Little Chapel on the Boardwalk is a year-round Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation in the middle of Wrightsville Beach, three blocks south of Johnnie Mercer's Pier. Rooted here since 1907, it is known for three worship settings - a traditional sanctuary service, a relaxed contemporary service and seasonal worship on the sand - as well as Matthew House, a mission retreat one block from the Atlantic.
From a Summer Outpost to a Year-Round Church
Little Chapel began in 1907 as a summer worshiping community at the Lumina. It was a joint venture between First Presbyterian Church of Wilmington and St. James Episcopal Church downtown, and the congregation welcomed preachers for the summer season. After World War II, as Wrightsville Beach became more of a year-round community, worshipers recognized the need for church services throughout the year. In 1952, Little Chapel opened its sanctuary at its present location on the corner of West Fayetteville Street and North Lumina Avenue. The congregation became fully Presbyterian and called an installed pastor.
That long arc is reflected in its present life: a year-round PCUSA congregation with traditional and early worship, a working mission retreat that hosts groups throughout the year, and active relationships with churches and nonprofits in Wilmington. Its calling is to worship the Lord Jesus Christ, connect with God's people and serve by faith. The church continues to blend Reformed Presbyterian tradition with casual, open-hearted coastal hospitality.
Three Ways to Worship at the Boardwalk
Traditional Sanctuary Service at 10:30
The 10:30 a.m. Traditional Sanctuary Service takes place every Sunday in the historic sanctuary. Classic Presbyterian liturgy in the Reformed tradition includes hymns, scripture and the long rhythm of the church calendar, while the chancel choir and special music give the service a rich choral focus. The congregation celebrates Holy Communion on the first Sunday of every month at all three worship settings, and everyone is welcome at the table.
ARISE Worship at 8:30
From Labor Day through April, the 8:30 a.m. ARISE service gathers in the Fellowship Hall. It is relaxed and modern, with acoustic music and contemporary praise, and it is designed to bring families together. The setting is informal and shaped by coastal hospitality while retaining worship as its focus.
Beach Service at 8:00
From May through Labor Day, the 8:00 a.m. Beach Service takes place at Access 4, directly on the sand. This is casual, open-air worship with the sound of Atlantic waves. Worshippers can bring a beach chair, towel or sunglasses, and the service moves indoors to the Fellowship Hall if it rains.
The early service changes with the seasons while the historic 10:30 service remains in place throughout the year. The traditional service is also livestreamed each Sunday at 10:30 through Little Chapel on the Boardwalk's YouTube channel.
Children and the Sunday Rhythms of Little Chapel
Little Chapel welcomes children of all ages and stages of life to join the congregation in worship. Greeters help visitors find a seat and guide families to the nursery. Professional childcare is available at 8:30 a.m. from September through April and at 10:30 a.m. for infants through age seven. At the traditional service, age-specific children's bulletins for ages three and older and seven and older accompany the Word for the day, and children take part in a brief moment in the service.
Children's Sunday school for kindergarteners through fifth graders meets from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. from Labor Day through April in Room 109. On the fourth Sunday of each month, the class schedule gives way to a whole-church breakfast beginning at 9:15 in the Fellowship Hall. Sunday school takes a summer break, while adult education classes are offered seasonally, generally on Sunday or Wednesday mornings. The Presbyterian Women are organized into Circles that meet monthly to study, pray and serve.
A Coffee Hour follows the 10:30 service at 11:30 on the front lawn overlooking the historic boardwalk. After ARISE, coffee and treats continue in the narthex. Church families host the gatherings, and volunteers bring favorite coastal treats. The men's breakfast meets at 9 a.m. on the first, third and fifth Saturdays at the Boathouse Restaurant on Oleander Drive.
Parking, Dress and a Coastal Welcome
A private parking lot at the corner of Lumina Avenue and West Fayetteville Street is open on Sunday mornings for worship. The designated church lot sits adjacent to the sanctuary building. For the Beach Service at Access 4, arriving early allows access to free parking. During the week from March through October, the church partners with the Town of Wrightsville Beach for paid parking; members receive a parking decal, and visitors attending church activities can obtain a guest parking pass.
Dress is deliberately relaxed. People may arrive in Sunday best or in the same casual clothes they wear for the beach, including flip-flops and shorts. That informality sits alongside the historic sanctuary and traditional liturgy, expressing the church's conviction that worship can feel both reverent and deeply welcoming. Administrative staff are available Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for general questions, outreach needs and lodging coordination.
