Our history
In the 1950s, Waterford was considered a great place for a cottage on the lake, and many people were moving permanently into the area. Between 1950 and 1960, Waterford grew from just under 25,000 residents to almost 50,000 residents. St. Stephen Lutheran Church was founded in 1956 to minister to this growing population.
In its first years, St. Stephen grew rapidly, along with the township’s population. The congregation built its first building in 1959, and by 1965, just one year short of its 10th anniversary, the congregation had an average attendance of almost 300.
By 1970, the congregation had almost 400 children engaged in its ministry and a parish school was conceived. The school began as a co-operative effort with St. John Lutheran Church in Rochester: St. Stephen provided students and funded the costs of one classroom. In 1975, St. Stephen School returned home to Waterford and moved into a newly completed educational wing at the church. In 1983, the congregation purchased a former public school building to permanently house its kindergarten through eighth grade program.
Coming into its 50th anniversary year, the congregation renovated its church building in 2004. Improvements included handicapped accessibility, an expanded lobby and narthex, an upgraded organ, brighter lighting, and updated electronics. Since then, the church building has been air conditioned, too.
What do the next 50 years hold for St. Stephen? Only the Lord knows, but we are happy to hear Him calling, “C’mon! Follow me!”
