St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Parish Profile
The Vestry of St.
Stephen's Episcopal Church has prepared a Parish Profile dated June 19, 2008
for the position of Priest-in-Charge. The position is contemplated to be a
half time position. Prospective candidates my contact the Search Committee
at
search@ststephensheathsville.org to request a copy of the parish
profile.
Who We Are
St. Stephens' is an inclusive faith community in the
Episcopal (Anglican) tradition. Our mission is to be a welcoming family,
united in Christian love, worship, and service. Our members are a mix of long-time
attendees and newcomers, who all find a supportive community in the church.
We are united in corporate worship and ministry to others, within and
outside our congregation. We are people who want St. Stephen’s to continue
as a vital spiritual force in our lives, our families’ lives and the life of
the larger community of Northumberland County and the Northern Neck.
St. Stephen's congregation reorganized in December 2006, shortly after what was then the congregation voted to sever ties with the Episcopal Church and Diocese of Virginia.
As part of the Episcopal Church, we share in the heritage of the worldwide Anglican Communion. We are a community of Christians guided by Scripture, tradition and reason seeking to interpret our ancient faith in the modern world.
Episcopalians affirm the four principles of the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral-namely,
- the Nicene Creed is a sufficient statement of belief,
- the Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation,
- the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Eucharist, and
- the Historic Episcopate
The Episcopal Church acknowledges that Holy Scripture must be understood within the context of its origins and traditions of interpretation, as well as with the mediation of reason and the Holy Spirit. You will hear this referred to as Scripture, Reason and Tradition. The Episcopal Church, and in fact the Anglican Tradition, has always celebrated its diverse understandings of matters outside the basic tenets of the faith as indicative of humanity's struggle to understand God's will for contemporary societies, but the underlying commonality has always been, and remains, our common belief in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
This belief that Scripture must be interpreted, to some degree, within the context of our common life and culture, is not unique to the Episcopal faith. It is, in fact, evident in all Christian faiths in this country. For example, while biblically endorsed, our culture no longer supports stoning persons to death, severing the hands of the thief, or the tongue of the liar.
The interpretation of scripture, with reason and tradition, and within our common life is not something to be feared, rather, it is something to be treasured. Following the example of our Lord and Savior, ours is a faith of inclusiveness, respecting the dignity of every human being, created in the image of God.
Worship
Worship is at the heart of our community. Holy Eucharist is celebrated on
Sunday mornings at 8:00 am at Heathsville United Methodist Church, and at
11:00 am. on Thursday at the St. Stephen's Parish House.. All Sunday
services have music with choir and piano. Bible Study is held Sunday at 9:30
at the Parish House. Christian Education is offered for adults on most
Thursdays at 6:00 with Pot Luck Supper followed by the program
Where We are Going
Our vision for
St. Stephen’s is to be known as a welcoming and loving faith family -- one
in which we and others clearly see God’s grace and love in our worship, our
actions, and our commitment to each other and to our neighbors.
| Three other congregations have reconstituted themselves in temporary locations after the majority of their congregations voted to leave the Diocese. They are Falls Church Episcopal, St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, Woodbridge, and Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Herndon. |