society’s holdings by deed from Helping Hands, an organization established to assist and welcome new residents to Dutch Neck.
