Wednesday evenings for adults
Wednesday evening is gathering time for St. Stephen’s, with a mid-week supper, youth choir rehearsal, and several small groups. This is also a time when we offer occasional programs, listed below; watch the Spirit and eSpirit for additional announcements.
Wednesday evening presentation: Gold Framed by Silver: Abraham Lincoln and our Natural Rights Republic
September 16, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. in Palmer Hall Chapel
Ken Davis, a St. Stephen’s parishioner and widely published legal commentator, will give a short talk on our founding principles and the Constitution enacted to protect them. Ken is former deputy attorney general for the Commonwealth of Virginia. This offering, coming on the eve of the 239th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, continues our commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a good time to reflect on the religious principles that sparked our revolution and which define the purpose of our constitutional government. This presentation will take place in Palmer Hall Chapel after the first Wednesday night supper of the fall. No registration is needed.
Wednesday evening series: Mysteries of the Universe
Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. in Palmer Hall | September 23 and 30, October 7 and 14
September 23
This series begins with Dr. Jack Singal, a professor of astrophysics at the University of Richmond. Using Exodus 33:20 as a framework, Dr. Singal will help us explore the hidden universe being revealed through new discoveries in the fields of astrophysics and cosmology.
September 30
The Rev. Dr. Pan Conrad is an astrobiologist and former NASA scientist who worked on the 2020 Mars Rover mission. She is also an Episcopal priest serving as the interim rector at Memorial Episcopal Church in Baltimore. Dr. Conrad will guide us on a “believer’s journey through the stars,” the title of her new book.
October 7
The Rev. Cate Anthony will conclude the speaking/discussion portion of the series by reflecting on her own interest in the mysteries of the universe, and sharing resources for further study and exploration such as a local planetarium and telescope, “dark parks,” and more.
October 14
The series concludes with a parish movie night with popcorn and a film (title TBA).
Wednesday evening series: Religion and Politics in America
Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. in Palmer Hall | October 21 and 28
Led by the Rev. William L. Sachs. PhD
October 21
A New Birth of Freedom
Using imagery from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, we will consider American life as a “new birth of freedom.”
October 28
A Clash of Dreams
Drawing on Martin Luther King’s speech in Washington in 1963, we will discuss the center of American life as our ability to dream.
As America nears its fall elections our nation’s hopes and fears invoke powerful religious images. Despite the separation of church and state that we value, we want religious influence to be prominent. Yet we are divided over what this means, just as we have been throughout our history. In a two-part series on Wednesday evenings, Bill Sachs will explain the role of religion in American political life. We will consider religion’s prominent role and the divisions that have arisen over religious life. We will also consider how religious life can build shared hope in the midst of all that divides. Join our discussions and discover how we must engage political life on the basis of the hope that grounds our faith.
No registration is needed for Wednesday evening series. Come early to enjoy the Wonderful Wednesdays supper, served in the fellowship hall from 5:45 to 6:30 p.m.