St. Peter's by-the-Sea Episcopal Church

To Seek Christ, to Serve Christ, to Celebrate Christ

Society of St. Simeon and St. Anna

societyThe St. Peter's chapter of the Society meets in the Sanctuary for prayer every Friday. Members of the Society in the Diocese can be found in the Diocesan Directory. Photo by Dave Dapcevich, 2011.

Founding of the Society

The Episcopal Society of St. Simeon and St. Anna was founded by the Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston, VIth Bishop of Alaska. The Society was created in 1991. The first members were inducted at the Diocesan Convention, held at Fairbanks, in October of that year. The Rt. Rev. William Gordon, the fourth Bishop of Alaska, was installed as the first chaplain to the Society. The Rev. Hugh Hall is the current chaplain.

Membership in the Society is open to all persons in Alaska who have been active in the Episcopal Diocese for at least 15 years and who are 60 years of age or older. Selection of members is made by each deanery at their annual meeting.

Purpose of the Society

The Society of St. Simeon and St. Anna is an honorary community of men and women from the Episcopal Diocese of Alaska. Its purpose is to honor these ministers for their outstanding service to the church. The society is a living community at prayer. Society members pray daily for the Diocese and its people. The Society is a council of elders. Members stand ready to share their wisdom with the bishop. They also offer a resource to the whole church throughout Alaska. The Society is a model for Christian living. All persons in the Diocese are encouraged to look to the Society for images of life that are lived in the imitation of Christ. Society members are to be living examples of the Christian witness. Through their compassionate lives of faithfulness to the gospel of Christ Jesus, they embody the hope of that gospel for all persons in the Diocese of Alaska.

There was at that time in Jerusalem a man called Simeon. And this man was
righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was
upon him. Luke 2:25

She never left the temple but worshipped day and night, fasting and praying.
Coming up at that very moment, she returned thanks to God; and she talked about
the child to all who were looking for the liberation of Jerusalem. Luke 2:38