Parish Life
GET INVOLVED
Saint Peter’s is a welcoming, active Christian community committed to sharing the message of Jesus Christ. We offer many opportunities for worship, ministry, fellowship, and outreach — and there’s a place for everyone.
Our events and ministries succeed thanks to the time and talents of our dedicated volunteers. Whether you're a member, friend, or visitor, we invite you to get involved. Volunteering is a great way to connect with others and serve your faith community.
Ready to help?
Contact the church office by phone or email to learn more.
Click the links below or view our Annual Report to explore our ministries.
Acolytes
Acolytes are most often thought of as “those who light and extinguish the candles before and after a church service.” As a broad definition, that works. However, Acolytes are far more than those who deal with candles; they are also important assistants who often help the priest and deacon during liturgies. Here at St. Peter’s we are working to expand the Acolyte program, inviting people of all ages to become part of a group of individuals and families who serve the church in many ways as liturgical assistants. We have begun offering learning sessions on the third Sunday of each month following the 10:00 a.m. service. These gatherings will be limited to one or two specific duties, and will not be long. Other trainings will be offered at times convenient for those who can not do Sundays, yet desire to learn various duties. Feel free to speak to call the office for more information or to offer your service!
Altar Flowers
Flowers for the Altar are provided weekly by our Parishioners, through a local florist. Forms for the current year are provided in the weekly emailed announcements and on our website starting in December. You may also call the Church Office, or email if you are interested in open dates available for flower dedications. However, it is recommended, and encouraged, that you get your dedication in as soon as possible, as dates can fill rather quickly. No more than two families or individuals, can sponsor the altar flowers for any given Sunday with the exception of Easter and Christmas, when we invite unlimited dedications. The names of the givers, as well as the names of those who are honored, remembered, or celebrated are printed in the weekly service bulletins. We do not have flowers on the altar during Lent, so no dedications are available during that season, and we have greenery only on the altar during Advent. We would like to thank Jim and the staff of Windsor’s Florist for the beautiful arrangements delivered every week.
Lay Eucharistic Ministry
To serve Saint Peter’s Church as a Lay Eucharistic Minister is a meaningful and fulfilling ministry. The opportunity to assist the celebrant during Holy Eucharist as a chalice bearer and lay reader is available to any church member who is or who wishes to be trained to perform these duties. Presently, 34 parishioners are serving as Lay Eucharistic Ministers during our worship services. Two LEMs are scheduled to serve at each of the Sunday morning services. The volunteer’s preference for serving at the 8 or 10 o’clock services honored. The schedule for serving is published in the monthly newsletter. We would welcome additional volunteers to serve as Lay Eucharistic Ministers. If you are interested in volunteering at any of our services, please call the church office or speak to Father Ross.
Parish Nurses
The Parish Nursing group is a mix of nurses with many backgrounds and abilities. There are eight members in all but we continue to expand as we support the health and well being of the parish community . Through blood pressure clinics at coffee hour, educational programs throughout the year, and individual assistance for those parishioners who need medical information or care giver support ; we are focused on whatever health needs arise. We strive to enhance well being and believe in the importance of prevention and educational awareness.
Stroke Presentation
Update: Click on the picture to view the presentation.
TOMORROW, December 9th, St. Peter’s Nursing Group is sponsoring a STROKE PRESENTATION in our parish hall from 2 to 4pm. Bobbi Cole BSN, RN, CCRN-K who is the Stroke Coordinator at Beebe Healthcare will be presenting an interactive presentation. Bring you questions, bring a friend, spouse, and or neighbor! Light refreshments will be served and valuable information to take home will be available! For those who can’t attend, Father Ted graciously volunteered to record this presentation. Did you know in 2020, Beebe Health Care, a Stroke Center which has Gold Plus recognition from American Heart Association saw 556 patients with strokes? In 2021, Beebe saw 680 patients, and presently, their year-to-date stroke number for 2022 is currently at 581- which doesn’t include their November numbers! Strokes fall under a variety of categories. Strokes don't discriminate. Learn what risk factors you carry, and ways to possibly prevent a stroke. Learn what BE FAST means. These 2 hours could save not only your life, but others with the knowledge you will gain! No need to RSVP. The St. Peter’s Nurses hope to see you there!
Altar Guild
The Altar Guild, in the words of one member, is the “secret service” of the church because much of its work is conducted behind the scenes. The charge of the Altar Guild is to prepare and care for the sacred vessels and vestments used in our worship, and several members have served in this capacity at Saint Peter’s for many years. The acts of preparing the implements of worship and attending to details can be wonderfully spiritual experiences, and members have likened it to planning for a very special party – a feast — because the linens, table service, and lighting are selected with care and presented with reverence. Altar Guild members serve on a rotating basis, and new members are always welcome. We’re a low -key, flexible, and jovial group, and we work well together as a team to cover regular services, weddings, funerals, and other special services. Anyone who is interested in serving in this satisfying and rewarding ministry should email Shelly Souder . Please join this fun group if you feel so led!
Financial Advisory Committee
The Financial Advisory committee (FAC) is directly responsible to the Vestry and will provide financial advice and information pertaining to the investment and management of all church funds.
Information and advice will be provided to the Vestry to:
(1) purchase and sell securities and other investments
(2) facilitate budget formulation and execution and
(3) conduct special analytical financial related studies and reports as may be requested or deemed appropriate.
