Located in historic Fernandina Beach, Florida
St. Peters Church seeks to be a warm, welcoming community of people called to know, love, worship and serve Jesus Christ and His people.
We believe that Christian life is a journey and we invite Gods people to journey with us.
Shrove Tuesday
Pancake Supper
Tuesday, February 21
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Adults $5 Children $2.50 Under Age 3 Free
Ash Wednesday Worship Schedule
Wednesday, February 22
Holy Eucharist w/ Imposition of Ashes
7:30 am, 12:10 pm, 6:00 pm
St. Peter's in Transition
Candidates and parish members: Clck here for the latest updates on the search process.
Alternative Gift Market
Saturday, March 10
AGM_flyer.pdf
Our Clergy
The Right Reverend Samuel Johnson Howard, Bishop
The Episcopal Diocese of Florida
Bishop Howard, a native of North Carolina, was elected bishop coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida on May 16, 2003 and was consecrated at Saint Johns Cathedral, Jacksonville on November 1, 2003. He was installed as bishop of the diocese on January 29, 2004, following the retirement of Bishop Jecko.
Click on the Bishop's photo for more information about our diocese and bishop. There you will also find periodic communications (pastoral letters) from Bishop Howard.
The Reverend Canon Kerry Robb,
Interim Rector
904-261-4293 ext. 11
email: krobb_stpetersparish.org
As the Interim Rector of St. Peters Church, I am an outsider with the perspective of an insider. As a newcomer of just a few months and a bit of an outsider, I am able to report that St. Peters Church is a wonderfully healthy spiritual community with tremendous programs, ministries and activities.
I believe that the health quality of a congregation is a valuable means of evaluation and if you are looking for a healthy spiritual community, then I encourage you to get to know St. Peters. The Christian fellowship here is genuine; the ways in which the people here care for one another and reach out in Christs name to the community and world around them is inspiring.
The St. Peters website will tell you much about the life and ministries of this parish. After finding out about us here, we pray that you will attend our worship services and choose to become part of this vital Christian community.
Click below to hear Canon Robb's recent sermons! Press the first and last buttons to scroll through the recording dates.
Slide through the photos by moving your cursor & click Zoom to view full-sized.
Our Vestry
The Vestry is the body within St. Peters congregation that, with the clergy, leads the parish. The Vestry helps to discern the vision to which God is drawing us, articulates and communicates the vision, and keeps the mission of St. Peters clearly before the parish community. The vestry consists of 12 persons, four of whom are selected each year from currently active members to serve three-year terms.
The Vestry participates in long-range planning and chairs committees for Vestry Initiatives derived from planning. The Vestry interacts with the Rector, providing regular feedback, addressing clergy wellness issues and encouraging clear and direct communications. Vestry members participate regularly in worship, education and other programs; offer talents to support congregation ministries; and pledge financial support, working toward tithing. The Vestry is also responsible for the care of paid and volunteer personnel and has legal and moral responsibility to manage the parish resources (funds, investments, furnishings, buildings, and grounds).
The Vestry Bylaws provide the framework for the governance of St. Peters Parish under the diocesan canons.
Staff and Office Volunteers
The clergy and staff of St. Peters occupy offices in the building immediately behind the church at 801 Atlantic Avenue, Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034. They may be reached by e-mail _stpetersparish.org, or by telephone at (904) 261-4293.
Staff & Office Volunteers Directory
Patty Lanier,
Parish Administrator
Email planier_stpetersparish.org
Phone (904) 261-4293, extension 10
Patty joined the staff of St. Peter's in September of 2010. She has worked at several different churhes in the diocese including St. Elizabeth's, St. George's and most recently at St. John's Cathedral as Director of Communication. Patty maintains the church calendar, schedules servers, and produces all service bulletins and the weekly e-news. She is also responsible for the administration of the office.
