What we believe:

We believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He came into our world to bring us God's creative and redeeming love. As Lutheran Christians, we also believe that this love is given to us solely by grace and cannot be earned by our actions. We take the Bible seriously, understanding that it cannot be taken literally. We recognize that it speaks in different ways in different circumstances; it is not a "how-to" manual, but rather a testament to God's great love throughout the generations.

St. Stephen is part of the Evangelical* Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).  The ELCA is the most progressive of the Lutheran denominations in the US where women and people in the LGBTQ+ community are pastors and deacons and welcomed in the full life of the church.  The ELCA is a denomination that believes God calls us to move outside of the physical walls of a church building into the world.  As part of this call, we seek the common good for society and are committed to addressing social and cultural injustice. 

*To learn more on the meaning of the word evangelical, click here.