The Community for Women of St. Stephen Catholic Church is a diverse group of women who gather for fun, fellowship, service and to lend a helping hand. Its mission is to assist the priests and the parishioners of St. Stephen to serve others through social and spiritual events.
The church’s social events are packed with informative speakers, spiritual gatherings and game nights, and this year the hope is to incorporate some field trips to enhance its ministry. Meetings have a casual atmosphere; after taking care of business, the women gather to just relax and enjoy each other’s company. It is truly a ministry supporting the fellowship of women.
The church works to change lives by organizing and leading many events that benefit the community, such as ‘Underwear Sunday,’ where it serves 16-plus impoverished elementary schools in Hillsborough County. During a weekend in September, the parishioners bring in different sizes of undergarments for both boys and girls, then it is divided and distributed to local schools in our surrounding area. Another organization St. Stephen supports is THORN (Thankfully Helping Others Real Needs).
One of the biggest gatherings at St. Stephen is the fish fry during Lent; working along with other ministries, money is raised for the parish to help with the purchase of equipment or support other ministries that need assistance. Fish fries are noted for the delicious fish dinners and awesome desserts; join in the festivity, meet new people and enjoy the evening with family and friends on Fridays during Lent.
In addition, the St. Vincent de Paul committee will be hosting its 25th annual tea on Saturday, October 7. This event is another example of how the Community for Women sponsors a fundraiser. Through fundraising, St. Vincent de Paul can provide monetary support to people in the community. If you would like to attend the tea, please use the following email for more details: amyjometz@gmail.com.
Do you love to play bingo? Then join the fun on the fourth Tuesday of every month in the Family Life Center at the church (located at 10136 St. Stephen Cir. in Riverview). Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and games begin at 6:30 p.m. Gather with your family and friends for a fun night and win cash prizes. All the proceeds of bingo provide support to the numerous ministries that are close to the members’ hearts and impact members, the parish and the surrounding communities in many ways.
If you would like more information about the ministry, email cfw@ststephencatholic.org. St. Stephen Catholic Church is located at 10118 St. Stephen Cir. in Riverview off of Boyette Rd.
