WELCOME TO ST. STEPHEN'S!
We are an Episcopal Church, The Episcopal Church U.S.A., in the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, The Rt. Rev. WIlliam Stokes, Bishop and we are a member of the world-wide Anglican Communion. We are part of the Associated Parishes of St. Stephen with churches in Riverside and Beverly New Jersey.
Everyone is welcome to receive the sacraments in this church. To arrange for Baptism, the first sacrament, FIrst Communion, Confirmation, Marriage or to be received as a member, please speak to our priest immediately after attending Sunday worship.
We believe that Church is where God call us to extend a radical welcome to everyone: young and old, all colors and nationalities, gay and straight LGBTQ … everyone! We are all welcome to gather here and worship God through our Lord Jesus Christ; to seek and receive forgiveness and reconciliaton; to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ preached with compassion and reason; to let God’s grace transform us. Church is also the place where we explore our common life of commitment and service as Christ’s followers.
We are a place where we all can be ourselves – where we feel safe and at home no matter where we are on our spiritual journey, or how close or how far we might feel from God right now.
We are a place where the Bible and traditions of the Church are respected, and made meaningful in our time. We also believe Church should be fun and joyful. We believe learning is important for all ages. This is a place where, like a family, everyone has a role to play. We believe all Christians are all called to be ministers, and we seek to embody this by inviting the whole family to be involved in activities and worship for the Church and for the community. When we are open to Holy Spirit, our experiences in the Church shape and empower us for work, service and joy in our daily lives and occupations.
What does it mean to be Episcopalian?
We know we live in times of great ambiguity brought about by great change. We’re convinced that the Episcopal Church offers a gift to people living in such times: the unique way we seek balance among Holy Scripture, human reason, and the traditions of the Church. Scripture is primary, but we rely on human reason and the traditions of the Church to guide us in its interpretation and application. We find balance arises, often intuitively, in Holy Spirit’s work in worship and common prayer together. Our experiences in prayer and worship together shape our learning and how we discern where God is calling us. We believe that a life of personal and disciplined devotion also shapes us. In these ways, we seek to follow an ancient tradition that says ‘What we pray is what we believe’. Our prayer together transforms us, reason and tradition shape us, and our beliefs develop as we, as a community, confront the issues in our lives as persons, as families, and as communities.
If you really want to know what we’re about, the best way is to experience it for yourself: Spend some time with us and see how the worship and common prayer shape your heart and mind in unique and grace-filled ways. You’re always welcome here! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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