Mission

St. Stephen’s Church is a Christian community.

Dedicated to worshipping and serving God;

Growing in faith in Jesus Christ through study and learning;

Rooted in Anglican tradition, yet open to other movements of God’s spirit in the world;

Welcoming people of all ages, races, backgrounds, and sexual orientations;

Reaching out in a spirit of friendship and service to share God’s love, joy, and peace.

History

June 1906: Dedication of the original St. Stephen’s Anglican Church. At that time, Calgary had only one other Anglican Church so in 1906 when St. Barnabas and St. Stephen’s were begun that made three. Population of Calgary was 43,704.

1908: The original building was moved to the north-south position on our lot and a Chancel, Vestry and Furnace Room were built.

1909: St. Stephen’s became self-supporting and the Rectory and a small Parish Hall were built.

1912: St. Stephen’s sponsored two missions in southwest Calgary, which became the independent parishes of St. Martin’s and St. Mark’s.

1923: St. Stephen’s Memorial Hall was built and dedicated to the 147 members of the parish who served in the First World War, including the 26 who gave their lives (whose names are inscribed on the memorial plaque in our Chapel).

1929: St. Stephen’s purchased the Casavant pipe organ that we still use.

1939-45: 381 parish members, women and men served in WWII, of which 27 lost their lives.

1951: The last service in the old church before demolition to make room for the new/present church.

1952: Dedication of the new church by the Most Rev. W. F. Barfoot, Primate of Canada. (Attended by 1472 people).

Sept. 1954: Consecration of New St. Stephen’s Church.

Sept. 1963: Dedication of the Christian Education Wing (which linked the church and Memorial Hall).

1966: To mark the 60th anniversary of St. Stephen’s church The Diamond Jubilee Fund was established to provide bursaries to candidates to the ministry in overseas Dioceses. From 1960-2002 theological students from Polynesia, Sudan, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Sierre Leone, Burundi and Canada received bursaries from the fund.

1976-78: The upper floor of Memorial Hall was leased to the City of Calgary to provide Children’s Day Care.

1978: Two years later that same area, was leased at a nominal fee to Early Childhood Services where they continue to operate their “Even Start” program for disadvantages 3-5 year olds.

May 1997: St. Stephen’s created and hosted the first “Inn from the Cold” program in Calgary.Now there are over 70 churches city-wide participating in the program.

2006: Our parish celebrated its 100 anniversary.
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History of Rectors

1909-1911: The Rev. W. Freemantle Webb
1911-1928: The Rev. Willis G. James
1928-1932: The Rev. Frederick W. Wilkinson
1932-1940: The Rev. Cecil Swanson
1940-1944: The Rev. W. Earnest Jackson
1944-1960: The Rev. Edward H. Maddocks
1961-1968: The Rev. Frederick W. Peirce
1968-1970: The Rev. Thomas M. Dustan
1970-1975: The Rev. Frederick H. W. Crabb
1975-1983: The Rev. Errol J. Shilliday
1983-1999: The Rev. R. Robert Purdy
1999-present: The Rev. Brian E. Pearson