About St. Stephen's

St. Stephen’s on the Green is an Episcopal Church in Middlebury, Vermont.  We’re an inclusive church that welcomes diversity and celebrates difference as part of God’s creation.  We seek to worship God, to create a sense of community among ourselves (spiritual enrichment), and to represent the way of Jesus Christ in the world at large (mission).

Ministry Discernment Team

Officially appointed by the Vestry in late June and charged "to develop and undertake an appropriate process to recommend finalist candidates for permanent Rector," the Ministry Discernment Team (MDT) began its work in Mid July.  Steve Smith, our Diocesan Companion, was earlier appointed by the Bishop to walk with our Parish as well as the MDT through the discernment process.  The new Diocese of Vermont web site contains a wealth of information, including more about the Companions program as well as the guidebook for the discernment process:  Calling New Clergy Partnerships in a Congregation, www.diovermont.org

The MDT is grateful for the prayers of the Parish as we live out the Commission you have given to us.  Our work is guided by and reaffirmed each week in worship as we pray together: "Always, may we remember our efforts are for your Glory and the realization of your Kingdom."

Outreach

St. Stephen’s has a vibrant outreach program, and it's a big part of what we do here. 

Local outreach covers on-going commitments to several summer camps for children, including Kids4Peace and Camp Agape; the creation and sponsorship of the Addison County Back-to-School Shop, providing school supplies at minimal cost to children from low-income families; support for a number of community service agencies for persons who are homeless, elderly, mentally ill, intellectually disabled, or otherwise disadvantaged. Twenty five percent of our annual Outreach budget is committed to international projects which have included substantial assistance to Haiti, support for the LAMB Institute in Honduras and Iambi Hospital and Hospice in Tanzania.

The parish community is also committed to hands-on community work. In recent years we have conducted a free weekly community lunch program, and participated in programs such as Habitat for Humanity, gathering and assembling newborn baby kits for Zambia, renovating a local house for use by a homeless family, and a mission trip to Honduras. Parishioners contributed over three thousand pounds of food in response to the financial crisis, gathered over the Sundays of Lent and distributed through local agencies.

A number of community organizations and diocesan committees use church space for their meetings, usually free of charge. The church also serves as headquarters to the staff of the annual Festival on-the-Green, the town’s week-long program of free entertainment for all ages the week after Peasant Market. The centrality of outreach to all we do at St. Stephen’s is unquestioned.