ST. STEPHEN'S
CHURCH
ABOUT US
Whenever we tell someone that we are "Anglican Catholic", we often get responses like "What the heck is that?", or, "How is it possible to be both Anglican and Catholic?" Our response to the latter is, "We can't imagine how it could be possible to be either Anglican or Catholic, without being both!"
We are Catholic because we believe and practice the “universal” or catholic faith of the church, as originally established and handed down by the Apostles of Jesus Christ and passed on to us directly through their successors up to the present day.
The word “Catholic” is often understood in opposition to the word “Protestant.” However, in the early church, the word catholic stood in opposition to the word, “heretic.” Those who held to the catholic, or universal, faith stood in opposition to those who rejected some essential aspect of that faith.
The Anglican Catholic Church is Traditional, Apostolic and Catholic. From the ancient church we inherit our worship, the Creeds, the Apostolic Ministry of bishops, priests and deacons and the Sacraments. From the Reformation, we inherit an emphasis on the Bible and the Truth of the Gospel that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ.
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Today, as in centuries past, faithful Anglo-Catholic Christians oppose false beliefs and harmful practices whenever they creep into the church and are a departure from the ancient, apostolic and catholic faith. Thus, Anglican Catholic faith is best understood as a reformed catholic faith. Always and everywhere, The Church, through its faith and practices must oppose the errors of every age in order to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3:3 KJV).
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Our mission is to proclaim the objective reality of God as He has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ.
OUR PARISH
In 1993, St. Stephen's was founded by Canon Craig Merkel, his wife and family, and a small group of very close friends who shared the same vision to plant a traditional, orthodox Anglican parish, rooted in ancient Catholic order. Today, 30 years later, St. Stephen's is blessed with a growing and dynamic body of Christians, committed to maintaining those founding principles, and carrying the Light of Christ into the modern world, without compromise of Christian Faith, as given us by Christ
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A vibrant parish is one with its doors open to the faithful members of its parish, and to the community at large; a visible and active worship of God, and a visible and active presence in the community. Many opportunities for worship AND community service are engaged at St. Stephen's.
ST. STEPHEN'S
LUCAS, TX
After spending many years located within a small business park in Richardson, TX, St. Stephen's has moved! Construction was completed on a freestanding building in the beautiful, small community of Lucas, TX. Construction on the first phase of our new home was completed July 2019. The new property sits on 4 acres of land with lots of room to grow - we anticipate expanding the church over the years to come as we grow into and out of the current footprint of our new building. Help us to grow our church!
Join us at St. Stephen’s church in Lucas, TX!