News and Events
Incoming Rector
After many months of discernment and search, the Wardens and Vestry are delighted to announce the call of a settled rector. She is the Rev. Dr. Anne-Marie Jeffery, and she was most recently the interim rector at St. Margaret’s Church in Washington, DC. Before her call to the priesthood, Pastor Jeffery was a physicist. She will begin her ministry at St. Peter’s on December 1 and her first service will be La Misa on December 3, with Sunday services following on December 4. We welcome her with joyful anticipation and look forward to continuing our faith journey with her.
Events Calendar
Historic Service of Repentance and Reconciliation
August 10, 2011 - Acknowledging sins of the past and committing to a future as a church working to eliminate racism in all its forms, St. Peter’s led people from all over the diocese and beyond in a service that shone a light on the fact that people of African descent, mostly slaves and servants, had been buried in the graveyard with no recognition. More than 250 people streamed into the church on a warm August evening to hear Bishop Councell preach a soaring sermon calling us all to account and saying, “We don’t even know their names, for Christ’s sake!” Although these people were unnamed in their burial, in the parish registers from the 19th century, Interim Rector Deborah H. Piggins had found names of people designated “colored” and often described as “boy of,” “girl of,” or slave or servant of a parishioner. After a moving service that included representation from many churches, a colorful procession of clergy and banner bearers, and evocative music by the choir, the congregation processed outside where the bishop dedicated the new marker and the clergy took turns reading the names found in the old register. The gravestone, inscribed and donated by stonecutter Nick Shevchenko, reads “In this hallowed ground lie the remains of people of African descent who were servants and slaves during the 1700s and 1800s. They are unknown to us, but precious to God. In the church’s sin of racism, they were buried without recognition. This day we repent of that sin and lift them in prayer, committing ourselves to respecting the dignity of every human being, in the name of Jesus Christ. Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord. August 10, 2011.”
Parish News
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Sexton's Word of the Week
Liturgical Colors of the Season: Color plays an important part in the designation of seaons and feasts in the Episcopal Church. Each church season has a color associated with it.
Advent is purple (the color of preparation and cpenitence) or Marian Blue (in honor of Mary and expection),
Christmas is white (the color of celebration),
Epiphany is green (the color of growth; growth of the gospel message from Jew to Gentile),
Lent is usually dressed in purple, however, may churches are now using the Lenten Array, which consists of a neutral wheat color trimmed in black and oxblood. During Holy Week, it is becoming increasingly common to use oxblood or the Lenten Array. A few churches use black on Good Friday.
Easter is white, and the season after, Pentecost, is green (for the growth of the church). Baptisms, weddings, and funerals are usually occasions for white (the color of celebration and purity), while Pentecost Sunday is red to signify the presence of the Holy Spirit and ordinations can be red or white at the discretion of the bishop.
