Our Congregation
St. Peter’s is an Episcopal Church established in 1887 that uses its foundation in traditional liturgy and worship to meet a modern Lakeview community. We are a community of learners who enjoy Wednesday night bible studies, stirring sermons, and finding out how to come closer to God through each other. Wherever you are in life - doubting, full of faith, or somewhere in between -- there is a place for you at God's table and we are excited to sit at that table with you.
We’re a diverse community in age, life experience, gender identity, sexual orientation and religious background. We foster engagement through growth groups such as 20s-30s/40s-50s/60splus. We are just as comfortable staying after Church to dive deep into bible study as we are going to brunch together at Wilde. We reflect the diverse community of East Lakeview and larger urban Chicago.
We have a heart for the needy and we look outward to serve those in need. In other words, we walk the walk.
Our vestry made a bold move to sell our parish hall in 2019 to solidify a long-term foothold in the neighborhood, and moved into a temporary space nearby at United Church of Christ. In the midst of the pandemic, we fully renovated our existing space to preserve the historical and beautiful hardwood, stained glass, pillars, organ, and lighting fixtures while still creating an office and a kitchen area. Our church is a sterling example of Arts and Crafts Gothic revival and, appropriately, has many architecture buffs amongst our congregants.
We celebrate major religious holidays zealously, from pot-lucking for the Feast of the Ascension, to a traditional agape meal on Maundy Thursday followed by a procession to the altar of repose and the stripping of the altars after which the church remains open till midnight for any who wish to remain and keep watch with Christ.
St. Peter’s congregation is an urban and diverse one. We are in the heart of East Lakeview and right next to Boy’s Town, a long standing LGBTQ friendly community and also steps from beautiful Lake Michigan. There is an affluent component, a homeless population, and the area is also known as a place where many new college graduates tend to land. The diversity seen in East Lakeview is also seen at St. Peter’s.
Our greatest ambition is to touch the lives of more people in our Lakeview community and to ensure St. Peter’s remains a cornerstone of the neighborhood. We aspire to be a town square for younger folks in transition and a long-term neighborhood haven for residents looking for community. We have a palpable enthusiasm to move forward and grow.
“St. Peter’s has always been a combination of people who do not have much experience with organized religion and those who have been part of the church for many years. I’m attracted to the variety of people with new ideas and traditional involvement in the parish. The new and old parts make for a very vibrant place. I’ve been coming here for more than forty years. -Bob Marks
“ I think it’s a genuine community of people trying to learn and serve God. I am so happy to be a party of St. Peter’s. -Alan Abbott
Our Mission
At St. Peter’s, our mission is to serve as a beacon of God’s light in Chicago:
· We come to St. Peter’s to find a deeper understanding of our lives in Christ
· We ground ourselves in traditional liturgy, while continuing to grow, question, and learn in prayerful discourse with intellectual rigor
· We invite all to the radical welcome of God’s table manifesting Christ’s love in Lakeview and beyond.
