The Fall program year begins this Sunday! Find out more and read this week's news.

Our Vision...

to become a community of bold followers of Jesus, a crowd that effects good change for the world, a place known for radical love and welcome, and a beacon of hope in Center City Charlotte

On Conversion and Formation

When I use the word "conversion," I wonder what images pop-up into your mind. Maybe the old-school tent revivals from our agrarian past; or the image of someone hitting "rock bottom" and finally accepting the necessity of change. Many of us think of conversion as a once-in-a-lifetime kind of event, like the phrase from "Amazing Grace": "I once was lost, but now am found; was blind by now I see."

Read this week's reflection by the Reverend Joslyn Ogden Schaefer, Associate Rector.

This Sunday

The fall program year begins this Sunday. View our program guide, Life at St. Peter's, for more information.

8:00 a.m. Holy Communion* in the traditional language of the Book of Common Prayer (Rite I), including sermon, organ music, and hymns.

9:30 a.m. Christian Formation for all ages, locations display on signage throughout the Parish House.

10:45 a.m. Holy Communion* in the contemporary language of the Book of Common Prayer (Rite II), including sermon, choral and organ music, and hymns.

5:00 p.m. Choral Evensong with Holy Eucharist, sung by the St. Peter's clergy and the Boys and Girls Choir at St. Peter's. A brief service of Holy Eucharist immediately follows Evensong.

*Nursery Care - 7:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., Infants and toddlers, ages 0-3 are welcome in St. Peter's professionally staffed nursery. The nursery area is accessible from the Church by walking through the Chapel, and proceeding up the steps to the left.

This Week

Weekly Sunday Formation (Education) for All Ages resumes September 11. All are invited to engage in our formation hour 9:30-10:30 a.m. after Holy Chow breakfast, 8:30-9:25 a.m. For adults, the Parish Hall Forum will launch our parish-wide book read on "Spirituality and Money" beginning with powerful observations from renowned writer and teacher Henri Nouwen. The Contemplative Prayer Group will reconvene in the Healing Ministries Room. For youth, ages 13-18, Journey to Adulthood (J2A) classes will meet. For children, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd will offer Open House and Registration for the Toddler Atrium and Levels 1-3 for children, ages 2-12. Parents of children and teens are invited to visit the atria and classrooms as way to see these programs in action. To learn more about Formation at St. Peter's, click here and for our Fall 2016 Program Calendar click here.

New Schedule for "Sunday Evenings at St. Peter's" begins September 11. The 5:00 p.m. service resumes on September 11 with Choral Evensong and Holy Eucharist with musical leadership by the Clergy and Boys and Girls of The Choir School. Every third Sunday, we offer our Taizé Holy Eucharist, with the next one scheduled for September 18. The complete Fall 2016 schedule for Sunday Evenings at St. Peter's is now available, click here.

Youth present on Ferguson, Mo. Mission Trip at the Parish Hall Forum on September 25 at 9:30 am. You won't want to miss their reflections and witness their spiritual growth.

"Life at St. Peter's" Fall 2016 Edition and Calendar Release. Our seasonal publication of worship, programs, and events for September 2016 - January 2017 is now available online and our Fall 2016 Program Calendar is available here. Paper copies of the publication with a calendar are available for pickup in the parish house lobby.

Parents of Young Children: Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Atrium Open House. On Sunday, September 11, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) resumes for the 2016-2017 formation program year. Serving children ages 2-12, CGS is grounded in Montessori pedagogy with sources in scripture and liturgy. CGS centers on the person of Jesus when speaking with children about God's love. In the parable of the Good Shepherd (John 10), we hear of a shepherd who calls and of sheep who respond by listening and then by following. This action and response introduces the child to the foundation of the covenantal relationship. This same covenant is a central theme in the Bible: God's search for us and our response to God's initiative. Parents will receive additional information about an Open House and other opportunities for families. Contact Director of Children's Formation Anna Hurdle (ahurdle@st-peters.org, 704-749-6156), to inquire about working with our children or to register a child.

Adult Formation Course for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Adults are invited to participate in a rich, retreat-like course in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, facilitated by Director of Children's Formation Anna Hurdle. This offering will seek to deepen one's understanding and enjoyment of scripture, liturgy, and human development. Although one is not obligated, the course will prepare participants to work with children in the atrium (classroom). The course will meet on selected Saturdays over the coming year. For more information, take a look at this flyer and/or contact Anna Hurdle (ahurdle@st-peters.org, 704-749-6156). To read more about the spiritual impact of this training, check out this blog post.

Elizabeth Lenti launches Center City Concerts at St. Peter's 2016-2017 Season on September 19. At Noon and 7:00 p.m. on Monday, September 19, St. Peter's Assistant Organist and Choirmaster Elizabeth Lenti will play a diverse program of music including works by C. P. E. Bach, Handel, Harold Friedell, Walter Piston, and culminating with Howard Hanson's magnificent Concerto for Organ, Strings, and Harp. William Osborne will conduct members of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO). This program will also feature Andrea Mumm, principal harpist for the CSO, in Handel's concerto in B-flat for Harp and Strings. In partnership with Music at St. Alban's in Davidson, Center City Concerts is a separate nonprofit funded by donations and other support. Visit www.centercityconcerts.org for information about 2016-2017 season and how you might support third Monday concerts, which are free and open to the public.