On May 23, 2021, the members and friends of St. Stephen’s AME Zion Church gathered to celebrate 98 years of service to the Branford Community. Those gathered lifted their voice in unison with the instruments to sing ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust In Jesus. Indeed, it takes trust and faith to stand as an institution committed to nurturing spiritual, relational, and physical health in the lives of those you serve.
Not only has the St. Stephen’s church survived 98 years of both successes and challenges, but she has thrived. There is no greater testament to that than the work they were able to accomplish during a Pandemic that stopped most of the world in its track. The pastor and members with the support of friends of the church completed an $80,000 renovation project of their building. They also prioritized the health of their community. The pastor and the members were among the first to get the Pfizer vaccine as early as August 2020 and then hosted a vaccine clinic in April of 2021.
At a time when many organizations closed their doors, St. Stephen’s continued their legacy of opening the doors to serve others. The guest preacher for the morning, Rev. Elvin Clayton, Sr, the pastor of the Walters Memorial AME Zion Church put it best, as he declared that when it comes to “The Rock vs. the Gates,” THE ROCK WILL ALWAYS WIN! He said this in reference to the text Matthew 16:18, in which Jesus spoke to Peter “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” This anniversary celebration was a reminder that no matter what challenges will come, the church of GOD shall prevail!
