Outreach
The Church is the expression on earth of the Kingdom of God. It is not a community center for the saved, but a hospital for sinners, a refuge for the weary, a light in the darkness for all to come home to God. We are not called just to bring people into the church, but to take Jesus Christ into the world where people are hurting and struggling. Reaching out to the world involves at least two aspects:
The spiritual – “For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’” (Romans 10:13-15)
The practical – “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” (Matthew 25:37-40)
Boaz ministry
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The Boaz ministry seeks to create a community within the church that captures the spirit of the Book of Ruth (Boaz redeems his distant relative Ruth from poverty); Acts 2:44-47 (believers give their possessions to provide for anyone who had need); and James 1:27 (pure religion is to visit orphans and widows in their trouble).
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Our goal is to address three issues which hinder the outreach of the church: legitimate needs present within the church community going unmet, needs being met repeatedly by a weary few, and the societal attitude which has crept into the Church that says ‘I am not responsible for the needy; let the government take care of them’. It is accomplished by recognizing needs, identifying the skills and resources required, and matching those having needs with those having skills.
Enquirers
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Enquiring minds want to know. Perhaps you aren't a Christian but would like to investigate the faith. Or perhaps you were raised in a Christian home but never really understood what it was all about. We would like to introduce you to Jesus Christ, and help you discover who He is. He already knows you ... and loves you.
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We desire to provide enquirers with a safe, calm place to ask questions, whether easy or difficult; a place to learn at your own pace; a place to be yourself while discovering who you were meant to be as defined by the one who created you – He who knows you best and loves you most. There are many ways to accomplish this, one of which is the Alpha program – a series of about a dozen weekly sessions in a friendly, open, and informal environment.
Evangelism with Missions
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Why are these addressed together? "If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?" (James 2:15-16)
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Evangelism and missions opportunities change as needs change. The world looks decidedly different now than it did even two years ago, and we all must learn to adapt. Our ministry is local, such as supporting and volunteering at a local foodbank. It is also country-wide and worldwide, as we contribute to needs in our own country, our diocese of Europe, and other locations and situations around the world. Would you like to be part of changing people's circumstances and changing their lives? ​​
CECforLife
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St. Stephen CEC – indeed the entire International Communion of the Charismatic International Church – is a pro-life church: it is in our DNA. The early church fathers were united in their stand against abortion and infanticide. They consistently led the fight to protect the innocent from death, even at great risk to themselves and their families. Under that same historic banner, CECforLife strives to serve and mobilize the Body of Christ at large, calling all Christians to fulfill their divine commission to defend the fatherless. Additional information may be found at the CECforLife website.
At the local level, some of our individual parishioners pray the Liturgy for the Preborn (a prayer service for babies who will not receive a proper burial) each weekday. We also participate in the March for Life UK - this year on 04 Sep 2021 see website.