S. Stephen's Church in Providence 114 George Street Providence, Rhode Island
Copyright 2006 S. Stephen's Church in Providence. All rights reserved.
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Adult Instruction Class – led by Fr. Alexander for adults interested in Baptism, Confirmation, or Reception into the Episcopal Church, as well as for long-standing church members interested in a refresher on the basics of the Faith.
Prayer Group – Meeting Thursday afternoons in parishioners’ homes for prayer, study, and fellowship; this group is led by Deborah Lawrence, a trained and certified spiritual director.
Epiphany Soup Kitchen – in South Providence, serves between 80 and 150 guests each week. A team from S. Stephen’s staffs the meal site from 2:00 to 6:00 pm on assigned Saturdays, about ten times a year.
Narthex Sitting – To keep the church open to visitors, parishioners volunteer to sit in the narthex – i.e., the area just inside the main doors of the church – for one or two hours every week at set times.
Bible Study – meets Wednesday evenings from 7:30-9:00 in the library for in-depth study and discussion of the lectionary readings for the coming Sunday, led by Fr. Alexander.
Christian Education -- Sunday School Classes are offered during the first half of the 10:00 am Mass. Volunteers are always needed to teach and help out. The Young People’s Fellowship organizes activities for those of Middle and High School age. Confirmation Classes are organized and led by the Rector.
The Altar Guild – cares for the vestments, linens, and vessels used in worship. Rotating teams set up for and clean up after each Sunday 10:00 am Mass. The Guild has occasional meetings and organizes clean-up days followed by lunch and fellowship.
Acolytes – (also known as Servers) assist the clergy at the altar. The Solemn High Mass requires a team of six servers in addition to the priest and deacon. At Low Mass there is generally one server, in addition to the priest.
Coffee Hour – a rota of volunteers sets up the coffee urns and provides refreshments for the coffee hour in the Great Hall following the 10:00 am Solemn High Mass.
Ushers -- welcome worshipers to our principal services, distribute service programs, take the collection, and stand ready to assist members of the congregation.
Society of Mary – meets the first Saturday of every month for recitation of the Rosary, followed by coffee, refreshments, and a meeting.
The Society plans various activities through the year related to devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Schola Cantorum -- sings the finest liturgical music of the Western tradition, from medieval plainchant to contemporary. Our professional standard choir comprises both paid and volunteer singers. Admission is by audition.
Except where otherwise noted, all of the following organizations and activities are open to all comers and are eager to welcome new volunteers and participants. To find out more about any of the following, please contact the Parish Office.
The Vestry – is the board responsible for the temporal governance of the parish, including property and finances. Its members are elected by the Annual Parish Meeting in January. The Vestry oversees several Committees, which are open to interested parishioners, including Stewardship, Finance, and Buildings and Grounds.
The S. Stephen – is the parish newsletter, published monthly from September through May. Submissions of written pieces or news items from parishioners are welcome.
Lectors--read the scripture lessons during services. A lector from the congregation reads the Old Testament lesson at the 10:00 am Sunday Mass.
