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There's a place for you here.

New to Richmond? Unfamiliar with the Episcopal Church, or with Christianity? Welcome. 

Whoever you are, wherever you are in your spiritual journey, the people of St. Stephen's Church hope that your experience with this church will encourage and strengthen you. 

As you browse our Web site, you might consider: 

  • visiting St. Stephen's for a worship service and/or watching our livestreamed services

  • coming to an informal supper

  • stopping by the Farmers Market on Saturday morning

  • attending one of our receptions for visitors and newcomers

  • signing up for an Inquirers Class

  • subscribing to St. Stephen's weekly email, the eSpirit; there is no cost, no obligation, and we will not share your email address with any outside group

  • attending a retreat, workshop or group, or participating in any of the other offerings you'll see on these pages.

Do as much or as little as you like. There are no "requirements" for being a part of this community of faith. If you wish to be baptized or confirmed, or to transfer your membership from another Episcopal parish, we'd love for you to do so. But it's not required. Everything we do, everything we offer, is open to all, regardless of whether you are a "member" of this church. If you're here, you belong. 

Here's an online visitor card: it's not required--it just helps us to be more responsive to you!

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
6000 Grove Avenue
Richmond, VA 23226
804.288.2867

Our services

St. Stephen's is a vibrant parish offering several kinds of worship services. Sunday, of course, is our big day. You are most welcome at any of the services held here.

Sunday schedule (from the Sunday after Labor Day through the Sunday before Memorial Day)

8:00 a.m., Holy Eucharist: Rite One
9:00 a.m., Holy Eucharist: Rite Two*, in the main church and in Palmer Hall Chapel
10:10 a.m., Education for all ages*
11:15 a.m., Holy Eucharist, Rite Two*
5:30 p.m., Celtic Evensong and Communion
6:30 p.m., Sunday Community Supper
8:00 p.m., Compline

Sunday schedule (from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend)

8:00 a.m., Holy Eucharist: Rite One
10:00 a.m., Holy Eucharist: Rite Two*
5:30 p.m., Celtic Evensong and Communion*
6:30 p.m., Sunday Community Supper
8:00 p.m., Compline

*indicates child care available through age 4

Weekday worship

Year-round
8:10 a.m., Morning Prayer with Communion

(When the parish office is closed for a holiday or due to inclement weather, weekday Morning Prayer does not take place.) 

Where we're located

St. Stephen's is located at the corner of Three Chopt Road and Grove Avenue (the address is 600 Grove Avenue), near the University of Richmond and across the street from St. Catherine's School.

If you are coming to the church office, the most direct route is through the double glass doors to the parish house off the parking lot on Somerset.  If you're coming for a worship service, you can enter from Grove Avenue or Three Chopt Road.

Accessibility

There are several entrances to the church and parish house that are designed to be accessible to those with mobility issues or other physical limitations:

All entrances to the church, and the main entrance to the parish house, are equipped with power-assist doors. In addition, the main entrance to the parish house, from the large parking lot, has an elevator on the ground floor that allows you to bypass the steps. The Grove Avenue entrance to the main church is gently sloped, without steps, and the Three Chopt Road entrance has a ramp.

Inside the church, several pews are shortened to allow space for a wheelchair or walker: the first pews on either side of the center aisle, nearest the altar, and the pews near the large baptismal font.

The church is equipped with assistive hearing devices for the hearing-impaired. Please ask an usher for one of these devices as you enter the church.

From birth through high school

St. Stephen's Church has an active ministry for children and youth, staffed by an energetic and talented family ministries staff and dedicated, well-trained volunteers. Our family ministry staff sends an email newsletter to parents for which you may sign up.

Our main offering for young children is Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. For youth in grades 6-12, we use Journey to Adulthood. Both are highly regarded spiritual formation approaches.

We also strive to provide opportunities for parents to learn, grow, and receive support from other parents and from our clergy.

HOLY BAPTISM

Holy Baptism is available for babies, children, and adults. Read more about Baptism and preparation here.

CONFIRMATION 

At St. Stephen's, young people who desire to be confirmed in the Episcopal Church may enter the preparation process in the ninth grade or later. Confirmation takes place when one of our bishops visits St. Stephen's, usually in May.

Young adults

Young adults--single or partnered, with children or not, in college or working--are invited to take part in everything St. Stephen's has to offer, from worship to small groups, choirs to Sunday Community suppers, from outreach and volunteer activities to our environmental stewardship group.

We have tagged 20s and 30s as "young adulthood" but many who participate in young adult activities are in their 40s. The bottom line is, no one will ask you your age--if you think of yourself as a young adult, so do we!

