Visitation St. Peter's in McKinney
Bishop Rob Price visited St. Peter's in McKinney on Sunday where he confirmed 13 confirmands and received one. The church brought a lot of folks through the doors with two morning services, both full, one more than the other. Perhaps the fruit of theSpirit from their robust service work is keeping the pews packed and the church vibrant. Even as you read this, these believers are volunteering in all capacities at thecity's flagship fundraiser, Empty Bowls: Fighting Hunger One Bowl at a Time. St. Peter's has provided more than 100 volunteers and over $80,000 to the cause annually each year in the last three or four years. However, with great love and devotion served as its hands and feet since the fundraiser started 15 years ago.
The parish is also celebrating its 150th anniversary with a year-long celebration, Connected in Christ. "They have brought guests to the parish in honor of this milestone. "We've enjoyed fascinating speakers who told us about McKinney's history and our own long history of service to the community," said the Rev. Katherine Heitmann, priest in charge. "Bishop Jim Stanton entertained us with stories of Bishop Alexander Garrett and his coming out to McKinney and planting St. Peter's in 1876. This summer we will perform 100 hours of service with our neighbors near and far. We will wrap up this special year with a church-wide event in the fall."
This church also provides mentors, tutors, and reading group leaders to Burks Elementary. This is a Title I school and about 80 percent of students speak English as their second language. This partnership results in lasting friendships, and lifelong commitment to serving others, Heitmann, said.
St. Peter's has long been known throughout the Diocese as a church that raises up leaders. For them, that starts with youth. This year St. Peter's elementary aged children went on a mission trip to Oklahoma, and older youth are traveling to South Dakota to serve. "This form of outreach provides our children and youth the opportunity to step out of their comfort zones, foster personal growth and maturity through hands-on service. Additionally, St. Peter's will host our annual VBS, where many from our local community will come to learn, explore and witness God's love for them," Heitmann said. "These experiences cultivate empathy, strengthen faith, and build lasting friendships, often inspiring a lifelong commitment to serving others."
Speaking of leadership, the Rev. Barbara Kelton serves as a volunteer at St Peter's, and brings with her more than 40 years of experience in ministry. She currently focuses on pastoral care and spiritual formation. Notably, Kelton is the first woman ordained in thediocese to have gone through the entire discernment process here. She worked in several ministries including at Transfiguration, St. Philip's in Sulphur Springs, and for the dioceseas chaplain to students at several colleges in the region. She keeps office hours at St. Peter's for holy conversations, confession and other needs.
Leadership in the Church also means the music program. With great excitement, thechurch recently hired renowned musician Scott Dettra as Director of Music. Many may know Dettra during his decade long service to Incarnation. Acclaimed as one of America's leading concert organists, he came to Dallas from Washington National Cathedral, where he was Organist and Associate Director of Music. In addition to serving at St. Peter's, he appears nationally as an organ recitalist and ragtime pianist, and produces the podcast, The Daily Office Chanted, which presents daily Morning and Evening Prayer sung to plainsong settings from The Hymnal 1982 and The Plainsong Psalter. The Daily Office Chanted can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all over major podcast platforms. This follower of Christ discerned a call to music ministry at an early age, and held his first church organist position when he was 13.
From clergy, and ministers over youth, mission and music -- the leadership bench at this church is deep, What a delight and blessing St. Peter's is to its community, the dioceseand the greater Church.