The roots of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Whitehall extend back to the year 1870. At that time, the congregation began holding service in the old Catasauqua schoolhouse. For the first thirty years of its existence, the Mission, Church of the Holy Comforter held services in various places within the Borough of Catasauqua.

In 1899, the name of the Mission changed to St. Stephen’s Church and in 1900; ground was broken for the parish’s first building. It was on the corner of Walnut and Howertown Roads, on a lot donated by Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Peckitt. The first service was held on Easter Sunday 1901, and Bishop Ethelbert Talbot dedicated the building on April 22, 1901. It remained a mission church until 1920 when it became self supporting.

Eleven years later a new pipe organ was installed. A gift from Andrew Carnegie, that same organ is still in use in our present building today.

The stained glass windows that are currently in our Chapel of the Holy Comforter were first installed in the original church between 1917 and 1920.

In 1964, Maurice Dimmick began his long tenure as our organist.

By 1968, the facility had become too small for the needs of the parish and with money donated by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Fuller the present church site was purchased for construction of a new building. Fund raising began and on August 27, 1972 ground breading ceremony was held. Construction of the new building was underway. The new St Stephens Church in Whitehall was dedicated and consecrated on September 22, 1974. The chapel known as the” Chapel of the Holy Comforter” retained the original name of our first beginnings in Catasauqua.

Our Nursery School began in September of 1975 with 30 children, one teacher and one aide. We have grown with the community to an enrollment of 230 children and a staff of 10.

A Columbarium, with 96 niches for the ashes of loved ones, was installed in the chapel courtyard in 1983.

Fr. John Wagner, part-time assistant to the Rector and a civil engineer, was ordained to the non-stipendiary priesthood in December 1988.

To accommodate the increasing numbers of children enrolled in our Day School as well as Sunday Church School, a Christian education wing was added to the present complex. The wing has ten classrooms, a kitchen and office on the first floor and an unfinished second floor for further expansion. This wing was dedicated in June 1992.

St. Stephen’s Housing was just completed this year. The land was purchased from St. Stephen’s and will eventually contain three separate 3 story housing units for over 55 adults.

The present structures and steady growth of St. Stephen’s Church is a tribute to all who have labored over the years. Truly guided by a strong faith in its future, St Stephen’s has grown with the assurance that God would bless all their efforts to please Him and witness for Him in the communities we are called to serve.