While young adults at St. Stephen's sometimes gather with others in their age cohort, everyone is welcome to join a group or a class with adults of all ages. 

Children and teenagers love having adults who are closer to their age as teachers and mentors. You do not have to be a parent to serve in our ministries among children and youth.

Many young adults particularly enjoy the Compline service at St. Stephen's Church, held Sunday nights at 8 in the church. This ancient service is used as the last service of the day in monastic communities, cathedrals, churches, and schools, and many people say it in their homes. (It's found on page 127 of the Book of Common Prayer.) At St. Stephen's, the service is sung by a mixed a cappella choir. The choir chants prayers and psalms, interspersed with motets. It's an exquisite service, with candles (no other lighting) and incense. Those who attend sit in or lie on a pew in silence, praying, meditating or simply listening to the music. The service lasts just 30 minutes. 

We livestream our main Sunday morning service, our Celtic service, and Compline each Sunday. You'll find these on our Web site, on our Facebook page, and on our YouTube channel.

A fellowship

One of the distinctive things about being an Episcopalian is the sense of connection and fellowship one has with other Episcopalian Christians. St. Stephen's Episcopal Church is part of the Diocese of Virginia, one of the oldest and largest dioceses in the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Our diocese includes 80,000 people who worship God and reach out to others in nearly 180 parishes in 38 counties in central, northern and northwestern Virginia. It is one of three Episcopal dioceses in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the others being the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia (based in Roanoke) and the Diocese of Southern Virginia (based in Norfolk). You can read more about the Diocese of Virginia at thediocese.net.

The best way to learn about what it means to be a Christian in the Episcopal tradition is to attend an inquirers class. This class usually meets once a week for seven weeks and is taught by our clergy two or three times each year.

 

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Sunday Schedule

Holy Eucharist: 8:00, 9:00, 11:15

Christian Education for all ages: 10:10 (returning September)

OUR LOCATION

6000 Grove Avenue Richmond, VA 23226
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Advent at St. Stephen's

Our culture promotes the days leading up to Christmas as a time of spending, acquiring, cooking, partying and decorating--of giving our time, money and attention over to the pursuit of something called "getting ready for Christmas," with the goal of a rather unrealistic fantasy of what the day will be for ourselves and our families. As Christians, we approach the season before Christmas quite differently. Advent is a time of reflection, study and prayer, in preparation for receiving Christ in our hearts and in our lives. 

At St. Stephen's, our observance includes not only the traditional music and readings appointed for the season of Advent during our regular worship, but the special offerings listed below. However, Advent is not about doing more things, and it may be that this season is a time for you to do less. Take advantage of any of the following offerings, as you wish, but keep in mind that adding more to your to-do list is not the point! As with everything at St. Stephen's, our Advent observances and offerings are open to all, regardless of whether you are an "official member" of this parish. 

Looking for information on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day? Follow this link.

Advent Fair for all ages

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26 |10-11:30 A.M.

There are many fun and festive ways to take part in the Advent Fair. You do not need to sign up for this free event but we do need volunteers, and a sign-up for that is below. If you choose you may create an Advent wreath to take home; for a cost of $15 we supply the wreath forms and candles and there will be free greenery donated by parishioners. There will also be activities for children, as well as some delicious treats and snacks.

Advent Meditation Emails

Clergy, staff and parishioners of St. Stephen's write reflections, one for each day of the season beginning Sunday, December 3, and ending with Christmas Eve. Email subscribers across the country have found these to be a wonderful way to begin each day during this season. If you signed up for Advent emails last year, you will automatically receive them this year. If not (or it you're not sure if you've signed up), you can subscribe below. 

Christkindlmarket

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29 | 4:30-7:30 P.M.

This festive holiday craft market will feature dozens of local craft vendors, festive drinks, and carolers, all in a fun, holiday atmosphere. Vendors will be set up inside in the fellowship hall and outside in the church courtyard. The May Fair House will also be open for shopping. The St. Stephen's Wednesday night supper will take place that evening as well, so be sure to get something to eat while you're here!

Quiet Day: Advent Grace for Starting Over

LED BY THE REV. MARTIN SMITH
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2 | 9 A.M.-3 P.M. | REGISTRATION

We are glad to begin the season of Advent with a special guest, the Rev. Martin Smith. This priest, teacher, retreat leader and author will lead an Advent quiet day, and will preach in the morning services on December 3 (Advent I), speak in the Sunday Forum, and celebrate and reflect at the Celtic service.

