Enter Here

Scroll Down

St Peters Church in Geneva NY

A warm loving, vibrant and thriving parish where ALL ARE WELCOME, that’s how we describe St Peters Church in Geneva NY.  Located on Genesee Street at Lewis Streets one can visit our parish most any day and find activities abound, families and individuals coming and going.  Ours is a parish that doesn’t just preach God’s work, we actively try to live as we are called.  How do we do this?  Through warm open services, loving community outreach, and by serving our community in unique and ambitious ways.

St Peter’s Church was founded over 150 years ago.  Blessed by the service of several long-time rectors, our parish has developed deep roots in our community, roots that have blossomed into trees of abundance.  On any given Sunday our average attendance is 130-190 parishioners and guests.  You’ll find families of all ages from the very young to the elders of our parish.  At St Peters children’s noise is Jesus’s noise.  When children laugh and play and run around during our services, it’s because it’s their home and they’re comfortable.  And we hope that they always find comfort here.  Just as our older parishioners sit and visit with lifelong friends each week, they too are at home at St Peters.  But we also know that the health of the future church requires more than simple attendance at Sunday services.  And with that spirit, our parish aims to support mission and outreach to our community in new ways.  Dreaming and innovating has been led by the heartfelt life-long effort for our current rector and his wife, Jim and Sue Adams.  And with their leadership our parish has made massive strides to support the mission and outreach of our parish and our community.

Our Parish is located in the poorest neighborhood in Ontario County NY.  And, in the early 1980’s the church, like so many others, was home to parishioners who had less connection to its neighborhood.  As sometimes happens, St Peter’s suffered some mild vandalism caused by neighborhood kids. It wasn’t serious but it was heartbreaking and damaging. This proved to be one of those moments that became pivotal for the parish.  In so many neighborhoods where families and individuals have significant needs, churches and organizations reinforce their locks on windows and doors when these things happen.

However, it was during this discouraging moment of reflection that Sue Adams, our parish Administrator, decided that this meant it was time for the parish to act… and to act outwardly.   It was time to help our neighborhood and our kids understand that the St Peter’s parish, is their parish.  St Peter’s church grounds are their neighborhood grounds also.  So, Sue Adams and parish volunteers threw open the doors of the church every Wednesday evening and began inviting any and all area neighborhood kids in for snacks and games and fellowship.  The parish quickly learned that the kids enjoyed the time together but that they really had need for a healthy dinner during their time.  So, the parish began serving warm full dinners for the kids.  In doing so, we help the kids and provide some relief for their parents.  The St Peter’s Neighbors Night Program has now been operating for over 30 years. And multiple generations of neighborhood families now know our parish is their neighborhood parish also.  And the dreaming continued.  How else could we serve and strengthen our community?

Nearly two decades ago, another dream was birthed to fulfill our community’s need for high quality music education that could supplement the education provided in the local schools or region.  Through many years of effort and dedication, the St Peter’s Community Arts Academy was born.  What started with the creation of 4 church choirs serving adults and children and varying ages, later added a piano studio instructor, then violin, and more.  Today the performance arts academy provides lessons in dance, violin, viola, cello, guitar, piano, music for toddlers, four youth and adult choirs, and collaborative after school programs in partnerships with the area school district and the Geneva Boys and Girls Club.  The Academy services over 350 students annually.  And, in doing so, the St Peter’s Community Arts Academy aims to provide lessons to any interested individuals regardless of their ability to pay. We do this through the general support of donors and family foundations who believe in our mission.

This Community and parish support has enabled transformative change to occur on our parish grounds.  Over the past five years, St Peters Church and the Arts Academy raised over 2 million dollars and completed a capital campaign which helped fully renovate the former church rectory into a new home for the Arts Academy.  Once a historic vacant home, is now transformed into a vibrant and busy school full of piano studios, violin studios, cello, and more.

Words do not fully capture all that St Peter’s Church is to Geneva.  But here’s a glimpse of our Sunday services and some of our church life.  For more, visit our YouTube Channel or Facebook pages and check out our past videos.  Better yet, come visit! Things are most vibrant September through May when all our choirs are in session.  So come, enjoy the music, and be warmly welcomed.