Dear Friends,
St. Stephen’s is a truly unique place. You don’t find many places quite like this eclectic parish in north-east Fargo. It is unique for many reasons. But probably the main reason it is so unique is it is a place where EVERYONE is welcome and included. That shouldn’t be a reason for it to be unique. Churches SHOULD be places where ALL are welcome, no matter what. But, sadly, that is not the case. Here, however it truly is. No matter who a person is—whether they are young or old, gay or straight, transgender or asexual, single, married or in a relationship, female or male or nonbinary, poor or wealthy, regardless of race or creed—ALL are welcome at St. Stephen’s. And not just welcomed but accepted, included and affirmed for who they are—loved children of God and inheritors of God’s grace.
Saint Stephen’s sits in a quiet residential area of north-east Fargo. Here, we as a growing faith community strive to live out the calling we believe we have received from Jesus to love and serve God and one another. Here, we practice a radical form of hospitality, affirmation and inclusiveness in which we greet each and every person who comes through our doors as though they are Christ. Here we welcome all people, no matter who they are. We are an open, welcoming, and inviting place and we strive to serve God and the community as a beacon of hope to a world that is looking to find meaning in life, to find love and acceptance, to find the God who loves us all, and a community that seeks to live out this reality.
Our vision for our community is one where we welcome all people no matter where they are in their faith journey, and even people who may disagree with each other. In gathering together in the very presence of God, we are able to experience this beautiful life God wishes for us so that we can be strengthened to serve a world that is aching for our love, our witness and our help.
Visit us at St. Stephen’s for worship and friendship, and together let us go out to love and serve God and a world that really needs us.
I invite you to consider making St. Stephen’s your home. Please know that if I can be of any service to you, call or email me to schedule an appointment.
So welcome to our website. Please explore it and if you like what you see and read, come and visit us. We celebrate Holy Eucharist on Sundays at 11:00 am (with Children’s Chapel during the service) and Wednesdays at 6:00 pm (with supper afterward at a different local restaurant).
Peace,
Fr. Jamie Parsley+
Rector
FR. JAMIE PARSLEY, Rector
Fr. Jamie has served at St. Stephen’s since 2008, first as Priest-in-Charge and as Rector since 2019.
Fr. Jamie’s spirituality is squarely centered on a deep love for God, a passionate following of Jesus and an all-encompassing respect for all people and living beings. As he preaches again and again: “Love God. Love others. It’s really just that simple.” He has worked hard throughout his life toward full-inclusion of all people within the Church.
Fr. Jamie is a long-time vegan and a committed advocate for animal rights.
Before coming to St. Stephen’s, Fr. Jamie served as Assisting Priest at Gethsemane Cathedral in Fargo and as Chaplain to All Saints Episcopal Church, Valley City, ND. He served on Diocesan Council, was the Chair of the Commission on Ministry and was the editor of the Diocesan newspaper, The Sheaf. He also served as Executive Assistant to the Bishop. He was also a Deputy to the Episcopal Church’s General Convention and was a member of the Board of Governors of Episcopal Life, the news publication of the Episcopal Church.
Fr. Jamie is also an award-winning and accomplished poet. He is the author of fifteen books of poems, including This Grass (2010), with paintings by St. Stephen’s parishioner Gin Templeton, Fargo, 1957 (2010), which chronicles the June 20, 1957 tornado that struck Fargo and most recently, Only Then (2018) and, most recently, Echo (2023), a book of poems written in reaction to paintings by artist Marjorie Schlossman, and Salt (2023) which chronicles the grief he experienced following his mother’s death. He is also the author of a book of short fiction, The Downstairs Tenant, published in 2014 by NDSU Press. Additionally, he is a playwright who has written several one-act plays and, just recently, a full-length play.
Fr. Jamie is an Associate Poet Laureate for the state of North Dakota. In 2022, he became Poet-in-Residence at Concordia College, Moorhead. He also teaches on-line at the University of Jamestown.
He holds Master of Fine Arts Degree in Writing from Vermont College and a Master’s Degree from Nashotah House Seminary.
He is an avid collector of books, ikons and mid-century furniture. He especially loves reading Japanese, Chinese, and Latin American poetry, as well as his beloved poets George Herbert, Elizabeth Bishop and R.S. Thomas.
His blog (with his posted sermons) is: www.jamieparsley.blogspot.com.
DEACON JOHN ANDERSON
JOHN ANDERSON was ordained a Deacon on June 14, 2020.
John is a native of Fargo, where he was educated in the Catholic school system. He later attended NDSU and United Theological Seminary in Minneapolis, where he graduated with an Master of Divinity Degree. As a United Methodist pastor, he served several Methodist congregations in North Dakota.
John decided to make a change in his vocation and began his journey to become a vocational deacon in the Episcopal Church in 2015. He currently serves as a chaplain at Sheyenne Crossings Care Center in West Fargo and Eventide Care Center in Fargo.
He and his wife Jessica live in Moorhead, Minnesota. They have three children.
DEACON SUZANNE MACEWAN (retired)
Deacon Suzanne MacEwan is a native of Chicago, Illinois. Ordained a Deacon in 2003, she served in the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming, most recently at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Evanston, Wyoming until retiring in 2020 when she moved to Fargo and found St. Stephen’s. We are very grateful to have Deacon Suzanne regularly help out at Holy Eucharist on Sunday mornings
Organist JAMES MACKAY
James Mackay has been the organist of St. Stephen’s for over thirteen years. He has also served as organist at Nativity Catholic Church and St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fargo.
James is a native of Hot Springs, South Dakota.
He and his husband William, live in Moorhead, Minnesota.
JESSICA ANDERSON, Senior Warden
BRYAN GELINSKE, Junior Warden
