Pastor’s Letter

“‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’
Jesus replied, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
— Matthew 22:36–39 (NRSV)

Beloved Community,

Welcome to St. Peter United Houston, a place where love is not only what we preach—it’s who we are. As your Campus Pastor, I am overjoyed to welcome you into a community that believes love is the heart of our faith and the measure of our discipleship.

When Jesus gave us the Greatest Commandment, He offered more than instruction—He gave us a way of life. To love God with our whole heart is to live in continual relationship with the Divine. To love our neighbor as ourselves is to live out that relationship in the world. Here at St. Peter United, we take both to heart. We worship a God of unconditional love, and we seek to reflect that love in every song we sing, every prayer we lift, and every act of service we offer.

Our church stands as a living testimony that love is inclusive, not exclusive; liberating, not limiting; healing, not harmful. Whether you arrive with questions, with faith, or somewhere in between—you are welcome here. You belong here. You are loved here.

My prayer is that, as you experience worship and community at St. Peter United, you feel the embrace of a God who meets you where you are and loves you into who you are becoming. May you find peace for your spirit, connection for your soul, and purpose for your journey.

Together, let us love God fully, love ourselves faithfully, and love one another freely—because love is the greatest commandment, and through it, we find the fullness of life.

With Heart and Hope,
Rev. Shelley Washington, M.R.
Campus Pastor, St. Peter United – Houston