Serving Our Community

Saint Stephen is committed to serving its diverse community in a variety of ways. All are welcome – either to make use of these services, or to serve others through them.

English as a Second Language (ESL) Classes

Bienvenue! Bonjour! Hello!

The Silver Spring community has residents from many nations. Saint Stephen offers English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to teach conversational English. In its fourth year, this program has served students from Korea, Haiti, a variety of South American and African countries, and elsewhere.

Dedicated, volunteer teachers serve students who come to the church on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, from 7:45 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. Three levels of instruction – Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced – are offered. Each student is evaluated at the beginning of each semester to determine the appropriate class level. There is a nominal fee for books.

There are two semesters of ESL offered each year – the first semester extends from September through December, and the second from February through May. Each semester is twelve weeks in length.

C-4 Ministry and Clothes Closet

Saint Stephen provides volunteers and funding to C-4, a coalition of 20 congregations in the Colesville area of Silver Spring. C-4 provides free clothing, household items, baby equipment, school supplies, and Christmas toys to 2000 local Montgomery County families.

Gifts of Hope

Every year Saint Stephen offers “Gifts of Hope” as an alternative to traditional Christmas gift-giving. The Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod of the ELCA sponsors this program, allowing givers to contribute to social ministry organizations formally affiliated with the Synod, the Synod’s two camps, and the Synod’s three companion synods in Namibia, Slovakia, and El Salvador. Since 1992, over $1.6 million has been raised through Gifts of Hope to help people in need in our community and around the world. Donations range from $5 to $250 for a variety of items; these can be “given” to another person in lieu of purchasing traditional holiday gifts.

N Street Village

On the first Sunday of every month, members of Saint Stephen collect non-perishable food items for N Street Village, a ministry to homeless women in Washington, D.C., founded by Luther Place Memorial Church.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

Saint Stephen has an ongoing ministry of providing prayer shawls for members and friends who may be in need of comfort because of illness or death within the family. Shawls are crocheted or knitted, blessed, and delivered to the recipient. Shawls are also given for occasions of celebration, such as a birth or marriage.

Shoebox Project

Every December members of Saint Stephen create "shoebox" gifts for the clients of S.O.M.E. (So Others Might Eat), a social service organization in Washington, D.C. Members purchase small items, such as toiletries, toys, hats, gloves and socks, which are put in shoeboxes wrapped with Christmas paper. These are given to the men, women and children who eat at S.O.M.E. on Christmas Day. Saint Stephen delivers around 60 boxes each year.

Fair Trade Coffee

Saint Stephen is committed to serving its diverse community

Saint Stephen sells fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate through the Lutheran World Relief Coffee Project. Our participation in this project helps small-scale coffee farmers in developing countries to build a better future for themselves and their communities.

Sharing our Space

Saint Stephen shares its space with a number of organizations in the community. These include:

Alcoholics Anonymous — meets at Saint Stephen, Monday evenings at 8:30 p.m.
Boy Scout Troop 1086, Cub Scout Pack 1086, Girl Scout Troop 1209, and Brownie Troop 180 – call church office for meeting times

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

Luke 10:27