A Milestone in Peggy Fleissner’s Legacy to the Diocese of Texas
Motivated by her deep love for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and a desire to inspire future generations in faith, Peggy Fleissner, a founding member of St. Paul’s in Houston, helped launch a unique initiative for young girls: the Junior Altar Guild. Working closely with Rev. George Perrigin, the rector at the time, and the renowned Texas jeweler James Avery, she brought to life a powerful vision rooted in both artistry and spiritual formation: a charm bracelet that would grow alongside each young person’s journey of faith.
In the mid-to-late 1970s, Peggy traveled to Kerrville, Texas, to collaborate with Avery, known as the “Jeweler in the Hills,” whose workshop at the time was a garage behind his mother-in-law’s home.
Avery was already well known for his remarkable designs—he had even created commemorative pins for NASA’s Apollo 11 crew to wear during their lunar mission. Captivated by his work and driven by her vision, Peggy reached out to him with the hope of creating something beautiful and meaningful for the girls of St. Paul’s.
James Avery began making jewelry with a singular mission: “to create art he found meaningful, in the hope that others would find it meaningful too.” This philosophy aligned perfectly with Peggy’s own. As her daughter, Catherine Rinhart, recalls:
“She believed that young people deserved something beautiful and sacred to mark their spiritual milestones.”
Catherine remembers sitting in that Kerrville garage as her mother and Mr. Avery sketched designs and carved wax molds. Together, they created a series of sterling silver charms—each one representing one of the seven sacraments: a shell for Baptism, a chalice for Eucharist, and so on. A final charm, a crown, was designed to symbolize Christ’s enduring presence throughout life’s journey.
“When I envisioned the bracelet, I wanted each charm to be more than a symbol,” Peggy later said. “I wanted them to serve as reminders that God walks with us every step of the way.”
Planting the Seeds
The Junior Altar Guild program was born out of Peggy’s personal experience and spiritual formation at St. Paul’s:
“I grew up at St. Paul’s as a child,” she explained. “My mother was a member of the Altar Guild, and I went with her and helped her do her altar duty. My brothers were acolytes. There was no program for girls. When I became an adult and joined the Altar Guild myself, there was still no program for girls. That was when I developed the Junior Altar Guild.”
Girls could join in junior high and remain involved until graduating from high school. St. Paul’s had a smaller altar on the parish hall stage, and the girls were responsible for caring for it—preparing it for the children’s worship service held concurrently with the adult service in the main sanctuary. Like the senior Altar Guild, the girls served on a rotating schedule, three at a time.
In addition to their liturgical duties, the girls met during the week for a study program.
“Each year, if the girls completed their altar duties and participated in the study sessions, they received a charm to add to their bracelet,” Peggy recalled. “By the time they graduated high school, they had earned all eight charms. We had a very strong girls’ program.”
One of their meaningful outreach projects included hemming and embroidering crosses onto purificators, which were then mailed to churches in other countries.
Peggy’s connection to James Avery came naturally:
“We often vacationed in Kerrville, and I met James Avery in his mother-in-law’s garage,” she said. “I shared the vision for the program, and we worked on each charm together, one at a time.”
These sacramental charms were exclusively created for the girls of St. Paul’s, Houston, as part of this unique and deeply personal program.
Today, the bracelets and their charms are considered rare treasures, often found only in private collections or passed down as cherished family heirlooms. For one former member who participated in the 1970s, the meaning of the bracelet endures:
“Each charm marked a sacred step,” she reflected. “It reminded me of God’s love and the community that shaped me.”
Peggy’s work stands as a powerful testament to the many forms that ministry can take. Through her generous spirit, creative heart, and unwavering faith, she left a legacy that lives on not only in silver, but in the lives of the young women she mentored. Her vision continues to echo through the Diocese of Texas—a gift to the Church, and a lasting reminder of the beauty that blossoms when faith and imagination meet.
Credits: James Avery, Our Story website; Fleissner–Rinhart family memories.
