As a result of mission outreach by Sr. John's Church, Stockton, St. Stephen's came into being in 1954. The Rev. Max Drake, curate at St. John's, became the first Vicar. Property was acquired by St. John's, before the freeway route for I-5 through Stockton was known. The entire west side of Plymouth Road was residential housing. It was even considered for a time that St. John's Church itself might relocate there from the then declining inner city.
The first service was held on October 10, 1954, in the home of Mrs. Inez Henderson Pond. For the next year, the Eucharist was celebrated weekly in her home until the church building was finished in 1955. During the first year, the children remained at St. John's for Sunday School, and only a small group of adults attended these Sunday services. Bishop Walters, who lived in Stockton, was present for the first Christmas Eucharist in the temporary quarters, and lent his moral support to the mission.
In 1955, the 3 acre oatfield site was given by St. John's to the new mission. A "temporary building" was purchased from the U. S. Government and refurbished for opening services in October, 1955. On the day before the first service, an old organ from St. Timothy's, Bishop was brought in and hastily assembled. Seventy-nine communicants were transferred to St. Stephen9s from St. John's to form the nucleus of the first congregation.
The year 1956 saw a wing added to the north, which served as social hall and class rooms for several years. Fr. Laurence S. Mann came as second Vicar in October, 1956, and the mission grew rapidly, so that in 1961, 260 baptized, and 190 communicants were listed. A vicarage on Country Club Boulevard was built, then the present Parish Hall, and an electronic organ was installed.
When Fr. Harry Leigh-Pink became Vicar in 1964, the vicarage was not large enough for his family, so it was sold, and the present one built on church property. The Altar and its furnishings were given to St. Stephen's as a memorial of his wife by Malcolm Cuett. The pews were purchased as gifts by church members.
From May, 1968 to October. 1971, Fr. Kenneth Schildt was Vicar, and there was a good deal of activity with the young people, as the "Post-war Baby Boom" peaked. Fr. Jerry Roberts was Vicar from January, 1972 to September, 1974. He was followed by Fr. Richard Williams, from October, 1974, until forced to retire by ill health in February, 1977.
From February to September, St. Stephen's was without a Vicar, and the laity were called upon to work together to keep St. Stephen's going. When the Rev. James Stanton was called it resulted in a "new lease on life" for St. Stephen's. A building program was instituted, and optimistic plans drawn for a new church to be located on the rear of the property as far from the freeway as possible. Fr. Stanton left in December, 1981, to accept a call 10 a church in the mid-West. Plans for the achievement of Parish status were postponed and eventually shelved.
For the next eight months St. Stephen's was again without a Vicar. Once more it was the laitv who held things together. The Rev. James Sanford came as Vicar in September, 1982. He remained until May, 1984, to return to his former mid-western diocese.
Following another lengthy interregnum, Fr. Donald Seeks was appointed Vicar in late 1985. and under his leadership there is once more a hopeful spirit, the parish is engaged in outreach to the unchurched around them, and there is good reason to hope for growth both in numbers and in spirituality under Fr. Seeks' able leadership.