“The Lord wants to do something ‘big’ in New Brunswick”.
For over 10 years, this sense has been present in the hearts of many men and women. Whether they were passing by, here for a while, or here to stay, those who have experienced the young professionals outreach in New Brunswick, Petros, sensed that the Lord wanted to do something special. Beginning in 2013 as a young professionals outreach catering to mostly Rutgers University alumni and graduate students, Petros has grown to become a regional young professionals outreach with a cohort of young families and singles who have committed to live intentional Christian life together as a Sword of the Spirit community.
Petros is a Prospective Community in the Sword of the Spirit founded by Br. Jude Lasota, BH with currently 29 committed members and 7 children.
From 2015 to 2017, Petros was blessed with an influx of new, young leaders who served the outreach and shared the same Christian formation through the Brotherhood of Hope and Saint Paul’s Outreach. As these leaders continued to serve together, they grew in deeper love for one another and desired something more.
In January 2018 at Legacy, a Christian young professionals conference hosted by the Sword of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit individually convicted four women of the desire to build and live out an intentional Christian community within Petros. When these women began sharing their convictions with the other members of the Petros leadership, one by one they were finding out that other members were sensing the same conviction. This anointing led to intentional men and women households, desire for greater formation, and intentionally planting roots around the New Brunswick area. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the wisdom and guidance of Br. Jude, the Brotherhood of Hope, and Mary Margaret Molnar, and the love shared between one another, 16 men and women made initial commitments to one another on September 14, 2021 on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Fast forward to 2025 and the Lord has blessed the Petros community with great fruit as well as given Petros the grace to persevere through immense suffering.
The Petros community experienced great joy celebrating the many new engagements, marriages, birth of children, mission trips, and thriving outreach, but also great suffering caring for members through life-threatening injuries, mental health struggles, and troubled pregnancies. Though the body is still hurting, this is the life they said “yes” too, and the love each member has for one another remains. Whether that is dropping everything to be there for a brother or sisters in need, babysitting children, driving someone to and from the airport, helping with a move, and the list goes on, the underlying love for one another is the heartbeat that keeps the Petros community alive.
During this Year of Hope, Petros is blessed by the great friendships of the Brotherhood of HOPE and the People of HOPE.
The past three years of intentional collaboration with the People of Hope has blessed Petros with great generational wisdom of men and women who have shown that this life is possible and worth it.
The Spirit has been moving through collaboration events such as prayer meetings, retreats, and Lord’s Days, and has given great encouragement that fosters unity amongst the two communities. Please pray for Petros as they continue to seek the will that God has for their community and know of the gratitude they all have for the People of Hope for all of their prayers and support. So come, Holy Spirit, teach us to love more deeply and yield to your perfect plan for we live in Hope.
“Something big is happening in New Brunswick”.
This article is the continuation of a bulletin series which seeks to highlight the many ministries and communities around the world which we are blessed to call friends. If you are interested in learning more about the vibrant Petros community visit their page at stpeternewbrunswick.org/young-adults
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