In the late nineteenth century, early Japanese pioneers immigrated to the State of Washington to work predominately as laborers in a variety of settings including farms, saw mills, railroads, and salmon canneries. Among these immigrants were a few members of the Anglican Communion baptized in Japan or California. By 1907, several Japanese immigrants were attending Trinity Church; and in 1908 under the sponsorship of Trinity, two rented rooms at 9th Avenue South became the Japanese Mission of the Episcopal Church. To accommodate a growing membership, in 1912, St. Peter's Mission moved to Yesler Way. By 1932, despite the Great Depression, a church building was completed by the faithful at South King Street, near Seattle's International District.

Saint Peter's congregation continued to thrive until the onset of World War II. Together with others of Japanese ancestry, members of St. Peter's were forcibly removed and incarcerated in desolate camps away from the West Coast for the duration of the war. They found both their faith in God and their faith in America sorely tested. Yet, despite the oppressive conditions, pervasive racism, and badly impaired morale, church members and clergy worked through these challenges as best they could, with some support from non-Japanese Americans who recognized the injustice perpetrated on those of Japanese ancestry. The survival of St. Peter's as a community of faith throughout these trying times is powerful testimony to the membership's courage, resilience, and steadfast belief in God's grace.

Rebuilding and reclaiming damaged lives was an important mission for St. Peter's during the early post-war years. The ethnic church provided comfort and support for members who had been painfully scarred by their wartime experiences and continuing societal marginalization. Church programs flourished, serving as a major part of the social fabric for several generations of parishioners. A new sanctuary was built adjacent to the original church building by 1962, with the latter converted to a multi-purpose gymnasium. Stability was personified by a Nikkei priest whose tenure began in the late 1960's and spanned almost twenty-five years. During this period of vitality and growth, St. Peter's was incorporated as a parish in 1977.

By the 1980's most parishioners had successfully created new post-war lives, some Nisei, and even more Sansei-2nd and 3rd generations in America-found employment in mainstream positions, rather than in the ethnic economy as was common prior to World War II. Concurrently, St. Peter's membership began to decline as the 1st generation immigrant Issei were dying and younger members began to drift away from the church community.

A need for redefinition and renewal was recognized as St. Peter's entered into a search for a new rector in the early 1990's. A more diverse and inclusive vision of our church was formulated, culminating in the selection by the congregation of our first Caucasian, female priest in 1995. She became an integral part of our St. Peter's family, opening our hearts and minds to new experiences during more than five years of service.

Members of St. Peter's have continued to engage in a process of reflection and prayer as a spiritual community. A consensus has emerged that for this church community to be viable well into the 21st century, it can no longer be primarily a Japanese American church, but instead must reach out to diverse groups of people extending Christian fellowship and welcoming the rich experiences that each may bring. We shall always cherish and honor our historical heritage; the contributions and sacrifices made by those who have preceded us have helped us evolve and mature as a congregation that now seeks to embrace everyone interested in joining us in fellowship. One challenge now is to transform our consensus into action.