Sixteen years: A consequential tenure
T
here are many words that can describe the time that the Rev. Gary Jones led St. Stephen’s Church as our rector, but none is more apt than “consequential.” As our vicar notes in his reflection in this issue, the past 16 years have been transformational. It can be easy to overlook or forget how far we’ve come By Sarah Bartenstein during this period. Here are a few of the things that have become a part of the fabric of our life as a parish, and which will continue to be.
Renowned writers, teachers, poets, civic and religious leaders, experts, and others have spoken to standing-room-only audiences in the church and the Fellowship Hall, during events that have attracted people from throughout the community. Speakers have included poet Mary Oliver; U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Tretheway; poet Jane Hirshfield; writer Anne Lamott; priest, professor and writer Barbara Brown Taylor; brothers from the Society of St. John the Evangelist; historian and commentator Jon Meacham; teacher, poet, and authority on Celtic spirituality John Philip Newell; pastor, writer, and podcaster Rob Bell; priest and entrepreneur Becca Stevens; Harvard professor and author Harvey Cox; writer Pico Iyer; and many, many others.
The thing for which we may have become known most widely is the Celtic service, held at 5:30 p.m. each Sunday, and that’s probably because of two things. One is the profound effect this service has on the people who attend it. The other is the wide net it has cast. This service has attracted people from all over the city: St. Stephen’s parishioners, clergy and people from other churches and religious traditions, people of no religious tradition, people who had been estranged from the church. The service has become so appreciated and so well-known that clergy and church leaders from around the country have visited St. Stephen’s to attend the service. Faith communities from around the world have requested information about how to begin or adapt a similar service in their own settings. At last count, the parish staff had fielded requests from 170 churches, cathedrals and chapels in 40 states, and 26 from 12 countries outside the United States. Many are Episcopal or Anglican communities, but others are not.
Emmaus groups have also become integral to our life. Groups of women and men meet for 10 weeks at a time to consider “How is it with my soul?” and to support one another, read and reflect on Scripture together, and engage in acts of service together. In fact, during the pandemic, one of the most frequent questions the staff received was, “When can my Emmaus group come back into the parish house?”
Its influence extends beyond the Celtic service itself. Perhaps you prefer the traditional services from the Book of Common Prayer, which we offer every Sunday morning (Holy Eucharist: Rite One and Holy Eucharist: Rite Two), as well as those we offer on weekdays from the Daily Office. If you attend any of these services, you’ve experienced the reverence, the silences, the cadences and rhythms that are found in the Celtic service—characteristics that make Prayer Book services that much more beautiful and holy. St. Stephen’s has become known as a place to learn from others.
An already-robust outreach ministry has expanded dramatically to include a free “grocery store” for those who need food assistance, overseas mission trips in new locations, more “hands-on” engagement with our partners in the East End, youth involvement in outreach, onsite assistance in communities that have been affected by natural disasters … the list of consequential ministries Gary inspired goes on. We’ve become known for the thriving farmers market we established 12 years ago—a favorite not only with customers but among the farmers themselves. We began a café to serve our youth and other parishioners, as well as the larger community. It became a lifeline for those feeling isolated during the pandemic, who visited with friends at outdoor tables in all kinds of weather. We established the Virginia Girls Choir, a community-wide choir to sing in church and well beyond it. These talented girls continued
8
SEASONS OF THE SPIRIT
Trim Size: 8.5 in x 11 in
Job Number: 395187 • Page Name: 395187_Newsletter_FA.p8.pdf Date: 11-Jun-2021 • Time: 18:32 Page Colors • Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
