After a doctrinal dispute with certain members of Holy Ghost Church (where he was serving as pastor), the Reverend G. W. Wall and 76 families withdrew and founded a new congregation in 1843. Known as the German Evangelical Congregation of St. Louis, they met in the Benton School (located on 6th Street) from 1843 to 1845. Within a year of its founding, it became apparent to the congregation that a permanent place of worship was needed. However with members coming from a wide area, a location could not be agreed upon. In 1845, it was decided to split the congregation and build two churches, one north and one south. The southern church was built at 3rd and Soulard. It was named St. Marcus. The northern church was built at 15th (later renamed 14th) and Carr. The northern church was named The German Evangelical Church of North St. Louis. In 1855, the name was changed to St. Peter's Evangelical Church.

During the early decades in the life of St. Peter's, the congregation was called upon to meet a variety of social needs for the German immigrant community. After the cholera epidemic of 1849, the Reverend Louis Nollau (St. Peter's third pastor) took several orphans into his home. He also befriended a sick woman who came to help. It soon became necessary to rent a small house near the church to accommodate all the orphans and the sick who sought a place to stay. The number of orphans grew until a dedicated facility was required. The Evangelical Children's Home was built on St. Charles Rock Road in 1866. Likewise, the number of sick and injured coming for care increased until a dedicated facility, the Good Samaritan Hospital, was built. Good Samaritan became a home for the aged after other hospitals were established in St. Louis.

The church's interest in developing hospital services were extended further when the Deaconess Association was organized during a meeting at St. Peter's in 1889. Chaired by the pastor of St. Peter's Church, this association established a new hospital to be staffed by Evangelical Deaconess Sisters. The first two Deaconess Sisters were members of St. Peter's and another member of the church donated the building that was used for the first Deaconess Hospital.

By the beginning of the 20th century, many changes were occurring in the 14th & Carr area. The predominately German members of St. Peter's were moving to west and north St. Louis, while many non-German immigrants were moving into the area. Church members voted to purchase land and build a new church in north St. Louis, at St. Louis Avenue and Warne. A beautiful stone structure was completed in 1909. The final worship service at the 14th & Carr site was held on Easter Sunday, 1909. The building was sold to Beth Abraham, a jewish congregation.

In 1956, it was decided to organize a chapel further north, in St. Louis County. Land was purchased on Stein Road at West Florissant, a location in Ferguson around which new subdivisions were being built. Chapel services were held in the Moline School for 7 months, during which the original part of today's facility was built. Additional facilities were dedicated in 1959 to accommodate a Sunday school. As the Chapel attendance grew, a sanctuary and a new parsonage was built in 1966. For well over a decade, services were conducted at both locations. The St. Louis and Warne church remained open until 1973, at which time it was sold to the Lively Stone Church of God.

During the last half of the 1970s, a number of building projects were completed at the Ferguson site. The original chapel building was converted into an office wing, the Sunday school was expanded, and a gym was built. To improve accessability for the handicaped, an elevator was added in 1996 to provide access to the 3 levels of the sanctuary wing. These projects completed the building as it is today.

When a contemporary worship service was implemented in the 1990's, it was discovered that the sanctuary configuration was no longer adequate. In 2001, the sanctuary was remodeled to enlarge the chancel area, thus providing space for the Celebration & Praise Band, dramas, liturgical dance, etc. The two sacraments recognized by the congregation were enhanced by raising the communion table and placing the baptismal font in a place of prominence. The sound system was replaced with a multi-channel, wireless system that makes worship audible to everyone.