Welcome to St. Stephen’s!
Click here to watch an introductory video about our church.
Since its founding more than 200 years ago, the congregation of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Forest has welcomed people to this sacred place in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains. No matter who you are or where you are on your journey, you are welcomed here. We invite you to experience for yourself the joy and presence of God’s real and abiding love. If you are looking for a church to call home, we would love to have you with us at St. Stephen’s!

Worship with Us
Sunday Services
8:30am – Holy Eucharist I (spoken)
9:30am – Adult Forum and Bible Study (September through May)
10:30am – Holy Eucharist II (with music and live on YouTube)
Calendar
Recent Sermons
Sermon for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (July 6, 2025)
Gospel: Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 There’s a subtext of vulnerability found in today’s passage from Luke. The 70 sent by Jesus to go out ahead of him are sent with the […]
Sermon for the Third Sunday after Pentecost (June 29, 2025)
Epistle: Galatians 5:1, 13-25; Gospel: Luke 9:51-62 During my pre-seminary life, particularly during my time as a Capitol Hill press secretary, one of the tasks that often presented the greatest […]
Sermon for the Second Sunday after Pentecost (June 22, 2025)
Gospel: Luke 8:26-39 As our lectionary moves through its regular three-year cycle, we’re allowed opportunities to consider the readings in fresh ways through the lens of the progression of our […]