What sort of church is Saint Stephen’s?
We believe the Church is like an extended family: it provides a place for everyone. Church is where God extends a radical welcome to sinners and saints, young and old, gay and straight… everyone! We’re all welcome to gather and worship; to be forgiven; to hear the Good News preached with compassion and reason; to learn; and to let God’s grace transform us. Church is also the place where we explore our common life of commitment and service as Christ’s followers. We work at being a place where we all can be ourselves – where we feel safe and at home no matter where we are on our spiritual journey, or how close or how far we might feel from God right now.
We're working to create a place where the wisdom and traditions of the Church are respected, and where they are made meaningful in our time. We're serious about worship and engaging the beauty and dignity of our rich Anglican liturgy. We strive to bring the Gospel to life in worship, seeking to let it speak in its own voice through preaching and the Eucharist. We believe learning is important for all ages, and equally important is developing our spiritual gifts: together, these define the path of our journey with God. We also believe Church should be fun and joyful. This is a place where, like a family, everyone has a role to play. We believe all Christians are called to be ministers, and we seek to embody this by inviting the whole family to be involved in activities and worship for the Church and for the community. When we are open to Holy Spirit, our experiences in the Church shape and empower us for work and service and joy in our daily lives and occupations.
What does it mean to be Episcopalian?
We know we live in times of great ambiguity brought about by great change. We’re convinced that the Episcopal Church offers a gift to people living in such times: the unique way we seek balance among Holy Scripture, human reason, and the traditions of the Church. Scripture is primary, but we rely on human reason and the traditions of the Church to guide us in its interpretation and application. We find balance arises, often intuitively, in Holy Spirit’s work in worship and common prayer together. Our experiences in prayer and worship together shape our learning and how we discern where God is calling us. We believe that a life of personal and disciplined devotion also shapes us. In these ways, we seek to follow an ancient tradition that says ‘What we pray is what we believe’. Our prayer together transforms us, reason and tradition shape us, and our beliefs develop as we, as a community, confront the issues in our lives as persons, as families, and as communities.
If you really want to know what we’re about, the best way is to experience it for yourself: spend some time with us and see how the worship and common prayer shape your heart and mind in unique and grace-filled ways. You’re always welcome here!
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