its exterior shape is a striking image of a new and personal urban vitality. The building is an anchor of serenity in - but not a withdrawal from - the sea of unpredictable turmoil around us.Welcome to Saint Peter's Church. We are delighted that you are visiting us.
Saint Peter's Church is a bold architectural statement of
Christianity's confidence in the future of this city, a counter thrust to the glossy opulence of Park Avenue and the discordant noises of Lexington Avenue. Designed by Hugh Stubbins and Associates, its exterior shape is a striking image of a new and personal urban vitality. The building is an anchor of serenity in - but not a withdrawal from - the sea of unpredictable turmoil around us.
Drawing on our long Christian tradition and Lutheran heritage, the primary purpose of this church is to let us worship God in a variety of ways. Here we express that worship through an ever wider range of endeavors which translate theology and faith into action. Clear glass windows invite the passerby; the open space in subdued colors contrasts with the bright needlepoint pew cushions.
The interior, designed by Vignelli Associates, invites us
in, down and up, placing us in a paradox -- in the earth but heavenward, protected while open to the light, human while grand and elevated with a sense of both the cosmos and the womb - a womb of rebirth. It is a place of resurrection where we are born in a new spirit. When the environment outside is a dark cave of reflected
shadows reminding us of our disintegration, Saint Peter's calls us into a resplendent sanctuary of God's love.
The exterior as well as the interior floor and baptismal font are of Caledonia granite. The interior is a flexible space allowing for a great variety of expressions of worship through song, dance, sermon, music and poetry. The pews, altar, and pulpit are of red oak. The baptismal font at the entrance to the sanctuary, with its sight and sound of living, running water, is a constant reminder of our own baptism in which our sinful nature was drowned by the grace of God.
The Dutch Cross, located in the sanctuary, is of wrought iron from the 16th century and was probably above a chancel screen in a church in The Netherlands. The terminals of the cross end in stylized fleurs de lis (which traditionally have represented the Trinity). The cross reminds us that the mystery of faith in Christ's death and resurrection frees us to accept our own sin and mortality and to look forward with hope to the wonder of eternal life.
The Dossal Cloth was created for Saint Peter's by the noted American weaver Ann Sherman Bromberg and is titled Ascension. This hand-crafted fabric on the East wall of the sanctuary provides a warm support for the Dutch cross. Ascension also draws the eye upward toward the sweeping above.
The Organ, built by Johannes Klais of Bonn, Germany, is designed to be a work of art designed visually and tonally to fit the sanctuary. The free-standing case, designed by Joseph Schafer, is of red oak. It is 18 feet square, 4 feet deep and is set at a 45 degree angle to the walls of the sanctuary. Please click here for more details on our Klais Organ.
The Processional Crosses include one created by the young
American artist, Kiki Smith, and another by Vignelli Associates. The Kiki Smith cross of cast aluminum is a work of great solemnity. The body of Christ is 'floated' within the pierced framework of the cross. It is used in procession during the penitential seasons of Advent and Lent as well as other appropriate occasions. The Vignelli cross, elegant in its simplicity, is made of red oak and complements the interior furnishings of the church.
The Exterior Cross was designed by internationally renowned sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro of Milan, Italy. Mr. Pomodoro's striking design links old with new through a skillful blend of traditional and modern forms and materials. The ancient cross form is finished in a rich, rust-colored bronze. Its piercing central wedge shape, or "nail," contrasts with the simple strong cross form. The nail is contemporary in its highly polished finish, with an abstraction of Christ's body and the crucifixion instruments of torture on its front surface.
The Chapel Of The Good Shepherd is a breath-taking sculptural environment created with great ingenuity by the eminent American sculptor Louise Nevelson. The chapel is a five-sided space, measuring 28 by 21 feet. The sculptural elements are white painted wood on white walls. The Cross of 
the Good Shepherd is white paint and gold leaf. Floors, pews and altar are bleached ash. The window is frosted white.
The chapel was planned as an inviolate space to be used exclusively for worship, prayer and meditation. Mrs. Nevelson also created the sanctuary lamp and designed both the altar fabrics and the vestments for the clergy. The Chapel of the Good Shepherd is the only permanent installation of a Nevelson environment in New York City. Its individual elements have been entitled by Mrs. Nevelson as follows:
| North Side | |
| East Wall | |
| Southeast Corner | |
| Over the South Entry | |
| West Wall | |
