The first recorded service at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church was in the summer of 1914.  Frederick B. Howden was the first Missionary Bishop in the Southwest. The Rev. Leonidas Smith, from the Church of the Holy Faith in Santa Fe, had an active Boy Scout Troop and brought them on an outing to Española to camp by the Rio Grande Bridge. One evening, he gathered enough local people to hold an Episcopal service at the Española Public School. It was rumored that some roughnecks in the community might try to break up the service, so Rev. Smith had his larger boys bring their Scout staves and sing in the choir.  The Rev. Smith held the service with a six-shooter in his back pocket and the Boy Scout choir behind him just in case. Thus, St. Stephen’s began with choir boys used as a bodyguard for the preacher.


The Church of the Holy Faith assumed responsibility for St. Stephen’s and the group continued to meet at the school until Mr. Frank Bond gave the lot where the present church was built in 1915. The various rectors at Holy Faith conducted services during the years prior to 1940. In 1950, Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church in Los Alamos was established, and St. Stephen’s came under their care. The Rev. Kenneth Shook came once a month for communion, and on other Sundays Los Alamos provided lay readers. During this period the parish hall was built by some of the men of the church. In 1960, the Rev. James Bell came and was the first resident priest. St. Stephen’s became an active mission under his leadership. In October 1973, William Howden (Frederick B. Howden’s grandson) became the last vicar of St. Stephen’s until 2014.

In 1980, St. Stephen’s, along with the Missions in Raton and Las Vegas, formed the Sangre de Cristo Ministry. Under this arrangement, the Rev. Vernon Strickland trained several people from each mission for priesthood under Canon 8 of the Episcopal Church.  In 1982, a small Sunday School room was added to the building.

After the Rt. Rev. Terence Kelshaw became Bishop in 1988 the rural churches were realigned into Team Ministries. St. Stephen’s became part of the Chili Line Team ministry along with Trinity on the Hill and St. Jerome’s in Chama. The Rev. Colin Kelly, III, supervised the team ministry. There were over twenty clergy from 1989 to 2011 who served St. Stephen’s. The current parish hall was constructed during the 1990s. The parish hall has been utilized by twelve step tradition groups since this time. At one point, serving upwards of 800 individuals monthly.

In January 2011, St. Stephen’s regained its independent mission status as we felt a strong desire to focus our ministry on our local community. Members of St. Stephen’s have been active volunteers with the San Martin de Porres Soup Kitchen – cooking, serving, and delivering meals to the homebound for over fifteen years.

In July 2013, the Rev. Constance Delzell became our Priest-in-Charge.  She coordinated further congregational development courses and held the first catechumenate course in many years. St. Stephen’s had its first Confirmations/Receptions at the church in over ten years on May 5, 2014. In September 2014, the Rev. Douglas K. Bleyle accepted the call to be our Vicar as we forged into the new direction of our independent mission status. During this time Rev. Bleyle became a priest of renovation as our Parish benefited from much needed attention to our structure. We have a Parish that can be further utilized for the needs of the community to which we can continue to pursue the mission of the Church ‘as it prays and worships, proclaims the Gospel, and promotes justice, peace, and love.’ (BCP, p 855). In 2019, Rev. Bleyle accepted a call to St. Barnabas of the Valley in Cortez, CO.

Since Rev. Bleyle’s departure, we utilized a devoted group of supply clergy and have maintained a consistent offering of Holy Eucharist for our community. With the further strain the economy put on our unhoused community, the congregation started a small pantry to provide food for folks in the community.

We are delighted to announce that in December 2024, Deacon Jerome Williams was ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests and will became the next Vicar at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.