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Education

No matter where you are on your faith journey, we believe that Christian Education is an essential part of being a disciple of Jesus. St. Stephen’s takes this responsibility seriously to support you on this formation journey. We view Christian Education as a partnership that embodies our shared commitment to one another and to Christ whom we follow and serve. Our way of living out the promise we make at our baptisms is to “continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship.” 

We offer programs for everyone across the lifespan. Here you can find information about what we’re currently offering.

Please contact Jeremy Godwin, our Director of Formation, if you have any questions.

We hope that you will come and grow with us! 

Formation Programs

Formation | 2024-2027

We are thrilled to announce the launch of a new three-year formation cycle at St. Stephen’s!

We’ve done some imaginative and creative things over the past four years during and after the pandemic, as we sought to minister in a new landscape. This new three-year cycle is born out of that period of reflection and seeks to move us forward into the next phase of our life together.

This three-year cycle is a comprehensive approach to formation that will allow every single member of our parish community to participate in big and small ways. What we promise, in return, is that you will find meaningful ways to be nurtured in this lifelong process of being formed as a disciple of Jesus.

guiding principles/goals

Emotion + Experience - We bring our emotions and our experiences on our faith journeys. This cycle will foreground that connection as a way of organizing the Scripture thematically, as well as guiding how we approach the Scripture.

Spirituality - By actively seeking to name how our emotions and experiences interact with Scripture, we’ll build on this by process by examining the insights that arise and in turn, exploring how those insights lead to spiritual growth.

Connection - This process will not be undertaken alone. The ultimate goal is to invite the kind of vulnerability that leads to genuine connection by engaging with one another on this mutual journey.

Three Levels

At Home - We’ll provide a mix of physical and digital resources that align with each theme for members to engage in formation in their homes—whether they are a household of one or many. There will also be opportunities to respond back in virtual spaces and at church.

Small Groups - There will be classes (like the adult formation class at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings) as well as periodic opportunities for check-ins or activities with small groups to share insights as we move through each theme.

Church-Wide - During each theme, we’ll have at least one offering that involves the whole parish—usually a liturgy, but sometimes a lecture or other program.

Year 1 | Psalms: Songs For Every Season

Fall 2024

Season after Pentecost Part I: Introduction

At-Home

  • Our at-home component for the first unit will be announced at our Kick-Off Sunday service on September 8 and will be updated here the following day. Each member of our community will receive resources to start the journey through this new year.

  • Online resource hub will be launched that day as well.

Small Group

  • Adult Formation | 9:00 a.m. | Annex Conference Room

    **beginning Sunday, September 17

    For this unit, we’ll be exploring the Psalter as a whole through the lens of theology, history, and spirituality. Individual topics to be announced here soon.

Church-Wide

  • Look out in the Windowpane, on our social media pages, and in the Narthex for ways to respond to our at-home components.

Season after Pentecost Part 2: Anxiety and Gratitude

At-Home

  • Our at-home component for the second part of the fall will be launched in October.

Small Group

  • Adult Formation | 9:00 a.m. | Annex Conference Room
    For this unit, we’ll be exploring individual psalms of anxiety and gratitude in depth.

Church-Wide

  • Sunday, October 13 | 5:00 p.m. | Church

    “I am Restless” - Join us for a multisensory service based on Psalms of Anxiety. It will be a time and space to bring your own anxieties and join with the voice of the Psalmist in lifting those concerns up to God.

  • Sunday, November 17 | 10:15 a.m. | Instructed Eucharist

    During our 10:15 a.m. service, we’ll have an Instructed Eucharist, where we’ll learn more about the Sacrament of Thanksgiving.

Other Formation Programs

Bible Studies 

MEN’S BIBLE STUDY - resumes September 3, 2024
Tuesday | 7:30 A.M. | The Rev. Stephen Elkins-Williams

This bible study will meet mainly on Zoom;
Zoom (Meeting ID: 842 7568 0536 | Passcode: 261181)

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY- resumes September 12, 2024
Thursday | 10:00 A.M. | Dr. Jeremy Godwin & The Rev. Sanford Key

This bible study will meet in-person in the Annex conference room.

MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY  |  2:00 P.M.
Currently meeting off-site.