About the quiet day: The freshness of God’s patience is most real to us when we accept the call once again to open a new chapter, make a fresh beginning, making ourselves available to God’s desire to be in us and with us. Join us, and invite your friends, for an interlude of reflection and prayer at this Advent time of starting over. Martin will give three talks to stimulate our prayer and thought, and we will cherish this rare occasion to be quiet together. Our time will close with an opportunity for questions and sharing.

  • Registration is required for this quiet day.
  • The cost of $30 includes lunch
  • More details about the quiet day, Martin Smith, and his Sunday Forum topic, are here.

Christmas Acolyte Sign-ups

Acolyte sign-ups will be managed through Ministry Scheduler Pro (the same program we use for other worship leaders). An email will go to acolytes November 14 at noon. This will cover all services on December 24, 25, and 31 and will be filled on a first-come first-served basis. All acolytes who will be in town are expected to serve at least once.

Women of St. Stephen's Annual Holiday Music Program & Lunch 

Tuesday, December 5 | 11 a.m.

Each year, this special program has provided a welcome pause during a busy season. Join us in the church for seasonal music and stay for our traditional holiday luncheon. The program is free and open to all; luncheon requires sign-up (use the clipboard outside the May Fair House) and the suggested donation of $15 is made at the door. This is a beautiful beginning to Advent. The program will include pieces played by Brent te Velde and Diana Chou on piano and organ, as well as carols for everyone to sing.

In addition, we will collect donations of household cleaning supplies for "Housing Families First", an agency providing rapid rehousing and support services for families in Richmond. 

Youth Group Holiday Light Tour

Sunday, December 10 | 5:30-8 p.m.

This will be our last youth group of 2023 (the next one will be January 21, 2024). Gather in festive attire to tour holiday lights. Due to the necessity of buses, drivers, and chaperones, please register for this event here. 

The Youth Pageant

Sunday, December 17 | During the 11:15 a.m. service | Registration deadline: December 5

Registration is open for all youth, grades 6 through 12, who wish to participate in the youth pageant. There are roles ranging from costumed characters and readers to cart pushers (younger youth that serve as stagehands).

  • All participants must attend a mandatory dress rehearsal on December 16, 1-3 p.m.
  • Sign up here no later than December 5.

Winter Solstice Concert

Wednesday, December 20 | 7 p.m. | Tickets available here

This candlelit concert is an opportunity for rest and beauty in the midst of the busy holiday season. Music and poetry mark the longest night of the year while anticipating the joy of light’s return. Sanctuary and the St. Stephen’s Choristers will be joined by cellist Peter Greydanus and harpist Anastasia Jellison, and the program will include music by composers Peter Hallock, Ēriks Ešenvalds, Joanna Marsh, Sally Beamish, Marcel Tournier, Owain Park, June Collin, Patrick Hawes, and more.

Live Nativity

Thursday, December 21 | 5-6 p.m.

Community members stroll our campus as the story of Jesus’ birth will plays out before their eyes with scripture, music, children, and four-legged friends. Children are invited to help bring the nativity to life as angels, shepherds, members of the holy family, and more.

  • Please use this form to register your child. 
  • Adults are invited to participate as station chaperones, costume wranglers, and group guides.
  • Participants will gather at 4 p.m. on the day of the event to get into costume and in place for the event.
  • The rain date is Friday, December 22, 5-6 p.m.

Christmas Shop

Thursday, December 21 | sign up by Monday, December 18 | Deliver donations by Tuesday, December 19 (PLEASE NOTE: DATES AND DEADLINES HAVE CHANGED)

Provide toys, games, dolls, books and more for St. Stephen's annual Christmas Shop at Fairfield Court Elementary School. Details and sign-up are here. (Please do not purchase any gifts until you have used the sign-up form.)

Parish suppers

Wonderful Wednesdays suppers continue through December 13 before taking a break until January. Menus

Sunday Community Suppers continue except for Christmas Eve. Menus

Christmas Flower Memorials

DUE DECEMBER 15, 2023

Many people like to make a memorial gift toward the flowers and greenery the parish flower guild uses to decorate the church for Christmas services. Read more about this opportunity HERE

The Daily Office

In addition to these special offerings, Advent is a particularly appropriate time to adopt a new spiritual practice, such as attending Daily Morning Prayer (Monday through Friday, 8:10 a.m.), Evensong (Monday through Friday 5:30 p.m.) or reading the Daily Office at home. Visit our Worship page for more information on our year-round offerings in worship and prayer.

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