St. Stephen's leadership
Meet Christopher
The Very Rev. Christopher Montella is deeply committed to living out our shared Christian call to seek and serve Christ in all people, and to ensuring that all people, especially our children and youth, grow in faith knowing that they are loved by the Church and by God.
The Very Rev. Christopher Montella first came to St. Stephen's as Priest-in-Charge in March 2019 after having served as Associate Rector of St. Wilfrid of York, Huntington Beach and various communities in the Greater Los Angeles area. On March 29th, 2020 he was called to serve St. Stephen's as its 3rd rector.
“I am moved by an awareness of the Holy Spirit at work in our journey together. It is an honor and privilege to be called to walk with the people of St. Stephen's, to share our lives, our hopes, our grief and our joy. The Holy Spirit is alive and on fire at St. Stephen's and I am excited to see what we will do together through our shared ministry!" - The Very Rev. Christopher Montella
Christopher received a Master of Divinity degree from Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA and a Diploma of Theology from Bloy House, the Episcopal Theological School at Claremont where he serves on the Board of Trustees. After a 25-year career in the fashion industry Christopher transitioned into full-time ministry in 2017. He has been a member of GLEAM, the Bishop's Commission for LGBTQ+ Ministry, serves as the Dean of Deanery 2 of the Episcopal diocese of Los Angeles and on the board of Child & Family Center here in Santa Clarita. He and his husband, Erick Long, live in Santa Clarita with their dogs, Dixon & Hattie.
Meet OUR st. stephen's staff
Thank you to the wonderful St. Stephen's staff who makes our work possible.
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Tracy Stapp
Parish Administrator | OFFICE@ST-STEPHENS.ORG
For over 23 years Parish Administrator, Tracy Stapp has been faithfully serving the people of St. Stephen's. Working out of our parish office, Tracy is most often the first face people encounter when coming to our campus. She is always ready with her warm smile that part of the heartbeat of our community. She is a gifted problem solver, a generous collaborator and a vital part of what makes it such a warm and loving community. We are grateful for all that she does to care for the people of our community and to keep us organized and ready for all of life's moments.
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DR. joshua wentz
Music director | josh@st-stephens.org
Dr. Joshua R. Wentz has had the privilege of performing throughout the US and abroad and is in high demand as a singer, director, and conductor of opera, oratorio and musical theater worldwide. Wentz holds a DMA from the University of South Carolina, where his published research on American Opera has become a leading source. Dr. Wentz serves on the voice faculty at CSU Northridge, Los Angeles Mission College, and manages his own private voice studio. He is often featured in choral festivals, voice competitions, and conferences around the world. He is the Artistic Director of Mission Opera in Los Angeles and a two-time quarterfinalist for the Grammy Educator of the Year Award. He served as Director of Music at Santa Clarita United Methodist Church for 8 years and is thrilled to be joining the family of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church as Director of Music.
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VIVIEN FIRTA
Director of Children's Education | VIVIEN@ST-STEPHENS.ORG
Vivien Firta joins our family with fifteen years of directorship experience and a total of twenty-three years of service in Early Childhood Education. She has been a teacher for preschool age and elementary aged children, has served on boards of nonprofit organizations focused on helping children in early childhood education and in art. Vivien holds a state of California permit for Program Director for preschool centers, a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies (elementary and early childhood education) from Santa Monica College and Cal State Northridge and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Woodbury University. Vivien is a born and raised Californian and enjoys spending time with her eight-year-old son Harrison, who is currently in the second grade. Together they enjoy traveling, musicals, hiking and being with their furry friends, Mimi the dog and Willow the cat. On her role as an early childhood educator, Vivien said, “My mission as a leader is to inspire and guide Early Childhood Educators in creating both indoor and outdoor environments that instill a love of learning in every child they teach- child centered environments rich with opportunity that satisfy curiosity, foster healthy relationships and develop autonomy.”
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KEVEN FULLEMAN
Youth Ministry Coordinator | YOUTH@ST-STEPHENS.ORG
Kevin Fulleman is an educator through and through. From teaching piano lessons in high school to his full time teaching position at Arroyo Seco Jr High, working with students is a lifelong passion. Kevin has his teaching credential from Cal State Northridge and has 6 years teaching experience, including being recently voted teacher of the year at his school site. Kevin is so excited to be able to share in both the fun and heartfelt moments that religious education can bring. He is so excited to call St. Stephen's his home and share the amazing news of God's love for everyone!
THE Vestry
The vestry is the legal
representative of the parish with regard to all matters pertaining to its
corporate property. The number of vestry members and the term of office varies
from parish to parish. Vestry members are usually elected at the annual parish
meeting. The presiding officer of the vestry is the rector. There are usually
two wardens. The senior warden leads the parish between rectors and is generally a
support person for the rector. The junior warden often though not always, has responsibility for
church property and buildings. A treasurer and a secretary or clerk may be
chosen. These officers may or may not be vestry members. The basic
responsibilities of the vestry are to help define and articulate the mission of
the congregation; to support the church’s mission by word and deed, to select
the rector, to ensure effective organization and planning, and to manage
resources and finances. (adapted from episcopalchurch.org)
Our Vestry Leadership as of February 2025 is as follows:
Nick Vestuto, Senior Warden - seniorwarden@st-stephens.org
John Alexopoulos, Junior Warden - juniorwarden@st-stephens.org
Hallie Browne, Clerk of the Vestry
John Fortman, Treasurer (non-voting member) - treasurer@st-stephens.org
Michael Branda
Laine Hedwall, Chair-Finance Committee
William Hendley
Kathleen Jensen, Chair - Stewardship Committee
Eridian Mackey, Youth Representative
Dave Melton
Caroline Morgan, Sacristan
Cheryl Sena
Leslie Smith
Marianne Zinkewicz