Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church: Waretown's Anglican Parish on Route 9
Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church has stood along U.S. Route 9 in Waretown, New Jersey, for nearly seventy years, but the parish itself traces its life back to the early 1930s when a handful of worshippers first gathered for Evening Prayer in a private home. Today the parish of about 200 families is part of the Diocese of New Jersey, the second oldest diocese of the Episcopal Church in America, and through that diocese belongs to the worldwide Anglican Communion. Its long blue strip of land along Route 9 holds a sanctuary known for its sweeping stained glass, a parish hall that hums with coffee hour conversation on Sunday mornings, a thrift outlet that turns donations into mission money, and a small house on the property where men in transition find a temporary roof.
A Parish Built Around the Eucharist
The Eucharist sits at the center of life at Saint Stephen's and is celebrated every Sunday. Two morning services are offered in the main church. At 8:00 a.m. the congregation gathers for a quiet liturgy of Holy Eucharist, Rite II, with no music. The service lasts about 45 minutes and includes Scripture readings, a sermon, and the sacrament. At 10:00 a.m. the Choral Eucharist, Rite II, fills the nave with traditional hymns. Music and congregational singing mark this service, which lasts about an hour and is followed in the Parish Hall by coffee, tea, and snacks. On the first Sunday of every month, members of the Order of St. Luke offer individual healing prayers at both the 8:00 and 10:00 services.
On Wednesdays the parish offers two more gatherings. A short celebration of the Holy Eucharist is held at 6:30 p.m., followed at 7:00 p.m. by a Bible Study Group led by one of the priests and held in the Parish Hall. On Fridays at 10:00 a.m. the community gathers for Morning Prayer with a Service of Healing.
Children have a place in the Sunday rhythm too. Children's Sunday School meets at 10:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall, taught by a dedicated group of volunteer teachers, and a nursery is available for children four years old and younger during the 10:00 service. Sunday School is on pause during the summer months.
Night Church: Wednesday Candlelight
Perhaps the most distinctive offering at Saint Stephen's is what the parish calls Night Church, a Celtic Evening Communion held in the church by candlelight on Wednesday evenings at 6:15 p.m. The service runs about forty minutes and trades the formality of the Sunday morning liturgy for a more meditative experience. Before the service begins, the congregation maintains silence, an invitation into the heart of God, and a chime sounds to mark the start of worship. The sanctuary is dim, with dozens of battery-powered candles glowing throughout the room. Parishioners may close their eyes for quiet prayer before the liturgy begins, and anyone who wishes may hold a small battery-powered candle jar in their palm throughout the service.
The Night Church service is part of the parish's tradition of seeking new ways to respond to God's call while remaining rooted in ancient Christian worship. When the weather is warm, Saint Stephen's occasionally moves its worship outdoors to the Garden Chapel for an informal Holy Eucharist, Rite II.
Co-Priests Serving Two Parishes
Saint Stephen's is co-led by The Rev. Dr. Chip Graves and The Rev. Lisa Graves, who serve together as Co-Priests-in-Charge of both Saint Stephen's in Waretown and the Church of the Holy Spirit in Tuckerton, New Jersey. The two parishes entered into an autonomous affiliation agreement in October 2020 for the purpose of sharing clergy and together called the Graveses in April 2022.
Chip is a former business manager in food distribution and a former financial advisor at American Express. He earned an M.B.A. in International Business at the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird), a Master of Divinity at Virginia Seminary, and a Doctorate in Ministry at Virginia Seminary. He is originally from Missouri, is an associate with the Holy Cross Monastery in upstate New York, and serves with the Mensa Foundation.
Lisa is an army brat who earned her bachelor's degree in communications at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, and her Master of Divinity at the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia. She worked as a creative director and advertising professional before entering ministry.
Before coming to the Jersey Shore, Chip and Lisa served churches in Roanoke, Virginia; Chicago, Illinois; Huntington, West Virginia; and Westchester, New York. They have two grown daughters, Katarina and Isabelle, and one big rescue dog named Uno. Visitors who would like to meet them for coffee can write to Lisa at revlgraves@gmail.com or to Chip at therevchipgraves@gmail.com.
