Advent and Christmas at St. Stephen’s

Advent

Some of the most beloved and meaningful traditions of the church year take place during the seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. Here are dates, times and other details of special events, concerts, worship and more.

Daily Advent meditations
Subscribe to receive daily emails featuring seasonal reflections by parishioners, staff, and clergy. If you received these meditations last year during Advent, you do not need to sign up again. If you did not receive them (or you’re not sure), subscribe here. As with all our emails, these are available to all (you do not have to be a St. Stephen’s parishioner), they are free, and we will not share your email address with any outside party. (Did you miss some of the reflections that have been sent so far? Visit this page.)

Advent Fair | Sunday, November 30 | 10-11:15 a.m.
An annual intergenerational event in the fellowship hall; no sign-up is needed. Enjoy fellowship, refreshments, and pick up free Advent resources and activities to use at home. Advent wreath kits will be available for $20 (wreath form, candles, candle holders). If you would like to make your wreath on-site, we will have fresh greenery to use. If you can bring some greenery from home to share with others, please do! No sign-up is needed for the fair, but we ask adults and youth to participate in planning, set-up, refreshments, and assisting younger children during the fair. Volunteer sign-up is here.

Seasonal music program and holiday luncheon | Tuesday, December 2 | 11 a.m.
The Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Michael Simpson will present a program of seasonal music in the church, hosted by the Women of St. Stephen’s and open to all (including men!). A luncheon will follow. The cost of lunch is $15, payable at the door, but please do make a reservation by signing up in the May Fair House or online here.

Christkindlmarket | Wednesday, December 3 | 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Our annual Christkindlmarket is a holiday craft fair hosted by the Farmers Market @ St. Stephen’s in the fellowship hall and courtyard. Enjoy a festive evening of Christmas shopping from dozens of local vendors, as well as carolers, warm drinks, and food. You’ll recognize some vendors from the farmers market, and others will be new. The May Fair House will also be open for shopping that evening. Admission is free.

Longest Night Prayer Service | Wednesday, December 10 | 7:30 p.m.
This service–a successor to the Holiday Memorial Service–is for anyone who is grieving, carrying a burden long past or present, or seeking a respite from holiday stresses. It is for all people for whom the holidays are hard. Gather for prayer, candle lighting, healing music, and rest in the embrace of Christ’s mercy, grace, and peace. The service will be livestreamed here.

Remember also that St. Stephen’s Church is open for private prayer Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., offers healing prayer at the 5:30 Sunday worship service, and a “sound bath” of sung prayer at Sunday’s 8 p.m. Compline service.

Winter Solstice concert | Wednesday, December 17 | 7 p.m.
Our annual 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, our Compline choir, led by interim conductor Jeffrey Riehl, will be joined by cellist Peter Greydanus and guitarist Andrew McEvoy, and the program will include music by composers Reena Esmail, René Clausen, Alf Houkom, Jan Sandström, and more. Reserve your virtual tickets ($20; $10 for students) HERE.

Christmas flower memorials | Due Sunday, December 14
Many parishioners like to donate funds to help with the cost of flowers and greenery decorating the church for Christmas services as a way to remember loved ones, whose names are listed in the Christmas bulletins. To give a memorial, submit your request and donation here, no later than December 14.

Youth Group Holiday Lights Tour | Sunday, December 14 | 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Young people in grades 6 through 12 are invited to the final youth group gathering of 2025 when we’ll gather in the Cafe @ St. Stephen’s in festive attire to take a van tour of Richmond’s holiday lights. Advance sign-up is required. Sign-ups will be open until Monday, December 8, or until we reach capacity.

Sign up for youth

Fairfield School Christmas Shop | Deadline for delivering gift items to church, December 14
St. Stephen’s parishioners donate new toys, games, books, and other items to stock a Christmas shop for parents and grandparents of Fairfield Court Elementary School students. Volunteers sort, deliver, and arrange the items in the Fairfield gym where adults may select things they know their children will use and enjoy, and giftwrap them to present at Christmas. The items needed are specified in a sign-up linked from this page of our website, where you can also sign up for volunteer tasks.

Pageants

Live Nativity | Monday, December 15 | 5 to 6 p.m.
As community members stroll our campus pathways, the story of Jesus’ birth will play out right before their eyes with scripture, music, and some furry friends included! Children bring the nativity to life as angels, shepherds, members of the holy family, and more.

The rain date is Tuesday, December 16 from 5 to 6 p.m.

The 100th Presentation of St. Stephen’s Christmas Pageant  | Sunday, December 21 | 11:15 a.m.
This annual tradition for St. Stephen’s youth in grades 6-12 takes place on the Fourth Sunday of Advent as part of the 11:15 a.m. service. Costumed youth stage multiple scenes form the story of Jesus’ birth. As youth read passages from Scripture from the lectern, each scene moves on a cart through the center aisle of the church. A wide variety of roles range from costumed characters and readers to cart pushers (younger youth who guide the scenes on carts down the aisle). Younger children join the pageant costumed as animals in the final Nativity scene.

