History of St. Stephen's

Brief History of St. Stephen’s

The first Episcopal service held in Brewton was in 1926. The Reverend Joseph Walker of Daphne, Alabama conducted the service. In 1927, The Reverend Van Edwards of Trinity Church in Atmore made his first visit to Brewton, and services were held in the Universalist Church on Belleville Avenue. In 1944, when the church body was designated a mission station with 16 communicants, services were held at the Presbyterian Church, with the Reverend George Merkle of Atmore conducting services.

In 1948, a group of dedicated women met and organized a Women’s Auxiliary with the sole purpose of raising money to build a church. In 1950 the application for becoming an organized mission was granted. The mission was named St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and the women selected and purchased two lots on the corner of Escambia and Peavy Streets as a future building site. Members were still attending services at temporary locations. Ground was broken for the construction of a new church building in December of 1955. Present for the occasion were; Bishop George M. Murray and the Reverend James P. Woodson. Woodson would serve St. Stephen’s, Brewton as Vicar until 1957.

The edifice was constructed along traditional Anglican lines and featured wooden ceiling beams in the sanctuary. It was completed in 1956. Bishop Murray returned for the first service to be held at St. Stephen’s as the Episcopalians of Brewton worshipped in their own church building. During that service, six persons were confirmed to bring the number of communicant strength to total nineteen. The parish continued to grow.

The stained glass windows were given in memory of Jean Miller Huxford in April 1977. In February 1980, the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast granted parish status to St. Stephen’s. The year 1980 also saw the dedication of a new seventeen rank pipe organ in honor of James Patrick and Elizabeth Brannon Hayes. Additions were made in 1983, which consisted of a new parish hall, a rector’s office, secretary’s office, Founder’s Room, large modern commercial kitchen and a large glassed multi-purpose room to be used for meetings, suppers, receptions, and other gatherings. A kitchen renovation was accomplished in 2002 following a fund raising campaign.