The History of the New Bern District

New Bern, North Carolina, has a rich history. Named after Bern, Switzerland, because of Swiss and German immigrant settlements in 1710, it became the second-oldest colonial town in North Carolina. As a thriving seaport with a vibrant cultural scene before the Civil War, it earned the nickname "Athens of the South." It also served as the capital of North Carolina's colonial government.

New Bern, a city of resilience, became a refuge for enslaved people and an education center for them under the Union troops' capture and occupation of the town during the Civil War. It is in this historical context that the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AME Zion) denomination's southern expansion emerged in North Carolina under the leadership of Rev. James Walker Hood. Hood specifically targeted the North Carolina towns of New Bern and Beaufort, circa 1863, due to their significant African American populations.

Two existing congregations, St. Andrew's Chapel in New Bern and Purvis Chapel in Beaufort, chose to affiliate with Hood's AME Zion denomination in 1864. Rev. Hood, with the assistance of Bishop Joseph Jackson, established the North Carolina Conference in 1864. This conference, which included the New Bern District, resembled and functioned more like a school, teaching 12 ministers and about 400 members how to manage the business of the Lord's Church. The members of St. Andrew's Chapel, through an internal decision-making process, officially renamed it St. Peter AME Zion Church. And in 1879, it became the Mother Church of the South. This title signified its central role in the AME Zion Church's efforts in African American civil rights and community development. The church was a hub for social and political activism, advocating for equality and justice in the region.

As the AME Zion denomination continued to grow, its twelve episcopal areas also developed an identity as the Connectional Church. The New Bern District is an integral part of the Eastern North Carolina Episcopal District (ENCED), which includes five Conferences: Central, Cape Fear, North Carolina, Albemarle, and the Virgin Islands. Currently, the New Bern District has nineteen churches, a testament to the significant growth of the Church, located throughout four counties (Craven, Onslow, Lenoir, and Jones). These churches are actively involved in community service, education, and advocacy, demonstrating the church's vitality and relevance in the region. The New Bern District remains a key player in the AME Zion Church's mission and outreach efforts.