St. Peter's Episcopal Church

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St. Peter's Episcopal Church was founded in 1828 by the Reverend Sanson Brunot and the current building erected in 1832, making ours the oldest Episcopal Church in continuous service, west of the Allegheny Mountains.

We are a very small congregation of families who takes care of each other, our community and our place of worship. We believe the grace of God has kept our doors open for over 190 years to serve all who search for Him, knowingly or not.

We celebrate with joy and welcome all through our doors, no matter where you are in your life struggle or faith journey. If you are not familiar with Episcopal services, someone will offer to sit with you to help you follow along and participate in any way that feels comfortable to you. Some of us are lifelong Episcopalians but others have found a home at St. Peter's by stepping through the door one day, somehow feeling at home, and never leaving. We believe it has been that way since the church was founded in 1828 and that our doors remain open for just that purpose.

After Sunday services we have a coffee hour in the Parish House, which is connected to the church. If you would prefer to meet us more informally that way, we usually start coffee and snacks around 11:30am.

Worship times

Sunday

10:30 am

English

When clergy are present (2-3 times per month), Holy Eucharist is celebrated using Rite I from the Book of Common Prayer. Several times during the liturgical year, we celebrate Holy Eucharist using Rite II. Service music is sung from the Episcopal hymnal by the congregation with the accompaniment of CD or iPhone organ music piped through our speaker system. Our congregation is our choir!

When clergy is not present, a member of the congregation will lead a Rite I Morning Prayer Service from the Book of Common Prayer.

We also host an outdoor service at our outdoor altar sometime during the summer/fall when the weather cooperates.

In addition to Sunday services, our tradition is to hold a Christmas Eve Holy Eucharist service on December 24th at 7:30pm. Good Friday services are sometimes hosted at St. Peter's, as part of the Blairsville Ministerium Easter series.

Since we are a small parish, we all participate in Sunday services as lay readers, bringing the offering to the altar, 'playing' the music and ringing the call to service bell. We would love to include you!

Volunteer opportunities

Ongoing commitment opportunities

Although we are a small parish, we embrace the desire of all Christians to provide witness and help those who may find themselves in need in our community.

We support a Laundry Love Ministry at the A&F Norge Laundromat in Blairsville once per month for 2-3 hours. Through a gracious grant from the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, 'quarters collection' from other local churches and our volunteers, we provide the quarters, laundry detergent, dryer sheets and fellowship while our families do their laundry. Some of our families are homeless, some simply have no access to a washer and dryer and others struggle with the cost of the supplies to do their laundry. We provide activity materials for the children who attend with their parents and for those who wish, pastoral care and Holy Communion.

If you are interested in volunteering for this mission, contributing to it, needing to use it or starting a similar mission in your community, please contact Kathy Baird (kathy950@gmail.com).