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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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Lent at St. Stephen's

Please join us during the 40 days of Lent. If you've been away, it's a wonderful time to return. Worship, study, fellowship--they're all here for you during this time of reflection upon what matters most.

Ash Wednesday

Lent begins with “Ash Wednesday,” a time to step off the treadmill of our busy lives and consider again what is most important. This year the day falls on February 14.

On Wednesday, February 14, we offer three Ash Wednesday services of Holy Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes. These services will also be livestreamed HERE.

  • 7:30 a.m. (spoken service, in Chapel of the Good Shepherd)
  • noon (service with music in the main church)
  • 5:30 p.m. (service with music in the main church; childcare available for ages 4 and younger during this service)

Many regular events, such as weekday Morning Prayer, will not take place on Ash Wednesday. If you are not sure if your small group will meet that day, please check with your leader or convener.

Adult formation for Lent

Lent in the Sunday Forum: Looking within and learning from without
Sundays at 10:10 a.m. in the fellowship hall

The Sunday Forum at St. Stephen’s Church will strike an important balance in the coming weeks. During the season of Lent, we are urged to look inward in search of personal healing and spiritual growth. In order to look closely within ourselves, we must look outward to see the world with renewed hope. Read more.

Trailheads series explores Celtic spirituality
SUNDAYS, FEBRUARY 25-MARCH 24 | 7-7:50 P.M.

Embark on a journey into the heart of Celtic spirituality with a participatory class designed to unravel the timeless wisdom of this ancient tradition. This Trailheads series, “Exploring Celtic Spirituality: A Journey into Ancient Wisdom,” is a unique opportunity to delve into the rich tapestry of Celtic beliefs and sacred practices that have endured through centuries. Read more.

Wednesday evenings in Lent: Christianity in the Land of Its Birth
Wednesdays, February 21-March 20 | 6:30 p.m.

Two thousand years after Jesus, his followers seem to have left home. Christianity has become the world’s largest religion with nearly 2.4 billion adherents. But in the Middle East today, where Christianity was born, there are only about 100,000 Christians, representing five percent of the population of that region. What happened? 

There is more to the story than decline. Christians are prominent in education and business across the Holy Lands. Christians run some of the most prominent hospitals, clinics, schools and colleges, and social service programs. The variety of Christianity there is unlike anywhere else with various forms of the faith that are little known elsewhere. As the numbers of Christians in the Middle East has declined, Christian influence has strengthened. 

For five Wednesday evenings in Lent, beginning on February 21, Bill Sachs will explain the fascinating story of Christianity in the land of its birth. The discussions will take place in Palmer Hall starting at 6:30, following the Wednesday evening meal. No registration is needed.

Various topics basic to Christians everywhere will be highlighted, such as how did Jesus’ followers become the church. 

We will look at worship and spirituality, and such pivotal events as the Crusades. Unfamiliar branches of the faith, such as the Coptic, Maronite, and Syriac churches will be described. Our own Anglican Church figures prominently and will be described. 

This is a fascinating story that continues to shape events today. Please come and see our faith through a new lens.  

Thursday Bible Study
10 a.m. in Room 14

Over the course of the spring we are studying the lives and wisdom of biblical women, leading up to St. Stephen’s 50th anniversary celebration of women’s ordination in the Episcopal Church. All are welcome; no registration or prior attendance is needed. This group is led by St. Stephen's clergy. 

The Daily Office

Though Daily Morning Prayer is offered year-round at St. Stephen's Church, Lent can be an especially appropriate time to begin the practice of regularly attending this service from the Book of Common Prayer. Morning Prayer (followed by Communion from the Reserved Sacrament) begins at 8:10 a.m. and lasts about 30 minutes. Many people like to gather for coffee after this service to enjoy fellowship before leaving for work or other commitments.

If you cannot be present in person, you can watch a livestream of Morning Prayer here. (There is no service of Morning Prayer on Ash Wednesday.)

You can also pray Morning Prayer or other services from the Daily Office on your own. You'll find them beginning on  page 36 in the Book of Common Prayer.

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