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Community Hour
We will hold a Community Hour every Sunday starting at noon.
This hour will provide the opportunity to do a deep dive into topics that are important to some portion of our community.
September 20 What are co-wardens and why change from Sr. and Jr. Warden? How is the Vestry changing the lay leadership structure to suit the needs of the 21st century? Does this have any impact on the by-laws? Join Mother Whitney and co-wardens Lauren Tarantino and Rich Stein to hear about what’s “in process.” We value your engagement and support of the leadership of the church and look forward to hearing your questions.
September 27
St. Stephen’s engaged in a Feasibility Study in the spring of 2026. The findings gave the leadership more questions than clear answers. The Vestry wants to share with you some “next steps” in discerning together a path forward. This Community Hour will include some small group work for those who attend toward the end of helping the Vestry listen better as well as enlisting your insight and participation.
October 4
Blessing of the Animals
at noon in front of the church
In honor of the Feast of St. Francis,
please bring your feathered and furred friends for a blessing and a small token.
St. Francis' feast day is special because it embodies the essence of his life—marked by humility, deep compassion, and a heartfelt connection with all of God's creation.
October 18
River of Life - Discerning St. Stephen's Future
A spiritual practice which helps us recognize God's presence throughout our lives is a "River of Life" exercise. What if we applied this exercise to the life
of St. Stephen's? How might we see God at work in
our midst differently if we consider our 300 years of
life as the single life of this Body of Christ? Attendees will be introduced to this practice and assist in applying it to St. Stephen's.
October 25
Relational Health for addiction prevention
Lynn Tidgewell, LMFT serves our community through Ridgefield Youth and Family Services. She will share relational practices families can use to make young people resilient in the face of addictive substances. Rather than expending all our effort solely on prevention, we can equip ourselves with practices which strengthen healthy relationships to address pain, anxiety, and fear.
Young people will choose what is most effective.
Are you aware of effective relational skills?
November 1
Hearing from practitioners about private devotions
Developing a personal prayer life is something we rarely discuss as a community.
This hour will be dedicated to hearing from parishioners about their practice.
Opportunity will also be given to attendees to share in their practice.
November 8
Recognizing the body as a gift
Frequently we only speak of the body when it is broken or causing us trouble.
Yet, there is a theology of the body which recognizes its blessedness, even when it's difficult. Sue Vogelman and Mother Whitney will lead this hour to help us claim body positivity by sharing some church resources. After all, without our bodies, we couldn't develop relationships with one another.
We hope that you'll bring your body to this Community Hour.
November 15
Affordable Housing — What Is It?
Did you know that "affordable housing" covers a wide variety of housing options? Most people are unaware of what these terms actually mean or how significant the need is right here in Ridgefield. Join us on November 15 to hear from Debra Franceschini and members of the Ridgefield Affordable Housing Commission. They will break down key terminology, clarify common misconceptions, and outline the different types of affordable housing initiatives in our community.
This presentation offers an essential opportunity to understand the facts, ask questions, and learn how you can participate in this important ongoing conversation with our neighbors.
