Door County has deep spiritual roots. The peninsula’s earliest European settlers were missionaries, farmers, and fishermen whose faith shaped the communities they built, and that heritage is visible today in the architecture, the traditions, and the ongoing community life of dozens of congregations spread across the peninsula and the islands. Norwegian Moravians founded Ephraim in 1853 and built one of the most historically significant churches in Wisconsin still in active use today. Belgian Catholic settlers established roadside chapels in the southern reaches of the county that have stood for more than 150 years. Norwegian heritage gave Washington Island a hand-built stave church in the 1990s that is among the most photographed structures in all of Door County. And dozens of congregations across every tradition, from Lutheran and Catholic to Episcopal, Methodist, Baptist, Orthodox, and nondenominational, serve both year-round residents and the thousands of summer visitors who want to continue practicing their faith while on the peninsula.
This guide covers the historic religious landmarks, architecturally significant churches, active parish communities, and unique spiritual destinations that make Door County one of the most religiously rich destinations in the Midwest, organized by location from south to north across the peninsula and out to the islands.
Table of Contents
- Door County’s Religious Heritage
- National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion
- The Belgian Roadside Chapels
- Belgian Heritage Center, Brussels
- Churches in Sturgeon Bay
- Churches in Egg Harbor
- Churches in Fish Creek
- Ephraim Moravian Church
- Churches in Sister Bay and Ellison Bay
- Churches in Baileys Harbor and Jacksonport
- Washington Island: The Stavkirke and Trinity Lutheran
- Tips for Visiting Door County Churches
- More Door County Guides Worth Reading
Door County’s Religious Heritage
The religious landscape of Door County reflects the diverse waves of immigration that settled the peninsula beginning in the 1830s. Norwegian and Icelandic settlers brought Lutheran and Moravian traditions to the northern villages. Belgian Catholic immigrants established a dense network of parishes and chapels in the southern reaches of the county that remains one of the largest Belgian Catholic communities in the United States. Finnish and Swedish settlers added their own Lutheran traditions. And the English-speaking Protestant denominations that followed the summer tourism economy added Episcopal, Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian congregations to the mix across the peninsula’s growing resort communities.
Today the peninsula has more than 50 active churches, chapels, and religious organizations, alongside several historic church buildings that no longer hold regular services but remain architecturally and historically significant. Several of the peninsula’s most celebrated landmarks, including the Ephraim Moravian Church, the Church of the Atonement in Fish Creek, and the Washington Island Stavkirke, are religious buildings that attract visitors with no denominational connection to them simply because of their historical importance, architectural beauty, or cultural significance. Door County’s churches tell the story of the people who built this peninsula, and that story is worth knowing.
National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion
Just south of the Door County peninsula in New Franken, Wisconsin, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion at 4047 Chapel Drive is one of the most significant Catholic pilgrimage destinations in the United States and a natural stop for spiritual travelers visiting the region. The shrine marks the site where, in 1859, a Belgian-born woman named Adele Brise witnessed an apparition of the Virgin Mary while walking through the woods near her family’s homestead. Mary appeared to Brise on three separate occasions, instructing her to “gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they need to know for salvation.” Brise dedicated the rest of her life to that mission, establishing a school and chapel on the site.
In 2010, Bishop David L. Ricken of the Diocese of Green Bay officially recognized the apparition, making this the only approved Marian apparition site in the United States and one of fewer than a dozen such sites in the entire world. In January 2026, Bishop Ricken formally opened the Cause for Adele Brise’s canonization, declaring her a Servant of God, the first step in a process that could eventually lead to sainthood.
The shrine grounds include a beautiful main church, the Apparition Chapel on the lower level marking the exact location of the apparition, a Welcome Center with historical exhibits and a video presentation, outdoor Stations of the Cross paths, a Rosary meditation walk, a well-stocked gift shop, a cafe, and extensive peaceful grounds suitable for private prayer and reflection. The shrine is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mass is celebrated daily at 11:30 a.m., with additional Masses on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Confessions are heard daily at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with an additional Saturday confession at 9:15 a.m. The gift shop and cafe are open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed on Sundays until 10:30 a.m.
