150 Years

We are very grateful to God for his goodness and faithfulness over these years, and pray that over the next 150 years and beyond – until Jesus returns – there will be a church here committed to knowing Jesus and making him known.

We marked the occasion with an Exhibition of Photos and Stories of those who have been involved in the church family and the local community from St Stephen’s earliest days – from John Jaffray and his daughter Annie who laid the foundation stone, right up to 2021.

We held a 150th Anniversary Dinner in Church on Friday 3rd September.

On Sunday 5th September, we had a day of celebrations. This began with two Services of Thanksgiving with guest speaker Rico Tice, co-author of Christianity Explored. We then enjoyed a BBQ lunch, Victorian-style fairground games and an inflatable slide, a birthday cake and afternoon tea, and we buried a Time Capsule.

The Time Capsule was buried by the vicar Chris Hobbs, Rico Tice, local Councillor Karen McCarthy, our oldest member Betty Day, and one of our younger members Sophia Luckwell. The Time Capsule contains contributions from Raddlebarn School, members of the local community and of the church family, past and present.