Ministries

You might find yourself hawking plants or antiques at St. Stephen’s summer Peasant Market, a gigantic resale market that raises funds each year to support God’s work of love and service locally and throughout the world.

You might navigate around backpacks or school items for the Addison County Back-to-School Shop providing school supplies at minimal cost to children from low-income families.  You also may join other friends from the congregation in a Habitat build or the CROP walk.

In our church building, you will find 12-step groups that come together for support and healing, other support groups (like Speak-Up) through which people grow in personal strength and political strength.  You could encounter college students camping out while they offer their services in agencies throughout the community, or bicyclists overnighting in their mountain rides to raise funds for medical research.  You might participate in all of this simply through your prayers or your monetary offerings.  Know that you are welcome!

 Rector’s Discretionary Fund

It is the custom at St. Stephen’s to dedicate the loose plate offering on the third Sunday of the month to the Rector’s Discretionary Fund. This fund is used at the Rector’s determination for charitable needs among parishioners or for needs within the wider local community. This account is included in the financial audit annually. Throughout the year, the Rector’s Discretionary Fund can also receive gifts from individuals or donations from special occasions. 

Feeding Those in Need: 

●  Community Suppers & Lunches: St Stephen’s Beloved Bakers support the Middlebury Community Supper and community meals at Charter House by providing over 350 servings of home baked desserts each month.

●  We continue our Sunday collection of non-perishble emergency food for area food shelves and encourage extra donations to assist those in need over school vacation and the holidays.

● Our Loaves and Fishes team goes to work preparing and delivering meals for parishioners in need of assistance.

Meeting Special Needs: The St. Stephen’s Outreach Committee coordinates donations from parishioners for projects throughout the year..

●    Each year parishioners donate gifts to the Christmas Shop, organized by our local food bank, HOPE.  Families come to choose free Christmas gifts for their children.

●    Special Christmas gift requests for residents from Helen Porter Nursing residents are met.

●    During Lent we collect new socks for homeless and diabetic people.

●     CROP Hunger Walk in early October, we field a team of walkers (and non-walkers) raising funds for the hungry far and near.