Rev. Dr. Gregory L. Schaefer served as Pastor at St. Matthew's for eight years and after a two and a half year respite has returned part-time as Minister of Worship and Music. He was born, baptized, and raised in Wisconsin. He graduated from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota where he majored in philosophy and religion and Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., where he received a Masters of Divinity degree.
During the two years between college and seminary, Greg served in the Peace Corps in the Philippines, as a community organizer working with a small, rural health clinic, it was there he received an introduction to poverty and oppression, the results of economic and political oppression and a history of colonial domination.
For seven years, Rev. Schaefer served as the pastor of a small inner-city church in Detroit, Michigan where he grew in sensitivity to racism and poverty in America and developed a love for African American culture, religion, and music.
In the early 1990's Rev. Schaefer worked for Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service first in its Detroit affiliate, and then in its New York headquarters. In 1993 he received a call to serve as Pastor of St. Matthew's. It was there he met his life partner and soul mate, Steve Stoppel, together they celebrated their love in a Holy Union ceremony St. Matthews, they currently reside in Santa Monica where Rev. Dr. Gregory L. Schaefer has his clinical psychology practice.
"My hope this time around at St. Matthews is to faithfully and joyfully preach the good news, one of the passions of my life, and to work with our Worship and Music Committee to maintain and build upon St. Matthew’s commitment to creating worship experiences that integrate cherished tradition with fresh, contemporary expressions of faith. One of my own vocational goals is to integrate my Christian faith with my love of psychology. Some of you know that I have recently received my license as a clinical psychologist. I’m just starting out in private practice, working with adults and couples. Steve and I live in Santa Monica."
You can visit his website here: www.drgregoryschaefer.com