2009 – 2012
Every so often, the Seamen’s Bethel is guided by someone who doesn’t just serve- but stewards. Someone who understands that this chapel isn’t just a building on a hill, but a living witness to the tide and toil of New Bedford. From 2009-2012, Phillip Mello was that kind of leader.
Phil stepped into the role of President not just with a plan, but with a passion- for preservation, for people, and for the stories that echo in every wooden pew. Under his guidance, the Restoration Concert Series took shape, inviting voices ad violins to help raise the roof- literally. His leadership helped ensure that the Seamen’s Bethel remained a safe harbor, not just in spirit, but in structure.
But Phil’s contributions didn’t end at our doors. With camera in hand, he chronicled the soul of the working waterfront- not through spectacle, but through the quiet dignity of fish cutters, net menders, and dockworkers. His portraits, now preserved in the New Bedford Whaling Museum and the Library of Congress, speaks volumes without a single word.
He served as a manager at Bergie’s Seafood, chaired the Fishing Heritage Center, and remained a voice of both grit and grace in our port’s evolving story.
Phillip Mello didn’t just lead the New Bedford Port Society- he listened to it. He tuned into its rhythm, honored its silence, and helped carry its voice a little further out to sea and for that we are ever thankful.