We learn to follow Jesus together.
At Saint Peter’s, people come with questions, hopes, doubts, stories, and a longing for something more. We gather in worship, grow in grace, connect across generations, and serve the world God loves.
Our Purpose
St. Peter’s is an Episcopal church in Arlington, Virginia—a community of people learning to follow Jesus together.
We believe we are
Called together by Christ.
Transformed by God’s grace.
Sent out to serve.
That calling shapes who we are and how we live.
We are people from many different backgrounds and experiences—some rooted in the church for years, others just beginning to explore faith, all called by Christ.
Together, we seek to grow in love of God and neighbor, and to serve the world around us.
This calling shapes not only what we believe, but how we live.
To belong to Saint Peter’s is to join a life of prayer, community, and service.
Worship shapes our faith
We are part of the Episcopal (Anglican) tradition—rooted in Scripture, shaped by prayer, and open to God’s work today.
Our worship draws on ancient prayers and rhythms while speaking to the world we live in now.
This way of believing takes shape in how we live together.
Life Together
Our life as a parish is shaped by a simple rhythm:
We gather each Sunday for worship to pray, sing, hear Scripture, and share in the Eucharist
Through formation for children, youth, and adults, as well as small groups and study we grow in faith
Through fellowship, shared meals, and relationships across generations we connect with one another.
We serve others through outreach, justice work, and care for our neighbors
We’re for the community
We are sent out to serve in the world God loves.
At St. Peter’s, we seek to reflect God’s love in the way we welcome all people, care for one another, engage the needs of our wider community, and work for justice, mercy, and compassion in the world.
This is part of how we live out our faith—beyond our walls and in the life of our neighbors.
Who We Welcome
Saint Peter's is an LGBTQ+ affirming congregation. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer people are welcome in every part of our life together — in worship, in leadership, and at the altar. We perform same-sex marriages and celebrate the gifts of LGBTQ+ clergy and lay leaders. If you've been told elsewhere that you don't belong in a church, we want you to know: you belong here.
We welcome people of all races, ethnicities, and national origins. We welcome people with disabilities and people who are neurodivergent. We welcome families of every kind — married, single-parent, blended, same-sex, and everything in between.
We welcome lifelong Episcopalians and people who have never set foot in a church. We welcome people who believe deeply and people who are full of doubt. We welcome those who are returning after years away, those who are exploring faith for the first time, and those who aren't sure what they believe but are looking for community.
You don't have to have it figured out. You don't have to look a certain way or come from a certain background. You are welcome here as you are.
Learn more about accessibility and inclusion at Saint Peter's →
Our story began in 1961
Saint Peter's was founded in 1961 by a group of ordinary people — government workers, military families, lawyers, bankers — who gathered in Arlington to build something together. When it came time to choose a name, one of the founders, K.T. Johnson, made the case for Saint Peter: a fisherman, imperfect and impetuous, who denied his Lord and was forgiven, and on whom Christ chose to build his Church.
That choice said something about who this community intended to be. Not a gathering of the already-arrived, but of people who, like Peter, keep showing up despite their failures — and keep being met by grace.
More than sixty years later, that spirit still shapes us. The inverted cross in our logo — a reference to Peter's martyrdom, his request to be crucified upside down rather than in the manner of his Lord — is a reminder that this has always been a community rooted in humility, faithfulness, and love.
We are still, in Johnson's words, an imperfect people. But we continue to be forgiven. We are persevering in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
Leadership
Our clergy and staff lead worship, teach, offer pastoral care, and support the ministries of the parish.
The Rev. Jenifer Gamber, Rector
A Place to Begin
You can come as you are—
to worship, to learn, to connect, and to serve.
There is a place for you here.