Plans for the 50th Celebration: Help us Tell the Story!

In just a few months, Saint Stephen’s will celebrate 50 years of Open Hearts, Open Hands, and Open Doors in the greater Birmingham community. Saint Stephen’s first met for worship at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 27, 1973. In 1961, the Rt. Rev. George Murray had arranged to purchase six acres of land in unincorporated Cahaba Heights. Twelve years later, 24 adults and 16 young people gathered in the portable barrack building, on a stormy Sunday evening. The Rev. Doug Carpenter writes that in December 1973, an anonymous note was left on the plywood altar: “The only ray of sunshine through the dark clouds at this moment is the warmth I feel at St. Stephen’s. It’s the healthiest growing organism I have experienced. The people are so refreshing. The discussion makes me feel warm.” 

Almost 50 years later, Saint Stephen’s has retained much of that same character, a place that helps people see the light of Christ, to see beauty and joy in a world yearning for Good News. This May, we will celebrate our 50th anniversary with three distinct events. The schedule is as follows:

  • Saturday, May 13 – Packaging of 50,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger in the Parish Hall

  • Friday, May 19 – 50th Anniversary Party

  • Sunday, May 21 – Festive Eucharist and Parish Picnic

To commemorate this special moment and to plan for the May event, we are inviting the community to tell stories about Saint Stephen’s and submit photos. The planning committee would love to know your favorite stories about Saint Stephen’s. You can submit those stories here by January 31, 2023. We would also like copies of pictures that tell the story of Saint Stephen's. You can upload your favorite pictures to our Google Drive here, or by emailing administrator@ssechurch.org. 

May is going to be an especially wonderful month in the life of Saint Stephen’s. I am especially grateful for the hard work of Kathryn Dorlon and Ann Carpenter, who are chairing our 50th celebration. I look forward to this landmark moment in our lives and how it can help us hold to this same ideal of Open Hearts, Open Hands, and Open Doors for years to come. 

Faithfully,

The Rev. John B. Burruss

John Burruss