The shrine is located approximately 25 miles south of Sturgeon Bay, making it a natural starting point for a Door County trip or a meaningful half-day detour from the peninsula. The grounds are peaceful, beautifully maintained, and welcoming to visitors of all faiths. Learn more at championshrine.org.
The Belgian Roadside Chapels
In the southernmost reaches of Door County and the neighboring Brussels area, a network of tiny roadside chapels built by Belgian Catholic settlers in the mid-19th century stands as one of the most distinctive and moving religious landscapes in the region. These chapels, often no larger than a small shed and built from local stone and wood, were constructed because the nearest church was too far to travel for mass on foot or horseback. Families and communities built these intimate shrines to allow for prayer and worship closer to home.
The Chapel of Our Lady and St. Odile’s are two of the most frequently visited Belgian roadside chapels in the area, both remarkable for their small scale and the persistence of their survival through nearly 170 years of Wisconsin weather and change. The Chapel of Our Lady in particular has been restored and is maintained by the local community as an active devotional site. Finding these chapels requires a slow drive through the Belgian settlement area southwest of Sturgeon Bay, along county roads where the landscape still reflects the agricultural character of the 19th-century Belgian community.
The Great Peshtigo Fire of October 8, 1871, devastated this region on the same night as the Great Chicago Fire, killing an estimated 1,200 to 2,500 people in what remains the deadliest wildfire in American history. The Belgian communities of southern Door County were among the hardest hit. Many of the surviving chapels and churches in the area have direct connections to the rebuilding efforts that followed that catastrophe, and understanding the fire’s impact gives these quiet roadside shrines an additional layer of historical meaning.
Belgian Heritage Center, Brussels
The Belgian Heritage Center in Brussels honors the story of the Belgian immigrants who settled this region and whose Catholic faith was central to their community identity. The center itself is housed in a historic building that was originally a church, and the exhibits include the story of the Great Fire of 1871, the rebuilding of the Belgian communities, and the religious customs and traditions that the settlers brought from Belgium and maintained across generations. The Belgian Heritage Center is open seasonally and is a meaningful stop for anyone interested in understanding the deep roots of Catholic faith in the southern Door County region.
Churches in Sturgeon Bay
Sturgeon Bay as the county seat has the largest and most diverse concentration of churches on the peninsula, representing virtually every major Christian denomination and several smaller ones.
Corpus Christi Catholic Church at 25 North Elgin Street is one of the primary Catholic parishes in Sturgeon Bay, serving the south end of the county alongside St. Joseph Catholic Church at 526 Louisiana Street. Both are part of the broader Catholic network that includes Stella Maris Parish serving multiple villages across the northern peninsula. Saints Peter and Paul Parish at 4767 Dunn Road in Institute is another Catholic parish serving the greater Sturgeon Bay area.
Christ the King Episcopal Church at 512 Michigan Street is the Episcopal presence in Sturgeon Bay, affiliated with the Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac and offering traditional Anglican worship in a historic building. The church serves both year-round residents and summer visitors seeking Episcopal services on the south end of the peninsula. Phone: (920) 743-3286.
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church at 1756 Michigan Street is one of the larger Lutheran congregations on the peninsula, serving the Sturgeon Bay community with ELCA affiliation. St. John’s Lutheran Church at 4911 Brauer Road, St. Peters Lutheran Church and School at 108 West Maple Street (WELS), Salem Lutheran Church at 3339 County Track MM, Bay View Lutheran Church at 340 West Maple Street, Tanum Forest Lutheran Church at 6102 County Trunk OO (ELCA), and Zion Lutheran Church round out a strong Lutheran presence in the county seat that reflects the Scandinavian and German heritage of the peninsula’s early settlers.
