St. Peter’s Church Director of Music
“The final aim and reason of all music is nothing other than the
glorification of God and the refreshment of the spirit.”
‐Johann Sebastian Bach
St. Peter’s Church, Philadelphia
Prelude
St. Peter's music ministry leads and supports the
congregation in our worship of God and is a vital
and integral part of St. Peter’s mission “To embody
the love of God as Christ's heart, mind, and hands.”
Music at St. Peter’s is a core ministry of our church
that extends beyond merely singing on Sunday
mornings. We know that through our ministry of
music we can nurture and shape young lives,
introduce choristers’ families to a Christian life,
elevate the worship of both choir members and
congregants through song, bring joy and comfort
through community musical events, and serve as a
musical beacon to those searching for a church
home where the spoken and sung word are uttered
at the highest level.
History of St. Peters Church
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St. Peter’s Church, Philadelphia
The first service at St. Peter’s Church was held on September 4, 1761, and the church has been
in continuous use ever since.
St. Peter’s was founded in 1758 by members of Christ Church living in newly-settled Society Hill.
Rising on land donated by William Penn’s sons, Thomas and Richard, it was designed and built
by Scottish architect/builder Robert Smith. St. Peter’s and Christ Church were united until 1832.
William White, Rector of both churches from 1779 until his death in 1836, was chaplain to the
U.S. Congress during the Revolution, founder of the Episcopal Church in 1784, its first presiding
bishop and first bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania.
Most of the church remains as it was in the eighteenth century. Smith designed it in the midGeorgian auditory style, with the classical lines and clear glass windows of the Age of Reason.
The pulpit and lectern are set at the opposite end of the aisle from the altar, projecting into the
congregation, in order to focus attention on the Word of God, a reflection of the religious
thought of the day. The original high-backed box pews, including Mayor Samuel Powel’s box
which George and Martha Washington often frequented, were designed to retain heat in
winter. With the advent of central heating, many churches removed their box pews, but since
St. Peter’s services are conducted at both ends of the church, the original arrangement has been
kept.
The tower and steeple, designed by renowned Philadelphia architect William Strickland, was
added in 1842 to house a chime of eight bells donated by Benjamin Chew Wilcocks and cast at
the Whitechapel Foundry in London where the Liberty Bell came from. Slaves and servants of
members sat on hard benches at the west end of the
gallery. One of these slaves, Absalom Jones, became a
highly-respected leader of the original African-American
community of Philadelphia, founded the first AfricanAmerican Episcopal Church, the African Church of St.
Thomas, in 1794 and was the first black Episcopal priest.
St. Peter’s has ministered to its changing community
through nearly 250 years, through the American
Revolution, the arrival of many groups of immigrants,
urban decline and rebirth, and is committed to continuing
into the future its original mission of service and sanctuary
for all in need.
St. Peter’s Today
St. Peter’s is a thriving urban parish whose members
nourish one another in lives of faith, share the love of
Christ, and serve the people of this neighborhood and city.
By the Numbers
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174 average Sunday attendance
423 active parishioners
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St. Peter’s Church, Philadelphia
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19 new members welcomed in 2014
7 marriages and 12 births in 2014
55 choir members
CLICK HERE to watch a video about St. Peter’s church and congregation.
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St. Peter’s Church, Philadelphia
The St. Peter’s Choir
Music at Peter’s Church opens hearts and minds to the transforming power of Christ’s love. We
value music as a dynamic spiritual force that enriches the lives of parishioners and visitors alike.
We nurture the talents of our musicians of all ages, we reach through the universal language of
music to our neighborhood and the broader community, and we welcome all to sing, play and
enjoy making music to the glory of God.
The Children’s Choir
St. Peter’s Church offers a world–class music
education for children in the community
through our boy and girl choirs. Since 1868, we
have had children leading us in worship, and
our children’s choirs are unique in Philadelphia
for their excellence in multi–generational music
making. Children as young as first grade can
begin to experience the many benefits of choir
participation through membership in our
Preparatory Choirs. First and second grade boys
and girls sing for 40 minutes weekly with our
older boys and girls. They learn the basics of
singing and music reading by being teamed up
with an older boy or girl as their mentor.
Regular children’s choir membership begins in
the third grade, and they sing for Sunday morning services an average of twice monthly. We
offer a comprehensive music education, emphasizing music literacy, advanced vocal skill, and a
love for making music together. Summer camps in Cape May, New Jersey, and trips abroad
round out the choir experience.
CLICK HERE to listen to an audio recording of the St. Peter’s Children’s Choir.
The Adult Choir
The St. Peter’s Adult Choir consists of skilled professionals and dedicated amateurs working
together. The choir rehearses at 9 a.m. (usually three Sundays a month) and sings at the 11 a.m.
church services. Though our musical standards are high, we work in a relaxed environment and
enjoy each other’s company. The choir sings alone as well as with our boy and girl choirs,
performing a wide variety of great choral music.
