St. Stephen Orthodox Cathedral

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!

We hope this will give you a better idea of the overall experience of parish life at St. Stephen’s. We have a growing parish with wonderful opportunities to engage members and visitors in ways that encourage Christian fellowship and volunteerism, helping build and strengthen the foundation of our Church.

Parish Life is centered around attending Church services, including Sunday Divine Liturgy, Great Vespers on Saturday evening, and services for the Great Feasts of the Church. Sharing in these blessed services, especially frequent participation in Confession and Communion, creates fellowship that extends beyond the Divine Liturgy.

Here are some of the ways members and friends can become more involved at St. Stephen’s:

~ Readers and Altar Servers ~

We are blessed to have dedicated Readers and Altar Servers of all ages and backgrounds.

~ Parish Council ~

Parish Council, including an Executive Board and Trustees, is elected annually by the Parish Membership.

~ Various Committees ~

Driven by the needs of the parish, building and grounds, and the creativity of our volunteers, we have several Committees that meet to address projects that contribute to the well-being and improvement of our Church.

~ Women’s Society ~

Our Ladies Auxiliary, or Sisterhood, is one of the most active groups at St. Stephen’s, organizing Church dinners, bake sales, food festivals and more!

~ Choir ~

Under the guidance of a gifted and dedicated Choir Director, St. Stephen’s Choir welcomes all to come and sing, at any age. We have children who sing as well as adults of all ages and voices.

~ Sunday School Program ~

By the grace of our Lord, we are blessed to have a thriving Sunday School program. Children of all ages from Pre-K through 12th Grades are encouraged to enroll and attend classes, which follow the standard academic school year calendar and are grouped by age. Classes follow Divine Liturgy with certain Sundays excluded, such as High Holy days. Teachers are background-checked, and all students are supervised and chaperoned at all times.

~ Church Store ~

Our Church Store is open every Sunday after Divine Liturgy or by appointment. We have a wide variety of religious and ethnic items. If there is something you need that we do not currently have, we can order it for you.

~ Inquirer’s Class ~

Classes are held every week throughout the year, except January, July and August. All members and visitors are welcome to attend and learn about the Orthodox faith. Classes are informal, but do follow a curriculum with four books discussed quarterly throughout the year.

~ Bible Study ~

Classes are held every week throughout the year, except January, July and August. All are welcome to attend! We have members and visitors who attend regularly as well as those who participate intermittently throughout the year. It is a wonderful opportunity to sit down and share discourse with our Priest and one another.

~ Lectures and Presentations ~

We are blessed to be able to organize and host various lectures and presentations. While our speakers graciously are willing to visit from various places and locations, it is wonderful to see that likewise, those who come to attend have also travelled from all parts of the city and surrounding areas, as well as from the greater tri-state region.

~ Chapter Membership (Adult/Junior) of FOCA (Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America) ~

We have both an Adult and Junior Chapter. Members meet monthly and plan social events as well as fundraisers and improvement projects both locally at the parish level, as well as coordinating events with other Chapters throughout FOCA.

~ Novogodny Ball, Annual New Year's Ball ~

In January of 2010, we celebrated our 73rd Annual New Year’s Dinner and Ball. It is a beautiful Semi-Formal (Black-Tie optional) event sponsored by our St. Stephen OCF of the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America. Always held on the Sunday evening prior to Martin Luther King Day, many travel from afar and are able to stay the weekend or overnight. Attendance grows every year, and we are looking forward to next year’s event as well as the upcoming 75th Gala in 2012. For more information contact pfatsgd@aol.com

~ MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES ~

…including Church dinners, bake sales, penny parties, food festivals, flower plantings, and more!

Please feel free to participate and lend your assistance! We cannot do it without you!