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The Story of St. Stephen's

Every church has a story. The story of St. Stephen’s began in the summer of 1892 with a small group of people who believed Norwood should have an Episcopal church of its own.

What started with 15 people from 10 Norwood families would become a church that has stood at the corner of Chester Pike and Cleveland Avenue for more than 130 years.

A Church Begins — 1892

It started with a conversation. In mid-July 1892, a group of Norwood residents came together to organize an Episcopal church. Their first meeting was held around July 17 at the home of B. Mitchell Newbold. Fifteen people, representing 10 Norwood families, were there.
Just one week later, they gathered for worship. On July 24, the first Episcopal service in Norwood was held at Norwood Hall, with the Rev. Dr. John Balbour of Chester officiating. The congregation paid just $1 a week to rent the hall, with heat and lighting costing extra.
They chose a name. By August, the group had settled on the name St. Stephen’s, selecting it from four proposed names. On December 9, 1892, Bishop Whitaker officially recognized St. Stephen’s as a Mission Church.

Dreaming of a Church Home — 1894–1896

The congregation had a place to worship, but they dreamed of something more—a permanent home where their new church could take root.

The first attempt did not go as planned. In early spring 1894, St. Stephen’s purchased part of Norwood Park from William Calhoun as a site for a church. When digging began in April, however, the borough stopped the work and arrested the workers. A legal battle followed over whether Calhoun had the right to sell the park land.
The congregation kept moving forward. While the dispute continued, St. Stephen’s left Norwood Hall and began meeting at Henderson’s Hall, now the second floor of Davis’ Trading Post.
Then came a new opportunity. In early 1896, St. Stephen’s purchased two lots on Chester Pike at Cleveland Avenue—the same corner where the church stands today.
On August 18, 1896, the dream became a reality. At 11:30 in the morning, the congregation broke ground for its new church.

The Chester Times captured the spirit of the day, reporting that members of the congregation and community “lent a helping hand” in digging the foundation.

— Chester Times, August 20, 1896

The Parish Grows — 1897–1914

The new church was only the beginning. As St. Stephen’s grew, so did its home and its ministry.

1897: Work began on a rectory, which opened in May 1898. The building was designed by Mrs. T. William Davidson, the rector’s wife.
1902: The rectory became the parish house, and a vestry room was added.
1908: St. Stephen’s reached another important milestone and became self-supporting.
1914: The vestry room was enlarged to meet the needs of the growing parish.

More Than a Building

Walk through St. Stephen’s today and much of what you see connects us directly to the people who gathered here more than a century ago. The church has changed remarkably little since it was built in 1896. The interior was modernized in the mid-1960s, but the character and spirit of this historic place remain.

But the story of St. Stephen’s has never really been about the building.

It has always been about people.

People who gathered together in 1892 because they wanted a church in their community. People who kept going when their first building site fell through. People who dug the foundation with their own hands. People who gave their time, their resources, and their faith to create something that would last.

And that same spirit continues today.

Faith That Feeds Others

Today, St. Stephen’s continues to live out its calling by reaching beyond our doors and serving our neighbors.

Blessing Bags for Children began from a simple belief: no child should go hungry on the weekend. Each week, volunteers gather to prepare food for children and families who need a little extra help.
The Common Good Supper brings people together around a shared meal. Everyone is welcome, and no one is turned away because they cannot afford a meal.
Our To-Go Meals Ministry extends that care even further, providing prepared meals to people and families in our community.

These ministries are a continuation of the same spirit that brought those first 15 people together in 1892—the belief that faith is not something we keep inside our walls. Faith is something we live, share, and put into action.

More than 130 years later, St. Stephen’s is still here. Still gathering. Still serving. Still finding ways to care for our neighbors.