The Rev. Pete Gustin joined us at St Stephens in 2016. Known for his easy-going manner and welcoming spirit, he has worked with the congregation on a major church building renovation, helped foster a great relationship with the popular and thriving preschool connected to the church, and assists in the development and execution of a lectionary-based adult form held between the two Sunday services. He is currently working with the vestry on a major post-pandemic revitalization effort to maintain the strength of the core congregation while reaching out to identify and meet the needs of the Catlett community and beyond.
This California native’s journey includes a variety of life experiences, like working in the hotel industry while studying at St Mary’s Seminary, completing his B.A. at Coppin State College, and a long career as a government contractor while living in Manassas, Pete was received into the Episcopal Church in 1979 and served Trinity Church, Manassas, as organist and choir director until he entered Virginia Seminary in 1983.
After graduating from Virginia Seminary and serving on the Diocesan Race Relations Committee and the Mid-Atlantic (Clergy) Training Program, Pete served churches in Ashland, Hanover, Boyce, Millwood, Lucketts, and Burke. He received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Seabury-Western Seminary in Evanston, IL, in 1999. Throughout his ministry, he has worked as an emergency management consultant and was co-founder and co-chair of the Diocesan Emergency Preparedness Committee and also serves on the Diocesan Native American Ministries Committee. His wife Debi enjoyed a long teaching career at Powhattan School in Boyce and then at The Langley School in McLean, from which she retired in 2022. Pete will retire from parish ministry in April 2024.