From a Living Room to a Parish
Saint Stephen's began in the early 1930s as an informal gathering in the home of a Waretown family. The retired Diocese of Long Island priest The Reverend Colin Walker began baptizing people in the area at their request, and Evening Prayer services were held in a private home. With growth came the organization of a mission, and once permission was received from the bishop, Walker and the congregation of Holy Innocents in Beach Haven helped rent a building that was converted into a chapel. Funds were then raised to build a church, and on January 4, 1937, the first Saint Stephen's was dedicated. Walker continued his ministry in Waretown until 1940.
From 1940 until 1955 the congregation was served by a succession of priests: Reverends J. Mervin Pettit, Samuel E. Purdy, and Clarence Scholl. As the parish outgrew its space, the church purchased the property where it still stands and moved there in 1955. In 1961 The Reverend Canon William H. Paul arrived, and in 1965 the mission became a parish, with a new church erected that year and the old church converted into a parish hall. Canon Paul served as rector until 1987, and during his tenure the parish practiced a deep outreach into the community. The thrift store, the food pantry, and the Good Samaritan House all trace their origins to his years of ministry. A Memorial Garden and Columbarium were also built under his leadership to provide a place of final rest for parishioners.
In 1988 The Reverend Austin B. Murray was called as rector. A building program expanded the walls of the church, increased seating, and built a new parish hall with office space, a large kitchen, and classrooms. The old parish hall became the Thrift Store and was relocated to the southwest corner of the property. Murray served until 2008 and burned the parish mortgage shortly before he left.
In September 2010 Saint Stephen's welcomed The Reverend Terry Martin as rector. Over ten years he brought a passion for serving the poor, the homeless, and the hungry to the parish and to the wider church. He grew the food pantry, worked to improve the Good Samaritan House for men, instituted the much-loved Garden Eucharist, and designed and planted the Chapel Garden that supports both the Good Sam House and the food pantry. He retired from ministry in 2020 and died on Pentecost Sunday two years later.
During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Saint Stephen's conducted online worship using Zoom. The Rev. Mantel Bradley led the virtual live Sunday worship service for thirteen weeks before the parish returned to in-person worship.
A Walking Tour of the Stained Glass
The windows that line the side aisles of Saint Stephen's Church span an impressive 55 feet and are divided into 23 individual sections, with 46 unique designs in total. The motifs include representations of the apostles, various saints, the seasons of the Church year, and the seven sacraments of the Episcopal Church. Although each window stands alone in symbolism and artistry, all are unified by continuous ribbons of colored bands that undulate along the full length of the glass, guiding the viewer's gaze from the rear corner of the church, rising toward the altar, and ultimately to the Cross. The flowing ribbons also evoke the nearby sea, with every line in the windows except the borders drawn as freehand curves in contrast to the more rigid architectural structure of the building.
The glass was hand-blown in England, Germany, France, and the United States. Each piece is cut and leaded without paint, except for the shield designs, which are painted and then fired at high temperature so the color becomes permanently baked into the glass. Red is the dominant color throughout, symbolizing God's love for humanity and the blood of the martyred saints. Above the red, the colors shift to sky tones - soft pastels, blues, whites, and the various reds seen at sunrise, sunset, and rainbow. Below the red, the colors are earth tones: deeper blues, greens, oranges, and yellows representing water and earth. Each color holds a specific meaning: purple signifies royalty, green represents spring and the triumph of life over death, blue conveys heavenly love, white reflects the innocence of the soul, and yellow and orange evoke the warmth of the sun.
The overall inspiration for the design comes from the Book of Common Prayer, whose Feasts and Seasons guided the choice of symbols and motifs. Among the windows are depictions of St. Stephen, St. Mark, St. Luke, St. Paul, St. Peter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Agnus Dei, the Trinity, Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Unction, Holy Eucharist, the Prayer Book, the Hand of God, and a long procession of apostles and saints from St. Andrew to St. Vincent. Many windows are given in memory of loved ones, including one dedicated to J. Mervin Pettit, Priest, given by Rhonda and Edward Pettit, and another honoring Father Paul's ministry.