Lee Watanabe,
Financial Secretary
Email lwatanabe_stpetersparish.org
Phone (904) 261-4293, extension 13
Lee has been a staff member of St. Peter's since July of 2001. She is responsible for mainitaining the financial records of St. Peter's. Lee works closely with the treasurer and assists the parish administrator. Lee also is our technical go-to person.
Glenn Kratz, Treasurer
Email gkratz_stpetersparish.org
Phone (904) 261-4293, Ext. 14
Glenn came on board as the volunteer treasurer at St. Peter's in 2011. He submits budget proposals for the approval of the Vestry and oversees the parish financial affairs and works very closely with the Financial Secretary.
Tiffany LaMotte, Youth &
Christian Formation Director
E-mail tlamotte_stpetersparish.org
Phone (904) 261-4293, Ext. 15
Tiffany recently graduated from University of North Florida with degrees in Sociology and Social Welfare and a minor in Religion. She began working at St. Peter's as the Youth Director in August 2010. In July 2011, she also began working as the Director of Chritian Formation as well. Tiffany's primary role will be building community with the youth and families of St. Peter's and developing and coordinating the many volunteers who work with our Youth and Christian Formation Programs. She is the Lay Director for New Beginnings in the Diocese of Florida and is also on the Steering Committee for Happening in our diocese.
Jan Smith, Director of Music
Email jsmith_stpetersparish.org
Phone (904) 261-4293, Ext. 19
Originally from Alberta, Canada, Jan moved to Amelia Island from Virginia and for a time served as Interim Parish Musician at Church of Our Savior, Jacksonville. She is a cradle Episcopalian, although she has worked for various denominations. Jan is responsible for planning music for all services in collaboration with the Rector and other musicians, directing the Chancel Choir and Folk Choir, and playing for all worship services. She joined our staff in February, 2008.
Rich Smith, Parish Life Director
Email rsmith_stpetersparish.org
Phone (904) 261-4293
A retired university professor from Pennsylvania, Rich came to St. Peters in 2002. Prior to that he was the Assistant Director of Barnabas for five years. As the Parish Life Director, Rich assists the clergy and staff in carrying out the mission of the parish. He matches the skills and interests of parishioners with appropriate ministries in the church.
The Holy Folders (above) meet weekly to fold and prepare the bulletins. Lee Watanabe (below) wears many hats at St. Peters.
St. Peter's Episcopal Church
801 Atlantic Avenue
Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
(904) 261-4293
FAX (904) 277-1617
Office Hours 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Mon - Thurs
8:30 am - 3:00 pm on Fridays
Our Parish Life Director Rich Smith and Karen Miller who caters our Wednesdays 4 All meals. She is also the owner of Old South Yankee here in Amelia Island.
Our Facilities
St. Peters is located at the eastern edge of downtown Fernandina Beach, on Atlantic Avenue between 8th and 9th Streets. Atlantic Avenue and South 8th Street are part of the city portion of Florida State Route 200, better known as A1A. See our map of St. Peters neighborhood.
St. Peters Campus
The church (2), built in 1881, is a historic, beautiful example of Neo-Gothic architecture. The Parish Hall (7, 9) is about thirty years old and was recently expanded when the new educational and office buildings (3 & 6) were built. The youth center (8) was built to replace the African-American Episcopal Church in the early 1960s, but was never consecrated. The congregations were integrated, and the building was long used as the parish office.
Accessibility
All of our buildings are handicap-accessible. There are a few designated handicap parking spaces on 9th Street. If these are taken, persons with valid handicap tags are encouraged to use the semicircular drive on 9th which is marked as a no parking area.
Building and Grounds Committee
This committee is headed by the Vestrys Junior Warden and is supported by a number of dedicated parishioners who are deeply interested in improving and maintaining our parish buildings and grounds in such condition that they reflect our love for the parish and our historic church building.
Map of St Peter's Campus
1 - Courtyard
2 - Church
3 - Christian Ed. Bldg.
