Chronology of St. Stephen Lutheran Church
1956 Pastor Allan H. Fenner arrived as Mission Developer as a 
result of a survey which revealed 75 Lutherans in the area, plus 50 Lutheran students at the College of William and Mary.
The first service was held in September in the Wren Chapel on the College campus.
The congregation was formally organized in December with 74 confirmed members.
1957 At the first Annual Meeting in January, Pastor Fenner was called to become the first full-time pastor to St. Stephen Lutheran Church. He was installed in May. The current building site, on Jamestown Road, was dedicated in June.
1960 Pastor Fenner resigned in March, and returned to Pennsylvania. The summer supply pastor was Seminarian David L. Blackwelder.
Pastor John F. Byerly, Jr. was installed as the second pastor of St. Stephen in October.
1962 Groundbreaking services were held in March for the first church building. The date stone was placed under the altar during a ceremony in October.
1963 The first services in the new St. Stephen Lutheran Church were
held on January 6. Sister Doris Abernethy was sent by the Board of American Missions to assist our programs.
1964 St. Stephen Lutheran Church building was dedicated on April 19.
1965 In response to a demonstrated need in the community, the St. Stephen Nursery School and Kindergarten began with 80 students.
1968 Outreach to tourists expanded with the arrival of Seminarian Robert Schmeelcke.
1969 Mr. William Dollhopf, a graduate student at the College, was employed to assist the pastor in Campus Ministry.
Ms. Alice Moberg was the first member from St. Stephen to become a candidate for a divinity degree.
1970 Mr. Richard Carter was installed as Lay Chaplain for Tourist Ministry.
1971 On December 12, in conjunction with St. Stephen’s 15th anniversary, an Educational Building addition was dedicated, including a dedicated College Room for the Lutheran Student Association at the College of William and Mary.
1973 In January, Pastor Byerly accepted a call to First English Lutheran Church in Richmond, Virginia.
Seminarian H. Benton Lutz, one of St. Stephen’s supply pastors, was called to become the third full-time pastor. He was ordained and installed on July 15.
1975 Mr. Ted Miller was named Graduate Assistant for Campus Ministry.
1976 Pastor Jack D. Nussen came to St. Stephen to assist in Tourist Ministry outreach and served as associate pastor. He served through 1977, leaving for a call to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hampton, Virginia.
The St. Stephen Hostel program provided low-cost lodging for youth groups on the Bicentennial Trail.
1979 Vicar Willetta B. Heising served her internship at St. Stephen. .
1981 Pastor Heising was ordained on her birthday, July 1, and accepted a call to Grace
Lutheran Church in Franklin, Virginia.
On December 6, St. Stephen Lutheran Church celebrated its 25th anniversary.
1987 Pastor Philip G. Emanuel was called as Associate Pastor to St. Stephen in May, and served through August 1989.
1988 Construction on the expansion of St. Stephen’s sanctuary began in December. Many worship services took place in Morton Hall at the College.
1989 The St. Stephen congregation returned to the completed worship space, with handicapped access to the sanctuary, in August. The dedication was held in September.
1990 Former Lutheran Student Association member, Mr. Randy Lohr, was ordained in July.
The new organ was dedicated on November 4.
1991 After 18 years, Pastor Lutz moved to South Carolina to establish a counseling practice.
1992 Pastor Lawrence A. Shoberg was called to St. Stephen in July, and installed in October.
1993 The first Worship in the Park, the annual congregation picnic, was held in September.
1994 Ten members of the congregation were commissioned as the first class of Stephen Ministers in September.
1995 Congregation voted to develop a Capital Fund program to fund a building renovation project
1996 The cross on the front door of St. Stephen was painted bold red, and became clearly visible to all who pass on the street, giving witness to the community.
Inaugural Theologian in Residence program, with former Lutheran Church in America Bishop James F. Crumley.
Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of St. Stephen in December.