The Nancy Sullivan Prayer Corner
Tucked into the parish library, the Nancy Sullivan Prayer Corner is a peaceful place set aside for reflection, prayer, and spiritual renewal. Dedicated to the loving memory of Nancy Sullivan, it is open to all who visit the church and is available whenever the building is open. Visitors are invited to read from Scripture, offer silent prayers, light a candle of remembrance, or simply sit quietly and listen for God's gentle voice. The Prayer Corner bears the verse from Matthew 11:28: "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."
Sharing the Plate: Food, Clothing, and Shelter
Outreach is woven into the identity of Saint Stephen's. The parish operates three large programs that serve the wider community, and a long list of smaller efforts besides.
The Food Pantry is committed to alleviating hunger in the community by providing nutritious food with compassion, dignity, and respect. Open Monday through Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. until 11:15 a.m. inside the Parish Hall, the pantry serves about 600 people per month. Volunteers sort and organize donations, prepare orders, assist with donation pickups, maintain records, and offer a welcoming presence to those who come through the doors. The pantry director can be reached at 609-312-7041.
The Thrift Outlet, located on the southwest corner of the church property at 367 Route 9, sells clothing, jewelry, and small household appliances at affordable prices. Operated as a non-profit extension of the parish, all profits go to support the church and its ministries. The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and is sometimes closed for seasonal restocking. The shop maintains its own Facebook page for updates. The phone number is 609-698-4533.
The Andy Werkoven Memorial Good Samaritan House provides temporary shelter for men who are employable. The program is a "working program," meaning that residents must be employed within thirty days and usually stay no more than ninety days. Because their basic needs are met, residents can save their paychecks and work toward regaining control of their lives. The house was forced to close in 2015 for extensive renovations that were completed in September 2019, led by contractor Ash Aziz of LBI Property Maintenance and Construction, who donated his time, personal resources, and leadership to the project.
Beyond these three main programs, Saint Stephen's reaches out in many smaller ways. The parish serves several local nursing homes, gathers gifts for children through the Christmas Giving Tree, hosts recovery group meetings and Scouting groups, and partners with the Diocese of New Jersey through the United Thank Offering and Episcopal Relief and Development. The Memorial Garden and Columbarium at the rear of the Parish Hall offers consecrated space for the inurnment of cremated remains of members of the church and their family members.
The Memorial Garden and the Garden Angels
The Memorial Garden is consecrated as a columbarium for the cremated remains of members of the church and their family members. There is no fee for inurnment other than the optional cost of name engraving, and funds donated to the Memorial Garden are segregated from the general grounds of the parish and used for its development and maintenance.
The garden spaces around the church are kept beautiful by the Garden Angels, a stewardship program organized by Rett Rich. Each gardener adopts a particular bed and donates the funds, time, and effort to make it flourish. Among the adopted gardens are the Chapel Garden and Vegetable Gardens, which are tended by the residents of the Good Samaritan House and supply produce for the food pantry; the Memorial Garden; the Church Doors Garden; the St. Francis Garden; the Cross Garden; the Route 9 Sign Garden; the Parish Hall Garden; and the Thrift Shop Garden. The gardens are maintained on an as-needed basis from April through Christmas each year.
Music at Saint Stephen's
Music is an important part of worship at Saint Stephen's. Under the direction of Music Director and Organist Carlos Staszeski, the adult choir sings hymns of praise at the 10:00 a.m. Sunday service and during special celebrations throughout the year. The choir is open to both men and women and welcomes anyone who enjoys music and singing. Practice is held on Saturday mornings during the choir season, and the choir scales back in the summer and returns at the time of the parish's Welcome Back Fall Picnic in September.
