Service Opportunities
Service to others within and beyond our community is integral to our purpose.
At St. Stephen’s we have different ways in which you can serve our community. For example, you can help us on Sundays during worship or support our ministries partners for specific events and campaigns.
SERVICE WITHIN ST. STEPHEN’S
Learn more about each role and join a team through our One Church platform.
READERS
Join those who read Scripture in church on Sunday.
ACOLYTES
If you are looking for an opportunity to be more engaged and active during worship, the acolyte ministry is for you. Our involvement includes assisting the clergy with preparing the Eucharistic table for Holy Communion and carrying the Cross at the beginning and end of service. It can be a fulfilling way to serve God. All youth and adults are welcomed to join!
HOSTS/USHERS
Join those who greet and usher in church on Sunday.
ALTAR GUILD
Altar Guild is a ministry that physically prepares the church for Holy Service, especially Eucharist. It requires approximately 2 hours once a month.
CHOIR
Share your talents in worship by joining our choir! St. Stephen’s Choir is an open, friendly, and perse community. We welcome any adult who enjoys singing to enhance and guide the worship services.
FLOWER GUILD
Flower Guild is a ministry that makes flower arrangements using funds donated by parish members. It is surprisingly easy and a lot of fun! You will always work with a guild member who is experienced. The time commitment is about 3 hours once a month.
LINEN GUILD
Linen Guild is a ministry that cares for the fabrics used during the Sunday Service. This ministry requires about 1 hour of your time, once a month. Linens may be collected and returned after Sunday Service.
Lord of the Streets
Lord of the Streets is a church community that relieves suffering and restores dignity by rebuilding lives through ministries and relationships with people facing homelessness. Traditionally members of St. Stephens have served Sunday breakfast several times following worship at Trinity Episcopal church.
Sunday Services: 7 a.m. Liturgy with Breakfast served by church volunteers.
Amazing Place
St. Stephen’s is one of twelve founding congregations of Amazing Place, which serves families facing the challenges of dementia and Alzheimer’s by providing a therapeutic day program for those with mild to moderate dementia, education surrounding brain health, and support for caregivers. Located on Drexel in the heart of Houston, they will soon be opening a second campus in Katy (Amazing Place West), with the support of an additional set of congregations. St. Stephen’s members volunteer to assist staff with daily activities (dominoes, card games, pool, art projects, etc.), meal preparation, Bible study, and manning the front desk.
Mission: The mission of Amazing Place is to provide fellowship, memory care and wellness for adults with mild to moderate memory loss and support to their families and the community.
The Metropolitan Organization
Texas Metropolitan Organization is an organization of institutions dedicated to developing power and leadership among citizens in order to transform the city. Our model of relational organizing helps build real community. It generates social capital through a tight web of relationships across lines of race, ethnicity, class, faith and geography. Recent projects include publishing a resource guide and connecting with those feeling the affects of hurricane Beryl, examining the state take over of HISD and encouraging more extensive voter participation. TMO seeks to meet with city and county leaders for greater transparency and accountability within our community.
SERVICE BEYOND ST. STEPHEN’S
Contact our Justice, Advocacy, and Service Team here to learn more about our partners and getting involved in upcoming opportunities.
Montrose Grace Place
Our mission is to provide a safe, welcoming environment for vulnerable youth experiencing homelessness of all sexualities and genders, providing nourishment, healthy relationships, and hope for the future.
Every Monday and Thursday at 6:00 pm, Grace Place, meeting at Kindred Church, opens its doors to youth of all sexualities and genders between the ages of 13 and 24 years old, experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. Youth Night is an evening of food, mentorship, skills building, and access to direct resources with interactive volunteers and staff in a supportive, affirming space that allows youth to be who they are.
The St. Stephens’s team is two-fold: those who prepare the meal and those who serve a Thursday evening meal, bi-monthly (even numbered), and has been doing so for many years. Our faithful chair is Dr. Eric Perkins, DDS, with a team of some 24 dedicated members. There’s a place for anyone wishing to participate in this meaningful ministry.
Christian Community Service Center (CCSC)
St Stephens is one of the five founding members of CCSC, which now includes 40 churches in its service coalition. CCSC combines service through immediate basic needs relief (such as food, clothing and rent assistance) with long-term educational and workforce development programs. The St. Stephens community joins with CCSC in preparing food assistance, facilitating vision care for children, meeting the legal needs of CCSC’s work training programs, and publicizing CCSC’s volunteer opportunities to our congregation.
Mission: The mission of the Christian Community Service Center (CCSC) is to serve the poor, hungry, disabled, and otherwise needy while respecting their religious, ethnic or cultural differences.
ECHOS
ECHOS serves people in need by providing access to the health and social service resources that can improve their lives. ECHOS stands for Epiphany Community Health Outreach Services. ECHOS was founded as a ministry of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in southwest Houston.
ECHOS’ major service is application assistance; that is, helping individuals through the process of applying for social services such as “food stamps” in their different forms, Medicaid, and the Harris County Gold Card (sliding scale program for the county clinics). ECHOS also provides emergency rental and utility assistance, and gift cards for groceries through a relationship with HEB. Finally, ECHOS provides a site for traveling specialty clinics such as the Texas Children’s Hospital Immunization Van to meet with patients.
St. Stephen’s can support ECHOS with money, and also with volunteering at ECHOS quarterly Shred Day fundraisers and attending ECHOS’ twice-a-year fundraising events.