Sturgeon Bay Community Church at 515 North 12th Avenue is a nondenominational congregation known for its welcoming approach and community programs. Hope United Church of Christ at 141 South 12th Avenue brings the UCC tradition to the peninsula. First Baptist Church of Sturgeon Bay at 610 North 5th Avenue serves the Baptist community on the south end of the county. Grace Baptist Church at 1623 Delaware Drive and Peninsula Baptist Church at 3486 Bayview Road round out the Baptist options in the area.
Friends Community Church in Sturgeon Bay, representing the Quaker tradition, is one of the more unusual and quietly significant congregations in the county. Christian Science Society at 212 South 7th Avenue serves the Christian Science community. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 660 18th and Florida Avenue serves the LDS community. Family Worship Center Assembly of God at 1715 Michigan Street and Seventh-Day Adventist Church at 6121 Gordon Road round out the denominational diversity of Sturgeon Bay’s religious landscape. Sturgeon Bay Moravian Church brings the same Moravian tradition that founded Ephraim to the county’s largest city.
Churches in Egg Harbor
Egg Harbor is home to two architecturally notable churches that together reflect the village’s dual heritage of Catholic and Protestant traditions.
Stella Maris St. John the Baptist Catholic Church at 7710 Highway 42 is one of the most visually striking churches in all of Door County. Built from a combination of locally quarried dolomite and fieldstone, the church has a rugged, handsome exterior that reflects the natural character of the peninsula’s geology. It is part of the Stella Maris Parish network serving multiple communities across the northern Door County peninsula. Mass times are available at stellamarisparish.com.
Calvary United Methodist Church at 4650 County Road E on the north end of Egg Harbor dates to 1924 and is the other notable stone church in the village. Though currently out of regular use as a worship space, its historic fieldstone exterior is a frequent subject of photography and a reminder of the Methodist tradition’s early presence in Door County. Christ Lutheran Church at the Baileys Harbor address serves the Egg Harbor area through the WELS affiliation. The Orchard EFCA (Evangelical Free Church of America) in Egg Harbor is an active contemporary congregation serving the central peninsula community.
Churches in Fish Creek
The Church of the Atonement at 9390 Cottage Row in Fish Creek is the oldest church in the village and one of the most historically and architecturally significant churches on the entire peninsula. A Carpenter Gothic Episcopal summer chapel built within the Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac, the church sits at the edge of Cottage Row in a wooded setting that gives it an almost otherworldly quality in the morning light. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and retains the look and feel of its original construction, with the steeply pitched rooflines, pointed arch windows, and vertical board-and-batten siding that define the Carpenter Gothic style. Services are held in summer, and the building is worth visiting for its architecture and setting even outside of service times. Phone: (920) 868-2700.
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church at 4012 Highway 42 is the Fish Creek location of the Stella Maris Parish network, offering Catholic Mass to visitors and residents staying in the Fish Creek and Ephraim area. Mass schedule details are available at stellamarisparish.com.
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at W4167 Juddville Road in the Juddville area just south of Fish Creek serves the local Lutheran community with a congregation whose roots in the area go back generations. The Ellison Bay Community Church in Fish Creek is another active congregation serving the community, associated with the Door County BRIDGES network of churches.
Ephraim Moravian Church
No church in Door County carries the historical significance of the Ephraim Moravian Church at 9970 Moravia Street in Ephraim. This simple white-painted wooden church was established by Reverend Andreas Iverson in 1853 when he led a congregation of Norwegian Moravian settlers to the shores of Eagle Harbor and founded the community that would become Ephraim. The church was originally built on the shore of Eagle Harbor and moved to its present location in 1883. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
The Moravian Church, founded in Bohemia in 1457, predates the Protestant Reformation and is one of the oldest continuous Protestant denominations in the world. Its presence in Ephraim reflects the religious identity of the village’s founding community and remains central to Ephraim’s character as a place. The congregation’s commitment to keeping the village dry, with no bars or liquor stores in Ephraim since its founding, is one of the most enduring expressions of Moravian community values in the United States.
Services are held in the historic church building throughout the year, and the congregation extends a warm welcome to visitors attending worship. The church is open to visitors at other times as well, and the historic building is one of the most photographed structures in Ephraim alongside Wilson’s Restaurant and the waterfront. Phone: (920) 854-2804.
