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About St. Stephen's
Whoever you are, and wherever you find yourself on the journey of faith, you are welcome at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. We are a medium-sized church, also called a parish, which is the term for a self-supporting congregation under a priest, called a rector. We equally enjoy serving in the community through outreach and being a supportive family to our members, providing each with comfort, fellowship, and encouragement.
We enjoy our beautiful Texas Hill Country church and school property and find regular solace here in its mission-style Chapel and Church, Courtyard, Nature Trail, Labyrinth, and Cemetery. The St. Stephen’s Church and School (PreK 3 through 8th grade) share the campus and work closely together.
The Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Diocese of West Texas includes more than 26,000 persons gathered in 87 congregations spread across 60 counties in Texas. We are part of The Episcopal Church, a community of 2.4 million members in America and abroad. The Episcopal Church is headed by a presiding bishop, currently the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry. We are guided in this purpose by five core values:
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Faith: We pattern our lives on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ,
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Scripture, Prayer, & Sacramental Worship: We are grounded in Scripture, prayer, and sacramental worship,
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Evangelism: We proclaim, by word and example, God's saving love revealed in Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit,
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Mission: We reach beyond ourselves to serve all people in our communities and throughout the world, and,
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Reconciliation: We are a community committed to living in reconciled relationship with God and all people.
For those new to the Episcopal Church, we believe in:
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Women’s ordination
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Human rights
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Liturgical tradition alongside a clear devotion to the Bible
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An atmosphere of open curiosity (i.e. it is good to ask questions)
In the words of author and teacher, John Westerhoff, “We (Episcopalians) are a peculiar people whose spiritual arc bends more towards boundless hope and a reasonable faith than hardened surety and entrenched absolutism.”
So, whether you are already an Episcopalian, or you are curious and inquiring about what it would be and feel like, we invite you to join us on Sunday mornings at 8 am or 10:30 am, and Wednesdays at 10:30 am for worship between Labor Day and Memorial. Perhaps, you would consider joining one of our classes for Adults, Teens, and Children. We also have a broad range of Ministries that you can participate in from bible study to outdoor beautification. Why not try it out?
Come meet us, worship alongside us, and ask as many questions as you would like. Welcome!
St. Stephen's History
At the entrance of St. Stephen's stands a chapel inspired by the historic Mission Espada in San Antonio.
St. Stephen's began in 1973 as an outreach effort of Saint Mark's Episcopal Church in San Marcos, 18 miles away. Initially, a small group of Episcopalians met in the Lion's Club field office, then in a ranch bunkhouse across the highway from the present campus.
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In the late 1980s, members of the congregation formed a provisional vestry and petitioned for separation from Saint Mark's. Until that time, the two churches had been served by the same rector, the Rt. Rev. James Folts, who later became the bishop of the diocese, and the same vestry. Separate parish status was granted by the Diocesan Council in February 1981.
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The first rector, the Rt. Rev. Earl McArthur, served until 1987 when he was elected bishop suffragan of the diocese. The Rev. Phil Parham served as the second rector until 1989, followed by the Rev. Mac Keeble, who served until 2003. The Rev. Patrick Gahan then served until early 2012. Our fifth rector, the Rev. Sandra Casey-Martus, was instituted on January 30, 2013, and served until July 31, 2019. The parish has been well-served during interim periods by various retired clergy of the diocese, including our own Rev. Phil C. Mason.
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On September 1, 2020, St. Stephen's welcomed its sixth and current rector, the Rev. Kevin LJ Schubert.
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