St. Peter's House, Inc.

The Jubilee Ministry Center at St. Peter’s Church

When Jesus wasn’t on the road, he could often be found at Peter’s house by the Sea of Galilee. Jesus can still be found at Peter’s House. In this house we minister to and with God’s people in a comprehensive way, feeding body and soul.

In 2010, The Episcopal Church Executive Council recognized St. Peter’s as a Jubilee Ministry Center called Peter’s House. Now incorporated separately from the church, Peter’s House, Inc. is awaiting IRS designation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Peter’s House is now the umbrella for all our current and future ministries of outreach, advocacy, service, mission, and justice.

• Peter’s Pantry addresses the growing hunger problem caused by an economy that continues to struggle. The pantry, which is staffed by our dedicated, hard working committee and assisted by a faithful group of volunteers, serves over 200 families each month. The generosity of our parish family through our Pantry Piggie Program and generous donations of food and financial assistance from local merchants, MCFOODS of Middlesex County, the food bank in Hillside, and other organizations. The Pantry is also supported by food donations from local merchants and organizations.
• Peter’s Garden Growing out of the need for fresh produce for Peter’s Pantry, we have started a community garden in which our food pantry guests and other community members can grow their own food. It is located in the backyard of the Boyd House, the former rectory, just up the street from the church building.
• The Boyd House is our shared living home for self-sufficient seniors of limited means. This former rectory offers four separate bedrooms on the second floor with a spacious downstairs of common space consisting of living room, parlor, dining room, and kitchen. On the third floor is a two-bedroom apartment, which we also rent.
• The Social Concerns Commission was formerly the umbrella for all our outreach efforts and its main goal was and is to do Christ’s work in the world by reaching out to those in need. Through this outreach ministry, we serve the community by offering food baskets at Thanksgiving, working with the Salvation Army by cooking and serving at their shelter, and collecting coats for their annual coat drive. Commission members are also involved in the operation of Peter’s Pantry, which feeds more than 225 families each month. Social Concerns is supported through monetary gifts from our parishioners and committee members.
• The Giving Tree goes up during Advent. Names of children from the community are hung on the tree and parishioners pick two or more and buy gifts for the children who would otherwise have few or no gifts at Christmas.
• The Prayer Shawl ministry makes and distributes afghans, lap robes, and prayer shawls to the sick, homebound, people in nursing homes, and others. It has recently expanded its efforts to knit and crochet for the Seamen’s Church Institute.
• The Veterans Ministry helps acclimate today’s returning veteran to whatever aid is available to them from outside sources. We are also a resource to families while their loved ones are deployed.
• Anti-Racism Team. The diocese supports an Anti-Racism Commission and Team as part of its commitment to creating a proactively anti-racist church. Several members of St. Peter’s have engaged in the two-and-a half-day training and have joined the Team to spread this gospel message throughout the diocese. This is part of our dedication to justice ministry.