We look forward to your visit!
St Stephen's is a place of welcome
That welcome extends far beyond our sign out front to the way that friends and parishioners greet newcomers and old friends alike. We love seeing new faces and if you are looking for a new church home, we would love to connect you to this wonderful place and all the ministries we offer. And, if you’re just looking around for now, please know how delighted we are that you may come and visit soon.
We know there’s sometimes a little anxiety about visiting a new place for the first time. The following information might help as you plan your visit.
Are there differences between the two Sunday morning services?
Not really. We celebrate Holy Eucharist every Sunday at both services and all who come are welcome to receive communion. The 8:00a.m. service is spoken only while the 10:00a.m. service has hymns, music, and a full choir.
I’m not familiar with the Book of Common Prayer and worry I’ll get lost in the service.
Please don’t worry about this. We print the full service each week in our bulletin and you will only need that plus a hymnal for the 10 am service. The Book of Common Prayer (BCP) is an integral resource for worship and prayer in the Episcopal Church but we recognize that it can be a little daunting at first so our bulletins are designed to assist with newcomers and visitors. We do encourage you to leaf through the BCP, it’s the red book next to the blue hymnal and discover the richness of this resource.
Do I have to be a member of St. Stephen’s to receive communion?
Absolutely not. We welcome people of all faiths to receive the elements of communion, including those who are simply seekers at this point. Our prayer book stresses the importance of baptism as the means to communion, but St. Stephen’s practices “open communion” in that anyone is welcome to participate. If you are not baptized but are interested in learning more, please see the rector for more information.
Do you provide child care for infants and young children?
We offer nursery care for infants through age four each Sunday from 9:40 - 11:30am. We also love to have children in church; the more the merrier!
Do you have Adult and Children’s Formation?
Yes! We believe that all Christians and those seeking faith formation should have the opportunity to learn more about the story of God’s people, both in scripture and in context of the world we live in. Children’s Formation, for ages 5 through 5th grade, is offered every Sunday morning beginning at 9:45. The children learn the stories about Jesus and have fun activities while “big church” is happening and then they come in during the Peace so that they can, if parents choose, participate and receive communion with the rest of the congregation. Our Adult Formation classes are once a month, typically the 2nd Sunday, and they meet after 10:00 worship updstairs in the conference room. It’s easily found and someone will gladly assist you in getting there and answer any questions you might have.
Where should I sit?
Sit wherever you would like. Sure, some people have been sitting in the same pew for years, but we promise that if you sit there, they will welcome you with open arms!