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The people of St. Mary's are willing accomplices of a gracious God who is using love to transform the world. We invite you to become a part of this divine conspiracy.
As a community of Jesus' disciples we welcome the stranger, embrace the seeker, and proclaim in deed and word the abundant and unconditional love of God.....no exceptions!
St. Mary's was recycling long before it became popular. Back in 1919 a handful of devout Episcopalians raised $2500 to purchase an old house and transformed it into what is now St. Mary of the Harbor. Shortly afterwards the old Sand Bar Club located on the west end of Provincetown was purchased, disassembled, moved and attached to the church to form the present space where the altar and choir are located.
From the beginning artists played an important role in the life of the church. Works by Frederick Waugh, Richard Miller, William Boogar, Peter Hunt, Constance Bigelow, Robert Douglas Hunter, and Arnold Geissbuhler are prominently displayed throughout the church.
In 1933 the mission church called the Reverend Robert Wood Nicholson to be the first Vicar of St. Mary’s. During his tenure the little church by the sea flourished and was transformed into artistic feast. An avid gardener, Fr. Nicholson personally did much of the work to create the churchyard that has become an oasis for parishioners and visitors to Provincetown.
St. Mary’s has grown to become a vibrant, inspirited, diverse, and welcoming community. As Jesus’ disciples we celebrate God’s graciousness and invite you to experience the abundant and unconditional love of God in Christ where the land, the sea, and the sacred meet.
St. Mary's Core Values
Caretakers
We believe that we are stewards of a sacred space whether you see God in the juxtaposition of land and sea, in the natural beauty of our garden, in the charm of our building adorned with the art work of our predecessors, in what we do here together, or in all of these, we all agree that this is a sanctified place where God can be found and that we are committed to maintaining and protecting it.
Worship
We strive to put Christ, as embodied in the Eucharist, at the center of our worship. We understand that there are many paths to Jesus and are willing to try different forms, times, and types of service but always center them around Christ's Body and Blood in the Eucharist. While doing so, we strive to present Christ, as He presented Himself, free and open to all who would partake.
Welcoming
We want to greet each person we encounter here as we would greet Christ. We are blessed to have many people from far and near come through our doors and we want to greet them not only in the name of Christ but as if they were Christ. We believe it is our special mission to embody the promise in our baptismal covenant to seek and serve Christ in all persons.
Giving
We are committed to looking beyond ourselves and back up that commitment by allocating a full 10% of our parish income in a tithe to causes and organizations beyond our own parish.
Worship times
Volunteer opportunities
Lay Ministry, Vestry, Outreach, Ushers & Greeters, Hospitality, Choir, Building and Grounds
Community Lunch Program - January and February
Art & Spirit - Summer Auction of local artists work
Summer Fair - First Weekend in August - Huge Yard Sale, Raffle, Jewelry, etc.
Ministries
Soup Kitchen of Provincetown- Meal Programs
Established in 1992, the Soup Kitchen In Provincetown (SKIP) provides a hot, nourishing lunch to Outer Cape Cod residents, November through April, Monday through Friday.
SKIP's goal is to provide nutritious and healthy meals in a welcoming and warm atmosphere for all individuals on the Outer Cape who are either in need or seek community. The lack of proper nutrition for many in this area is an ongoing challenge, particularly as it relates to the town's seasonally employed and chronically unemployed residents.
St. Mary of the Harbor supports this program financially and with volunteers.
SKIP's daily mealtime also serves as a resource place for referrals to social programs for further help in all areas of need. SKIP shares its office with the Interfaith Council for the Homeless on Thursday from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm from November through April, for the purpose of providing housing assistance.
Winter Lunches- Meal Programs
Twenty years ago a group of St. Mary's parishioners came up with the idea for a Community Lunch Ministry. Recognizing that winters can be long and bleak on the Cape, this ministry provides a much needed social outlet for people to get out of the house and come together as neighbors.
Each Saturday at noon during the months of January and February, parishioners from St. Mary of the Harbor cook and serve a homemade lunch to approximately 100 people. There is no charge and everyone is welcome. The menu changes each Saturday and occasionally there is musical entertainment.
In 2017 the Winter Lunch program served hot lunches to 521 folks.
The Garden at St. Mary of the Harbor- Community Gardens
The Garden at St. Mary of the Harbor is one of the jewels of Provincetown. It is a sacred place where parishioners and visitors alike come to pray and reflect. Thanks to the dedication of parishioners like Erna Partoll and others, St. Mary's Garden is an oasis for the weary and a slice of Eden for those who seek God's peace.
Outside Our Walls
AA Meetings at St. Mary's
Carrie A. Seaman Animal Shelter
Episcopal Relief and Development
The Homeless Prevention Council of Cape Cod
HOW (Helping Our Women)
The Lower Cape Outreach Council
SKIP (Soup Kitchen in Provincetown)
Church Fair & Art & Spirit Auction
St. Mary of the Harbor has long celebrated its historical connection to local artists, many of whose works are part of the interior of the church. Art and Spirit was created to support the parish's mission and ministry that extends to the art community and beyond. One of our core values is the commitment to look beyond ourselves and to allocate 10% or more of our total parish revenues to non-profit organizations that address homelessness, hunger and disaster relief.
To view the 2017 catalogue, please click here:http://www.stmaryoftheharbor.org/Portals/57ad7180-c5e7-49f5-b282-c6475cdb7ee7/Catalogue%20Art%20and%20Spirit%202017.pdf
Amazing Grace of Cape Cod Support- Prison Services
St. Mary's is one of the original supporters of Amazing Grace of Cape Cod, a one week residential camp program at Camp Burgess in Sandwich for children from Cape Cod and the South Shore whose parent is or has been incarcerated. Founded in 2014, Amazing Grace became a stand-alone 501C3 organization in 2015 but still has strong ties to Episcopal Churches in the Cape & Islands deanery.
St. Mary's provides many different forms of support for Amazing Grace: volunteers and monetary donations. Parishioners also support the many year-round activities of the program.
International Relationships
Guatamala Medical Resource Partnership
Guatemalan Medical Mission.
517 Commercial St
Provincetown, MA 02657-2412
United States
