Saint Stephen Parish Substance Abuse Ministry

The Saint Stephen Parish Substance Abuse Ministry works to educate, support, and advocate, in a faith-filled manner, the needs within the community of those who are affected directly or indirectly by substance abuse.

What is the Parish Substance Abuse Ministry (SAM)?

SAM promotes the prevention of alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse and supports recovery from addiction. Our ministry is part of a national effort underway in more than 350 places of worship in 21 states led by Faith-Partners, http://faith-partners.org. SAM was created in 2010 in response to the results of a congregation-wide survey. If you have any questions, want to join our ministry, or wish to fill out a contact form, please email Renee' Eppig. For more information, please see our brochure.

SAM Believes

  • Addiction is a destructive relationship with a substance, activity, or person.
  • Recovery is not a quick fix but a life-long journey requiring, with God's help, a strong personal committment and daily effort.
  • Prevention is an active process that creates and rewards conditions that lead to healthy behaviors and lifestyles.

St. Stephen Parish Substance Abuse Ministry.

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

Saint Stephen Parish Substance Abuse Ministry Team

  • Renee' Eppig, Chairperson
  • Richard Dunnigan
  • Thomas Gardner, Youth Coordinator
  • Mary Bogdan
  • Patrick McCracken
  • Carol Sadowski