4 - Elevators, Bathrooms
5 - Nursery
6 - Office
7 - Parish Hall - Burns Hall
8 - Youth Center
9 - Bathrooms
10 - Parking
About St. Peter's Parish
Our Mission Statement
St. Peters Episcopal Church seeks to be a warm, welcoming community of people called to know, love, worship and serve Jesus Christ and His people. We believe the Christian life is a journey and we invite Gods people to journey with us. Those of us who have come to this parish in recent years know that the people of St. Peters are warm and welcoming.
Our Interim Rector is the Rev. Canon Kerry Robb, who joined us in May of 2011. He will lead the parish during our discernment process and the calling of a new Rector.
These 12 parish leaders are responsible for assisting the rector in leading the parish to a stronger Christian ministry and a strengthening of our faith. The vestry is responsible for the financial affairs of the parish and, in general, acts as a board of directors. The members serve three year staggered terms.
Our Staff
We have a dedicated group of full-time and part-time paid staff members, as well as office volunteers. This busy group is led by our parish administrator, Patty Lanier. These are the folks to e-mail if you have any questions not answered on our web site.
Our beautiful and historic church is located at 801 Atlantic Avenue at the corner of 8th Street. Behind the church are our architecturally compatible, modern parish hall, office and classroom buildings surrounding a courtyard, creating an inviting, campus-like atmosphere which contributes to the feeling of community shared by our members.
Our History
We recently celebrated our Sesquicentennial, the parish having been formed as a missionary outpost in June of 1858. Construction of the first St. Peters Church building was begun in November of that year. The present buildings cornerstone was laid in 1881.
Our Publications
St. Peters has a number of brochures available, several of which are on the publications page. Our monthly newsletter, The Epistle , is provided there in PDF format.
Fall Service Schedule.pdf
Worship
Sunday Worship Schedule
Holy Eucharist Rite I - 7:30 am - No music
Holy Eucharist Rite II - 9:00 am & 11:00 am
Folk Mass the 2nd and 4th Sundays at the 9:00 am service.
The Chancel Choir sings at the 9:00 am service on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays and at the 11:00 am service on the 2nd and 4th Sundays.
Our men's breakfast teams serve a hearty breakfast in the Parish Hall each Sunday at 8:15 am between the first service and second services. All are invited to share in good food and fellowship. A contribution of $ 2.00 is suggested. Christian Formation for all ages is offered at 10:00 am.
Wednesday Holy Eucharist
Celebrated each Wednesday at 12:10 pm throughout the year. This is a small service held in the chancel with a focus on healing.
Monthly Services
Taizé prayer service the 2nd Sunday of the month at 6:00 pm.
This candlelit service incorporates simple musical chants and silence.
Celtic Eucharist the 4th Sunday of the month (except for December) at 6:00 pm. This Eucharistic service uses an alternative liturgy and celtic music.
Prayer
Each Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 to 9:00 am Centering Prayer is offered in the Church (use the door closest to the organ).
The church is open for prayer each day during normal office hours.
Welcome
All of God's people are welcome to receive the real and living presence of Christ in Holy Communion. We invite all Christians to share communion with us. This is the table, not of the Church, but of the Lord. It is made ready for those who love him and for those who want to love him more. So, come you who have much faith and you who have little, you who have been here often and you who have not been here long, you who have tried to follow and you who have failed.
Come, because it is the Lord who invites you.
The Chancel Choir
The chancel choir meets at 7:20 every Wednesday. Most of the music is SATB. Although most of the choir read music, it is not required. This choir sings at the 9:00 AM service on 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays. On the 2nd and 4th Sundays they will sing at the 11:15 service. No audition necessary: if you enjoy singing and can attend Wednesday evenings you are welcome to join us! This is also the group that provides special music for Christmas and Easter: come and be a part of this group!
Come and join us!
The Folk Choir and Folk Mass Group
The Folk Choir leads worship on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month at the 9:00 am service.
This choir sings music from several different traditions- folk, contemporary, renewal, gospel and spirituals blending them together into a unique St. Peter's style.
