Email

parishoffice@ststephens-columbus.org

Call

614-294-3749

30 W. Woodruff Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210

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Finding Community

On This Page

There are many ways to find community at St. Stephen’s. We have small groups that are for people who hold a common interest or who are at a particular time in their lives. We have large community events, such as our monthly potluck. We have ways to lead within the larger community of the parish. And we are host to several communities that are not sponsored by the church, but that bless us with their presence.

Below you will find information on small groups, community events, and outside groups that meet at the church. At the bottom of this page you will find blog posts about recent events.

Small Groups

We have many small groups at St. Stephen’s. The two listed here create community purely for its own sake. If you are looking for work or spirituality focused groups, check out the Communing with God and Growing Spiritually sections of this website.

Young Adult Ministries (YAMS)

If you are a current college student or young adult in your early to mid-twenties, this is your ministry! YAMS seeks to provide a safe and inclusive space where young adults from different backgrounds can learn more about the Episcopal Church, build meaningful relationships, and grow in their faith in a supportive community.

If you are new and would like to learn more about YAMS and how to get involved, contact The Rev. Brice Patterson, Deacon and Campus Minister, at deacon@ststephens-columbus.org.

Book Club

Led by Cynthia Whitacre, Book Club usually meets on either first or second Wednesday of each month from 6:30-9 pm (schedule below). We meet to share a potluck meal, fellowship, and book discussion. A different parishioner hosts the gathering each time and all are welcome to attend. Contact the parish office for details on location.

Knitter’s Group

Interested in sitting and knitting/crafting together? Join us on the last Thursday of every month, at 1:00 p.m. in Hobson Hall. People of all skills are welcome. To let us know you’re coming or for further details, email Mary Ellen Elliott.

Community Events

We gather together as a whole community at least once a month.

Potlucks

Our monthly potluck is held on the last Sunday of every month. Bring a dish to share or stay to help do the dishes! There is a special table reserved for the weekly sermon circles at the potluck.

Weekly Lunches

We eat lunch together every Wednesday following Midday Prayer. Bring a dish to share or stay to help do the dishes.

Movies, Concerts, Gallery Shows, & More

We sponsor movies at least once a year. It’s not uncommon on a Sunday for a parishioner to announce a trip to a concert or gallery show and invite you along. At St. Stephen’s, we are always inviting each other to different events and activities outside of the parish.

Creation Care

St. Stephen’s is devoted to Creation Care. When our church was built in the 1950s, it was cutting edge in terms of energy savings and green space. We upkeep it and add sustainability features all of the time. Our parishioners try, in the words of the Creation Care liturgy, to be prophets of a new way of living. Our Creation Care blog has been used by schools and community groups from across the nation. Here are some recent posts.

Our Friends and Partner Organizations

We have many groups that use our building on a daily basis.

  • Tai Chi meets on Tuesday evenings at 5:30 PM.
  • African American Voices Gospel Choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 PM.
  • AA meets at 12:30 PM on Fridays.
  • Narcotics Anonymous meets at 9:30 PM on Saturdays.
  • University Baptist Church holds services in the Chapel on Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM.

Two organizations that are aligned with our mission as a church have space in our building.

  • Reset Button Counseling offers mental health services and ADHD testing.
  • Social worker James Lewis offers services to unhoused people, thanks to support from the University District Organization. Click here to contact James.
OSU Interfaith Council

We are members of the OSU Interfaith Council. We help with decision making and participate in many OSU events. As Episcopalians we believe that interfaith work strengthens our faith, rather than threatening it.

Neighborhood Services, Inc.

NSI serves the neighborhoods surrounding The Ohio State University. For 50 years, churches in the University Area have combined resources to sustain NSI, which provides food, emergency help, back-to-school supplies and holiday packages for families in need. Homeless men, women and families are also provided specifically designed items, such as items that don’t require can openers or cooking. In addition to the food pantry, there is also a clothing room for people of all ages, from infants to adults (all clothes donated).

St. Stephen’s congregants are regular volunteers at the NSI resource center; supply specific monthly requests for food, household items, or clothing; and contribute monetary support. St Stephen’s in recent years facilitates and serves as the conduit for a major funding grant to NSI from the Diocese of Southern Ohio.

Click here to visit NSI’s website.

BREAD

The BREAD organization consists of 40 Columbus-area congregations, of different religious traditions. Each congregation believes something different – about the nature of God, the name of God, about what God wants us to do. Each shares a commitment to pursuing justice in God’s name. St. Stephen’s participates in BREAD as a social justice ministry to address systemic issues/problems in the Columbus metro area.

The St. Stephen’s BREAD Team and Justice Ministry Network organizes house meetings to discern issues of concern and build an organizing network to keep parishioners informed on BREAD’s progress. The Team and Network recruit participants to do the research work in defining the issues, finding solutions and meeting with decision makers on action plans.

They also work toward getting St. Stephen’s parishioners to participate in the Nehemiah Action, a mass gathering of congregations where the faith community brings current issues before those with the power to make change. St. Stephen’s participation in BREAD has helped bring about a change in the delivery of mental health services, the development of a land bank for abandoned housing, and a restorative justice program focused on stopping violent crime.

As BREAD: we listen to our community; we research the problems to identify workable solutions; we gather a large number of people, in order to show our power and get the attention of the decision-maker who can implement the solution we are asking for; we follow-up on the public commitments to address the problem and the implementing the solution requested.

Click here to visit BREAD’s website.

LOVEBoldly

We are proud members of LOVEBoldly. LOVEboldly exists to create and develop spaces where LGBTQIA+ people can flourish in Christianity. We work with them on advocacy issues and participate in their educational programs.

Click here to visit LOVEBoldy’s website.

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