This year, one of Main Street’s most iconic facades marks its 300th anniversary—not just as a place of worship, but as a vibrant community hub that has woven itself into the fabric of Ridgefield for centuries.
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church was founded in 1725 by Reverend Samuel Johnson, a native of Stratford. The current stone sanctuary, built in 1915, is only the church’s fourth on the same plot of land. Remarkably, only 40 rectors have served in its 300-year history.
Today, the 41st rector, Reverend Dr. Whitney Altopp, is stewarding the congregation into its next chapter as the first woman to serve in the role.
“We love our history,” says Rev. Whitney, “and we are very much alive. We take joy in the fact that we get to be here and to be present in this time. It’s amazing to be 300 years old. The world has done a lot of changing.”
That evolution is central to St. Stephen’s mission, where inclusion, compassion, and innovation walk hand in hand with tradition.
“We got a new rector with the new church in 1915,” parishioner Rob Kinnaird tells us. “Rev. William B. Lusk served from 1915 to 1950 when Aaron Manderbach came… and he served until 1980. That’s two rectors in 65 years. When I was a child, women were only allowed to prepare the altar—not celebrate a service behind it.“
Today, St. Stephen’s is known not only for its inclusivity—there’s a sign outside the sanctuary that reads: “The seats in this church are free. All are welcome,”—but as a place where people show up for one another. Through volunteering, partnerships, meetings, and outreach, the parish is a place that’s constantly striving to make the world a better, more compassionate place.
Parishioner Linda Hutchings founded Community Food Rescue, a program that collects surplus food from local stores and redistributes it to seniors and food pantries. Volunteers stock shelves weekly for Daily Bread Food Pantry, tend the on-site Samaritan Garden which supplies fresh produce for Meals on Wheels, and collect non-perishables for the Souper Bowl of Caring food drive each February.
“We don’t just gather to worship—we gather to serve,” Rev. Whitney says. “We organize people for ministry, and we empower one another to be the church outside our doors.”
Laundry Love is an initiative which distributes prepaid laundry cards to neighbors struggling financially. The Diaper Ministry, led by Siobhan Santini and her sister Stephanie, collects and distributes diapers and wipes throughout the local area. Through Housatonic Habitat for Humanity, volunteers help build, renovate, and repair homes for those in need.
Each year, the church partners with the nonprofit Hour Children for a toy drive that provides holiday gifts for incarcerated mothers at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility to give to their children. For many summers, St. Stephen’s parishioners also served as host families for those children, offering them a week of fun activities, meaningful connection, and the opportunity to visit their mothers.
The church campus hums with activity. RCK Preschool operates on the ground floor of North Hall, with meetings and events held above and church offices above that. Behind the sanctuary, daily AA meetings take place in the Meeting Barn—reinforcing the church’s commitment to healing, dignity, and belonging.
“We do a good job of recognizing that it’s hard to be human,” Rev. Whitney reflects. “Somehow, we’ve got to show up for life, even if we’re not quite sure how to do it all.”
St. Stephen’s celebrated its tricentennial with events peppered throughout the year. A highlight was an evening of personal story telling held at Ridgefield Theater Barn. A commemorative cookbook and photo-history book have been published—the latter of which will be available at Books on the Common at the end of the month. Celebrations will culminate with a gala on September 27 at Lounsbury House.
Two beloved concerts invite the broader community in: Carols by Candlelight in December, and a Black History Month Concert in February honoring the contributions of Black Americans through music.
Three hundred years in, St. Stephen’s remains a beacon of service and hope—proof that a church is not just about faith or buildings. It’s about the community of people who care for one another selflessly and without hesitation.
“It’s that opportunity for connection, for making the world a better place,” Parishioner Siobhan Santini tells us. “That’s what makes St. Stephen’s so special.”