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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

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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.

More about Services Contact Us

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.

More about Children More about Youth

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)

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OUR LOCATION

6000 Grove Avenue Richmond, VA 23226
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Local outreach locations fall 2022

We are grateful to be able to return to many of our pre-pandemic outreach activities this fall. Here are some opportunities.

Peter Paul RVA

Reading Buddy

  • Meet one-on-one with a student for reading, literacy activities, games and some homework.
  • Monday-Thursday, 4 to 5 p.m.
  • Commitment: one day per week for an hour

Math Buddy

  • Work one-on-one with a student to practice math skills
  • Monday-Thursday, 4 to 5 p.m.
  • Commitment: one day per week for an hour

Classroom Assistant

  • Assist with classroom activities as directed by the teacher.
  • Monday-Friday, 3:30-6 p.m.
  • Commitment: flexible days, two-hour shifts

Class Sponsor

  • Visit a class monthly to host holiday parties, sponsor activities, or just visit with the students.
  • Monday-Friday, 4 to 6 p.m.
  • Commitment: monthly participation throughout the school year 

All volunteers must complete a Communities in Schools orientation, offered on-line and in person. If you are interested in volunteering or have questions, please contact Nancy Thompson; call or text 804.334.3839 or send her an email.

Fairfield Court Elementary School

Fairfield Court Elementary School is one of our long-time outreach partners.  Many St. Stephen’s parishioners have enjoyed helping the students in a variety of ways. This is the first time in two years that volunteers are allowed back in the school building.  Volunteering usually starts in October after the needs of students have been determined. There are four volunteer opportunities: 

  • Mentoring one or two students, typically with reading and math skills
  • Serving as a Lunch Buddy and building a relationship with a student
  • Delivering Feed More backpacks to the school
  • Helping to hand out snacks at the beginning of the school day 

The time commitment varies, ranging from one Thursday per month for backpack delivery to an hour every week for mentoring and being a lunch buddy.  Handing out snacks can be done as infrequently as once or twice a month, or more often if desired.  We coordinate all volunteer activity with Suzy Blevins, the Communities in Schools site coordinator. 

All volunteers except those delivering backpacks must complete a CIS orientation, offered online and in person in September. If you are interested in volunteering, or have questions, please contact Linda Carpenter calling or texting 804.839.7798 or by email.

School supplies

A supply drive is underway for Fairfield Court Elementary School, through October 16. Please bring items to the outreach table. 

  • Primary paper (like this); no loose leaf paper, please
  • Scissors
  • Tissues
  • Dry erase markers
  • Composition notebooks; no spiral notebooks, please
  • Construction paper
  • Flash cards
  • Crayons
  • Markers
  • Pencils
  • Folders (plastic ones are more durable)
  • Water bottles (reusable) since students can't drink directly from the fountain
  • Leggings (Kids size 5 - 16)
  • Boys sweatpants (Kids sizes 5-16)
  • Belts
  • Underwear (Kids sizes 5-16)

Additional opportunities

Be sure to read the article in the fall 2022 edition of Seasons of the Spirit on page 20 about other partners who would like our help. If you don't have a copy of the magazine handy, you can read it online.

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