Members are nominated by the Rector and confirmed by the Vestry. The Rector, Treasurer and Parish Administrator are all ex-officio, non-voting members. Meetings are held every other month and reports made to the Vestry quarterly.
This April help Support The Little Cupboard
Support us & the Environment
We are so excited to share that Feed the Children Heart and Soul has been selected to be a part of the ACME GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program, which is designed to make it easy for customers to contribute to their local community while supporting the environment.
The ACME GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program, which launched in August 2019, is a reusable bag program that facilitates community support with the goal to make a difference in the communities where shoppers live and work.
For the month of April, each time a $3.00 reusable GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Bag is purchased at the ACME located on Route 1, across from the Movies at Midway, $1 will be donated to Feed the Children Heart and Soul, unless otherwise directed by the customer through the Giving Tag.
For more information on the ACME GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program, visit acme.bags4mycause.com
As always, thank you for your continued support of Feed the Children Heart and Soul and the Little Cupboard.
Heart and Soul Ministry
“IF YOU CAN’T FEED A HUNDRED PEOPLE, JUST FEED ONE!” MOTHER TERESA
Heart and Soul Ministry/The Little Cupboard is a sustainable program for feeding children and families of our local and larger communities. According to Feeding America, “42 million people in the United States face hunger, including nearly 13 million children and more than 5 million seniors.” Feeding America is a nationwide nonprofit organization that feeds more than 46 million Americans through Food Pantries, Soup Kitchens, Shelters, and other community outlets. Though our Little Cupboard can’t address the magnitude of this problem, we do, with the time and talent of dedicated volunteers, with donations, and support, help to assuage some of the hunger faced by those in our little part of the world. Through this ministry hunger and poverty in our communities are addressed each and every day. The Little Cupboard located just outside the Church gate by the labyrinth, contains a variety of nourishing, non-perishable food items for those in our larger community who are food insecure. Consideration is given to foods that contain 22 protein, and a nourishing variety of items are available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Little Cupboard coordinates with St. Peter’s youth and children’s programs to incorporate involvement and education about the purpose, promise, logistics, and offers the children actual involvement in the operation of The Little Cupboard. The Little Cupboard is part of the larger parent Heart and Soul Ministry. Together they have served several thousand people in need since founded in 2012 by Deacon Chris Miller-Marcin, Founder. Several area churches and organizations have since created their own Little Cupboard. But its reach has gone even farther, we received a note from a former Lewes resident this summer stating that her granddaughter was taken with The Little Cupboard idea. She took a picture, and the idea back to her church. It is now in full use in Rockland Maine. The Little Cupboard is coordinating with St. Peter’s youth and children’s programs to incorporate activities and education to further understanding in the purpose, promise, logistics and involvement in the operation of The Little Cupboard. The Little Cupboard/Heart and Soul Ministry also participates and assists in organizing food collection and donations to the Community Resource Center, and holiday food donations for Community Resource Center, and other local organizations as requested.
St. Peter's Green Team
Who We Are & What We Do:
We are a Ministry of St Peter’s, a concerned group of Church members who strive through example and education to promote environmentally sound practices in Church, home, and public life.
Our next Green Team meeting is in the parish hall at 2:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month.
Invite-welcome-connect
Invite- Welcome- Connect is a Diocesan-sponsored ministry of transformation that “equips and empowers congregations and individuals to cultivate intentional practices of evangelism, hospitality, and connectedness rooted in the gospel directive to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). The creator of the program, Mary Foster Parmer, says “the vision of Invite, Welcome, Connect is to change the culture of the Episcopal Church to move from maintenance to mission.”
Our small committee at St. Peter’s needs members to help grow this important ministry. We were side-lined during the Pandemic, but now that we are back to in-person worship we have made some beginning steps, starting with usher and greeter guides. We will be working on ways to invite, welcome and ultimately connect newcomers as we go forward.
If you are interested in joining this ministry, or have questions, please contact the following people.
FOYER GROUPS
Foyer Groups are starting up again! The St. Peter’s Foyer (Dinner) Groups are forming and we have a lot of fun getting to know each other over the year. Each group meets once a month or so for a meal (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) in groups of 6-12 people. Each group is set up based on the preferences for everyone who signs up. It’s a wonderful time to meet fellow parishioners and make new friends. Meet in a home, restaurant, on the beach. You choose.
As in years past, we also have Spiritual Foyer Groups! Interested parishioners may request assignment to a foyer group with an intentional focus on spiritual engagement. As with all foyer groups, the members themselves will settle on organizing details, but those in a “spiritual foyer group” are likely to begin their time together in prayer, to read the Gospel, to talk about what is happening with the Spirit in their lives, to extend grace to one another, and of course to share a meal. The intent is to promote spiritual connection with others in ways reminiscent of early Christianity. St. Peter’s will provide some materials to assist in organizing the groups.
If you are interested in joining a Foyer Group, Click Here
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Prayer Shawl Ministry is a ministry in many ways. People, young and old, gather to knit or crochet while offering prayers for their work, each other and for recipients of the shawls; in this way they are forming a small group in the community of faith.
The shawls go out to those who are in need of healing, to celebrate special events in their lives and to console the grieving. When the recipient wears the shawl, the love, prayers and good wishes of the group are wrapped around him or her.
it is intricate, it is visible, it can be used in many ways, it carries different benefits for different people and the center brings us to a point where we can meet God and each other.
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