mEET OUR CHURCH STAFF

  • Rev. Jeannie himes
    senior minister

    Jeannie joined St. Stephen's as senior minister in June 2014. She was born into a Methodist clergy family in Lawton and has served in churches in Tulsa; Coweta; Kansas City, Mo.; and Midwest City. Jeannie attended Iliff School of Theology in Denver, earning her Master of Divinity in 1986. She was ordained as a Deacon in 1986 and as an Elder in 1988. Prior to beginning church ministry, Jeannie - a Science Education graduate of Oklahoma City University - worked in several hospitals in the field of cytogenetics. She and her husband Jim Eller, a retired Unitarian Universalist minister, have two grown sons, Shaun and Sam. Jeannie says, "The stance of including and embracing all people is what the church and the society need for leading forward. St Stephen's embodies a Christ-like attitude with open hearts and minds."

  • 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 is married to Brant, a doctor of family medicine. She loves spending time with her nephew, Gavin, and her cat, Eleanor. She also enjoys reading, discovering new music, trying out new craft beers, and traveling. 

  • Erin moore

    Director of Care ministries

    Erin moved back to Norman, her hometown, in 2021, after 17 years living in Iowa. Erin has degrees in Organ Performance and Music Therapy, and is a Board-Certified Music Therapist. She has worked in church music, assisted living, and most recently as a Music Therapist at Iowa City Hospice. She was active on the Social Justice Team at her church in Iowa and was a representative of that church on the board of the Johnson County Interfaith Coalition. Erin's family includes her husband, Lucas, two daughters, Amber and Linden, and their three cats. Erin enjoys reading, music, puzzles, word games, and collecting national costume dolls.

  • 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.

  • Lynnette Palmerton
    Director of children's ministries

    Lynnette joined St. Stephen's in 2018 after serving 10 years as Children’s Ministry director at Goodrich Memorial UMC in Norman. She has been active in the Methodist church since early childhood and often helped her mother teach Sunday school in Nebraska. A nursing graduate of South East Community College of Lincoln, Lynnette held several charge nursing positions in Nebraska and New Mexico before moving to Norman in 1998 with her husband, Mark, an artist and foundry owner, and their combined family. "I want every child to know they are welcomed and accepted as they are," she says. "I want them to know that God loves everyone and sent Jesus to teach us to be the best people we can be. We are all children of God." 

  • 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."