MINISTRIES AT ST. STEPHEN’S

St. Stephen’s is an active parish. We have a variety of ministries and groups to meet a wide range of interests and needs. For more information on each of these ministries, please go to the link for that heading.

Worship
Helping in worship and liturgy are the following groups:

St. Martha’s Altar Guild, Church Choir, Contemporary Music Team, lectors (lay readers), chalice bearers, Lay Eucharistic Visitors, acolytes, greeters and ushers.

Learning for All Ages
Christian education at St. Stephen’s includes the following:

For adults: Sunday morning adult education class, Education for Ministry (EFM), Lenten evening program and presentations

For children and youth: Sunday morning program (Children’s Church, music and worship, Sunday School), Youth Group for teens, Confirmation classes, communion class

Prayer and Care Ministries
A prayer list is published in each Sunday worship bulletin. For inclusion in this list, please call the office or talk with the rector, Fr. John Shepard.

The Healing Team invites prayers for healing at each 10:15am Sunday Eucharist during communion.

The clergy regularly makes visitations to those who are ill, homebound, or in any need or trouble, and also give pastoral care and counseling when needed. Contact any of the clergy for assistance or questions, or with any of your concerns, and especially if you are ill and/or hospitalized. Pre-marital counseling, marriage counseling, and other pastoral counseling is also available from the clergy.

Lay Eucharistic Visitors (formerly called Lay Eucharistic Ministers) bring communion to the homebound each Sunday on a regular schedule.

Parish and Community Programs
The following groups are active at St. Stephen’s for fellowship and outreach:

Women in Ministry (WIM) — formerly Episcopal Churchwomen (ECW) —  for all women in the church; Glastonbury Society for retired gentlemen members; St. Clement’s Library Guild for anyone interested in caring for the library resources; Sew ‘n Sow Group for quilters; Youth Group for teens and their friends and Kids For Christ (KFC) for 3rd-5th graders.

Each June we run a week long Basketball Camp that is open to any children in Spokane between the ages of 5-12.

Other community activities are: the annual Rummage Sale, the annual Wine Tasting Gala and Auction, a Senior Aerobics Class, and occasional seasonal events.

Giving and Serving
St. Stephen’s has a very active share in the Episcopal Church’s United Thank Offering (UTO), which gathers offerings twice a year.

We are also active in local community services, such as CROP Walk, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Spokane Interfaith Council, Spokane Task Force on Race Relations, and the Food Bank. Internationally, we provide assistance and ministry in Belize, at the Episcopal medical clinic in Honduras, and to the Karen refugee children in Burma. One group, Sew ‘n Sow, makes quilts and knitted hats for various agencies in the community to give to those needing comfort and care.

A stewardship team works to encourage good stewardship and care of the church through thoughtful giving of our time, talents and treasures for the good of Christ’s Church and the glory of God.

Life Celebrations
Those who help with the various celebrations of our lives include the following:

For special services: the Altar Guild, greeters and ushers, and lectors/chalice bearers

In preparation for baptisms, marriages and funerals, the rector Fr. John Shepard will meet with the parties to discuss the services and to do any preparation or counseling as needed.

The Fabric of the Church
Groups involved in the regular maintenance of the church, its grounds, and its staff are: Finance Committee, Property Committee, Trust and Endowment Committee, Columbarium Committee, Personnel Committee, Stewardship Committee, and the myriad office and church volunteers.