Lent at St. Stephen’s

The 40 days of Lent provide time for reflection and recommitment. We use this time to rend our hearts, in the words of the prophet Joel–to acknowledge and lament the ways we obscure God’s dream for the world. We rend our hearts and ask God to recast them, to create in us new hearts, that we may love as God loves and share in the renewal of creation. Please join us in these weeks ahead. Our services each Sunday are held at 8:00, 9:00, and 11:15 a.m., and at 5:30 and 8:00 p.m. We also provide formation offerings during this season to which all are welcome. We hope you will join us.

Ash Wednesday services

March 5, 2025

Holy Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes
7:30 a.m. in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd (no music)
Noon in the church (with music)
7:30 p.m. in the church (with music)

  • There is no Morning Prayer or Wonderful Wednesday supper on Ash Wednesday.
  • No child care is available during Ash Wednesday services.
  • The February 22 Palmer Hall service will include Imposition of Ashes.
Ash Wednesday services livestream

The service bulletin will be posted here before Ash Wednesday.

Sundays in Lent

Through March 22 (schedule changes for Palm Sunday and Easter Day)
8 a.m., Holy Eucharist: Rite One in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd
9 a.m. in the main church, Holy Eucharist: Rite Two*
9 a.m. in Palmer Hall, Holy Eucharist: Rite Two*
10:10 a.m., Formation and education for all ages*
5:30 p.m. in the main church, Celtic Evensong and Communion*
6:30 p.m., Sunday Community Supper in Fellowship Hall
8 p.m., sung Compline in the church

On Sunday, March 29 (Palm Sunday) and Sunday, April 5 (Easter Day) the scheduled changes. The early service begins at 7:30 a.m., and there is no Sunday Forum nor other morning formation.

Livestreams of Sunday services are here.

Lent resources

A limited number of complimentary copies of Living Well Through Lent are available at Information Central (the large table outside the parish office). The meditations in this booklet are also available as daily emails from Living Compass. Visit their website and scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up for these emails.

Complimentary meditation booklets from Westminster-Canterbury will also be available at Information Central.

Forward Day by Day is a booklet of daily devotions published by Forward Movement. Copies are available in a rack at Information Central; a $1 donation per booklet is requested.

Lent Madness is a lighthearted, educational, and participatory take on “March Madness” where participants learn about a wide variety of saints, ancient and modern.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in downtown Richmond across from Capitol Square will hold the John Shelby Spong Speaker Series with Lenten lunches on Wednesdays at noon, February 25, March 4, 11, 18, and 25. Read more here.