Clergy & Staff

The Rev. Gordon L. Sandquist

Interim Rector   |   (719) 328-1125 ext 303

Rev. Gordon L. Sandquist joined Grace and St. Stephen's as Interim Rector in February 2024. Ordained in the ELCA in 2012 he’s served parishes in Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Colorado in a variety of roles, including minister for youth, evangelism, stewardship, adult learning, ministry development and as pastor. He has been interested in and discerning a call to interim ministry since before he was ordained and is excited to experience (and, of course, lead) the rich liturgical tradition that is carried forward in the Episcopal Church.

Pastor Gordy and his wife, Sonja, Senior Pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran in Littleton, live in Highlands Ranch with one of their daughters – and their first grandchild. If you ask him what he does in his spare time, he will probably mention reading, and then you might see his face light up as he begins talking about tying flies and any day on the river.

Pronouns: He/Him/His

The Rev. Claire Elser

Associate Priest   |   (719) 328-1125 ext 308

Mother Claire joined Grace and St. Stephen's in June 2020, having completed her Masters in Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS).  She leads worship, adult formation and pastoral care for the parish.

A cradle Episcopalian (with a couple of forays elsewhere), Claire was raised in Lincoln, Nebraska. While at VTS, Claire sang in the Schola Cantorum, played for the Fighting Friars flag football team, and was awarded the Jean B Tachau Memorial Prize for excellence in biblical languages. She and her husband Stefan, a data scientist, have two daughters, Ruth and Sophia, and a cat, Scribbles. Claire enjoys college football (Go Big Red!), terrible movies, playing the piano, running and baking.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

The Rev. Kris Lewis

Deacon |

Called to the diaconate after 40+ years of non-profit service, Kris came to Grace and St. Stephen’s as deacon in July 2022. Joining Fr. Jeremiah and Mthr. Claire in worship services throughout the year, Kris will serve the parish as she continues her full-time diaconal ministry at executive director/CEO of Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity. A cradle Episcopalian, graduate and mentor of Education for Ministry, and firm believer that we are all called to be ministers and live the Gospel, it took a while but Kris ultimately acknowledged the Spirit’s invitation to an extended educational and wild ride and ultimately was ordained in the Episcopal Church, Diocese of Colorado on June 4, 2022.

A second generation Coloradoan, Kris is the proud mother of two grown children -- her daughter has a MSW and works for a healthcare agency and her son is a Navy veteran and currently enrolled at UCCS.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Sr. Marcella Taylor, CMR

Children's Formation Minister | (719) 328-1125 ext 309

A parishioner of Grace and St. Stephen’s since 2018, Sr. Marcella serves the parish as  Children's Formation Minister. With more than 20 years of teaching experience, Sr. Marcella believes that by nurturing a child’s heart, mind and soul towards divine Truth, Wisdom, Beauty and Compassion each is drawn closer to “that personal knowledge and intimacy with God in which our being finds its fullest perfection.”

A licensed teacher, she taught in public schools in rural, inner city and suburban communities. Sr. Marcella was later called to home education where she has had the privilege of educating her children in the Christian liberal arts and has founded, developed and led vibrant home education programs in Colorado Springs. In addition to academic teaching, Sr. Marcella has spent years guiding children and youth in spiritual formation in the Episcopal and non-denominational traditions. As a member of a canonical, vowed religious community of the Episcopal Church, she integrates her role as mother, wife, educator and minister into her rule of life.

She, along with her husband and three teen-aged children, enjoy traveling, the arts, discussing big ideas and spending time in Colorado’s beautiful natural world.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Denise Gustafson

Interim Youth Director 

Originally from the DC area, the mountains called and Denise and her family moved to Colorado Springs to be closer to nature and enjoy a slower pace of life in 2017. She has been a member of Grace and St. Stephen since 2018. An an active member of Women’s Book Group, she currently leads and organizes the group.

Denise and her husband, Rich, have 3 daughters and one son: Allison, Rebecca, Lennie and Patrick. Their two older daughters live in Kentucky and Boston. Their two youngest children (now teenagers) have grown up in Grace and St. Stephen's and have been part of St. Nicholas choir, JOLT and the youth group.

GSSE has been an integral part of her family’s life. Denise is honored to be a part of youth group; to help strengthen the group members’ sense of self and community, as well as to help deepen their relationship with God.

She began her career in education, but after 6 years she shifted into finance where she worked for a non-profit for 20 years. She left the workforce during the 2020 pandemic. Now while the kids are in school she enjoys a semi-retired life of volunteering, hiking, skiing and playing pickle ball.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Lydia Schneider

Interim Youth Director 

Lydia is a Colorado Springs native. She has worked for non-profits focused on at-risk youth, refugees and the LGBTQIA+ community; she's also volunteered with WyldLife. She's passionate about the art of storytelling and sharing experiences which shapes her eclectic approach with youth. Lydia believes in finding the strengths in people’s lives; to help youth live their best, fullest life and ensuring that others feel heard, important and worthy. 

She loves spending time with her large family and with her Aussie pup, Appa. She enjoys the outdoors and has an absolute blast dancing to great tunes while rollerblading, hanging out with friends, playing board games, practicing yoga, running and playing with her dog.

Pronouns: She/They 

Joel Trekell 

Director of Music and Organist     (719) 328-1125 ext 306 

Joel leads the music program here at Grace and St. Stephen’s, including the Taylor Choir, youth choirs and the Taylor Memorial Concert series. He joined us in June 2023, from St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas where he directed the youth Treble Choir and accompanied the St. Paul’s Choir in services, concerts and tours in his role as associate music director.

Joel studied organ at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey and served concurrently at Trinity Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Church at Princeton University, where he became well versed in the Anglican choral repertoire and found a home in the Episcopal Church. He’s performed regularly as a recitalist, with highlights including Coventry Cathedral, Truro Cathedral, Exeter College (Oxford), Hereford Cathedral, the Princeton University Chapel and Christ Church Cathedral in Houston. He has a master's degree in sacred music from the University of Houston.

A native of Aurora, Colorado, Joel is the youngest of four brothers and enjoys running, playing the piano and spending time with his friends and family.

Pronouns: He/Him/His

John Herman

Sacred Music Intern

John joined Grace and St. Stephen's in June 2023 as a volunteer and joined the staff in December 2023. Passionate about sacred music, he supports Joel Trekell, music director and organist -- conducting the Taylor Choir on Sunday mornings, serving as baritone section leader and co-directing the youth choirs.

John's has performed with the Colorado Bach Ensemble, Opera Colorado, Oberlin Conservatory of Music's Baroque Performance Institute, Seicento Baroque Ensemble and America the Beautiful Men's Chorus. John has appeared as a soloist in Fauré's Requiem in D minor, Op. 48, Bach's Ich habe Genug (BWV 82), Brahms' Liebeslieder Waltzer, Ariel Ramírez's Misa Criolla, Handel’s Dalla Guerra Amorosa, and in the chorus of Orff’s Carmina Burana at Carnegie Hall.

John will graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado in May 2024, with plans to pursue a master's degree in sacred music.

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Emily M. Rueber

Church Administrator      (719) 328-1125 ext 304

Emily joined Grace and St. Stephen’s as the Church Administrator in July 2022.  She manages all aspects of the operation, including vendor management, facility use, HR and finance. If you want to host an event or  book a space at Grace and St. Stephen's, have your wedding here or need to reimbursed for expenses, Emily is your best point of contact.

Prior to working at Grace and St. Stephen’s, Emily was the Spanish Outreach Coordinator for the Southeast ADA Center, a Project of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University from Sept. 2017- June 2022. She was an ELCA Young Adult in Global Mission volunteer in Tepoztlán, Morelos, Mexico where she worked with Sarar Transformación, S.C., prominent non‐profit WASH development consulting agency and facilitated after school programs with La Jugarreta, A.C.

Emily enjoys the hiking opportunities that Colorado has to offer and improving her Spanish language fluency.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Amily Beidelman-Almy

Financial Administrator  (719) 328-1125 ext 307

Amily joined Grace and St. Stephen's financial team in May 2023. She assists the treasurer with various financial tasks, including 9and mot limited to)  recording and depositing all donations to the church, sending acknowledgements for special donations and setting up the financial side of church events (bake sales, choir camp, etc.).   Her expanded role with the finance team allows for more responsive processing of financial transactions and provides vestry, staff and parishioners with quick and easy access to financial status of the various parish accounts.s

Amily and her husband, Denison, have three young children: Benedict loves to sing in the St Nicholas Choir and is always making joyful noise;  Ian loves robotics and relaxing and Vivienne loves to sing and dance and is part of the Cherub Choir. In addition to supporting the church finance office, Amily works part-time for an accounting firm and runs her own travel business. She enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and crafting.

If you have any questions about your giving statement, ways to give or just want to say hi, she is happy to hear from you

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers