Established on the west side of the river as a mission Sunday School of the St. James A.M.E. Church (located in St. Anthony), the initial meetings were in Heaton's Hall at Washington and Nicollet. The mission was named the Neal Union Mission. Soon after, larger space in Freer Hall at 110 Washington Avenue was used and the church was established as the St. Peter's AME Church. Activities were supported financially by the Mission Sewing Circle. The congregation raised $500 and attempted to purchase the German Methodist Church at 4th Avenue and 5th Street, but this apparently fell through. In 1888 they erected a church at 920 East 22nd Street. This church was destroyed by fire (date unknown), and rebuilt in 1898. The mortgage was paid off the following year. in 1905, it was destroyed by a cyclone and again rebuilt.