Our Church Feels Like Home
Meet St. Stephen’s
Throughout our process of discussing who we are at St. Stephen’s, where we hope to go as a congregation, and what qualities we seek in a new rector, many parishioners repeatedly described our congregation as a “family,” with each person playing a unique and valuable role in our church family’s life together. So, in addition to describing the communal aspects of our congregation, we have decided to include several brief personal profiles of various members of St. Stephen’s to illustrate the many ways people of our congregation are living out their faith both within our church and in the world around us.
The name of the person interviewed for this personal profile has been changed to protect his privacy.
Born and raised in Longmont, parishioner Carl* attended Central Presbyterian Church in downtown Longmont during his childhood and adolescence. One of his favorite things about that church was the vibrant Youth Group. “Longmont now has about 95,000 residents, but it was a small town of about 14,000 when I graduated from high school,” he notes. “Back then, the Presbyterian Youth Group was very good for me, with all kinds of activities.”
After graduating from Longmont High, Carl earned a degree in mathematics from the University of Colorado (CU) in Boulder, returning to CU later for a teaching degree. He also earned a master’s degree from Colorado State University. “Like many other people, I did not attend church as much during college,” he recalls.
After graduate school, Carl became a teacher at nearby Erie Elementary School, teaching several physical education (PE) classes and a few math classes for “gifted” students. In addition, he taught PE at other local-area schools that needed a part-time instructor. “I loved teaching elementary school,” he says. “I made many long-lasting friendships. I keep in touch with some of the kids I taught, and I frequently see a few of them who have stayed in the area.”
Carl’s first wife grew up in the Congregational Church. Although they were married in that church, they were not very active members. When he married his second wife in 1991, Carl had become an active member at St. Stephen’s. “My wife, also a CU alum, was a ‘cradle’ Episcopalian,” he explains. “She was responsible for getting me more involved in church. Father Ralph Evans, assisted by Father Max Bailey, performed our wedding at a small chapel in the foothills where we have a cabin.”
Today, Carl serves on the Altar Guild, sings in the choir and works at various church social events. He also has served on the Vestry.
“Through the years, our congregation has had ups and downs, but our church feels like home,” he adds. “It’s a comfortable place with lots of interesting, talented people. We are attracting more young families. I would like to see our attendance continue to grow, especially for kids, since Youth Group was important to me.”
Carl’s faith grew even stronger recently as he fought a serious illness for four years, suffering persistent nausea and fatigue and losing 50 pounds.
“There never was a firm diagnosis of the cause, and that led to depression,” he says. “Through that time, people in the church prayed for me, and I have such gratitude for that. My health has improved, and my perspective on life is better. I’m back to my upbeat self. I do a lot better now at carrying my faith into my everyday life. One reflection I read recently was, ‘Don’t freeze people in time. Allow for them to have the potential to change and grow.’ I have witnessed how people can change. I’m a better person now, and church has helped with that.”
