• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church

215 N. 7th, Terre Haute, Indiana

  • About
    • Welcome!
    • Worship Calendar
    • Live Worship
    • Sermons
    • Clergy & Staff
    • Communication
  • Community
    • Blog
    • News + Events
    • Episcopal Links
    • Links for Study and Devotion
  • Get Involved
    • Give
    • Calendar
    • Ministries
    • Service Committees
  • Members
    • Annual Meeting
    • News
    • Schedule
    • Newsletter
    • The Hope Journal
    • Resources

Sharing

The Rector's Blog · December 28, 2022

Disciples, Apostles, and Saints!

This time of year, I really appreciate Saint Stephen. He’s a top shelf saint.

Even though he doesn’t get a ton of space in Scripture, only a few chapters in the Acts of the Apostles, Stephen plays big, getting a chapter-length sermon whne others have to write their own letters to the church to get that kind of real estate!

There’s a lot to the veneration of Stephen, making him a significant “First”. He is regarded as the first deacon and the first martyr. So when we celebrate him on December 26, we can go in either direction.

Throughout history, however, Stephen’s feast day has most often been marked by profound acts of sharing, particularly to the poor. While it is culturally regarded as the day after Christmas rather than the second day of Christmas, I am moved by how most of us just know that it is a day for generosity. Even sacrifice.

Given this history of service associated with Stephen’s day, I’d like us to consider the profound place Stephen’s preaching has in the story. He isn’t all talk or action. The Spirit elevates Stephen because he is both.

One of our favorite sayings, attributed to Saint Francis, is “Proclaim the gospel always. If necessary, use words.” Many of us love it as a corrective to a vision of preaching that is “all talk/no action.” Stephen reminds us we are all to be talking and acting our faith.

With love,
Drew

Filed Under: The Rector's Blog Tagged With: Feast of St. Stephen, martyr, sharing, Stephen

Previous Post: « Christmas Joy
Next Post: Epiphany »

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Sabbath and Anxiety
  • A Word: The Christians
  • Preparing for Renewal
  • A Word: Too close to Jesus?
  • Celebrating Service

Keep Up

Footer

CONTACT

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
215 N. 7th St
Terre Haute, IN 47807

812-232-5165

officeadmin@ststephensth.org

ABOUT

St. Stephen’s is a sacramental community following Jesus’s Way of Love.

We worship on Sundays at 8 & 10.

AFFILIATIONS

St. Stephen’s is a member of The Episcopal Church and congregation of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis.

St. Stephen’s is a member of the Homeless Council of the Wabash Valley

PARKING

St. Stephen’s is across from Indiana State University. Nearby parking lots are run by ISU and are free after 5pm weekdays and are free all weekend long. 

Five marked spots in the lot directly behind the church are available during the week.

Copyright © 2025 · Showcase Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in