The History of Saint Stephen’s

Dear friends,

 What an extraordinary gift to have the Rev. Doug Carpenter, the founding Rector of Saint Stephen’s, to share stories of the first 33 years of our community.  While I have read Doug’s books on the history of our church, listening to the stories brought them to life and has been a true gift to me. The biggest realization I had was from the very start of Saint Stephen’s, the most important thing was not the building, the budget, or how many members called Saint Stephen’s home, but the care for those in our community who were in need.  Saint Stephen’s has always been a place where mission and ministry were the most important priorities of our church.  I believe that to be true today.

Every Sunday, in the Eucharistic Prayer, we retell the story of our salvation from the beginning of Creation, through the Israelites and the Exodus from Egypt, and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  As we listen to those stories, they become our story.  I encourage you to listen to the stories that Doug has shared about our community.  Whether you have been at Saint Stephen’s for 46 years, or just a few weeks, they are the story of us and how God has touched our lives, and the lives in our community.  

Faithfully,
John+