Service Times

Worship with St. Peter’s On-line

10 a.m. Sundays

9 p.m. Monday – Saturday

https://www.facebook.com/SaintPetersEpiscopalChurch/

Palm Sunday

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XskGKM4MIAtwXhRPjuRKigrc9FnY6ztU/view

March 29, 2020

https://www.facebook.com/SaintPetersEpiscopalChurch/

St. Peter’s April 5 Update & Response to CORVID 19


Throughout history, faith communities have played an important role for their members, as well as for the benefit of the community at large. St. Peter’s is an invaluable community both for its parishioners, as well as for the many people who come here for recovery programs, creative opportunities, social gatherings, and other meetings.

With this in mind, St. Peter’s leadership has prayerfully considered our role in helping limit the spread of the COVID 19 virus. The rapidly changing information from the Center for Disease Control, World Health Organization, as well as national and diocesan church leadership, means that we have had to close our campus. We have an obligation to our community to do all that we can to limit the spread of the coronavirus. With that in mind, we have canceled use of the campus for all groups and events through May 1.

As of March 15, we will host our own worship on-line. See the links above. While we will have occasional business hours, however, if you need to contact us, please use the email or phone number listed on this site. Based on CDC information, we will reevaluate these practices.

In stressful times, we need one another more than ever, and we need church. Please know that when it is safe, we will come back together in our sanctuary again. In the meantime, please consider tuning in to one of these streaming services by our diocese and our national church.

Lent for Life

By Bishop John Harvey Taylor


On one of my favorite Christmas albums, the Kingston Trio sang, “Why can’t we have Christmas the whole year around?” It’s a nice thought. But I’d actually prefer a year-round Lent. Because in these times, in our hectic, distracted, buffeted, usually privileged lives, true Christian practice is 365-days-a-year Lenten practice.
At Ash Wednesday services, we heard the solemn invitation to a Holy Lent. Change the words to “holy life,” and it works just as well.
“Self-examination and repentance.” For me, at least, this is a daily discipline. We all feel stress and irritation, for instance. We may be justifiably resentful about our circumstances or an injustice. We may be absolutely right in our point of view. What remains are our decisions about what we’re going to do and say, especially when it affects the people closest to us. Our parents taught us to count to ten before reacting when we feel something strongly. Jesus says if ten isn’t enough, keep counting. This is often the essence of self-examination. If it fails us, there’s always repentance. Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves coined the term “micro-transformation” to describe this Lenten resolve: “Next time, I’ll handle that differently — with respect, kindness, and love.”
“Prayer, fasting, and self-denial.” The tradition of giving something up for Lent prevents the church from teaching that most over-served Americans should give up a bunch of stuff forever. I’m not an authority on nutrition. But I do urge you not to give up broccoli, bananas, or a gallon of water a day. Please don’t give up anything that’s good for you. Give up something with which you’re medicating yourself. The 9 p.m. salty or sweet snack, for instance, or even the evening drink. Why exactly am I tempted to come home, greet my family or pet, and administer a depressant to myself? Some experts say that many of the Bible’s dietary rules were first set down for a nomadic people’s own good. Many doctors are talking to patients about the advantages of intermittent fasting — first prescribed in 1 Cor. 7:5. Churches, households, and individuals may also to use Lent to apply the discipline of fasting to their production of carbon emissions. Read more, and learn how to sign up, here.
“Reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” We can make this easier for our year-round Lent by memorizing a few prayers and liturgies. Mine are the Jesus prayer, the prayer attributed to St. Francis, and the devotions for individuals and families on pages 133-40 of the “Book of Common Prayer.” Each day, I use some or all of them. I’m also spending the year in Terri Jean’s 365 Days of Walking the Red Road: The Native American Path to Leading a Spiritual Life Every Day. Christ is risen indeed — and yet I’m reminded daily that God has always been in relationship with the faithful. “Do right always,” proclaimed the Paiuite spiritual leader Wovoka in the reflection for Feb. 22. “It will give you satisfaction in life.”
Do right always. Do Lent always. Inhabit the Incarnation and Resurrection always. May your season of Lent be an invitation to your lifelong season of love.