Where All God’s Children Are Welcome!
All members of St. Stephens will strive to be excellent examples of Jesus Christ while providing meaningful worship services, outreach activities, spiritual initiatives that connect with God’s community. We will seek God’s face as a congregation as we first love and respect each other because God loves and respects us.
In the late eighteen hundreds, a group of people from the Elkridge area held meetings and services in various homes and churches for the purposes of spiritual growth and self help. Although it is not known exactly how long they met before a church was formed, historical records indicated that, in 1874, Brother William H. and Mrs. Susan A. Jackson deeded an acre of land to the African Methodist Church in Howard County for twenty dollars in order to build a church. The officers and members of the church named it St. Stephens. They built the physical structure, dedicated the building and began worshipping God in their new edifice. However, the officers and members also used the church building as a school for church and community members until 1921.
In 1921, the St. Stephens A.M.E Church membership was desirous of constructing another building and their old building was auctioned off to Mr. Revill. Mr. Horace Blackstone, Church Trustee, served as auctioneer. To make their dream of a new church into reality, Sisters Maude Pierson and Sadie Snell raised one hundred and twelve dollars which they turned over to the church trustees. Brother Horace Blackstone also contributed to this effort with a gift of one hundred dollars. With these gifts, the prayers and hard work of the membership, the church was built and dedicated on December 23, 1921. What a wonderful Christmas present for the St. Stephens family! Bishop Albert Johnson, D.D.; Presiding Elder J.G. Martin, D.D and Reverend P.H. Green, Pastor were present to lead in the dedicatory service.
Recorded in St. Stephens Church records is a mortgage burning service on Sunday, July 23, 1944 under the pastoral leadership of Reverend George Oliver Wing.
Through its history, St. Stephens Church members have given graciously to God through their church. In 1900, Mr. Edward and Mrs. Mary Mullineaux deeded two acres of land to the Trustees of St. Stephens for the sum of sixty dollars. This land became our cemetery. Members have given pulpit furniture, the church bell, pianos, pews, windows, organs, cabinets, lights, fans, air conditioners, chairs and tables to name a few things. They have also given generously of their time and talents to build and remodel the church buildings.
St. Stephens was part of the Elkridge Charge of the Washington Conference until the last 1970’s when Bishop Henry W. Murph separated the three churches; Gaines, Mt. Pisgah, and St. Stephens and they became individual charges. St. Stephens was incorporated under the leadership of Reverend J.W. Dunlap, Pastor, Presiding Elder Nash and Bishop Henry W. Murph.
The church was remodeled and rededicated under the leadership of Reverend J.E. Dorsey. Under the pastoral leadership of Reverend Dr. Alicia D. Byrd the church grew spiritually, increased in membership and many renovations accomplished. On July 3, 2015, Bishop William Phillips DeVeaux, Sr., appointed the Reverend Dededrick O. Rivers, a South Carolina native, as Pastor of St. Stephens.
On May 19, 2018, the Right Reverend James Levert Davis, Servant Bishop appointed Reverend Dr. Gerald Folsom as the Senior Pastor.
On September 22, 2019, Bishop James Levert Davis, appointed the Reverend Wayne E. Bennett as the new pastor of the church.
Rev. Wayne E. Bennett
Senior Pastor
The Reverend Wayne E. Bennett is the son of Robert and the late Wilhelmenia Bennett. He was raised between Summerton, SC and the Washington, DC metropolitan area. He is a product of Prince George’s County Public Schools.
He later continued his educational quest by earning a BS degree in Management and Technology from the University of Maryland, University College; a Master of Divinity degree from Howard University School of Divinity; a Master of Arts in Teaching from Trinity University in Washington, DC; and has completed the core courses of Doctoral studies in Higher Education Administration from The George Washington University.
Reverend Bennett has always had a passion for young learners; as such, he has been a public school educator for nearly three decades. He has extensive experience working with youth and has been blessed to be: a mentor in the Rites of Passage ministry, a teacher in the children’s church ministry, and a member of the prison ministry at Ebenezer AME Church in Ft. Washington, Maryland prior to going to St. Mark AME Church.
Reverend Wayne E. Bennett is the former Youth Minister and Minister to Men at St. Mark AME Church in Oxon Hill, Maryland under his father in ministry, the late Henry D. Harper. He has also served on the Community of Faith Committee, which is an organization comprised of three churches in the Oxon Hill community bringing businesses, churches, and law enforcement together to combat crime and facilitate a more proactive approach to community development. Rev. Wayne also served as the Chaplain of the Washington Area AME Ministerial Alliance from August 2015 to August 2016. He is the former Pastor of Bethel AME Church in Woodbridge, Virginia and was appointed at the 64th session of the Washington Annual Conference of the 2nd Episcopal District in April 2014. On September 22, 2019, Bishop James L. Davis elevated Rev. Bennett with his second appointment to the historic St. Stephens AME Church in Elkridge, Maryland.
