The SSJ spirituality and charism is vibrant in North Carolina! The St. Stephen SSJ Associate group gather regularly around a meal, shared prayer, and faith sharing on a topic chosen by the leaders of the gathering.
Liturgical appointments/ sanctuary furniture for worship and ritual, especially the Altar and the Ambo, are to be proportional in size, and clear signs of their sacred role as Tables of Word and Sacrament. One is not meant to "outweigh" in size or be of competing/mixed material. Sister Janis McQuade SSJ shared this concern with some of the Associates and drew a picture of an Ambo she had in mind.
Janis shared, “Associate, Dr. Skip Whitman, took my drawing and built an Ambo to match all the other appointments in the sanctuary. His son, Keith, helped him install the electrical wire for the microphone. Skip is a retired orthopedic surgeon, and a former parishioner of St. Stephen, Elkin, NC. For over 30 years, Skip and his wife, Diane, along with their five children, were deeply engaged in parish ministries and service.
In 2019 Skip and Diane moved to Charlotte to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Their spiritual and personal legacy at St. Stephen and the Elkin community continue to inspire and encourage us all.
Skip and Diane and Debbie and Phillip Parrish (Elkin, NC)
are the members of the first SSJA group here. Last summer, they were joined by Kathy Jenkins (Elkin, NC), Carmen & Brad Kitts (Hays, NC), Ronnie Krakovsky (Jonesville, NC), and Patty Topper (Mt. Holly, NC).
Jim Arnold, who carved the St. Stephen Statue from a dying
oak on our property, also made our Baptistry to compliment the other
appointments in the sanctuary. It looks like it's been there for all 66 years!”