CLICK HERE to listen to an audio recording of the St. Peter’s Adult Choir.
Beyond Sunday Services
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St. Peter’s Church, Philadelphia
In addition to Sunday services, the choirs have sung for weddings and funerals, joint Evensong services
with Old St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church and
Christ Church, and sung at diocesan events, such as
ordinations.
St. Peter’s Church Organ
E.M. Skinner, Opus 862, is housed in the historic
1764 Philip Feyring case at St. Peter’s Church.
Consisting of 45 ranks over three manuals and
pedal, this organ is renowned for its beauty of
tone and expressive capabilities. Since its
installation and voicing by Skinner, it has
remained largely unchanged and is under the
curatorship of the A. Thompson Allen Company.
CLICK HERE to listen to former principal organist
Paula Pugh Romanaux play the E.M. Skinner
organ.
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St. Peter’s Church, Philadelphia
About Society Hill
The spire of St. Peter’s Church
rises above the historic Society Hill
neighborhood in Center City,
Philadelphia.
Laid out in the last quarter of the
17th century, Society Hill
encompasses Washington Square,
one of four central parks in
William Penn's original grid plan of
Philadelphia. The neighborhood
abuts the Delaware River, which it
overlooks from a hill named for
the Free Society of Traders — a
company chartered in 1682 by Penn and the namesake of Society Hill.
The neighborhood flourished as a residential and commercial district into the 19th century, as
fashionable Georgian and Federal style homes were built alongside taverns, market halls, and
churches. Today, Society Hill continues to be one of Philadelphia's most desirable residential
neighborhoods. Historic institutions, including churches and a hospital, still exist,
complementing an atmosphere of mature trees, granite block streets, brick sidewalks, and
reproduction “Franklin” street lamps.
Society Hill is home to Washington Square, one of Philadelphia’s five public squares laid out by
William Penn in his original plan for the city, has been a scenic modern-day park for 200 years.
Its proximity to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and the Independence Visitor Center make it
hard for visitors and locals to resist the appeal of walking the same land and streets the nation’s
founders once strolled. Today’s beautiful park setting and the lovely homes and buildings that
surround it complete the experience.
Two blocks from St. Peter’s Church sits Headhouse Square. With its cobblestone streets and
original 18th- and 19th-century buildings that line the streets, Headhouse Square remains as
picture-perfect today as it was hundreds of years ago. It’s also home to Headhouse Square
Farmers’ Market, the oldest farmers’ market in Philadelphia. Held every Sunday May through
December, the market boasts more than 25 farmers and producers, all displaying their fresh
produce, baked goods and local meats, cheeses and wines.
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St. Peter’s Church, Philadelphia
How to Apply
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church invites applications for the position of Director of Music Ministry; a
full time, year-round position, to begin summer 2015. St. Peter’s is a thriving urban parish, in the
heart of Philadelphia, PA, whose members nourish one another in lives of faith, share the love of
Christ, and serve the people of this historic neighborhood and city. Music has a long tradition of
excellence at St. Peter’s, grounded in our Anglican roots, promoted by our choirs, and enhanced
by our treasured Skinner organ (E. M. Skinner, Opus 862, installed November 1931), all of which
continue to enrich worship since our establishment over 250 years ago. St. Peter's music
ministry leads and supports the congregation in our worship of God, and is a vital, integral part
of St. Peter’s mission: “To know the transforming power of God’s love and to make God’s love
known to others.”
The Director, in partnership with the clergy and supported by a part time assistant has a ministry
that inspires the congregation, the adult and children’s choirs, church and visiting musicians, the
staff and the community. The Director is an energetic leader who will develop all aspects of the
music program and create new expressions in service of the parish mission. The Director will
show pastoral concern for all participants in the music program and actively seek to build
community among participants while welcoming new members. As an educator, the Director
will train the choirs, musicians and members of the parish and nurture their musical gifts to the
highest levels of excellence. As a leader, the Director will continue to grow our thriving
children’s choirs. As a musician, the Director will be diligent in preparation and performance,
collaborative with parish and neighborhood musicians, and creative in the development of
repertoire. The Director, the Rector and staff clergy will meet regularly to plan liturgy and parish
programming and facilitate collegial relations.
St. Peter’s Church cherishes tradition while continuing to evolve and respond to the world
around us. The Director will carry out the ministry’s essential responsibilities and seek new and
creative ways to serve the wider community through the music ministry of St. Peters. The
Director, with the church’s staff, will be a integral partner in imagining the next horizon of music
and worship of God in our church and community.
This position provides a salary commensurate with experience, and benefits. Interested
applicants should email a cover letter, resume, and a list of three to five references to
mailto:musicsearch@stpetersphila.org. Electronic submissions of complete applications will be
reviewed starting the week of April 12th.
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