November 1, 2026 at 9 AM in the Parish Hall

Annual Meeting

Each year, Saint Peter’s gathers to reflect on where God has been leading us, to celebrate the life we share together, and to look ahead with hope. Our Annual Meeting is a chance to hear stories of ministry, review the work of the parish, receive important updates, and imagine together how we are being called to grow, serve, and love our neighbors in the year ahead.

Saint Peter’s is a member-led community with an elected board called a vestry.

At our annual meeting, we hear about the state of the church and elect four new vestry members, each serving a three-year term.

All members ages 16 and older are encouraged to attend the annual meeting. We offer childcare for infants to age 3 in the nursery and toddler room and activities for children ages 4 through 11 in the lower level. Youth in Grades 7–9 attend their confirmation class.

Please plan to attend. Our bylaws require a quorum, defined as 10 percent of all eligible voting members.

We are collecting food for AFAC and asking everyone who attends the Annual Meeting to bring at least one food item. The following are especially needed: canned fruits, tuna, soups, vegetables, tomatoes; peanut butter (in plastic jars); and boxed cereal. Loose plate from this Sunday’s offering will be given to AFAC.


Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church

Agenda for the Annual Parish Meeting 

November 1, 2026

  1. #757 in Wonder, Love, and Praise “Will you come and follow me”

  2. Call to order and declaration of a Quorum by the Senior Warden

  3. The Lord’s Prayer and Opening Collects—BCP, p. 818, #s 8, 11 & 12 

  4. Approval of the 2025 Annual Meeting Minutes (See page 36 of this report.) 

  5. Election of New Vestry Members

  6. Rector’s Report 

  7. Senior Warden’s Report 

  8. Finance Committee Report 

  9. Stewardship Team Report 

  10. The Doxology

  11. Blessing and Adjourn


2027 Vestry Nominees

Since July of this year, as your Senior Warden, I have had the privilege of chairing our nominating committee. The committee included the vestry members whose terms are ending (Suzannah Carr, Tommy Avent, Marchal Magee), our Treasurer (Roger von Elm), our secretary (Barbara Mattox), and our Rector (the Rev. Jenifer Gamber).

We started by looking at what our outgoing members have given us: their gifts, their perspectives, and the range of the parish they represent. Then we discussed what the vestry will need in the seasons ahead. With that in mind, we brainstormed names, sought nominee candidates, held each one in prayer, and agreed on a list of people to invite. We reached out to each person, listened, and confirmed they were eligible to serve. 

The Committee started their review, prayer and discernment work in late summer, focusing on listening for how the Spirit is stirring among us.

As is our practice at Saint Peter’s, we offer the following slate of five for five open seats:

  • Nancy Arnold (3-year term)

  • Lyle Kimbrell (3-year term)

  • Mike Pearson (3-year term)

  • Peter Phelps (3-year term)

  • Luella Wallander (1-year term)

I invite you to read their bios below and hold each of them in your prayers as they prepare to take up this ministry among us.

Clive Lowe
Senior Warden 2026

  • Nancy Arnold (3-year term)

    Nancy Arnold (3-year term)

    Nancy has been a member of Saint Peter’s for over fifty years. Her children and her granddaughter were baptized and are members here as well. Nancy’s husband was a dentist in Arlington, and she was an ESL teacher in Arlington Public Schools. After working on her PhD at George Mason University, Nancy was an instructor there and a mentor to first-year ESL teachers in Northern Virginia.

    Nancy has belonged to service groups throughout their adult life, supporting the needs of the Northern Virginia community and providing college scholarships.

    Nancy and Bruce have been retired for many years and have enjoyed traveling the world together. She is an avid duplicate bridge player and has been a docent at the Kreeger Museum for twenty-five years.

    Over the years, Nancy has participated in many activities at Saint Peter’s, including serving on the Vestry (class of 1996), teaching Sunday School, and being on the Fellowship Committee. Her most recent commitment is the Wednesday Bible Study, which she helped initiate. She also attends Centering Prayer on Monday evenings.

    Her goal for Saint Peter’s is to continue the spiritual growth of our parish with an emphasis on serving others in every way. Her personal goal is to experience the Holy Spirit in her daily life and to do a kindness for someone each day.

  • Lyle Kimbrell (3-year term)

    Lyle Kimbrell (3-year term)

    Lyle Kimbrell has been a member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church for 21 years. He and his wife, Elizabeth Bates, a former Senior Warden, have been active members of the parish and have raised their two children in the Saint Peter's community. Over the years, Lyle has served as a Sunday School teacher, participated in the AV team, assisted in production support for the church plays and Christmas pageants, and joined the DR Mission trip.  

    Professionally, Lyle serves as Executive Programs Manager for NCR Government Systems, where he leads complex programs and teams.

    Lyle is grateful for the many blessings St. Peter's has provided his family and would be honored to serve on the Vestry to support the church's mission and ensure its continued strength and vitality for future generations.

  • Mike Pearson (3-year term)

    Mike Pearson (3-year term)

    Mike was raised in a military family, baptized in Ann Arbor, MI and confirmed at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Burke, VA.  His family attended church intermittently when he was a child, finding some parishes better fits for their family than others.  He and his wife Maren have made their home in Arlington since 2009, joining Saint Peter’s in 2024 with their children Bobby (currently 7th grade), Danny (4th grade), and Taya (2nd grade).  His family came to Saint Peter’s originally based on the recommendation of friends and the strength of its youth programs.  He currently serves as an acolyte captain.

    Professionally, Mike is an attorney practicing patent litigation.  He and his family are active in Scouting and love music, the outdoors, and reading.  

  • Peter Phelps

    Peter Phelps (3-year term)

    Peter and his wife Catherine have lived in Arlington since 2006.  They moved from Alexandria, VA.  They and their kids, Addison, Morgan and Landon were welcomed into and have enjoyed being members of the Saint Peter’s community ever since.  The kids have served joyfully as acolytes, ushers, and chalicists.  Peter has had the pleasure of serving as a Sunday school teacher, usher, acolyte captain, and member of the audio/visual team.

    Professionally, Peter served as an aviator in the US Marine Corps after graduation from the US Naval Academy with a degree in Systems Engineering.   Following law school, Peter worked as an Engagement Manager in management consulting on projects ranging from strategy for agricultural products to market analysis for boating products.  He has taught mathematics and served as a mathematics department head in DC Public Schools.  Peter has enjoyed working with youth, volunteering or leading a number of tutoring programs in inner city schools.  Peter enjoys sports including tennis, weight lifting and hiking.

  • Luella Wallander (1-year term)

    Luella Wallander (1-year term)

    Luella has called Saint Peter’s home since 2009, when she was six and her family joined the parish. She grew up an active member of the youth group and children’s choir and performed in several of the church’s musical productions. As a high schooler, she served on the diocesan-wide Parish Youth Ministries committee and was a delegate to Diocesan Convention. 

    As a young adult, she serves as a chalicist, sings with the Saint Peter’s Choir, rings bells with the Handbell Choir, and delights in any opportunity to make music in worship. She was the assistant director for the 2026 musical Life of the Party and finds great joy in helping youth build their faith through theatre. She is part of a committee working to revive diocesan youth ministry retreats and helped to coordinate a spring Middle School Weekend at Shrine Mont.

    Luella is an early-career arts administrator and currently works to coordinate music education programs for students across DC. You’ll also find her at the front desk of Blossom and Buds Consignment in Westover, where she is a manager and mentors the high school staff. Outside of work, Luella is an avid knitter, hiker, and baker and enjoys any outdoor activity that lets her spend time in the sunshine.