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History of St. Stephen's Episcopal
On Advent Sunday in 1956, a small group of people met at a home in Bloomfield Hills to discuss the establishment of an Episcopal mission. Most of the group were members of Christ Church, Cranbrook, and had become acquainted through neighborhood Bible study groups. With the help and encouragement of Christ Church, the Mission (initially known as North Adams Mission) became a reality in the form of St. Stephen’s, Troy. The first service was held on February 3 1957, in the “multi-purpose” room of Eastover School.
The years of meeting in the school were a triumph of ingenuity, fellowship, and growth in spirituality. It was a true community effort to make this Mission succeed. All of the equipment – altar, altar rails, communion vessels, lectern, prayer books, hymnals, and various draperies used to conceal basketball hoops – was kept in a very old green Chevrolet panel truck with a leaky gas tank. Every Saturday, the couple on set-up duty re-filled the gas tank and drove the truck to the school where the “multi-purpose” room was transformed into a church. Sunday School was held in the halls of the school; the nursery was in a nearby home of one of the members.
The years of meeting in the school were a triumph of ingenuity, fellowship, and growth in spirituality. It was a true community effort to make this Mission succeed. All of the equipment – altar, altar rails, communion vessels, lectern, prayer books, hymnals, and various draperies used to conceal basketball hoops – was kept in a very old green Chevrolet panel truck with a leaky gas tank. Every Saturday, the couple on set-up duty re-filled the gas tank and drove the truck to the school where the “multi-purpose” room was transformed into a church. Sunday School was held in the halls of the school; the nursery was in a nearby home of one of the members.
It Began with the Vision of 13 Families
This fledging church immediately started looking for property and purchased acreage on Adams Road in Troy. A building fund drive was held and ground was broken for the new church in the fall of 1960 –after only three and a half years as a Mission.
PALM SUNDAY MORNING IN 1961 was a glorious day for the congregation to meet at Eastover School. Then, led by a Salvation Army band, a crucifer, and clergy the congregation marched the quarter mile to the new church building. Babies and toddlers were either carried or pushed in strollers, while young children held their parents’ hands. Police stopped traffic on Adams Road for the palm waving parishioners singing “Onward Christian Soldiers.” What an exciting day!
Since then, St. Stephen’s has experienced continual strong growth in fellowship and spirituality of its members, as well as its size: with the addition of a Sunday School wing in 1963 followed by a new entrance, offices and Narthex, remodeled kitchen, restroom and expanded sanctuary in 1997.
St. Stephen's first rector, The Rev. Sayers retired at the end of 1983 and the Reverend Nancy Sargent McGrath served as Interim Rector from January to August, 1984. She was then called as our Rector, and installed the following spring. The Rev. McGrath was the first full-time female minister in an Episcopal Church in Michigan. Desiring to spend more time with her growing family, the Reverend McGrath retired in 1990. The Reverend Jonathan Carter Sams was called in September, 1991 and installed on November 1, 1991. The Reverend Manisha Dostert was called in September 2005 as the Associate Minister to serve our Church School programs, caring ministries and other areas in our growing parish family. Pastor Dostert is a minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), and the first Lutheran minister to be an Associate in an Episcopal Church in Michigan. Pastor Manisha accepted a calling to Advent Episcopal Church in West Bloomfield and the St. Stephen's family bid farewell to her on January 22, 2012.
The Rev. Sams retired from our parish on September 1, 2011. The parish celebrated his 20 years of ministry at St. Stephen's and shared memories and laughs with Father Jonathon at his retirement party and final services. St. Stephen's will be served by an interim rector for approximately a year while we discern and search for a new rector.
The mission created in 1957 by the founders of this church continues to be carried on by today’s families of St. Stephen’s. We are a vital, warm, giving and growing parish learning about our Lord and diligently striving to serve God – doing the work He gives us to do in our community and the world. On this journey, we find ourselves singing God’s praise and sharing fellowship as we work together in God’s service.
It is within these walls of brick and glass that the St. Stephen’s family grows with each baptism. It is here where we learn of Jesus’ love for us and the world in which we live. It is here where we sing God’s praise for our blessings and where we receive and share God's Peace. It is here where we console one another at each funeral and celebrate the joy of love with each marriage. It is here where we are given strength and courage, and from here, we go forth into the world to do the work God gives us to do.
PALM SUNDAY MORNING IN 1961 was a glorious day for the congregation to meet at Eastover School. Then, led by a Salvation Army band, a crucifer, and clergy the congregation marched the quarter mile to the new church building. Babies and toddlers were either carried or pushed in strollers, while young children held their parents’ hands. Police stopped traffic on Adams Road for the palm waving parishioners singing “Onward Christian Soldiers.” What an exciting day!
Since then, St. Stephen’s has experienced continual strong growth in fellowship and spirituality of its members, as well as its size: with the addition of a Sunday School wing in 1963 followed by a new entrance, offices and Narthex, remodeled kitchen, restroom and expanded sanctuary in 1997.
St. Stephen's first rector, The Rev. Sayers retired at the end of 1983 and the Reverend Nancy Sargent McGrath served as Interim Rector from January to August, 1984. She was then called as our Rector, and installed the following spring. The Rev. McGrath was the first full-time female minister in an Episcopal Church in Michigan. Desiring to spend more time with her growing family, the Reverend McGrath retired in 1990. The Reverend Jonathan Carter Sams was called in September, 1991 and installed on November 1, 1991. The Reverend Manisha Dostert was called in September 2005 as the Associate Minister to serve our Church School programs, caring ministries and other areas in our growing parish family. Pastor Dostert is a minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), and the first Lutheran minister to be an Associate in an Episcopal Church in Michigan. Pastor Manisha accepted a calling to Advent Episcopal Church in West Bloomfield and the St. Stephen's family bid farewell to her on January 22, 2012.
The Rev. Sams retired from our parish on September 1, 2011. The parish celebrated his 20 years of ministry at St. Stephen's and shared memories and laughs with Father Jonathon at his retirement party and final services. St. Stephen's will be served by an interim rector for approximately a year while we discern and search for a new rector.
The mission created in 1957 by the founders of this church continues to be carried on by today’s families of St. Stephen’s. We are a vital, warm, giving and growing parish learning about our Lord and diligently striving to serve God – doing the work He gives us to do in our community and the world. On this journey, we find ourselves singing God’s praise and sharing fellowship as we work together in God’s service.
It is within these walls of brick and glass that the St. Stephen’s family grows with each baptism. It is here where we learn of Jesus’ love for us and the world in which we live. It is here where we sing God’s praise for our blessings and where we receive and share God's Peace. It is here where we console one another at each funeral and celebrate the joy of love with each marriage. It is here where we are given strength and courage, and from here, we go forth into the world to do the work God gives us to do.
For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Ephesians 2:18
Ephesians 2:18
Photos from a 1957 service held in the Eastover School gymnasium
A Talk with Our Founders - A Three Part Video
Recorded in 2007 in Commemoration of St. Stephen's 50th Anniversary
Recorded in 2007 in Commemoration of St. Stephen's 50th Anniversary