St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church
About
St. Simon Peter Church began with a meeting of seven Episcopalians at a home in Pell City near Logan Martin Lake. Present at this meeting were the Rev. Julian and Eleanor McPhillips, who would guide the small group into a full-fledged parish church.
The group first worshiped at the open-air Chapel in the Pines beside the lake. Thus, the group was named the Episcopal Lake Chapel and became a mission of St. Peter’s Church, Talladega. The rector of St. Peter’s Church, the Rev. Stratton Lawrence, and his parish were a great support to the mission. As the mission grew, it met in several locations, including the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
In 1978, the mission was admitted to the Diocese as the parish church of St. Simon Peter with the Rev. Julian McPhillips as rector. On Christmas Eve, 1980, Bishop Stough dedicated the parish’s own church building, located where it stands today on Mays Bend Road. In July 1985, the Rev. Van Foreman became the second rector of the parish. In November 1986, Bishop Miller dedicated the church’s parish hall.
Since then, St. Simon Peter has been served by the Rev. Jeffery Garner, the Rev. Dr. Jonathan Waddell (interim), the Rev. Jim Elliott (interim), the Rev. Mollie Roberts, the Rev. Bill Blackerby (interim), the Rev. Sara-Scott Wingo, and presently the Rev. Jennifer Riddle. In 2025, by the grace of God, St. Simon Peter will celebrate its 50th year of ministry.
We look forward to worshiping with you!
Our Mission, Vision, and Core Values
Our Mission is to know our faith, live in truth and love, and serve the needs of all people.
Core Values
- As Episcopalians, we are followers of our Lord Jesus Christ and believe in the one Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- We strive to Love our neighbors as ourselves and respect the dignity of every person.
- St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Church are part of the worldwide Anglican Communion and trace our heritage to the beginnings of Christianity.
- Our liturgy is relevant to todays’ world while retaining ancient structure and traditions.
- All baptized Christians, not just member of The Episcopal Church, are invited and encouraged to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion.
- We celebrate our unity in Christ while honoring our differences, even on important questions such as interpretation of Scripture, always putting the work of love before uniformity of opinion.
Rev. Jennifer Riddle
The Rev. Jennifer Riddle, is a graduate of Judson College in Marion, AL, where she obtained her BS degree in Psychology and Religion.
She was ordained by the Southern Baptist Church in 1989 and attended the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where she received a Masters of Divinity. She served as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy from 1991-2001. After becoming an Episcopalian and being accepted in the ordination process through St. Simon Peter in Pell City, she attended and received a Post Graduate Degree in Anglican Studies from the Episcopal Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA.
Jennifer was ordained an Episcopal Priest in 2001. Her first post was assistant rector at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Guntersville, AL, where she served for nine years. In 2010 she became the Director of Pastoral Care at St. Martin’s in the Pines until 2023 when she accepted a call to serve as rector at St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church in Pell City, AL.
Justin Finch
Justin is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas but grew up in Huntsville, AL. He attended the University of Montevallo, earning his Bachelor of Music degree in 2006. He served as music director at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and Campus Ministry Center in Montevallo, AL for 12 years.
He joined the staff of St. Simon Peter in January 2020 after serving 6 years in the same position at Church of the Holy Cross (Episcopal) in Trussville, AL.
During the week, Justin teaches elementary school music in Jefferson County Schools. He resides in Hoover with is wife, Susan, who is also a teacher, and their young daughter Ella.
Kathy Talley
Kathy has been resident of Pell City for 40+ years. She has three sons and three grandsons. She was the administrative assistant for a construction company in Birmingham for 15+ years. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, gardening and reading.
Sarah McCrackin
Contact Us
Mailing Address
3702 Mays Bend Rd. Pell City, AL 35128
Contact Info
205-884-0877
office.stsimonpeter@gmail.com