For Folk Mass services, instrumentalists accompany the singers on guitar, harmonica,percussion, and keyboard, and always welcome additional players. Auditions are required to join this group.
Taize' & Celtic Choir
The Taize' & Festival Choir combines the Chancel and Folk Choirs to lead worship for special services during the Christmas and Holy Week/Easter seasons and for other special services as needed.
New voices are always welcome to join this group, especially those who may not be able to commit to a choir on a regular basis.
Music and Choirs
Let every instrument be tuned for praise!
Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise!
And may God give us faith to sing always
Alleluia!
- F. Pratt Green
Music is a vital part of worship at St. Peters. There are three groups in which you can faithfully sing (or play) praises to God:
Click here to listen to selections by Jan Smith, Director of Music.
The chalice bearers assist the clergy in the celebration of the Eucharist by serving the chalice to those taking communion. If you are interested in becoming a chalice bearer you should contact Canon Robb to discuss the role and the training process.
Who are acolytes?
Acolytes are young men and women who assist the clergy during worship services throughout the year. The term acolyte comes from a Greek word meaning to follow or to accompany. Acolytes have a long history in Christian worship and were first mentioned in church writings around 250 A.D. From ancient times to now acolytes have helped celebrants and parishioners alike to have a deeper worship experience.
What does an acolyte do?
While acolyte duties can vary from parish to parish, generally an acolyte helps the priest perform various tasks in the worship service, to make the flow and transition of the liturgy appear seamless.
At St. Peters, acolytes perform three basic duties:
Crucifer leads the procession with the cross.
Torch Bearer lights the way for the procession.
Altar Server helps with the offertory and with preparation of the Holy Eucharist.
Being an acolyte is a service of honor to God and to the worshipping community, and it is a privilege to serve at God's altar. Acolytes are an important part of the worship service and should perform their tasks with dignity, humility and reverence.
Additional men, women, boys and girls are always needed and welcome to be acolytes. If you are interested please send an e-mail to the St. Peters office indicating your interest.
Lectors
People from teens to seniors serve as readers of the lessons. When assigned a lesson at any service, the reader receives the reading from the church office a few days beforehand. In the envelope is a copy of the lesson. If there are difficult Hebrew names, there is a pronunciation guide after those names. Our lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Holy Bible.
Intercessors
The intercessor picks up the prayer list from the lecturn, checks the bulletin to see which form of the Prayers of the People is being used in the service, and reviews it before the service.
The greeters are those friendly people who greet us at the door. One of them has already rung the bell 15 minutes before the service is scheduled to begin, and they have checked to see that the church is in order. Early in the service the ushers count the number of persons present and communicate this to the priest before communion.
The ushers also take up the collection, identify anyone who wishes to receive communion at the pew rather than at the altar, assist handicapped persons into or out of the building, and generally make every person feel welcome. After the service the ushers gather up any bulletins that are left behind in the pews and generally tidy up the church for the next service.
Schedule for Servers at Liturgy
(click below)
Our youth will be involved in different class for Fall 2011 based on their age and grade. The different groups are 5th and 6th grade OWL, Making it Real and Relevant for our 7th - 9th graders and a Confirmation class for 10th - 12th grades.
5th and 6th grade OWL
Our Whole Lives (OWL), together with Sexuality and Our Faith, helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their relationships, health and behavior in the context of their faith. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health and society and culture. It provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills and understand the social, emotional and spiritual aspects of sexuality.
Leaders: Joan Kratz, Anne Pringle, and Dale Schlenker
Making it Real and Relevant 7th-9th grade
This program is a lectionary based youth ministry that uses contemporary music, movies and videos to connect faith formation with daily life. It provides lessons that are aligned with the Revised Common Lectionary, with the goal of addressing the characteristics of spiritual development of older youth.
Leaders: David Page, Jen Lasserre and Eric Corbett
Confirmation Class 10th-12th grade
