St. Peter's Episcopal Church

As we continue to update the Transition Page with the latest and greatest news from the process of searching for our new rector, we will keep an archive of all previous updates on this page.

Update – September 8, 2024

Thank you all who were able to join us for the engaging discussion with the Rev. Virginia Tyler Smith, the Officer for Transitions and Congregational Development for the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester. The Reverend shared a wealth of information on the entire transition process, from the selection and appointment of our interim rector all the way through the search process and ultimately the selection of the next full-time rector for St. Peter’s church.

If you were unable to make it this Sunday, or you’d simply like to re-watch the session, the video is available below (apologies for the video angle at first–hadn’t set the laptop up quite right initially).

We will post more information about the search for an interim rector as soon as it’s available!

As you can see in the updated timeline to the left, we are in the process of forming our search committee as well as the early stages of our information gathering. 

Formation of the Search Committee

If you would be interested in serving on the search committee or would like to suggest someone you think would be good for the committee, please reach out to the vestry at . 

Update – August 5, 2024

We had a very productive Q&A session at coffee hour Sunday August 4th to discuss the transition and search process and answer questions. A hearty THANK YOU to everyone who joined: it was so encouraging to see how many folks participated in the discussion in person and remotely. The continued dedication and engagement of this congregation is critical to a successful search process!

As discussed, the next major step will be selecting the Search Committee. We will be sharing more information about what this will entail and the time commitment to be expected. If you’re interested in serving on that committee – or you’d like to nominate someone else – please speak to any member of the vestry or email us at .

You can watch the session here (apologies for the video quality, my Zoom settings weren’t set up right–but you should be able to hear everything at least, even if the picture gets a bit grainy as the video goes on).

As noted previously, save the date for September 8th: the Rev. Virginia Tyler Smith, the Officer for Transitions and ​Congregational Development for the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, will ​join us for a discussion of the process.  As the date draws nearer, we will ​share a Zoom link so those who aren’t able to be in church that Sunday can ​listen and participate in the discussion.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to any member of the vestry if you ​have any questions, concerns, or input you wish to share at any point in ​this process. It is our goal to ensure that everyone has a say in this process, so don’t hesitate to make your voice heard.

Update – July 29, 2024

It was with love and appreciation that St. Peter’s said farewell to Rev. Jim ​Adams and Sue at their final service at the end of June. After more than 43 ​years of steadfast faith, strong leadership, and deep friendship, the service ​marked the end of the longest tenure of any Rector in St. Peter’s 157-year ​history. The impact Sue and Jim have left on this church and its congregation ​will be enduring.

Having said a loving “until we meet again” to Sue and Rev. Jim, we must now ​focus our energy on a prayerful and careful transition–and as a church family ​we’re looking at the upcoming search for a new rector with joy and ​excitement.

Though the coming months will bring uncertainty and hard work, St. Peter’s is ​a strong and vibrant church, firm in our love for Jesus Christ, our commitment ​to his teachings, and our devotion to each other and our greater Geneva ​community.

As part of this transition, St. Peter’s Vestry will maintain this page to ​keep everyone up-to-date with the process. Check this page for updates ​as we search for our new rector (updates will also be posted to our ​Facebook page, and via email).

What’s Next in the Process?

You likely received a letter from Carrie, the Senior Warden of St. Peter’s Vestry, ​outlining the start of the transition process and the next steps. If you look to the left-hand side of this ​page, you’ll see a slightly more detailed breakdown of the search process.

This process and timeline have been created with help from the Episcopal ​Diocese of Rochester and their congregation transition resources, and rely on ​their years of experience helping churches successfully find new rectors.

As the search process progresses, you’ll see that timeline updated along with ​more detailed updates posted here. And as you can see, now that Father Jim ​has officially retired, our next stage is the formation of the Search Committee ​and the finalization of the search process.

To that end, members of the vestry will be at coffee hour on Sunday August 4th to discuss the transition and search process and answer any questions you may have. Please join if you’re able, or if you’re out of town, we’ll be hosting the meeting on Zoom as well [Zoom info removed as this session has passed.]

We will also record this session for those unable to make it in person or remotely.

Additionally, the Rev. Virginia Tyler Smith, the Officer for Transitions and ​Congregational Development for the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, will ​join us on Sunday September 8th for a discussion of the process.  As the date draws nearer, we will ​share a Zoom link so those who aren’t able to be in church that Sunday can ​listen and participate in the discussion.

Please, do not hesitate to reach out to any member of the vestry if you ​have any questions, concerns, or input you wish to share at any point in ​this process. It is our goal to ensure that everyone has a say in this process, so don’t hesitate to make your voice heard.