Steve Barton grew up in the Church of the Nazarene and spent many years actively serving in bus ministry, teaching Sunday School groups ranging from fifth grade to college-aged and young married adults, and serving on church boards.

He earned his B.A. in Business and Accounting from Northwest Nazarene College and M.S. in Business Administration at the University of Wyoming. 

Before retiring he worked for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C.

Deacon Steve’s journey to Anglicanism began nearly 30 years ago, when he felt a longing for deeper worship within church services. That led him and his wife Sandra “Sam” to a small, independent church shaped by the liturgy of the Book of Common Prayer, and to an exploration of ancestral roots during visits to England. One day, praying before an ancient Anglo-Saxon cross, the prayers and liturgy came alive for him; not long after, he and Sam joined Grace Anglican.

He later served seven years on the Vestry (four as treasurer and two as senior warden) helping guide the church through fundraising, securing a building loan, and constructing the facility God provided through the faithfulness of His people. 

Steve served as a lay minister until his ordination as a deacon on July 18, 2025.