Our Life of Service in Christ

Saint Peter's has a strong history of serving others -- this is one of the principal ways that we spread the power of Jesus' love. Some of our outreach efforts go back many years. When St. Peter's Hospital was opened in 1876, it was Charlotte's only facility for care of the sick and destitute. Good Samaritan Hospital, built in 1878, was the first hospital in the country built and operated for the Black community. For 73 years, it stood as a living and working symbol of the compassion of the membership of St. Peter's.

In 1869 the parish founded Thompson's Institute to serve the area's orphaned children. Today, as Thompson's Child & Family Focus, it continues to make a tremendous contribution to the care of the state's troubled children.

Urban Ministry In 1994, St. Peter's Soup Kitchen, which began in 1979 as a way to feed the hungry in downtown Charlotte, joined with other urban ministries to form the Urban Ministry Center, an ecumenical organization which addresses the needs of the homeless and any in crisis. The Urban Ministry is staffed by a rotating group of over 50 volunteers, many of whom are members of other churches or from the city at large. It provides more that 59,000 meals each year, serving an average of 175 people seven days a week.

The Augustine Project at St. Peter’s
A Literacy Project that Changes Lives Two at a Time
The mission of The Augustine Project at St. Peter’s is to provide free one on one tutoring to low income children and teens who are significantly behind in literacy skills.  We do this by training and supporting volunteers who participate in a two week workshop which includes preparing and giving lessons to children in a coached practicum.

Research tells us that children who fall behind in literacy skills do not make up lost ground without some sort of intervention.  A child who does learn to read and write will face his own economic tough times regardless of the state of our economy.  We can think of the Augustine Project then as preventative, rather than a reaction to the economic crisis we are experiencing now.

The Chapel of Christ the King The Chapel of the Christ the King is an Episcopal parish located in the economically challenged center city area known as Optimist Park. Funded by local parishes, the Diocese of North Carolina and foundational grants, the Chapel's programs focus on helping the residents of Optimist Park. Opportunities abound for volunteer work with their weekday school, after-school program, parish nursing ministry, summer camp program, and BRIDGE Jobs program. Contact the Chapel office at 704-334-3097 to inquire directly.