The leadership of Saint Stephen’s is a collaborative effort of the Clergy, the Vestry, the Finance Committee, and our lay leaders. 

 

The Vestry comprises 12 members, one-third of whom are elected each fall for three-year terms. The senior and junior wardens are traditionally elected from among the vestry members, with input from the Rector. The Finance Committee works closely with the Vestry to manage the budget and financial matters of the church. The Vestry, the Finance Committee, and the wardens each have their own regularly scheduled monthly meetings, and occasionally come together as one group for special meetings.

 

The Vestry is an active working body that oversees all programs, staff, and financial aspects of the parish. Vestry members act as liaisons to various areas of parish life, and there are numerous committees and groups that support the parish programs. This structure allows the Rector and Vestry to delegate responsibility to the laity through commissions and committees. This also allows for increased lay participation and an increased opportunity for ministry. These ministries are organized under Worship, Seeking, Serving, and Giving categories. Designated Clergy and Vestry are assigned to each category, along with the lay leader for a particular ministry. 

 

Additional information on our leadership structure can be found on our website HERE. Our Strategic Visioning document is located HERE. 

 

The staff at Saint Stephen’s is made up of ten full-time and seven part-time members. Parishioners volunteer their time to aid the staff as well. Full-time staff includes the clergy, Parish Administrator, Finance Manager, Director of Membership and Ministries, Preschool Director, Director of Children’s Ministries, Children’s Ministries assistant, two Youth Directors, a Communication Coordinator, a Facilities Manager, and a Housekeeper. Part-time staff includes the Director of Music, the Children’s Music Minister, an Events Coordinator, an Assistant Events Coordinator, and two Youth interns.

 

In addition to Parishioner’s gifts of time and talent, we are a financially generous Parish. We just completed a $6 million building campaign that provided funding for the construction of a new Parish Hall. We have used the Parish Hall to support events outside of the Saint Stephen’s community, including Diocesan Stop Hunger Now events, and Cursillo Ultreya events on behalf of other parishes. Our new facility is also home to AA and NA weekly meetings and special events. 

 

We are leaders in supporting Diocesan initiatives including Sawyerville, Camp McDowell, and Bethany Village. We attribute our leadership commitment to our compelling optimism about our future and our dedication to helping those in need.