Reverend Bennett accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior on March 31, 1989 and is an ordained Elder in the AME Church. He is married to First Lady Leslie J. Bennett and they are the proud parents of their blended family consisting of: four adult children, a teenager and two grandchildren. Reverend Wayne holds fast to Jeremiah 29:11 ~ “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future…” (NIV).
Rev. Khalima Jacobs
Executive Minister & Minister to Women
Reverend Khalima Jacobs serves as the Executive Minister and Minister to Women at St. Stephens African Methodist Episcopal Church in Elkridge, Maryland. She was ordained in the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 2005 after answering her call to preach in 1997 under the guidance and leadership of Reverend Lee P. Washington formerly of Reid Temple AME Church.
She hails from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and was raised by a single mother, Martha Ann Maloney who went home to be with the Lord in 2015. Reverend Jacobs was educated in the Allegheny County Public School system and took special interest in Accounting & Marketing, Journalism and Music.
From an early age, she was involved in church, music, writing, agriculture and public speaking. She had the distinct honor of being inducted into the Who’s Who for American Students most likely to succeed when she was in high school. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and Accounting, Retail Management Certificate of Completion for Bradford School of Business and attended Bethel University for divinity studies.
Reverend Khalima is a classically trained vocalist and played the violin and flute throughout her early years. She wrote several articles and poems that were published for her high school and community. Her early years was spent in the Baptist and Pentecostal Church where she ushered, sang in the choir, lead the junior missionaries and was part of the 4-H Clubs within the church. Through her involvement in 4-H, Reverend Jacobs went on to do some modeling, public speaking and commercials.
She gave her life to the Lord at age 12 and was Baptized by Reverend Richard Jones of New Hope Baptist Church and later, Resurrection Baptist Church. She is the proud mother of two beautiful and supportive daughters Psalmist Khalima Lynelle Jacobs of Millersville, Maryland and Jessica NiCole Lamb (Ian) of Jacksonville, Florida. She has two grandchildren, Elijah, and Chloe.
Reverend Jacobs is a student of apologetics and lives by the motto of ‘Know what you believe and why you believe it’. One of her favorite Bible Scriptures is “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” -Galatians 2:20.
Rev. Catherine Robinson Willett
Christian Education Director
Reverend Catherine Robinson Willett was born in Washington D.C., the youngest of six children to Herbert and Catherine Snell Robinson. At the age of 3, Reverend Catherine went to live with her aunt and uncle, Dr. & Mrs. Anthony D. and Juliet R. Jones in Holly Springs, Mississippi. She received her education from St. Mary’s/CADET Catholic schools where she developed a keen interest in religion and Christianity, graduating in 1972. Reverend Catherine attended Fisk University, and later transferred to Florida A&M University, majoring in Fashion Merchandise with a minor in Business Administration graduating in 1977.
Reverend Catherine began to feel the pull of her early encounter of her religious education and began to seek a deeper relationship with God and searched for something that would fulfill her. Upon returning to the Washington/Baltimore area, Reverend Catherine attended Bethel Baltimore under the Leadership of then Pastors Reverend John R. and Cecelia Williams Bryant (Bishop), who taught and nurtured her to a deeper understanding of the Word, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This is where true ministry began. Working with the Deaf, Dance, Media Ministries and the Evangelism commission, these began to shape her understanding of true love for God’s people. Her call to ministry began at Bethel. However, after 14 years, it was at St. Stephens where God placed and appointed her for the work that needed to take place over the last 30 years.
Reverend Catherine received a Diploma of Ministerial Studies from Spirit of Faith Bible Institute in 2014, was ordained as a local Deacon at the 66th Washington Annual Conference in 2016 and currently serves as the Church School Superintendent/Christian Education Director. Reverend Catherine works with the missionaries in feeding the homeless and supporting the needs of our partner Mayfield Middle School. Reverend Catherine also supports Pastor Bennett and Executive Minister Reverend Jacobs in baptisms, funerals and all things ministry.
Reverend Catherine is also a Certified Sign Language Interpreter with 40 years of experience in Medical, Legal, Federal, Religious and Educational Interpreting. Currently retired from the Public School System of Howard County and now works as a Freelance Interpreter.
The proud mother of three, Christian, Arlin and Amoni and Nana Cat to Goldy May and Amaru David. Reverend Catherine continues to “work toward the mark of the high calling which is in Christ Jesus” pursuing what it is that God desires for her life as well as encouraging others to trust in God, study His Word and pray believing.
Her favorite Scripture she truly believes and lives by is Romans 8:28 “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.” (NKJV)
James L. Davis, Servant Bishop
Presiding Prelate Second Episcopal District
Visit the Second Episcopal District Website
Rev. Charles T. Sembly
Capital District Presiding Elder
Visit the Capital District Website
