Pastoral Staff
The Rev’d Canon Stephen Scarlett
Rector
Fr. Stephen Scarlett was born in Walnut Creek, California and was raised in the East Bay area of northern California. He attended the University of Oregon, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Real Estate. He pursued theological studies at St. Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Theological College in Berkeley and Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, where he received an M.A. in theology.
Fr. Scarlett began his ministry as a lay reader by founding St. Mark’s Church in Kentfield, CA. in 1983. He was ordained as a Deacon in February of 1986 and moved to Birmingham, Alabama. He spent his brief time there traveling around the south, visiting and serving Anglican churches in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Florida. He was called to St. Matthew’s in October of 1986. He was ordained as a priest at St. Matthew’s in December of 1986 and has served as rector of St. Matthew’s since that time.
Fr. Scarlett and his wife Nancy have three teenage sons, Alexander, Eric and Michael. They are residents of Irvine, having lived in Woodbridge since 1987.
The Rev'd David A. Brounstein
Assisting Priest, Benedictine Chaplain and Parish Treasurer
Serving the Parish with both pastoral and financial gifts, Fr. David has been a CPA for over twenty-seven years with a private practice in Newport Beach. After discerning a call to ministry, he graduated seminary and was ordained to the priesthood in 2003 by The Most Rev'd Br. John-Charles Vockler, F.O.D.C. Fr. David lives with his wife of forty years, Diane, in Costa Mesa, CA. They enjoy visiting their four grandchildren in the Midwest. He holds a Master of Divinity, (MDiv), Trinity Episcopal School of Ministry, Ambridge, PA.
The Rev'd Mark Becher
Assisting Priest, Director of Evangelism and Adult Education
Fr. Mark received his undergraduate degree in political science from Azusa Pacific University in 2003. He then took several years off before beginning his graduate studies, spending one year traveling through Europe with his best friend and two more years slowly working his way through a library of books which he had amassed for himself during his undergraduate years. He then went on to obtain a master’s degree in political philosophy from Claremont Graduate University where he has currently completed his PhD coursework in the same field and begun work on his dissertation. Fr. Mark was married to his wife Ashley in May of 2009, and was ordained a deacon later that fall. He was ordained a priest just over a year later in January 2011. Fr. Mark makes his home in Fullerton with his wife Ashley and their dog Chico. He has yet to fully kick his “wandering bone” and if his wife did not allow him to disappear into the woods for a week a year it is an open question whether or not he’d be able to survive in the city.
“I settled down at St. Matthew’s Church primarily because it was here that I learned how to pray. Plenty of churches had given me an abundance of information about God but none of them had been able to guide me in the development of an actual knowledge of God himself through the life of prayer. The liturgy at St. Matthew’s taught me that the first step in growing beyond the adolescent stages of Christian prayer lies not in speaking, but in learning to be silent before God. It was in that silence that I first learned to hear His voice as a regular part of my daily life. ”
Visit Fr. Mark's Blog: www.markbecher.com
The Rev'd Blake Schwendimann
Director of Children’s Ministry and Outreach
Deacon Blake was born in Newport Beach, California and grew up in the city of Tustin. He was raised in a Christian home and began attending St. Matthew's in the fall of 2004. In the summer of 2007 he was invited by Bishop Robert S. Morse to pursue theological studies in Northern California. While studying at St. Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Theological College in Berkeley, he served internships at St. Thomas Church in San Francisco and St. Ann Chapel in Palo Alto. Deacon Blake was married to Chau in the fall of 2009, their son Caleb was born in June of 2011, and they make their home in Tustin. He is currently completing his B.A. in Religion with an emphasis in Leadership and Biblical Studies at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, CA.
Aside from his work at the church, Deacon Blake enjoys reading, live music, entertaining friends, tending his culinary garden with his wife, and road trips within the great state of California.
"Chau and I have been been greatly blessed by the worshipping community at St. Matthew's. It is a privilege to worship in a multi-genrational church alongside my parents, grandparents, children and other men and women who have gone before us in the Christian faith."
Lisa Marion, O/OSB
Pastoral Associate
Spiritual Director
Lisa, along with her husband Albert, has been a member of St. Matthew's Church since 1986. Her parents, still in attendance at St. Matthew’s Church, were part of the original members. During the last twenty-five years she has served the Parish in many capacities. Currently she oversees ministries to young adults and women. She is also available for spiritual direction, having journeyed herself through many crises. In 2004 Lisa, along with three other women at St. Matthew’s Church began a small chapter of the Order of St. Benedict. They meet monthly to discuss current readings and together share in their spiritual Journey. The chapter is in a continuous study of the Rule of St. Benedict. After raising a family with her husband of thirty years, Lisa returned to finish her college education. In 2008 she received her BA in Religion with an emphasis in Ministry Development and Leadership from Vanguard University, in Costa Mesa. Lisa is a native Californian and has lived in many different cities within Orange County. She currently makes her home in Westminster and with two of their five children out of the nest she is looking forward to her years as a Grandmother.
“Having come to faith as a teenager in a Sacramental church, it has been a testament of God’s grace and mercy to see St. Matthew’s Church grow from a hand-full of faithful people to a thriving community of believers, whom I am blessed to call my extended family.”
Visit Lisa's Blog: www.dailypax.com
Ther Rev'd Robert Blythin
Deacon
Deacon Bob hails from Kentucky and is an avid UK fan. He holds a bachelors degree from SMU and an MA in Theology from Fuller Seminary. He is a resident of Newport Beach.
The Rev'd Barton Dellinger
Assisting Deacon
Deacon Bart was ordained November 2003 by the retiring Archbishop John-Charles. He holds a certificate in Diaconate Studies from St. Mary’s Theological College, an MBA from Loyola Marymount, degrees in English and History from California State University, Chico, and continues studies at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada.
He lives with his wife of over thirty years, Donna. They have two married children and two grandchildren and they own and operate Sign Clemente, a sign company.