St. Stephen's is a church on a mission to know Christ and make Christ known to others. We do our best to live into that mission with intention and sincerity through our worship of God, our ministries, our relationships in our neighborhood and region, and through fellowship with one another. But what does it look like to be a part of St. Stephen's? We hope your experience with us mirrors what our members and friends have come to know here, that St. Stephen's is a welcoming, inclusive, and Episcopal community of faith.

At St. Stephen's, we believe deeply in the gift of hospitality, of welcoming both members and newcomers, and of inviting you to join us in our worship of God and the living of our common life together. Like many Episcopal congregations, St. Stephen's is a joyful mix of all kinds of people with various experiences in the broader Church. Some of our members are longtime Episcopalians, but many are not! And some do not come from any background in the Church. And that's ok. There is no expectation that visitors conform to a certain set of beliefs when they come here. More than anything, our hope at St. Stephen's is to be good stewards of a welcoming culture and environment for anyone desiring a deeper relationship with God.

We believe the good news of Jesus Christ is, by its nature, inclusive. The long story of salvation history is one of great expansion, that those who are called to be God's own has grown to include all people. In the setting of St. Stephen's, we believe this sacred responsiblity of including all people plays out in several ways:

• We are an affirming congregation which welcomes and embraces sacramental and social equality and justice for the LGBTQ+ community. 

• We are a congregation with diverse beliefs, opinions, and experiences, but we believe strongly that we are one body in Christ which especially welcomes and encourages these differences. Every person has been made in the image of God, and we strive to respect the dignity of every human being. In the midst of a society that often discourages differences of opinion, belief, practice, and belonging, we believe we are better together and that we are called to be an example of Christian fellowship and love despite (or even because of!) our differences.

• There is a place for you here regardless of what you believe. We don't think there ought to be a barrier for entry into a Christian congregation. We do affirm a robust and ancient tradition of faithful Christian belief (see below), but we do not expect everyone who comes through our doors to have been exposed to the Christian faith or believe the same exact tenets of the tradition as we have received it in the Episcopal Church. You are welcome here. There is a place for you here. And there is plenty of room for your relationship with God and this community to grow in time. We're glad you're here!

St. Stephen's is an Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Idaho. The best way to experience what we believe is to join us for worship. We are a liturgical, sacramental tradition, and our worship is ordered through the Book of Common Prayer. Each Sunday, we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, in which Jesus is made known to us in the breaking of the bread. Our worship of God also features readings from scripture, hymns, a sermon from our clergy, prayers of the people, and the Nicene Creed.

And, the larger reality of what it means to be an Episcopalian is much broader than that, too! We welcome questions and seekers. We practice prayer in various ways, including a few shorter services throughout the week. We read scripture thoroughly and seriously, but not always literally, recognizing that the breadth of the Bible's genres -- history, prophecy, hymns, myth, poetry, writings, letters, and Gospels, to name a few -- is one of its greatest gifts to the Church and the people of God.

As Jesus said, "Come and see." We encourage you to come and try out this tradition we have received for yourself. Come and grow with us. Come and meet God here in scripture, sacrament, and the lives of one another.