The first Episcopal service in Bremerton was held by the Rt. Rev. Lemuel H. Wells, the first Bishop of Spokane. The service was held in the Presbyterian Church in Charleston, on Sunday, August 11, 1901. Beginning on Sunday, January 5, 1902, regular Episcopal services were held at the Lutheran Church which had just been built at the corner of 4th Street and Washington Avenue. An important meeting was held on Tuesday evening, October 14, 1902. At the request of those present Bishop Keator, Diocese of Olympia, duly organized St. Paul's Episcopal Mission.

The next consideration was the location for the proposed new church building. A committee was appointed to arrange the matter and report back to the Bishop. Services were held at Gorman Hall in downtown Bremerton as a temporary place of worship. St. Paul's was now well organized and properly established in Bremerton.

On April 6, 1904, St. Paul's Mission was admitted to union with the Diocese of Olympia and dates it founding to that date. In June 1905 the site for the new church on King's Hill (5th and Warren) was graded and construction of the church began. The church was dedicated on December 23, l906. For the next nine years St. Paul's joyfully served our Lord and this community from this site.

Through a property transaction with the Masonic Lodge the church was moved to Chester and 6th Streets in May 1915. Services were resumed at the new location on July 11, 1915.

In early 1914 war clouds were gathering over central Europe. Shortly after the assassination or Crown Prince Ferdinand in Bosnia on June 28th WWI was declared. During the war years St. Paul's was hard pressed to meet the demands of the rapidly growing population. Bremerton was an immature city without the resources to provide the social programs needed by "off duty" military and civilian personnel. St. Paul's joined with other churches in our area to fill this gap, and made its limited facilities available for socials and entertainment. Sunday School, was held regularly throughout this period with an average attendance of 60 to 70 children.

St. Paul's survived the Great Depression, and a feeling of urgency was growing to get on with the work of the Lord. In a little over two decades war clouds were again gathering over Europe. The 20 years between the two World Wars were more like an armed truce than a period peace. Kitsap County got its first real look at war in the summer of 1941 with the arrival of the British ship HMS WARSPITE. The ship had suffered a direct hit in a battle in the Mediterranean Sea and had traveled half way around the world to the safe haven of Bremerton for repairs. At 10:25 a.m. Pacific Standard Time on Sunday, December 7, 1941 Japanese planes bombed, torpedoed and strafed the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor and WWII was upon us. During the war years our rector, a bachelor, opened the rectory to armed forces personnel. Parish facilities were also made available to them. The war ended in Europe on May 7, 1945, and in the Pacific on September 2nd, concluding the costliest war in history.

The 1950's, 60's and 70's were relatively peaceful years for our parish. A special committee was appointed to investigate and report on a tract of land in Sheridan Park as a suitable location for a new church. They reported in July 1957 that a 7.09 acre tract was for sale by the Bremerton Housing Authority and very desirable as church property. On December 16, 1957 the vestry approved the purchase. A large building committee was appointed, and a steering committee was selected to work with the architect and report to the vestry.

On August 25, 1967, groundbreaking ceremonies for the new church were held. Ground preparation and construction began almost immediately and work progressed rapidly. The week of April 20, 1968, was moving "day" for St. Paul's from its home of 62 years at Sixth and Chester, to its new location at 700 Callahan Drive in east Bremerton.

The "old" church building was designated a Kitsap County Historical Site in October 1994 by the Kitsap County Historical Society.

East Bremerton has been St. Paul's "home" for the past 33 years serving our members and the community. We are currently housing an Olympic College run early head start day care program and the "Lord's Neighborhood Diner" founded by director Delsie Peebles.

Also, we share our campus with Canterbury Manor, an apartment complex for seniors administered through Episcopal Retirement Homes of the Diocese of Olympia, which opened in August 1994.