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Welcome to St. Stephen!

We can't wait to see you here at St. Stephen United Methodist Church.

St. Stephen is an authentic and humble community of followers of Jesus Christ. We are a serving, giving, and action-oriented family of believers, called to be the hands, feet, and heart of Jesus Christ — in our neighborhood, in Charlotte, and in the world.

We believe in supporting each other and growing disciples, recognizing the dignity of all God's children. We serve our neighborhood and the larger Charlotte community.

There is room at the table and welcome for all at St. Stephen, no matter your season of life.

Give your faith a fall kickoff at St. Stephen

Fall is the perfect time to reconnect and explore your faith. St. Stephen has new programs, studies, and ministries for adults, youth, and children. Explore and signup for our fall programs today.

Sundays at St. Stephen

Coffee Connections
8:30 & 10:30am

Connect with St. Stephen members and guests over coffee and donuts for pre-worship fellowship.

Traditional
Worship
9am

Worship at 9am in the sanctuary, with traditional hymns, choir, and liturgy.

Modern
Worship
11am

Encounter God moving in new and fresh ways during our modern worship at 11am in the Youth Ministry Center.

Learn More

Sunday Small Groups
10am

Sunday study and small groups for adults, children, and youth meet at 10am.

Church Online

Can't join us in person? Want to take us for test drive? Join us each Sunday at 10am for Church Online. Each week, we present an abbreviated online worship service with prayer and the weekly message. It's a perfect chance to learn more about who we are or incorporate weekly worship into a busy life. Watch live or tune in whenever your time allows throughout the week.

Explore Small Groups

Explore opportunities for connection after worship on Sundays.

Explore Missions

At St. Stephen, we live out an active faith, putting our hands, feet, and hearts to work for our neighborhood, Charlotte, and the world.

Still Curious?

Still curious? Have lingering questions? Not quite ready to jump back into a traditional church setting? Check out our new program, Common Table, a monthly dinner with other folks just like you. A safe, respectful, and inclusive space for healing and exploring our faith questions and journeys.

What To Expect

What is your worship style?

Our Traditional Worship service is a relaxed, traditional service, with prayers, congregational hymns, choir anthems, and preaching. Our worship services typically last about an hour. They often begin with a prelude on our organ or other music, then proceed into a time of welcome and prayer. The congregation will join in singing a hymn, with lyrics projected on to two screens in the sanctuary. Our pastor will deliver his weekly sermon, and our choir will often perform a choral selection. ENCOUNTER, our Modern Worship service, features modern and contemporary worship and praise songs, along with a less structured worship service consisting of a time for praise and prayer, followed by the weekly sermon.

How should I dress?

Come as you are! Seriously! You’ll see folks in a variety of dress, from T-shirts and jeans all the way up to suits and ties. Our traditional service tends to be a bit more “dressy” than our modern service, but you’ll be welcomed no matter what you’re wearing. What’s more important to us is that you’re comfortable and that you’re here!

Will my young children be welcome?
St. Stephen is an intergenerational church family. Children are always welcome to all of our worship services and are encouraged to participate fully in worship. Worship packets for children are available outside the Sanctuary. Nursery is provided during all worship services for infants and children through age 4. Nursery is also available during the 10am Sunday Small Group hour for children from 0-2 years old.
Do you have programs for older youth?

We offer Sunday small groups for children and youth of all ages. Middle and high school youth are welcome to attend Sunday morning small groups. We also have a vibrant and active youth group, which meets weekly on Sunday evenings, along with other regular activities, retreats, and missions trips throughout the year.

What time should I arrive?

Our Traditional Worship service starts at 9am on Sundays. If you arrive by 8:30am, you’ll have time to park and make your way to the church lobby. There, you can meet with members and other guests while enjoying coffee and donuts. Similarly, our Modern Worship service begins at 11am; arriving by 10:30am will give you time to park and meet with members and guests over coffee in the Youth Ministry Center lobby.

Where should I park and enter the building?

Parking is readily available in our front parking lot immediately accessible from Sardis Road. A handful of guest and accessible parking spaces are available nearest the building. Enter the building through the doorways nearest the sanctuary. The sanctuary is the largest, tallest portion of our building with the three skinny stained glass windows on front. Additional parking is located in the rear of the building; you can access it via Lutomma Circle; parking on the side and rear may be more convenient if you are attending Modern Worship.

How can I meet others and get connected?

Members of the church are ready to welcome you each and every Sunday morning. Say hello to one of our greeters. They’ll be wearing a red greeter tag. They can show you around the church lobby, help you get some coffee and donuts, and answer any questions you have, including making introductions to others. One of our greeters or welcome team members would be more than happy to talk about small groups with you and get you connected to a great group of people!

You're welcome here... anytime!

You don’t have to wait until a Sunday morning to check us out! Any of our church staff would be happy to meet with you during the week, give you a tour of our campus, and answer any questions you have. If you’d like to schedule a time to visit the church, email us at info@ststephenumc.net — or just drop by! Our current office hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Be sure to check our calendar of events for programs and activities throughout the week. You are always welcome.

Learn about St. Stephen

Dig into our history, mission, vision, and more

Find Us: Directions

We are located in southeast Charlotte on Sardis Road, near Lansdowne and convenient to SouthPark, Cotswold, Oakhurst, MoRA, and Matthews.