The congregation of St Peter’s dates from some years before 1889. A group of people celebrated the Eucharist Sunday by Sunday in the Lesser Public Hall, a number of parishioners walking from Kilbirnie and Longbar to attend. Even before that a number of Episcopalians had trekked monthly to Ardrossan.
It was this faithfulness which encouraged the setting up of the “Dependent Mission” here in Dalry. A Vestry was formed, and the funds raised to build a church. The first Eucharist was celebrated on 1st December 1889. The Priest-in-Charge, Mr Neville, recorded that the church was full !
A few years later, Bishop Wilson of Glasgow and Galloway, licensed his son, Mr W J Wilson, to be Priest-in Charge of St Peter’s. A plaque over the pulpit commemorates him, and a full baptismal register records his diligence in mission and evangelism in the Garnock Valley.
During the second World War a long succession of soldiers was confirmed by the Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway in the church. A record of their presence can be found by the curious in the carvings on the pews !
The present layout of the church dates from 1978. It was decided that there was much to be gained from reducing the church area and creating a meeting room cum vestry/sacristy at the back. At the same time the little extension with washroom and toilet was added.
The parish registers show a faithful continuity of Eucharist and morning evening prayer throughout the years of the church’s life. Again in 1978 it was decided to concentrate on the Parish Eucharist so that the number of services each Sunday was reduced, but attendance was maintained.
St. Peter’s is proud of its share in the work of the North Ayrshire Team, the diocese and of the Province, and looks forward to many more years of witness to Christ on its ordered, liturgical tradition in the Garnock Valley.
Although a proportion of the congregation has always been of Irish or English origin, St. Peter’s is firmly rooted in the Scottish Episcopalian tradition. Its worship is nowadays based upon the 1982 Scottish Liturgy and the lectionary and collects from the Revised Common Lectionary, authorised for use by the Scottish Bishops. This lectionary is used by many Provinces within the Anglican Communion and by other Christian Churches.