The Reverend Father Steven H. De Muth

Rector and Pastor of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church 

Born and raised in Wisconsin, Fr. De Muth comes from a musical family. His grandmother was a music teacher, his father played piano, organ and jazz trumpet, and his mom was the cheering section. He first studied at the University of Wisconsin – Madison before moving to California and completing a bachelor’s degree in music at Mount Saint Mary’s University – Los Angeles. Though brought up in the Lutheran tradition, Fr. De Muth was introduced to the Episcopal Church while in college through the ministry of the Saint Francis House – the Episcopal Church’s student ministry at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Upon moving to Los Angeles he began attending Saint Thomas the Apostle in Hollywood where he sang in the choir, served on the Vestry, chaired the Community & Outreach Committee, served in the Acolyte Corps, created and managed the social media presence for the church and helped initiate the Breakfast Club (a bi-monthly homeless breakfast ministry).  

Fr. De Muth attended The Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) in Berkeley, California, where he worked as an Assistant Project Coordinator for the Episcopal Church’s Standing Commission on Liturgy & Music on the Blessings Project, served as Head Sacristan for the seminary, participated in multi-cultural and grassroots pastoral ministry in a Latin American context through the Panama Project, provided one-on-one reading tutoring to students in under-resourced schools in the Bay area, and made pastoral visits to San Quentin’s Death Row. He received a Master of Divinity from CDSP and was awarded The Right Rev. Richard Millard Prize for Excellence in Preaching.  

After being ordained a Deacon in June of 2013, Fr. De Muth began serving Holy Trinity Church – Covina. Being ordained Priest in January of 2014, he was appointed Associate Priest and Director of Hispanic Ministry. In March of 2016 Fr. De Muth was appointed Priest-in-Charge of Holy Trinity Church by Bishop J. Jon Bruno and was elected Rector in 2017.  

He currently serves as a member of the Diocesan Program Group on Hispanic Ministry, the East San Gabriel Valley Coalition for the Homeless, and the Covina Valley Compassion Council. He represents the church on the Faith Relations Committee for Pomona Valley Habitat for Humanity, where he received the Carol McClung Faith Award. Fr. De Muth lives in Covina with his husband Francisco and three Chihuahuas – Emily, Temoc, and Manzanita. In his spare time, he enjoys walking, cooking, reading, traveling and singing. He regularly sings some of his sermons at church. The Facebook recording of his Easter sung sermon has reached more than 4,000 people.