This will be the 100th staging of the Christmas pageant, which takes place in the context of a service of Morning Prayer: Rite One. If you are not able to attend in person, you may watch the livestream Sunday morning at 11:15 here.

PAGEANT BULLETIN

Christmas

*Child care available during services with an asterisk

Christmas Eve services | Wednesday, December 24

Things to know

Services take place in the main church with additional seating in Palmer Hall and the fellowship hall where video feeds will be available. Those seated in these spaces will be ushered into the main church to receive Communion.

It’s wise to arrive early and ensure that your entire family or group is present, since ushers will remind you that seat-saving is not permitted.

Some families with young children like to take part in the service from Palmer Hall because it provides a “soft space” for children who need more room to move around.

• Each service is preceded by a half-hour of seasonal music.
• Child care is available during the 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. services.
• All services will be livestreamed.

Tap the button below to see a PDF copy of the Christmas Eve booklet with all services included.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

2 p.m.: Holy Eucharist: Rite Two (music begins at 1:30 p.m.)*

This service planned with children in mind (and the 5 p.m. service is identical to it). It includes a child-focused sermon with the Rev. John Rohrs, rector, and an opportunity for children to move to the chancel during the Great Thanksgiving (the consecration of the Communion elements) and to ring bells with the angels. Music will be led by St. Stephen’s Choristers (our choir of children and youth) and accompanied by organ and strings.

A musical prelude beginning at 1:30 p.m. will include anthems by the choir and carols sung by choir and congregation.

5 p.m.: Holy Eucharist: Rite Two (music begins at 4:30 p.m.)*

This service is identical to the 2 p.m. service with the exception of the choir: St. Stephen’s Choir will lead the singing in this service. The musical prelude begins at 4:30 p.m.

8 p.m.: Celtic Christmas Service (music begins at 7:30 p.m.)

This service includes seasonal music led by cantors and instrumentalists and includes congregational singing. Like our Sunday evening Celtic Evensong and Communion, this candlelit service includes a brief reflection–this year’s reflector is the Rev. Judy Webb Davis–and Holy Communion in a contemplative atmosphere with spacious silences. A musical prelude begins at 7:30 p.m.

11 p.m.: Holy Eucharist: Rite One; traditional Christ Mass
(music begins at 10:30 p.m.)

This service uses the traditional language of Holy Eucharist: Rite One and will feature St. Stephen’s Choir accompanied by organ and orchestra. The preacher this year is the Rev. Cate Anthony.

Additional seating will be available in the fellowship hall where worshipers can participate via a video feed, and be ushered into the church to receive Communion.

The musical prelude at 10:30 p.m. includes Vivaldi’s Gloria.

Christmas Day service | Thursday, December 25 | 10:30 a.m.
Holy Eucharist: Rite Two, with sermon, congregational carols and hymns

Sunday, December 28 | First Sunday of Christmas
8 a.m.: Holy Eucharist: Rite One
10 a.m.: Holy Eucharist: Rite Two*
5:30 p.m.: Celtic Evensong and Communion*
No Palmer Hall service, Sunday formation, Sunday supper or Compline

Sunday, January 4 | Second Sunday of Christmas
8 a.m.: Holy Eucharist: Rite One
10 a.m.: Holy Eucharist: Rite Two with Lessons and Carols*
5:30 p.m.: Celtic Evensong and Communion*
No Palmer Hall service, Sunday formation, Sunday supper or Compline

Epiphany

Epiphany Lessons and Carols | Wednesday, January 14 2026 | 6 p.m.
Similar to the beloved service of Christmas Lessons and Carols made famous by King’s College, Cambridge, this candlelit service features choral and organ music for Epiphany. Bring trimmings of your Christmas greenery to burn at the conclusion of the service, and join us for supper afterwards; a chili cook-off will raise funds for our music program. More details are coming soon.

Holiday schedule notes

Formation

• Sunday morning formation concludes for 2025 on December 14 and resumes January 11, 2026.

Holiday closings

• May Fair House closes for Christmas at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, December 23 and re-opens Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 10 a.m.
• The parish office and café are closed Christmas Day and December 26; they re-open Monday, December 29
• The office and café are closed Thursday, January 1, 2026.

Parish suppers

• There will be no Wonderful Wednesdays supper December 3, but vendors at the Christkindlmarket will have food available for purchase.
• The Wonderful Wednesdays supper on December 10 will be the final one until January 14, 2026.
• The Sunday Community Supper will take place December 21, but will not take place December 28 or January 4.

Compline

• There will be no Compline service December 28 or January 4.

Market, May Fair House, Café

• The Farmers Market @ St. Stephen’s, the May Fair House, and the Café @ St. Stephen’s are open on Saturday morning, December 20.
• May Fair House closes for Christmas at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, December 23 and re-opens Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 10 a.m.
• The market and café are closed the Saturday after Christmas Day, December 27.
• When the market reopens January 3, some vendors will be set up indoors in the fellowship hall, and some will remain outdoors.