mEET OUR CHURCH STAFF

  • Rev. patrick mcpherson
    senior minister

    Rev. Patrick was appointed to St. Stephen's in June 2023. Patrick was born in Oklahoma but raised in Nebraska, Colorado and Oklahoma. He is the son of United Methodist clergy and a life-long United Methodist. He attended the University of Nebraska for a time but eventually graduated from Oklahoma City University with a BA in Political Science and History. After graduation in 1992 he served with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) doing mission work in Bosnia Herzegovina during the war in the Balkans. He returned to Oklahoma and in the Fall of 1994 enrolled at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado. While in seminary he served in a number of urban ministry settings, including DenUM (a United Methodist urban ministry) and Urban Peak where he was the director of the overnight shelter for homeless youth in the Denver area.


    Finishing seminary, he returned to Oklahoma in 1999, was commissioned in 2002 and ordained in 2005. During his time in Oklahoma he served the Geary UMC, Cameron Campus Ministry, Snyder UMC, Indiahoma UMC, and Kingfisher UMC. In his ministry, he loves doing mission work and working with youth. He also loves to travel, play golf and study history.


  • Lauren Mccall

    Administrative coordinator

    Lauren has been attending St. Stephen’s with her family since 1996 and joined the staff as administrative coordinator in 2018. You may also find her in the toddler room on Sundays, where she has worked on and off since 2000. Lauren earned a master's degree in Library and Information Studies, but says “working as support for people at St. Stephen's who are focused on brightening our community every day is an even more rewarding career path.” She loves spending time with her husband, Brant, nephew, Gavin, and her cat, Eleanor. She also enjoys reading, discovering new music, trying out new craft beers, and traveling. 

  • Marci corey

    Director of music ministries

    Marci is a long time resident of Norman and joined the St. Stephen's staff in October 2021. She has a degree in instrumental and vocal music education from the University of Oklahoma and taught music in Norman Public Schools for 8 years. Marci was a member and the director of the Oklahoma City Handbell Ensemble for 5 years and has a passion for developing and leading ensembles of all ages and skill levels. She has led vocal and handbell choirs at several greater metro area churches over the past 25+ years and is very excited to be leading the music ministries at St. Stephen's. She also works as Program Manager for Alzheimer's Association Oklahoma. When she's not leading music, you can find Marci and her husband, Lance, out on their homestead raising dairy goats and chickens and tending their large raised bed gardens.

  • Alyssa Miller
    Director of Youth Ministries

    Alyssa joined St. Stephens in 2015 and volunteered as a youth group sponsor for about three years before becoming Youth Ministries Director in December 2018. She grew up in Anadarko and moved around after graduation to play college softball in Texas and Oklahoma. She earned a degree in kinesiology and currently works as a business analyst in a local bank compliance department. Alyssa is married to Amber Mathis, and they have three fur babies: Fiona, Finn and Fergus. In their free time, Alyssa and Amber enjoy hiking, fishing, sports and spending time with family. Alyssa loves being a member at St. Stephen’s because, “I know that I can come here and worship with like-minded individuals without the fear of judgement.”

  • Brent smith
    Programming and events coordinator

    Connected to St. Stephen’s since 1993, Brent says, “St. Stephen’s is a great place for exploring spirituality and raising a family in a loving community.” His current ministry is in refugee support as co-chair of a multi-church coalition. In addition to serving as Programming and Events Coordinator, Brent is also co-chair of the Adult Education Committee. He is an American Studies graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and earned his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Central Oklahoma. For nearly 30 years, he served in corporate financial management in the communications industry. Brent is married to Kim Oliver and has two grown children. A longtime Norman resident, he served in the mid-1980s on the City Council and has been active in many civic organizations. 

  • Julie sondag

    Worship and choir accompanist

    Julie and her husband Rick visited St. Stephen's in 1996, and it was the worship service music, and the welcoming message, that kept them returning.  While Julie completed her doctoral studies in Piano Pedagogy and Music Education from the University of Oklahoma, she also joined the church staff as choir accompanist and has been "warming the bench" ever since.  Julie has been an early childhood music teacher for over 25 years and she owned and operated Gymboree Play & Music of Norman for 18 years. In 2021, Julie opened The Learning Leaf of Norman, which provides family and parenting classes in music, arts, sensory, baby signs, as well as an independent preschool curricula. Julie and Rick are proud to raise their daughters, Evie and Audrey, in a reconciling congregation that focuses on global-mindedness and respect for all life. "Our family is grateful to belong to a church whose members bravely step forward and put love into action."