Third Week of Advent – 2023
Dear members of the Saint Stephen’s Community,
We write today to share news that is both sad and joyful. The sale of our building is now pending. The Diocese of Montana’s Standing Committee met on December 18, 2023, and approved the buy/sell agreement.
This process began last April when we held a congregational meeting to discuss the future of our congregation. It was agreed that we could pursue the sale of the building after lengthy discussion. Please remember, the sale of this building is not the sale or end of our community or our congregation. We are a people, not a building.
The pending buyer is a non-profit whose services and functions neatly align with the mission and values of our community and of The Episcopal Church. The closing date for this sale is January 31, 2024. The Standing Committee will still have to sign off on final closing documents in mid-January, but that should just be a formality. It is important for you to know that the proceeds from this sale will remain with Saint Stephen’s and be used to further the ministry of this community.
So, what is next for us? As a recent sermon mentioned, we don’t ever really know what is next for us. However, we do have some plans. First, we will be celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with the Feast of the Nativity. Our Christmas worship remains unchanged – Christmas Eve at 5 pm and Christmas morning at 10 am. After that, worship will continue to function normally for the following five Sundays. We will have our traditional annual meeting following worship on Sunday, January 21, 2024. The final Sunday worship service in this building is scheduled for Sunday, January 28, 2024. The following day, January 29, there will be a special service with Bishop Marty present to gives thanks for the more than seventy years that this building has been our home.
All the while there will be much work going on. Our vestry and a transition task force have been working long and hard to figure out the next steps and acting upon them. During January there will be an estate sale for many items. We will be securing office and storage space. We are currently exploring short-term worship space, which should be finalized soon.
We know that this will be a hard transition for many of us. However, we will not be a people in exile, our story isn’t ending, the Church is not closing. This is the end of a chapter of the story of Saint Stephen’s, not the end of Saint Stephen’s. We are striving to be good stewards of that which has been gifted and entrusted to us from those who came before us. We are also adapting to a changing world to be better disciples of the one who made us and all people. While this is sad, it is also an opportunity for us to ground ourselves once again in the call to service.
So, how can you help? First, we ask for your continued prayers for our community and our fellow members. We know this will be challenging for many of us. Second, stay involved and connected, or get reconnected with us. Join us for worship! Volunteer to read or help with the altar guild. Serve on the vestry or as a warden. Invite a friend to church!
We have not yet sent out a traditional stewardship letter because there has been so much going on that we just weren’t sure yet what to say. Stewardship is very important to every faith community. It is how we share our Time, Talent, and Treasure with the Church and God. In the new year we will be launching a stewardship campaign that aligns with our new mission and ministry. For now, we ask that you maintain your support and consider new ways to become engaged.
In closing, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us if you have concerns or questions. We are in this together. Again, please continue to pray for our parish family. To that end, here is a prayer that has been central to many of us during this time of transition:
Almighty and everliving God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth, hear our prayers for this parish family. Strengthen the faithful, arouse the careless, and restore the penitent. Grant us all things necessary for our common life, and bring us all to be of one heart and mind within your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
And remember – We are a community, not a building.
Your friends in Christ,
The Wardens and Rector of Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church
