.png)
MINISTRIES AT ST STEPHEN'S
Our parish is blessed with a variety of ministries, each dedicated to serving God, strengthening the parish community, and extending faith and love to others. This page offers an overview of each ministry, highlighting the unique ways they serve. Whether the focus is youth programs, worship, outreach, or fellowship, these ministries provide meaningful opportunities to grow, serve, and connect within the life of the Church.
.png)
CATECHISM
The Catechism Ministry Team teaches the Orthodox Christian faith with clarity and love, accompanies inquirers and catechumens on their journey toward Christ, and, under the spiritual direction of the priest, supports their readiness to enter fully into the life of the Church as Orthodox Christians. We commit to teaching the Orthodox faith as it has been handed down, rooted in Scripture, the Fathers and saints, and the life of the Church.
ST FRANCIS HOUSE
St. Francis House of Hospitality provides housing in a quiet residential setting for men
who are terminally ill. St. Stephen’s helps to support St. Francis House by leasing the
house in which the men live. Periodic work days allow parishioners to assist in cleanup
or beautification. Services are occasionally held in the chapel of St. Francis house and
attended by parishioners.
PASTORAL CARE
The St. Juliana the Merciful Pastoral Care Ministry offers emotional, social, and spiritual support to parishioners. Focused on helping those facing many challenges in life, including illnesses, death and dying, loss of a loved one, miscarriages, grief, and parenting, the ministry addresses needs as identified by the clergy, the prayer list, and parishioners themselves. Members of the ministry team serve through pastoral visits, phone calls, physical help as needed, and occasional classes/retreats in which we listen, pray, support, and encourage. By offering of themselves in times of need, they hope to provide comfort and love as brothers and sisters in Christ.
CHURCH SCHOOL
Our Sunday School program is dedicated to teaching the children and teenagers of our church (ages 5-18) about the practices, traditions, and history of our Eastern Orthodox faith using approved Orthodox curriculum materials for various age levels. All instructors have completed the requirements outlined by the Orthodox Church in America and have successfully passed a background check.
Church School classes are held immediately following reception of Holy Communion and are typically 45 minutes in length. Our teachers are committed to the education of our youth as they devote time to prepare and plan lessons each week.
CHOIR
The Church Choir sings in the a cappella tradition (without instrumental accompaniment), with a repertoire reflecting the diversity of our parish itself. This includes a mixture of musical influences such as the Eastern Slavic and Russian heritage of the
parish’s founders, Byzantine chant, and of note (and most promising), the growing collection of music composed by American Orthodox musicians.
The most valuable aspect about the choir is that it has delivered through song the Church’s theological truths to the liturgical assembly, thereby moving it closer to the heart of the Christian message – which is Christ Himself.
HOSPITALITY
The Hospitality Team exists
not merely to efficiently execute coffee hour but to provide hospitality as a spiritual virtue. For
inspiration and guidance, the team adopted the icon Hospitality of Abraham as our patron.
Abraham welcomed the visitors, made them comfortable at the table in the shade, and hurried to provide them food and drink. This simple act of hospitality as portrayed in the icon is elevated to the most profound act of depicting the Trinity and the unique mutually shared love of God, the Son and Holy Spirit, making them indistinguishable from each other. It is our hope that we can emulate Abraham’s hospitality in such a way that visitors and parishioners will feel a genuine care and love towards them. We provide hospitality by providing different food offerings, making sure coffee and other beverages are ready, and that seating is available, always attempting to make visitors feel comfortable and welcome. In addition, the team is committed to keeping the kitchen neat, clean, and orderly.
BEAUTIFICATION
The purpose of the Beautification Team is to glorify God by maintaining a beautiful space for worship and community life at St. Stephen’s. The Beautification Team values beauty, team work, and stewardship, and are responsible stewards of the physical resources
God has given to us. We build community by working together and sharing the understanding that the condition of our facilities should be consistent with the beauty of our worship and liturgical life. The tasks include the routine monthly chores, leadership during the four annual parish workdays, and accomplishing special projects.
FLOWERS
The Flower Ministry is called to glorify God through the beauty if His creation, adorning the temple with living flowers as an offering of worship and a reflection of His eternal glory. In the spirit of the ancient tradition that beauty itself is a form of theology, we seek to enhance the sacred space of the church for every Divine Liturgy, feast day, and holy season - from the radiant joy of Pasche and the Nativity
of Christ to the solemn reverence of the Great Feasts and the commemoration of the saints.
As flowers are a symbol of resurrection, renewal, and the beauty of the Kingdom to come, our ministry reminds the faithful that creation itself praises the Lord. We serve as stewards of God's house, and welcome ll to his ministry of beauty and service.
COMMUNICATIONS
Reflecting the heart and dedication of St. Gabriel the Archangel and Divine Messenger, the communications ministry consists of a group of parishioners committed to using their skills and background to fulfill its mission to "inspire
engagement within our parish and to faithfully convey the vision of our church." We aim to do this by connecting people to the life and mission of St Stephen through clear, compelling, and welcoming communication that invites participation and reflects the heart of our community. As part of this work, the ministry team manages the website, social media channels, weekly e-newsletter, signage, videos, and other channels.
ALTAR SERVICE
The Acolyte & Sacristan team is a group of Orthodox young and adult men who maintain and serve in the sacristy and altar. Acolytes are altar servers and assist the priests and deacons during the services. They help glorify God by participating in the processions of the parish.
Sacristans arrive early to prepare the temple for church services. They vacuum the nave, refill and light lamps and candles, organize the blessed bread and wine, and get the censers ready, among other tasks as necessary.
