St. Stephen's United Methodist Church has spent five decades serving the Northeast Heights of Albuquerque from its home at 4601 Juan Tabo Boulevard NE, and the congregation is marking its fiftieth year with the same motto that has shaped its recent seasons of growth: Fostering New Heights. Three Sunday morning services, a Christian preschool housed in the same building, a long slate of small groups, and a deep network of mission partnerships make the church a busy hub for families, singles, and retirees across the city's eastern neighborhoods.
Three Sunday Services, Two Worship Styles
St. Stephen's offers three worship services every Sunday morning. The earliest, at 8:00 AM, is a contemporary gathering designed for those who want to attend church before Sunday School classes begin at 9:30. The 9:30 AM service is also contemporary and runs in parallel with the church's Christian education hour. The 11:00 AM service is traditional, featuring congregational hymns accompanied by organ and piano, responsive readings, litanies, and the Sanctuary Sounds Handbell Choir, which offers special music on a regular basis.
The 9:30 AM contemporary service is livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube, and the 11:00 AM traditional service is streamed on YouTube. Recent services are archived on the church's YouTube channel for those who prefer to watch from home.
A Faith Shaped by the Trinity and the Bible
St. Stephen's belongs to the United Methodist Church and draws its core values from the denomination's historic teaching. The church confesses one God revealed in three distinct persons. It celebrates the mystery of salvation through Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection demonstrate God's redeeming love. It names the Holy Spirit as God's present activity in the world - active whenever a person senses God's leading, challenge, support, or comfort. The church teaches that human beings are made in God's image with the capacity to love, communicate, and create, and it describes the church itself as the body of Christ, an extension of Christ's life and ministry in the world. The Bible is the primary authority for faith and practice, and the reign of God is understood as both a present reality and a future hope.
The congregation's mission statement echoes the Methodist call to discipleship: St. Stephen's United Methodist Church exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The vision sums up the work in three lines: Love God, Love Others, Serve the World.
A Full Children's Ministry and a Christian Preschool
Children and youth are central to the life of St. Stephen's. The nursery welcomes newborns through age five during all three Sunday services, providing a safe, loving environment where children begin learning the Bible through age-appropriate curriculum and Christian materials. At age five, children move up to the Kids Connection Sunday School.
Sunday School meets during the 9:30 hour for children and youth in kindergarten through twelfth grade, organized into four classes: K-2, 3-5, mid-high grades 6-8, and senior high grades 9-12. The youth group gathers twice a month on Sunday afternoons in the Upstairs Loft for fellowship, games, and a brief devotion; students in grades 6-12 are welcome and may bring friends. Vacation Bible School takes place every summer with a unique theme, games, crafts, songs, and lessons.
Once a month, on the second Friday from 5:30 to 8:00 PM, the church hosts Parent's Night Out. Children ages 3-13 (and younger or older siblings) enjoy dinner, games, crafts, and Bible lessons while their parents take a break. The cost is $10 per child with a family maximum of $25.
Housed within the church building, KUCI Preschool (Kids Under Construction Inc.) is a Christian preschool serving children ages two through five. Fully accredited through the Association of Christian Schools International and holding a five-star state license, KUCI provides developmentally appropriate, Biblically-based programs in a nurturing, Christ-centered environment.
Music, Tech, and Sunday Morning Volunteers
Music and media opportunities at St. Stephen's extend well beyond the choir loft. The Praise Team leads worship at the 8:00 and 9:30 AM contemporary services, with vocalists, keys, acoustic and electric guitar, bass, and drums. Sanctuary Sounds, the church's handbell choir directed by Jacki Huntsman, performs about once a month and on special occasions. The Music Ministry invites additional musicians to offer special music in the traditional service or to join the chancel choir. The Tech Team handles slides, sound, livestream cameras, and media creation. Ushers and Greeters round out the Sunday morning team, with openings also for hospitality, attendance, registrations, the Welcome Center, and communion serving.
Small Groups for Every Stage
St. Stephen's maintains an unusually full slate of small groups, organized by audience and meeting time. Women's groups include Women of the Word (Thursdays at 9:30 AM in the Small Group Resource Room), The Turquoise Table (1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 6:30 PM in a leader's home), Women in Leadership (Tuesdays at 6:00 PM at Stephen's Place), and Friday Forty (Fridays at 10:00 AM in the Conference Room). Men's options include Promise Keepers (Fridays at 7:00 AM), Dave Cutler's Group (Mondays at 7:00 PM), and the Giddens & Pendleton Group meeting at Flying Star on Thursdays at 7:00 AM.
Mixed adult Bible studies and Sunday-hour groups include The Chosen Group and Jim Hawk's Morning Bible Study (Wednesdays at 10:30 AM), plus Serendipity, Cutler's, Digging Deeper, Study Social Repeat, and Foxx Sunday Morning Group, all meeting during the Sunday school hour. Specialty offerings include an Exercise Group meeting Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 7:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall; Institches, a needlework group meeting Thursdays at 1:00 PM; an Apologetics class on the second Sunday at 1:00 PM; Supper Circles that gather at varying times and locations; and a Care Team that meets quarterly.
Local and Global Mission Partnerships
Outreach runs deep at St. Stephen's. The church supports Locker 505, a local ministry that supplies students in need; Saranam, an Albuquerque organization serving families working to overcome homelessness; Storehouse, which feeds families across the city; and Asbury Pie Cafe, a community meal program. Kairos Prison Ministry and McCurdy Ministries, a long-standing service and education ministry in the Española Valley, also receive the church's support. Globally, St. Stephen's partners with Fundación Ecuatoriana Elohim in Ecuador and supports Meals on Wheels of Albuquerque locally. A staff point of contact oversees each partnership so newcomers can plug in quickly.
Staff and Ways to Give
Senior Pastor Rev. Damon Stalvey leads the congregation and oversees the missions portfolio. Dr. Gregory Gallagher directs Worship and Music. Jo Anderson serves as Director of Children and Youth. Karen Shields directs KUCI Preschool. Kristy Townsend directs Communication, Bill Huntsman serves as Financial Administrator, and Martha Benn leads Connectional Ministry.
St. Stephen's encourages generous stewardship through several giving channels. Members and friends may text to give at 833-657-0054, give online through the church's secure giving portal, set up automatic ACH transfers from a checking or savings account, or schedule recurring debit card gifts. Gifts may be designated to specific ministries or funds by contacting Bill Huntsman directly.
A Building That Hosts the Community
The St. Stephen's campus is also available for outside events. Prospective renters can review the facility's rental policies and fee schedule online and submit a request through the church's Facility Rental Request Form.
Church office hours run Sunday during services (8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 AM), Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and the office is closed on Friday. The church can be reached at 505.293.9673 or info@ststephensabq.org. Prayer requests may be sent to prayer@ststephensabq.org.