St. Stephen's Church

Mission statement:  The mission of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, East Liverpool, in the Diocese of Ohio is to bring people to understand, experience, and worship the living God, through Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior.  In the power of the Holy Spirit, to grow as Christian Disciples by thought, word, and deed embodied by a spiritual sense of love and commitment.  To conduct the affairs of our Parish in a manner consistent with the Doctrine and teachings of the Episcopal Church and as a continuation of our Anglican Episcopal heritage.

St. Stephens is part of the Episcopal Church, also called by its full name, the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America.  We are followers of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and we believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  

The Episcopal Church has members in the United States, as well as in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Haiti, Honduras, Micronesia, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Venezuela, and the Virgin Islands. 

We strive to love our neighbors as ourselves and respect the dignity of every person.

The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, which traces its beginnings to the Protestant Reformation in England in the 16th century. Although the Church of England distinguished itself from the Roman Catholic Church, it also kept many of the traditions of the Roman church, including the recognition that its bishops continued in the line of succession from the bishops of the early church.  The Anglican tradition prides itself in being a middle way, a via media, between Protestantism and the Roman Catholic Church.  

Our liturgy retains ancient structure and traditions and is celebrated in many languages.

Both men and women, including those who are married, are eligible for ordination as deacons, priests and bishops.

We believe in amendment of life, the forgiveness of sin, and life everlasting.

Lay people exercise a vital role in the governance and ministry of our church.

Holy Communion may be received by all baptized Christians, not only members of the Episcopal Church.

We uphold the Bible and worship with the Book of Common Prayer.

We affirm that committed relationships are lifelong and monogamous. Episcopalians also recognize that there is grace after divorce and do not deny the sacraments to those who have been divorced.

We affirm that issues such as birth control are matters of personal informed conscience.

We celebrate our unity in Christ while honoring our differences, always putting the work of love before uniformity of opinion.

Learn more about the Episcopal Church at:  http://www.episcopalchurch.org/