The parish also supports a chime choir, a ministry of shared learning, teamwork, and devotion that brings a gentle, uplifting voice to worship through hand-chimed music. Open to all who feel called to make a joyful sound, the chime choir offers its notes in fellowship, prayer, and praise, creating moments of reflection and joy for the congregation.
Faith Formation for All Ages
Christian education is offered to children, adults, and teens throughout the year. In addition to the Sunday morning program for children, a Sunday Seminar meets in the Parish Hall at 11:30 a.m. The seminar is a discussion group open to everyone, led by Father Terry Martin, with books reviewed and discussed over coffee, tea, and snacks. Past topics have included the Kingdom of God and Forgiveness. The group does not meet during the summer.
Vacation Bible School is held each summer. Adults can also join the Bible Study Group that meets on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall, and a Holy Communion Class is offered for those preparing to receive the sacrament.
Sacraments of initiation are scheduled regularly. Baptism services are held several times a year, and Confirmation classes are conducted once a year for those ready to make a mature affirmation of the Baptismal Covenant. Those interested in Holy Matrimony, Confession, or Holy Communion classes are encouraged to speak with the church office.
The Core of the Parish
Saint Stephen's names six core values that shape its life together. Worship is the parish's response to God's grace through common prayer, common action, and music. Fellowship provides a Christian home for fostering meaningful, loving relationships with God and with one another. Community calls the parish to be a nurturing and affirming church, responsive to all needs and present in the wider townships. Ministry recognizes that through baptism every member is empowered to be a minister of the Gospel, reaching out to those in spiritual, emotional, and physical need. Stewardship teaches the parish to be faithful stewards of time, talent, and treasure for the glory of God and the care of creation. Faith rests on the Book of Common Prayer, Anglican heritage, Scripture, tradition, and reason as its cornerstones, trusting in the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The parish teaches that as Episcopalians its members are followers of Jesus Christ and believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion and traces its heritage to the beginnings of Christianity. Its liturgy retains ancient structure and traditions, and the laity exercise a vital role in the governance and ministry of the church. Holy Communion may be received by all baptized Christians, and the parish affirms that committed relationships are lifelong and monogamous while recognizing that there is grace after divorce. The parish does not dictate matters of personal informed conscience and celebrates unity in Christ while honoring differences.
The Blessing of the Animals and Other Traditions
Each year, around the Feast of Saint Francis, the parish holds its Blessing of the Animals, a long-running tradition in which the congregation and the wider public are invited to bring animals to the church for a blessing by the clergy. The Easter Vigil is celebrated as the first Eucharist of Easter, beginning in darkness with the lighting of a new fire and the Paschal Candle. During Lent, the parish observes the tradition with simpler worship, no flowers, no banners, and the absence of the word "Alleluia," with the church gathered for a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper before the season begins. Stations of the Cross are prayed on Fridays in Lent, sometimes at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Tuckerton.
Visiting Saint Stephen's
Saint Stephen's stands at 367 U.S. Route 9 in Waretown, New Jersey. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until noon and can be reached at (609) 698-8561 or by email at Admin@SaintStephensWaretown.org. Anyone planning to visit will find a congregation of about 200 families drawn from a variety of backgrounds. Newcomers are warmly welcomed. Sunday services use the Book of Common Prayer, and a service leaflet is distributed each week to help visitors follow along. The chancel choir, lay readers, chalice bearers, ushers, and the Altar Guild all serve in worship, and members of the Order of St. Luke offer individual healing prayer on the first Sunday of every month.
For those who cannot attend in person, Saint Stephen's livestreams a Sunday service on its YouTube Channel and on its Facebook page, and recorded services are archived on YouTube. Online giving is available through the church's donation page, and gifts can also be made by mail or in the offering plate. Memorial donations and donations for altar flowers or candles are welcomed and announced in the bulletin and during the Prayers of the People unless a donor prefers otherwise. Visitors who would like to talk with one of the priests about baptism, confirmation, marriage, or any other matter are invited to reach out and arrange a time to meet.