Connect and Serve at
St. Stephen’s Church
St. Stephen’s Church is a vibrant community with ministries that allow each of us to deepen our relationships with God and one another.
The New Testament describes the church as a body with many members, and each member has an important role to play in the functioning of the body. Some of us are teachers, some are cooks, some are gifted in providing hospitality, some are leaders of worship, some are counselors, some work with their hands, some are called to a ministry of prayer, and so on. Whatever your gift or inclination, there is a place for you and a role for you to play in keeping our community strong and healthy.
Whether you are new to St. Stephen’s Church, or you simply wish to deepen your involvement in this community of faith, this page of our website is designed to provide some avenues that can enrich your spiritual journey.
Connect
Getting connected in a large parish can be a challenge at first. At St. Stephen’s Church, there are numerous ways to plug in, from small groups to service and outreach opportunities to choirs to classes. You are welcome to take part in just about anything this community offers–as a visitor, a newcomer, or a member. You might visit the Farmers Market @ St. Stephen’s on Saturday morning, or join a small group. You could attend a parish supper on Wednesday or Sunday, or attend a newcomers reception. Volunteer in one of our many guilds, committees, groups, or outreach ministries. Spend some time on this website to see what’s available to you.
You might also like to attend a Quarterly Ministry Night, where various standing committees of the vestry gather for supper followed by committee meetings that are open to all. These provide a window on the work of these committees and where you might like to engage.
Learn more about:
Small groups
Guilds (altar guild, flower guild, needlepoint guild, icon guild)
Choirs
Farmers Market @ St. Stephen’s
Food Ministry
Pastoral care
Contemplative prayer groups
Art ministry
Men’s prayer groups (on small groups page)
The Women of St. Stephen’s
The May Fair House
Outreach
Quarterly Ministry Nights
And of course, please contact us if we can help you!
Serve
Serving one another not only strengthens our common life, it deepens our relationships with God and one another. It provides opportunities to get to know people who are new to us. And service reminds us that each of us is an important member of the Body of Christ, the church.
Below are groups and ministries ready to welcome your participation.
Worship Ministries
Pastoral Care Ministries
- Pastoral care teams
- Prayer shawl ministry
- Eucharistic visitors
- Healing prayer and anointing ministry
Contact Mary Feldman for additional information. Details about pastoral care ministries are available here.
Kitchen Ministries
- Help in the kitchen on Sunday evenings (year-round) and Wednesday evenings (school year); contact Claire Hackley
- Cook with May Fair House volunteers; contact the Women of St. Stephen’s
Youth Ministries
- Mentor or teach
- Chaperone field trips
- Provide refreshments for the Sunday morning youth Bible study or other youth gatherings.
- No one will be asked to take on one of these roles without another volunteer or a staff person, except Confirmation mentors.
Contact Caroline Harris for additional information or to volunteer.
Children’s Ministries
Train to become a catechist for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, or serve as an assistant.
Serve in Palmer Hall Chapel services on Sundays (there are roles for adults and children).
No one will be asked to take on one of these roles without another volunteer or a staff person.
Contact the Rev. Abby Kocher to volunteer or ask for additional information.
Farmers Market
Do you shop at our farmers market on Saturdays? You can combine your shopping trip with a vital volunteer opportunity by assisting our market manager and other staff and volunteers with set-up, at the welcome table, or in other ways. Gleaners are also needed during the last half-hour of each market. Volunteers are given shifts so that no one works the entire time, nor do they need to work every Saturday. This activity is suitable for youth as well as adults. Please contact Anna Jones to learn more.
The Women of St. Stephen’s and May Fair House
The Women of St. Stephen’s offer a wide range of volunteer opportunities, including working in their shop, the May Fair House; preparing foods to sell in the May Fair House; Gracious Gourmets, who prepare meals for those who have recently welcomed a new baby or suffered a loss; and other opportunities. Please visit the Women of St. Stephen’s page for more information about this organization and the many ways to be involved and serve others.
Outreach Ministries
Many of our outreach ministries are coordinated by parishioners. To speak to someone about any of these ministries, contact Anna Jones; she will put you in touch with the right person.
- Serve as a classroom assistant/ tutor in Richmond’s East End
- Serve as a Mentor or Lunch Buddy to an elementary school child
- Take part in our HANDS Ministry and Rebuilding Together Richmond, repairing homes in our community
- Help in our food pantry, sorting donations, stocking shelves, and assisting patrons as they select the foods that are most appropriate for their own households.
- Glean produce (work at the Farmers Market on Saturdays for about 30 minutes from 11:30 to closing, to collect unsold items for our food ministry)
Fairfield School
Fairfield Court Elementary School has many opportunities for volunteers, including as classroom assistants, readers, tutors and lunch buddies.
Anna Julia Cooper School
This independent, tuition-free school in the East End was founded in part by St. Stephen’s Church. It began as a middle school but is in the process of expanding grades. A number of opportunities are available.
Peter Paul RVA
Formerly known as the Peter Paul Development Center, this East End institution has been a ministry of the Episcopal Church for decades, and St. Stephen’s relationship with them goes back many years. Peter Paul serves school-age children and youth as well as senior citizens. Peter Paul recruits volunteers for various tasks which are publicized in our weekly communications, the Spirit and the eSpirit.
Seasonal Projects
In late summer, St. Stephen’s holds drives for school supplies (and sometimes books or other items) for East End schools. At Thanksgiving, parishioners provide ingredients for festive holiday meals, such as turkeys, potatoes, and other foods. In addition to the donations, we need help sorting, boxing, and transporting these items to recipients. In December, we have for several years set up a Christmas Shop at Fairfield Court Elementary School, stocked with books, toys, clothing, games and other items which parents and grandparents may select for their children. Items for the shop as well as volunteers to staff it will be needed. For all these opportunities, look for dates, deadlines, and other details in our weekly communications.
Creation Care
Our creation care group is composed of parishioners who are especially interested in the stewardship of God’s creation care and the ways that our parish and individual parishioners can contribute to its wellbeing. Read more here. The staff liaison is Anna Jones.
Art Ministry
Rotating exhibits of work by local student, amateur, and professional artists is on display in the Café @ St. Stephen’s, in a gallery next to the large fellowship hall, and in the May Fair House (the gift shop managed by the Women of St. Stephen’s). The Farmers Market @ St. Stephen’s also has many vendors who display original art and beautiful crafts. We are grateful to these talented artists who offer their God-given gifts to make our common spaces more beautiful.
If you would like to serve in our art ministry by recruiting and curating pieces by local artists and artisans–or if you would like to display your own work in one of these spaces–please be in touch with us using the contact form.
Office Volunteers
Front desk volunteers answer phones and greet visitors while staff are at lunch or in meetings; if you’d like to have administrative or clerical tasks to perform during your shift, these can be available, but are not required.
Collators insert the Spirit newsletter into liturgical bulletins each week (usually on Fridays); this is also a wonderful opportunity for fellowship
For more information, call the parish office at (804) 288-2867 or send an email to Kitty Ball.