St Stephen's Church, Canterbury – Hales Drive, Canterbury, Kent, UK. CT2 7AB

Church from path

East window Christ

seakers may 2022

Tower with clock 5.30

Pentecost Chancel 2

Altar Cross close-up with window

Purple altar side

Join us this week in Church and Online

Easter Day
Sung Eucharist
10.30am Sunday 20th April 2025

Order of Service

For all of our previous services, visit our worship pages.

Easter Day
Choral Evensong
6.00pm Sunday 20th April 2025

Order of Service

The Collect for Easter Day
From Common Worship

Lord of all life and power,
who through the mighty resurrection of your Son
overcame the old order of sin and death
to make all things new in him:
grant that we, being dead to sin
and alive to you in Jesus Christ,
may reign with him in glory;
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit
be praise and honour, glory and might,
now and in all eternity.
Amen.

Maundy Thursday
Sung Eucharist and Stripping of the Altar
7.30pm Thursday 17th April 2025

Order of Service

For all of our previous services, visit our worship pages.

Good Friday
Liturgy of the Passion
2.00pm Friday 18th April 2025

Order of Service

Holy Week and Easter at St Stephen’s

Sunday 13th April 2025
Palm Sunday
10.30am Procession of Palms and Sung Eucharist
6.00pm The Way of the Cross – a service of readings and music for Passiontide

Thursday 17th April
Maundy Thursday
7.30pm Sung Eucharist and Stripping of the Sanctuary

Friday 18th April 2025
Good Friday
10.30am All Ages Service
2.00pm Good Friday Liturgy

Sunday 20th April 2025
Easter Sunday
10.30am Sung Eucharist with lighting of the Paschal Candle
6.00pm Choral Evensong

Image: Detail from the stained glass window
in the north transept of St Stephen’s Church

Lectern with flowers

Support St Stephen’s financially

It costs over £1,700 a week to keep St Stephen’s open for worship. This includes the costs of having our own Rector, and the costs of keeping the building in good condition, heating in the winter and lighting for services, and supports our musical work with young people. We receive no funding from the Government or the Church of England to maintain our ancient and beautiful building.

Could you contribute towards the costs of our ministry?

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St Stephen’s Choir

St Stephen’s is proud to have a strong choral tradition, with a robed choir singing the Sung Eucharist and Choral Evensong services each Sunday. The choir also has a reputation for singing excellent choral services in cathedrals around the south of England. New singers are always welcome to join us!

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Bell ropes

Ring our bells!

St Stephen’s has a fine ring of eight bells, and a team of excellent ringers, but more are needed to keep the bells ringing, calling people to worship as they have done for hundreds of years. Would you like to join our team and learn a new skill?

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manwood tomb closeup

History and Architecture

St Stephen’s has a rich history spanning a thousand years, from almost being a Cathedral, having a medieval Anchoress, and being the burial place of Queen Elizabeth’s Chancellor.

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Latest news from St Stephen’s

Agenda and Reports for the APCM 2025

Agenda and Reports for the APCM 2024 The Annual Parochial Church Meeting is being held in church on Sunday 28th April 2024 at 12 noon in the Church Hall, following…

Choral Evensong for Peace

As the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine passes, join us for a special service of Choral Evensong Music, Readings and Prayers for Peace in Ukraine and other war-torn places around the world.

Christmas Tree Festival 2024

Don’t miss out on our spectacular Christmas Tree Festival at St Stephen’s, opening at 2.30pm on Friday 6th December, and open from midday until 6.00pm on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th December. Trees will be decorated by groups from within St Stephen’s Church alongside trees decorated by groups representing all parts of the wider community of our parish.

READ MORE… Christmas Tree Festival 2024

Congratulations to St Stephen’s Bellringers!

St Stephens bellringers have had a very successful year under the direction of Tower Captain, Jane Huxley, winning 3 cups in one year: The Canterbury District Call Change, the 6 Bell Striking Competition, and finally the Kent County 6 Bell championship today (Saturday). They do not remember when (or if ever) the Tower was in possession of all 3 cups at once!

Congratulations Rev. Sally Pickersgill!

Congratulations to Rev. Sally Waters, who was ordained Deacon in Canterbury Cathedral on Saturday morning. Sally is, of course, known to all of us at St Stephen’s as she has been our Lay Reader for several years, but now she begins her new ministry as our Curate.

Agenda and Reports for the APCM 2024

Agenda and Reports for the APCM 2024 The Annual Parochial Church Meeting is being held in church on Sunday 28th April 2024 at 12 noon in the Church Hall, following…

St Stephen’s Choir singing in St Edmundsbury Cathedral

Our choir will be singing the services in St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Bury St Edmunds on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th April. Music will include some of our favourite Easter anthems, as well as a celebration of Stanford’s music to mark 100 years since his death.

Remembering Lady Loretta

At Choral Evensong on Sunday 10th March, we will be remembering Lady Loretta, an Anchoress who was enclosed at St Stephen’s from 1221 until she died in 1266.

Ash Wednesday

This year, Lent begins on Wednesday 22nd February. We will be marking Ash Wednesday with two services, our regular 10am Holy Communion, and a special Sung Eucharist at 7.30pm.