“Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”

St. Teresa of Avila

The people of St. Stephen’s Church strive to follow the way of Jesus, who embodied the breadth and depth of God’s love throughout his life. Through Holy Baptism and regular sharing in the Eucharist, we are formed in faith and fellowship. We celebrate together life’s milestones – births and baptisms, graduations and weddings, retirements and funerals. We carry that same spirit of community and connection into the world as we strive to love and serve others in the name of Christ.

Each week, St. Stephen’s parishioners can be found tutoring in schools, delivering fresh fruit to low-income communities, and visiting residents of the city jail. Our longstanding engagement in the East End of Richmond includes partnerships with Fairfield Court Elementary School and Peter Paul. With local partners, we founded Anna Julia Cooper School, a tuition-free independent school, and ReWork Richmond, an employment initiative helping adults secure family-sustaining careers. Volunteers with Rebuilding Together Richmond make repairs that allow residents to remain safely in their homes. Farther afield, we support two missionaries caring for vulnerable women and children in Argentina, and we have a history of domestic and international mission trips for youth and adults.

You are invited to join others as they seek to be the hands and feet of Christ.

Feeding and being fed

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Hands and hearts

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Community Partnerships

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Outreach Events

In addition to the ongoing work described above, we hold special events throughout the year.

School Supply Drives

St. Stephen’s parishioners donate school supplies for students in our East End partner schools. Lists of needed supplies are provided in the summer. In 2023, Fairfield Court Elementary School transitioned to a longer school year, so the supplies are needed during the summer. Watch the Spirit and eSpirit for announcements about what’s needed and when.

Golf Tournament

Be part of a fun-filled day at Belmont Golf Course and support outreach ministries in the Richmond area and across the globe when you take part in St. Stephen’s golf tournament. If you do not play golf, you can still take part as a volunteer. The 2024 tournament is scheduled for October 2. More details are here.

Thanksgiving Meals

Parishioners donate fresh produce as well as shelf-stable items in November and volunteers sort and deliver them, along with a turkey, to families identified through our East End partners. A list of the items needed and other details are announced in the Spirit and eSpirit.

Christmas Shop

St. Stephen’s Church holds an annual Christmas Shop in conjunction with our long-standing outreach partners in the East End. Parishioners donate new items for children–books, toys, games, dolls, clothing–based on a list of needs provided by these partners. Volunteers set up a store in the gymnasium of Fairfield Court Elementary School where parents or grandparents may select gifts according to their children’s needs and wishes. Gift wrapping supplies are available to use on-site or to take home. In 2023, the shop expanded to include families from Anna Julia Cooper School. Watch the Spirit and eSpirit for information in late November and earlier December.

Gumbo for Good

St. Stephen’s outreach committee prepares and sells quarts of gumbo to raise additional funding for outreach ministries. Order a quart–or several–for $25 each. Each quart comes with cornbread. Watch the Spirit and eSpirit for details closer to the time (usually just before Lent begins, or soon after).

 

Outreach Grants

St. Stephen’s Church supports outreach ministries in a variety of ways, including leadership and coordination by paid outreach staff, extensive volunteer leadership and involvement, ongoing financial support for ReWork Richmond, annual grants to outreach partners and community organizations, and grants made by the Women of St. Stephen’s.

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Want to get involved with our outreach opportunities? Reach out to learn more!

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