Bethany Lutheran Church at 3028 Church Street in Ephraim is the other active congregation in the village, serving the Lutheran community in one of the smallest and most charming church buildings on the peninsula. The Orchard EFCA, affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America, also serves the Ephraim area community.
Churches in Sister Bay and Ellison Bay
Sister Bay has a rich collection of active congregations reflecting the northern peninsula’s community diversity.
The Moravian Church of Sister Bay at 10924 Old Stage Road is the Sister Bay expression of the same Moravian tradition that founded Ephraim. The congregation has been serving the Sister Bay community for generations and reflects the deep Scandinavian heritage of the northern peninsula. Phone: (920) 854-4080.
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church at 2336 Canterbury Lane in Sister Bay serves the Episcopal community in the northern peninsula within the Diocese of Fond du Lac. The congregation is affiliated with the same diocesan network as the Church of the Atonement in Fish Creek. Phone: (920) 854-9600.
St. Matthew Orthodox Church, Holy Transfiguration Chapel at 912 North Bayshore Drive in Sister Bay is one of the most unusual and distinctive congregations on the peninsula, representing the Eastern Orthodox tradition in a community whose religious landscape is otherwise almost entirely Western Christian. The Byzantine architecture and liturgical tradition of the Orthodox Church offer a completely different worship experience from anything else available on the peninsula. Phone: (920) 854-4215.
First Baptist Church of Sister Bay at 2622 South Bay Shore Drive serves the Baptist tradition in the northern peninsula. The Stella Maris Parish Catholic network includes a Sister Bay location serving the Catholic community at Mass times listed at stellamarisparish.com.
In Ellison Bay, Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church at 11836 Highway 42 is one of the most consistently active congregations in the northernmost mainland village, serving both year-round residents and summer visitors with a welcoming Lutheran worship community. Phone: (920) 854-2988. Bethel Baptist Church in Ellison Bay is another active congregation in the northernmost mainland village, associated with the Door County BRIDGES community network.
Churches in Baileys Harbor and Jacksonport
On the Lake Michigan side of the peninsula, Baileys Harbor and Jacksonport have their own distinct religious communities.
Immanuel Lutheran Church at 7973 Highway 57 in Baileys Harbor is an active congregation serving the Lake Michigan shore community with deep roots in the area. Phone: (920) 839-2224.
Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church at 9986 State Highway 57 in Baileys Harbor serves the WELS Lutheran community in the northern Lake Michigan area. Phone: (920) 743-5155.
St. Mary’s of the Lake Catholic Church at 8013 State Highway 57 in Baileys Harbor is part of the Stella Maris Parish network. Phone: (920) 839-2041. The Stella Maris Parish also operates a location at 6236 Highway 57 in Jacksonport, serving the Catholic community on the southern Lake Michigan shore of the peninsula. Mass schedules for all Stella Maris locations, including Egg Harbor, Fish Creek, Sister Bay, Baileys Harbor, and Jacksonport, are available at stellamarisparish.com.
Holy Nativity at 3434 County Road V in Jacksonport is an Episcopal congregation served by the Diocese of Fond du Lac, sharing pastoral care with Christ the King Episcopal Church in Sturgeon Bay. Phone: (920) 743-3286.
Washington Island: The Stavkirke and Trinity Lutheran
Washington Island has two religious sites that together reflect the island’s Scandinavian heritage and its status as one of the oldest Icelandic settlements in the United States.
The Washington Island Stavkirke is one of the most distinctive and beloved structures in all of Door County, a hand-built replica of a traditional Norwegian stave church constructed from vertical cedar logs by island resident Jens Jacobsen in the early 1990s. The church is modeled after the Borgund Stave Church in Norway, one of the oldest surviving medieval stave churches in Scandinavia, and the attention to traditional construction methods, with interlocking vertical cedar posts, carved decorative elements, and symbolic woodwork throughout the interior, makes it a genuine feat of craftsmanship. The Stavkirke is nestled in a wooded setting on the island, and the approach through the trees gives the building an atmosphere of peaceful isolation. The church holds worship services during the summer season and welcomes visitors to explore the interior and the surrounding woodland path at any time. It is one of the most frequently photographed structures in Door County and a testament to the Norwegian heritage that runs deep in the island’s community identity.
Trinity Lutheran Church on Washington Island is the island’s primary year-round congregation, serving both the resident community and summer visitors from a church building that reflects the island’s character. Trinity Lutheran also serves as a worship location for the Stella Maris Parish Catholic community on Washington Island, demonstrating the ecumenical spirit of this small island community. Phone: (920) 847-2341.
Reaching Washington Island requires a 30-minute ferry crossing on the Washington Island Ferry from Northport Pier at the end of Highway 42, with passenger fares of $15 for adults and $8 for children ages 6 through 11. Both the Stavkirke and Trinity Lutheran are accessible by car or bicycle once on the island, and both can be incorporated into a broader island day that also includes Schoolhouse Beach, the Washington Island Farm Museum, and the Jacobsen Museum.
Tips for Visiting Door County Churches
Many of Door County’s most historically significant churches are open for visitors outside of regular worship services, but hours and access vary. The Church of the Atonement in Fish Creek, the Ephraim Moravian Church, and the Washington Island Stavkirke are all particularly welcoming to visitors with historical or architectural interest, and each offers something genuinely worth seeing even for those with no denominational connection to the congregation.
If you plan to attend a worship service during your Door County visit, most congregations post their current service schedule on their church websites or through the Stella Maris Parish website at stellamarisparish.com for Catholic Mass times across the peninsula. Calling ahead before visiting a specific church is always a good practice, particularly for smaller congregations that may have seasonal or variable schedules.
For Catholic visitors in particular, the Stella Maris Parish serves an unusually wide geographic area, with Mass locations in Egg Harbor, Fish Creek, Sister Bay, Baileys Harbor, Jacksonport, and Washington Island. The parish was established to serve the summer visitor population alongside year-round residents, and the multi-location schedule ensures that Catholic visitors in almost any part of the peninsula can find Sunday Mass within a reasonable drive.
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion south of Sturgeon Bay is a genuinely moving destination regardless of religious background, and the 45-minute drive from the northern peninsula villages is well worth making for anyone interested in one of the most historically significant sacred sites in the United States. The shrine’s grounds are peaceful and beautiful, the Welcome Center is informative, and the Apparition Chapel on the lower level has an atmosphere that consistently produces profound reactions from visitors of every faith tradition.
For visitors interested in the Belgian Catholic heritage of the southern county, the Belgian roadside chapels and the Belgian Heritage Center in Brussels pair naturally with a visit to the Door County Maritime Museum and the Door County Historical Museum in Sturgeon Bay for a full immersion in Door County’s historical character. See our complete Door County museums guide for the full cultural landscape.
More Door County Guides Worth Reading
Door County’s spiritual landscape is just one dimension of what makes the peninsula so richly worth exploring. These guides will help you plan the rest of your visit.
For a complete overview of everything the peninsula has to offer beyond its churches and historic sites, Things to Do in Door County covers outdoor adventures, dining, shopping, and cultural experiences from Sturgeon Bay to the Washington Island ferry.
The Ephraim Moravian Church, the Church of the Atonement, and the Stella Maris Parish locations are all covered in greater depth in the individual village guides. The Guide to Ephraim covers the Moravian Church alongside everything else the village has to offer. Things to Do in Fish Creek covers the Church of the Atonement and the village’s other cultural landmarks. And the Washington Island guide covers the Stavkirke and Trinity Lutheran alongside the island’s beaches, museums, restaurants, and ferry information.
For the full cultural and museum landscape of the peninsula, including the Door County Maritime Museum and Door County Historical Museum in Sturgeon Bay, our Best Museums in Door County guide is the complete resource. And for planning where to stay during a spiritually focused Door County visit, the Where to Stay in Door County guide covers lodging options across every village and price range.
