Once just a fishing outpost, the village of Siasconset gradually saw a growing population of permanent residents and, by the opening of the Atlantic House Hotel in 1848, was considered one of the country's first summer resorts. As it became more popular as a destination, villagers noticed a growing need for a place of worship. In 1883, a dedicated group of residents came together to build a church.
In 1883, a group of men formed a corporation under the name of Siasconset Union Chapel and appointed a building committee to oversee construction. The Chapel was quickly built and dedicated, opening its doors to the community with a lantern lovingly brought from the schoolhouse to the property. This lantern became symbolic of the spirit in which the Chapel was built—bringing light and guidance to all who gather here.
For over 140 years, the Siasconset Union Chapel has served as a spiritual center for the village, welcoming all who seek comfort, community, and connection. As one of only two chapels in the country that hosts both Roman Catholic and Protestant services, our ecumenical tradition makes us unique in American religious life.
Since our founding, the chapel has welcomed Roman Catholics, with regular Sunday Masses beginning in 1931. This spirit of inclusivity and respect between faith traditions continues today, with Protestant services and Catholic Masses scheduled at different times to serve all members of our community.
The Chapel is at the core of our spiritual life on the island, offering a place where neighbors of different denominations come together in the worship of the Living and True God. We have found this shared expression of faith strengthens our community bonds and enriches our collective spiritual journey.
The Siasconset Union Chapel was built in a Gothic Revival style, with construction completed in 1883. The Gothic architectural elements, stained glass windows, and distinctive bell tower create a reverent yet welcoming atmosphere.
The Chapel bell, hung in the tower in October 1883, has announced the hours of worship for generations. Inside, beautiful needlepoint kneelers, and stained glass windows create a sacred space that combines both simplicity and dignity.
Over the years, the Chapel has been lovingly maintained and carefully restored to preserve its historic character while ensuring it remains a vibrant, functioning place of worship for generations to come. In 2007, the Massachusetts Historical Commission granted historic preservation restrictions to the Chapel, ensuring that it will remain as is for years to come.
The Sconset Chapel property consists of the Chapel building, a parsonage, the community green, and the memorial gardens where the columbarium is located. These grounds serve as a gathering place for the community beyond Sunday worship, hosting concerts, community events, and offering a peaceful setting for contemplation and prayer.
This mini-documentary about the ’Sconset Chapel was produced for the 2008 exhibition ’Sconset 02564 at the Nantucket Whaling Museum. It includes excerpts from a series of oral histories of ’Sconset residents conducted by the NHA in 1976 and 2007-8 along with archival video and photos on the topic.
Dear ones in Christ,
Every year we gather at the Chapel and mark the turning of a year and our arrival back to a place that gives us joy and connects us with our past and our present. We walk in the garden, sit in a pew, converse with friends or those who may soon to be friends. We ponder our life in silence before God. We break into joyful melody. We open our selves to prayer. We offer the energy of hope to one another or to ourselves as we linger over the sacred stories of scripture, draw our lives into them and out again.
Sometimes we are like a chickling waiting for eternal food to be dropped in our mouths, to nourish our being. Sometimes we might be like the child who fears the taste of something as he locks his jaw. And, yet the sacred word finds its way in, and we are restored where we did not know we had a need. We share of our bounty that other lives may be enriched.
We draw ourselves here, together, building a community of compassion, passing it on to our young. Perhaps we sit with another’s grief or enter their joy before God, God in us and God beyond us. Here we are reconnected to the needs of the world and reconnect to the wisdom that we are Christ’s hands outstretched to care, to nourish, to feed.
In his poem, “Sunflowers in Babylon,” Joshua Luke Smith pens these words,
"Are we not standing in the garden of our forefathers?
Are we not reaping a harvest we didn't sow?
Are we not leaning on the limbs of an oak, and standing within the shade of a forest that someone else chose to grow?"
Thus are we welcomed to the Chapel, whose purpose is to connect us season by season, not primarily to a past legacy, a garden of someone else’s planting, but rather to plant an oak of compassion within us. His compassion moves us outward and toward one another. We learn Christ in what we then do. The Chapel’s vocation is to place the word of God alongside our life and bid us grow together, heal and serve.
Whether you are new to the Chapel or have long come here, may you find both nourishment for your soul, the opportunity to connect to others and pathways by which you may serve.
In Christ’s love,
There are many things we are thankful for at our beloved Chapel. The board of trustees works diligently to oversee the Chapel's operations, finances, and mission. Our committees are thoughtful in managing our finances, the maintenance of our beautiful grounds and columbarium areas, buildings and preservation, communications, events, hospitality, and pastoral support.
The work of the Chapel is carried out through dedicated committees focused on specific aspects of our mission and operations. These committees provide opportunities for service and ensure that all aspects of Chapel life receive thoughtful attention.
Our Chapel is blessed with dedicated clergy and staff who serve our community throughout the season.
"The Sconset Chapel is an historic sacred place offering a spiritual home to all and as such provides an opportunity for all to worship, celebrate, learn, mourn, and serve together in the christian tradition."
The Siasconset Union Chapel is governed by its Board of Trustees, who serve as stewards of the chapel's mission, facilities, and resources. Operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, all gifts to the Chapel qualify as charitable contributions.
The board works collaboratively with Chapel clergy, staff, and congregants to ensure the Chapel remains a vibrant spiritual center and gathering place for the Sconset community, honoring our rich heritage while meeting the needs of present and future generations.