We take seriously what Jesus told us about loving our neighbors as ourselves. We work together to make donations of our time, talents, and treasure. We also help connect people with volunteer opportunities, allowing members to find projects that let them work where their deep joy meets the world's great need. Below are some of the things we do. We welcome ideas for more outreach opportunities. Contact Joan in the office (734-284-8777) if you would like to help. Here are some of our ministries:
Year Round Activities
Free Community Meals
On the Fourth Saturday of each month, we work with Jay Ray's BBQ and Catering (who leases space in our building) to prepare and serve a hot meal and bag lunch for about 120 people.
Blessings Box
Created as an Eagle Scout project, our Blessings Box is outside the front doors of the church. People can get food 24/7 - and people who have extra can leave it, too.
Prayer Shawls
A dedicated group of knitters and crocheters make shawls, wraps, and lap blankets, which are then blessed during worship. People who are ill, grieving, or struggling in any way receive the blankets, which symbolize the way that the congregation is wrapping them in prayer. Prayer shawls are also given to babies who are baptized. This is a perfect way help others if you like to knit or crochet. You can even do it in your own home!
Dresses for Haiti
People in our congregation make dresses from pillowcases that are sent to girls in Haiti. Helpers to make dresses are always appreciated as are donations of pillowcases.
Community Building Use
Although not affiliated with St. Stephen's, three twelve-step recovery groups use our building five days a week. We also have Scouting USA groups and a PFLAG group. If your group is looking for space, let's talk.
Annual Programs and Events
Free Community Parties! Trunk or Treat, Community Christmas Party, and Candy Hop
At Halloween, we decorate our trunks and tables and give our candy to all the kids who come by. We also offer crafts and games! At Christmas, we have nativity animals, Santa, and lots of crafts, food, and fun. Just before Easter, we give out candy and offer crafts (including plastic egg decorating!) and snacks. We love spreading love and joy to our neighbors!
Free Summer Concert Series
During the summer months, we offer concerts in our beautiful courtyard (indoors if weather is bad) that are free and open to the public. We've had the Roosevelt High School Chamber Music group, the Band of Angels performing rocking oldies, the Paul Keller Jazz Quintet, folk singer Katie Geddes, and more.
Food for Kids in the Summer
The need for food assistance is huge. Over 900 children in Wyandotte who receive free or reduced price school lunches have signed up for Blessings in a Backpack, which provides them with food on the weekends during the school year - but in the summer, kids can't eat at school and Blessings in a Backpack doesn't operate. So, each summer, St. Stephen's works with the Wyandotte Ministerial Association to pack grocery bags with food for kids to eat on the weekends in the summer, which we call Brown Bag Blessings. About 1,000 bags go out each summer.
Christmas Baskets
At Christmas, we provide food baskets with everything needed for a family dinner (including a ham or turkey), plus gifts for each child, winter weather gear, and a $100 Meijer gift card. We usually give out 25-30 baskets a year.
"White Gifts" for Men in Recovery from Substance Abuse
Each year in December and January, the Men's Club collects donations of personal items (socks, underwear, deodorant, etc.) for the men in recovery from substance abuse at Mariners Inn in Detroit.
Special Programs
Collections for People with Urgent Needs
We've raised money for Ukraine, Wildfire Relief in California, Flood Relief in Texas, Clean Water in Flint, Support for Veterans, Essential Supplies for Victims of Civil Unrest in Nicaragua, Start Up Funding for a Food Truck Serving Poor Communities, and Help Removing the Stigma of Mental Illness - to name just a few of the projects we've supported. During special seasons of the year (Lent, Easter, Christmas), we raise money to help people. The church matches whatever is raised by the congregation, enabling us to send thousands of dollars to local, national, and international organizations helping people affected by wars, natural disasters, and societal issues. We are always looking for ways to help people, so let us know if there's an organization you think we should raise money for!
Helping People Connect
During the pandemic, we raised $1,500 for the Bacon Public Library to help provide free mobile hotspots to people in need in the community. As students and workers went online, unequal access to the internet became a problem. The library allocated some funds for purchasing hotspots people could check out, but demand exceeded supply. We were happy to help!
Lenten Collection to Retire Medical Debt
Currently, unpaid medical debt tops $1 trillion – that’s $1,000,000,000,000. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, almost 43 million Americans have unpaid medical bills. Six in 10 American adults (both insured and uninsured) say that their medical bills make it hard to pay for other basic necessities; one third of those report having to make choices between paying medical debt and eating, staying warm, or having a safe place to live. Medical debt is responsible for 60% of all bankruptcies. We donated to RIP Medical Debt, which purchases medical debt in bulk (which is what collection agencies usually do) and forgives it – no strings attached. Every $1 you donate forgives at least $100 of medical debt. We raised $1,000, which forgave $100,000 in medical debt.
Got an idea?
We love new ideas! If you have a ministry you want to start, contact Pastor Andrea at aandrea1234@gmail.com or 734-771-0618.