Interfaith Organizing

St. Stephen’s is an active member of Valley Interfaith Project, a member organization of the Arizona Interfaith Network. Our participation builds our capacity to engage, with other faith communities and neighborhood associations, the political and business institutions that affect our families. St. Stephen’s parishioners have been Citizen Lobbyists at the state legislature addressing issues related to mental health services, meth labs in neighborhoods, and students in immigrant families. St. Stephen’s is frequently a site for Institutes of Public Life which provides the parishioners with an opportunity to educate themselves about pressing policy issues such as Medicare Part D prescription coverage, immigration policy, and the crisis in long-term care.

Holiday and Other Outreach Projects

The parish Holiday Outreach effort receives widespread support from parish members. St. Stephen’s partners with entities such as the City of Scottsdale’s Human Services Department and Vista del Camino Community Center , Safehaven Ministries for mentally ill homeless people, and StarShine Academy charter school to provide gifts and food for holiday celebrations.

St. Stephen’s also responds to other needs in the community. As a Lenten outreach project, the parish gathered materials for desert survival packs to be distributed by the No More Deaths campaign. For Mother’s Day, parishioners collected and filled purses for distribution by Shoebox Ministries to women in domestic violence shelters.

J2A youth & adults participated in the Crop Walk, sponsored by WHEAT (World Hunger Ecumenical Arizona Task Force) Our walkers collected pledges to help feed hungry children and families worldwide.

The Chairperson of our Social Justice Committee may be contacted through the church office at 602-840-0437.