Wm. Henry Harris and Associates, Inc., of Richmond, Virginia, were contracted to complete a Master Plan to enable St. Stephen to expand its service to the community.
1997 Initiation of the Tape Ministry, providing recordings to those who cannot attend services at St. Stephen.
1998 St. Stephen entered into a partnership with Mongai Lutheran Parish in Tanzania.
Chris Carr and Todd Payne, members of St. Stephen, began their training for the ordained ministry.
1999 St. Stephen purchased the house and property at 608 Jamestown Road.
2000 Pastor Shoberg retired from St. Stephen Lutheran Church.
Pastor John Mark Vought served as Interim Pastor.
Congregation member Ms. Cheryl Griffin began her training for the ordained ministry.
2001 Pastor Andy Ballentine began his work at St. Stephen in April and was installed in May.
Approval received in December from the Architectural Review Board and the Williamsburg Planning Commission for the addition to the Church.
2002 Approval for the new building received from the Williamsburg City Council in January.
Demolition of the Educational Building and ground-breaking ceremony held in June. O.K. James was chosen as the general contractor.
2003 Construction completed in May, building dedicated in June, Virginia Synod Bishop
James F. Mauney, participating.
Congregation member, Pastor James Nickols was called to Reformation Lutheran Church, Newport News.
LSA member, Mr. Joel Neubauer began training for the ordained ministry.
2005 Congregation member Ms. Kathryn Schroeder began her training for the ordained ministry.
2005 Cheryl Griffin was ordained at St. Stephen in September, and began her work as Associate Pastor at Reformation Lutheran Church, Newport News.
2006 Eight members of St. Stephen traveled to New Orleans in April to help with the
reconstruction following Hurricane Katrina. They returned in October for a second mission trip.
LSA member Mr. Michael Powell began his training for the ordained ministry.
Pastor Ballentine became ill in October, and spent five weeks in Norfolk General Hospital and two months recovering at home. Congregation pastors and pastors from the community lead worship.
Celebration of 50th Anniversary of St. Stephen began with a musicale in December.
2007 Pastor Robert J. Maier served as interim pastor for the month of January.
Pastor Ballentine returned to St. Stephen in full health in February.
Endowment/Planned Giving Seminar offered in January in celebration of the 50th Anniversary.
Theologian-in-Residence continued the Anniversary celebration in February.
The new Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnals were introduced to the congregation in February – the Lutheran Book of Worship was removed by the 11:00 worshipers on February 18 and the new books were brought into the sanctuary by those worshiping on Ash Wednesday.
Red carpeting was installed around the altar in the sanctuary in March.
Special Anniversary Worship service was held in March, Virginia Synod Bishop James F. Mauney, officiating.
First (Annual) St. Stephen Golf Tournament and Putt-Putt Golf Outing in celebration of the 50th Anniversary was held in April.
“Fifties+” Luncheon was held in the Fellowship Hall in April for those members of St. Stephen 50-years-old and older, celebrating the Church’s 50th birthday.
Grand Banquet Celebration was held in June at the University Center at the College of William and Mary, concluding the 50th Anniversary events.
Organist Michael Price moved to California to take a teaching position in September.
Michael Monaco began his ministry at St. Stephen in November.
2008 The Inaugural Organ Recital, presented by Michael Monaco, filled the sanctuary in January.
Congregation member Ms. Haley Poynter, daughter of Kate Schroeder, began her training for ordained ministry. Lutheran Student Association members, Ms. Brett Wilson, Ms. Leslie Scanlon, and Ms. Deanna Scheffel also began training for ordained ministry.
2009 Pastor Ballentine took a three-month sabbatical – including a trip to our sister Parish, the Mongai Parish, in Tanzania.
Former Lutheran Student Association Members, Mr. Todd Payne and Mr. Chris Duckworth, are ordained as ELCA pastors.
New chairs for the worship space are installed, unifying the look of the sanctuary. Used chairs are sent to Rejoice Lutheran Church, a mission church in Portsmouth, VA.