Matthew House, One Block from the Atlantic
Matthew House is a historic two-story mission house and lodging facility for up to sixteen volunteers serving coastal ministries. It is available to church and mission groups throughout the year. Clean bunk rooms on two floors serve youth groups and adult service teams, while a fully equipped kitchen and dining area support shared meals and fellowship after a day of service.
The house stands one block from the ocean and steps from the Wrightsville Beach boardwalk, offering a peaceful salt-air retreat for reflection and rest. Groups provide twin-size bedding, pillows, bath towels and beach gear, while Matthew House supplies kitchen cookware and utilities. Mission groups can work with local ministries or organize their own projects, and the church helps visitors coordinate a local service itinerary. Lodging inquiries can be made through the Matthew House booking form.
Reformed Faith and Shared Leadership
What Little Chapel Affirms
Little Chapel is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and a member of the Presbytery of Coastal Carolina. It affirms Reformed beliefs such as the sovereignty of God and salvation through Jesus Christ, which inspires service. The church also emphasizes living life together so all people can flourish, using their gifts as generous stewards, recognizing tendencies toward idolatry and tyranny, and seeking peace and justice.
The congregation's identity is grounded in the two-part PCUSA Constitution: the Book of Confessions describes what it believes, and the Book of Order describes how the church is ordered.
Representative Government
The Session provides representative government. Elected and ordained ruling elders serve with the installed pastor, who is moderator, and the Session meets monthly to pray, discern and make decisions. Its work covers worship and the sacraments, Christian education, congregational care, stewardship, finance, property, missions, membership and personnel. Pastor Caroline Jinkins moderates the Session, while elders guide areas including education, care, mission, finance, property, fellowship, communications, membership, planning and stewardship. The congregation elects its elders and makes major decisions, including calling a pastor, while the Session provides day-to-day leadership.
Feeding, Housing and Helping in Wilmington
Outreach is woven into the congregation's life. Little Chapel collects nonperishable food year-round for the Salvation Army and Nourish NC, and volunteers also organize food at Nourish NC. Mission groups stay to serve WARM, the Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry. The church supports the Eden Village partnership of Firm Foundation by helping build and maintain homes for people who have been homeless. Safe Harbor, a house built in Eden Village, provides a place a man in Wilmington who lacked a place to lay his head can call home.
Other ongoing partnerships include preparing and delivering Meals on Wheels meals on the fourth Saturday of each month, supporting the Harrelson Center Help Hub's downtown Wilmington assistance effort, funding schooling in Malawi through sponsorship, and supporting Boy Scouts Troop 232. Congregational care is guided by elder Betty Woodard and includes practical forms of support such as sending a card, providing a meal, completing an errand or visiting.
Choral Anthems and Contemporary Praise
Music is a defining part of Little Chapel's worship. Traditional worship features the chancel choir, beloved hymns and handbell choirs, with organ and piano accompanying the 10:30 service. ARISE and the Beach Service have a more contemporary sound. Director of Traditional Music Ministry Kira Garvie Conner leads the traditional program, while Director of Early Service Music Ministry Marissa Hortiz leads music for the early services. Congregational singing, choral anthems and special music connect praise with both joy and reverence, and the music ministry welcomes singers and instrumentalists.
The Rev. Caroline A. Jinkins has served as pastor since 2024. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Princeton Theological Seminary, she previously served congregations in Virginia, Georgia and New Jersey. She preaches and leads worship each week, manages the staff, moderates the Session, guides committees and cares for congregational needs.
The Rev. Dr. Philip Gladden serves as Parish Associate for Visitation. A graduate of Davidson College and Union Theological Seminary, he has served congregations in Rocky Mount, Roanoke Rapids, Littleton and Wallace, North Carolina. His ministry focuses on spiritual support, visitation, worship leadership and relationship building.
Stewardship for Mission and Preservation
Giving supports local outreach, global missions, historic preservation, coastal ministries and Matthew House. The church accepts one-time and recurring contributions, appreciated stocks and property, and legacy gifts. Its Endowment Fund, established in 2016, directs support to recognized 501(c)(3) charities and capital-improvement needs at Little Chapel. Secure online giving makes one-time and recurring contributions possible, while stock, property and estate gifts provide additional ways to sustain the work.
Its shared calling is to worship the Lord Jesus Christ, connect with God's people and serve by faith. Little Chapel on the Boardwalk carries that calling into a year-round ministry of Reformed worship, coastal hospitality, mission lodging and practical service in Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington.