Fellowship
Fellowship at St. Stephen’s includes such offerings as twice-weekly suppers (Wednesdays and Sundays), receptions following the 11:15 a.m. Sunday service (10 a.m. in the summer), and activities tailored to particular “cohorts” such as youth, young adults, newcomers, families with children or teenagers, and the Women of St. Stephen’s. Other events happen seasonally, such as the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper the night before Ash Wednesday, or the parish weekend at Shrine Mont. You are welcome at these events whether or not you are a “member” of St. Stephen’s Church.
Below is a list of some of the ways people take part in fellowship here; click on each of the purple buttons to read more.
The best way to stay informed of upcoming fellowship events is to sign up to receive the eSpirit and other newsletters that pertain to your interests, such as the young adults newsletter, the family ministry newsletter, or the Women of St. Stephen’s newsletter.
Newcomer Receptions
A few times during the year, the rector and other members of the parish staff host a reception especially for those who are new to this community of faith. And the definition of “new” is completely up to you!
If you’ve recently joined St. Stephen’s Church, or you have visited but have not yet decided whether this will become your church home, please come to the next reception on Thursday, September 26, 5:30-7 p.m.
These gatherings are very informal. We serve appetizers, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages.
To ask a question or RSVP for the next newcomer reception, send an email to Mary Feldman.
Parish Suppers
We love gathering on Sundays and Wednesdays for fellowship and delicious food! Our supper coordinator, Claire Hackley, always welcomes helping hands to prepare, serve, and clean up with her. Please let her know if you’re interested in helping. You don’t need to volunteer every week, but we do ask you to let Claire know in advance to expect you. We need volunteers for both Sundays and Wednesdays.
Menus are posted on this page as soon as we receive them.
Sunday suppers
6:30 p.m. year-round | No reservations needed | Donation-based
The Sunday Community Supper is donation-based; pay what you can. (If you want to cover the cost of your meal and the staff who prepare food and clean up, that’s $8.) Some people like to donate over and above the cost of their meal, since others are unable to donate. It all works out! Everyone is welcome, not just those who attend the Celtic service or Compline.
Volunteers work with staff member Claire Hackley to prepare, serve, and clean up. Please contact Claire if you can help. You do not need to volunteer every Sunday, and if you wish to step away to attend the Celtic service, you may. You also do not need to have advanced cooking skills–just a willingness to help.
Wednesday suppers
Wednesday suppers resume in September
5:45 p.m.-6:30 p.m. during the program (academic) year | No reservations needed | Suggested donations below
On Wednesday evening during the program (academic) year, St. Stephen’s offers an informal parish supper in the Fellowship Hall (the very large room in the parish house). “Wonderful Wednesdays” are a great way to get to know others in this large parish, and the delicious suppers prepared by our coordinator of kitchen ministries and several volunteers provide time for families, couples and friends to reconnect at the dinner table without having to worry about cooking or cleaning up.
Supper is served buffet style from 5:45 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. The suggested donation for this supper is $9 for older children (age 10 and up) and adults, $5 for children age 9 and younger, and a family maximum of $30.
Young Adult Fellowship
Young adults gather in a variety of ways, from Sunday morning conversations in the Café @ St. Stephen’s to social gatherings to book groups. Information on upcoming offerings is available through
- The eSpirit (subscribe here)
- The Spirit (printed newsletter handed out on Sundays)
- The young adults email newsletter (subscribe here)
The Rev. Will Stanley is the staff liaison for young adults.
The Women of St. Stephen’s
All women who are part of St. Stephen’s Church are considered members of the Women of St. Stephen’s. If you are familiar with the Episcopal Church, you may know about the Episcopal Church Women or ECW; here, we simply call ourselves the Women of St. Stephen’s.
You are invited to participate in anything the group offers: the monthly Women’s Forum, May Fair House cooking teams, shop volunteers, outreach opportunities, and more. The Women of St. Stephen’s publish a brochure each fall which lists the programs and speakers scheduled for the monthly forum, and providing details about other opportunities to be involved. Men are also welcome to participate in any and all of the group’s offerings.
The Women of St. Stephen’s also send occasional emails about their activities. These emails are free, open to all, and we will not give your email address to any outside party.
Adults of all ages take part in nearly everything we offer at St. Stephen’s Church, from small groups to the Women of St. Stephen’s, outreach ministries to cooking parish suppers or May Fair House foods, attending the parish weekend at Shrine Mont and Bible study–to name just some of these activities. Some groups and activities, however, are especially for senior adults.
St. Stephen’s clergy regularly visit Westminster-Canterbury or Cedarfield where many St. Stephen’s parishioners live. Our clergy lead worship services at Westminster-Canterbury, and work in partnership with area churches to provide support at Cedarfield. The clergy attend regular receptions for St. Stephen’s parishioners at Westminster-Canterbury, as well as social events at Cedarfield. Residents in each of these communities send information and invitations to parishioners; to ensure you’re on the list to receive these communications, send an email to Mary Feldman.
A relatively new group calling themselves EpiscoPals is comprised of retired parishioners who enjoy providing support to the staff, from volunteering in the office to bringing in goodies to share. Chip Tompkins is the contact.
The Parish Weekend at Shrine Mont
For many years, St. Stephen’s parishioners of all ages, individuals, couples, and families, have gathered for a weekend together at Shrine Mont, the diocesan camp and conference center in western Shenandoah County. This is a time for rest and relaxation, reflection and reconnection with God and one another. This is a wholly intergenerational event—all ages are welcome!
The weekend begins Friday evening and continues with Saturday morning formation for adults, youth, and children facilitated by St. Stephen’s clergy and staff. Friday evening and Saturday afternoon and evening will offer an abundance of time for fellowship, conversation, play, and rest individually or in small groups. The special time together concludes Sunday morning with Eucharist in the Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration.