Our Parish Staff
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The Rev. Steven King
Rector
(816) 931-2850 x114
Fr. Steven grew up in Lawrence, KS, where he lived until 2010. He and his family found the Episcopal church there, and Steven was baptized (in his elementary school’s cafeteria!) at an Episcopal church plant meeting. Before seminary, Steven served in the Episcopal Service Corps in New Haven, CT, where he worked in a family homeless shelter and social service organization. He attended Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA, graduating in 2014. Ordained a priest since January 2015, Steven began his ministry as the thirteenth rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Day School in September 2021. Steven and his spouse, Ellen, have one son. He loves to cook and read, thinks he is an OK golfer and enjoys spending down time with his family and friends doing anything at all.
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The Rev. Brittany Sparrow Savage
Associate Rector and Chaplain
(816) 931-2850 x184
Brittany grew up in North Carolina as the youngest of triplets and studied Religion at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, where she met her husband, Cameron. After graduating in 2015, they moved to Kansas City for Brittany to attend Nazarene Theological Seminary, where they found a spiritual home in the Episcopal Church at St. Augustine’s. She was confirmed, completed her Anglican year at Bishop Kemper School of Ministry, and began her Episcopal ministry at Grace and Holy Trinity. Brittany is thrilled to serve as Assistant to the Rector and Chaplain at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. She and Cameron enjoy urban hikes, time with their chosen family, and caring for their rabbits.
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The Rev. Morgan Mercer ladd
Associate Rector
Mother Morgan comes to Kansas City via Texas and New York. She holds degrees in art history and theology, as well as a Master of Sacred Theology in Anglican Studies from General Theological Seminary, and was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Long Island in 2017 after completing pastoral care training at NYU Langone and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. In addition to her parish ministry, she is co-founder of the Center for Spiritual Imagination, a new monastic community dedicated to Christian contemplation in the modern world, and was named an Honorary Canon of the Cathedral of the Incarnation in 2024. She is delighted to join St. Paul’s as Associate Rector, focusing on spiritual formation for all ages, and enjoys pineapple on pizza, time with family and friends, and traveling to new places.
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JW Keckley
Director of Communications and Operations
JW leads a double life as both a St. Paul’s employee and a classical singer. You’ll see him in the St. Paul’s Adult Choir, St. Paul’s Octet, and working on our social media. He is a passionate cyclist, leathercrafter, cook, baker, and composer. He is married to Sophia Hahn and lives in Waldo with his cats, Taako and Daniel.
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Sam Anderson
Music Director
musicprogram.stpauls@gmail.com
Sam, the son of a preacher, grew up and has lived in many areas around the country, including California, Indiana, Kentucky and Nebraska, before landing in Kansas City, Missouri in 2007. He has been the choirmaster at St. Paul's since 2011 and the director of music since 2013. He is passionate in his vocations as a music educator and in the pursuit of finding beauty and spirituality through the performance of great music. He lives in Union Hill, Kansas City, with his beautiful wife and soprano, Sarah Tannehill Anderson.
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Kurt Knecht
Organist
Kurt is interested in contemplative spirituality, Christian mysticism, and interfaith-dialogue. He began serving as organist at St. Paul's in the summer of 2016. His primary ministry involves providing organ music for the services by playing masterworks, improvising, accompanying the choir, and playing hymns. Kurt also works as a composer and for his company MusicSpoke, an online platform for composers.
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Janice Tarama
Receptionist
(816) 931-2850 x112
Janice is married to Wennekota and has one beautiful girl, Chloe. Janice is St. Paul’s part-time receptionist and is responsible for being a friendly voice on the other end of the line, as well as having a welcoming smile for visitors. Her hope is that people can see Jesus through her in her interactions with everyone who walks through the door or calls. Janice loves marine wildlife and would have loved to study marine biology but now enjoys watching her daughter grow and have her own dreams.
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Jason Dunnington
Maintenance and Building Technician
Jason is a licensed HVAC technician, musician, photographer, and artist who brings a deep passion for facilities maintenance, mechanical systems, and community stewardship to his work. He is currently pursuing a degree in Stationary Engineering at Metropolitan Community College, attending full-time. Jason finds joy in using his diverse skills to help others and make a meaningful impact in the community. He lives in Oak Grove, Missouri, where he is raising his (almost) seven-year-old daughter with the support of his parents. He is also the proud father of four adult sons.
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Rachel Cottrell
The Vestry of St. Paul’s
St. Paul’s is a community shaped and led by its parishioners. At the heart of this shared leadership is the Vestry, a group of elected members who help guide the mission, vision, and practical operations of our church.
The Vestry works closely with the Rector to oversee St. Paul’s finances, property, and strategic direction, ensuring that our church remains a thriving place of worship, service, and fellowship. They also help discern how we live out our faith in the world, making decisions that shape our ministries and strengthen our commitment to God and one another.
Serving on the Vestry is a meaningful way for parishioners to answer their call to leadership, offering their time, talents, and wisdom to support the life of the church. To learn about our current Vestry roster, please contact the church office.