YOUR GIFTS AT WORK

Dear Friends,

I am excited to introduce the inaugural edition of a publication highlighting the fruit of your gifts in our community and beyond. Graphics, data, photos and short descriptions show the breadth of our parish activity within and beyond St. Stephen’s campus. This edition focuses primarily on outreach, formation, and worship. Future issues will include other ministries. Your financial support and hands-on engagement make all of it possible; collectively these ministries make a sizeable impact in our community. Thank you!

This publication is designed to complement the fuller Seasons of the Spirit magazine we’ve been sending quarterly for many years. We’ll continue to publish the magazine twice a year, with longer features and reflective pieces about the life of faith and the life of our parish. Each of these publications will also be available on our website. Please let us know what you think as we explore this new pattern of print and digital publications in the Seasons of the Spirit family, and many thanks to Sarah Bartenstein, our communications director, for her great work launching this new offering!

Faithfully,

The Rev. John D. Rohrs, Rector

SO FAR IN 2023:

25 Baptisms 25 Confirmations 5 Marriages and blessings

21 Funerals

42 Transfers in

22 Transfers out

St. Stephen’s Church has something happening seven days a week, from classes and groups for adults to offerings for young people; from choir rehearsals to food pantry distribution, from service in our café to the Saturday farmers market. But the main event is worship, when parishioners, visitors, and spiritual seekers come to worship God and to be reminded of God’s blessings.

SO FAR IN 2023, our Average Sunday Attendance (ASA) at worship services is 716 in-person; 366 virtually = 1,082 Total

Easter Day 2023 attendance: 1,868 in-person; 1,115 virtually = 2,983 Total

Total Holy Week (Palm Sunday through Easter Day) attendance: 3,438 in-person; 2,095 virtually = 5,533 Total

Reels on Instagram and Facebook

Each week we post reels featuring excerpts from the sermon and/or reflection given during the previous Sunday ’s services. Each week these reels average 750 views.

Average Sunday viewership so far for 2023: 350 up from 308 in 2022

Average viewership for the Compline livestream has more than doubled so far this year from 2022

Highest total streaming days: Christmas Eve 2022: 1,007

Easter Day 2023: 1,115

Dogwood Preschool

We are thrilled that Dogwood Preschool will take up residence at St. Stephen’s Church this summer in the space formerly occupied by St. Stephen’s Preschool. Many things about Dogwood will seem familiar, including some of the school’s staff members and the overall philosophy and approach to the development of young children.

School orientation for children and their parents begins September 5, 2023.

Director: Kate Batten

Questions: office@dogwoodpreschool.org; 804.665.4902 Visit dogwoodpreschool.org for an application and other details.

As of July 1:

Children enrolled for this fall: 95 Staff: 21

St. Stephen’s families represented: 11

Number of people registered for the annual icon writing workshop led by Suzanne Schleck at St. Stephen’s Church: 25

Number of people on the waiting list: 22 Number of days it took for the workshop to fill up: one

Over the recently-concluded program year, attendance at the Palmer Hall service increased from about 40 each Sunday to 90 to 100 each Sunday.

The Palmer Hall service takes place from September through May at 9 a.m. in the chapel that served as St. Stephen’s original church building. The liturgy is based on Holy Eucharist: Rite Two from the Book of Common Prayer, and is designed to be especially welcoming to families with young children, using music, a reflection is accessible to all ages (rather than a more traditional sermon), young acolytes, and other elements. The Rev. Cate Anthony, associate rector, and the Rev. Abby Kocher, director of children’s ministry, plan the service. The celebrant is usually Cate or the Rev. John Rohrs.

The parish weekend at Shrine Mont had 66 participants in June 2023. This year the all-ages weekend was led by the Rev. John Rohrs and the Rev. Cate Anthony.

During the 2022-2023 program year, around 30 young adults have consistently and meaningfully engaged with peers through small groups and fellowship.

Vacation Bible School 2023 had 40 children enrolled and 45 youth and adult volunteers.

More than 50 adults took part in one of two inquirers classes offered by the clergy in the 2022-23 program year.