With a new rector and new head of school, one of Coconut Grove’s churches sets a course for the future.
St. Stephen’s Church, which its parishioners like to call “the Heart of the Grove,” is about to enter a new era. On January 11, 2025, at 11 a.m., in a ceremony at the church open to the public, a new rector, Father Matthew Machowski will be installed in a service led by the Episcopal bishop of South Florida. Then, on July 1, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Day School will welcome a new head of school. It will be a complete turnover of key leadership positions.
The Rev. Wilifred Allen-Faiella, known to all as Pastor Willie, served as rector from August 2001 to March 2023. Her retirement, required by the church’s age limit, was followed by a national search that took more than a year and involved a committee of nine parish leaders headed by Gregory Cheng and Sara Krawll. Father Matthew’s arrival is the beginning of an important new chapter in the church’s long history.
St. Stephen’s was established in Coconut Grove at a time when the Grove was a sleepy village. Flora McFarlane, one of Coconut Grove’s founders, initiated the church as a women’s prayer group. The church’s first building, on Main Highway, opened in 1912. The original gateway still stands. Behind it is St. Stephen’s Episcopal Day School, which was founded in 1958.
Today, the school has 320 students in grades Pre-K through 5 on a campus that includes several buildings, the newest of which opened in 2020. The current church on McFarlane Road was dedicated in 1959.
Visitors to the Grove may not realize how much of the block between Peacock Park and Main Highway the church and school occupy. What most people see, aside from the main church building on McFarlane Rd., is the McFarlane and Main Highway parking lots. While school is in session, the campus is closed for security reasons.
In addition to weekly services in the main church, the campus becomes a welcoming public space for the annual St. Stephen’s Art Show on Presidents Day weekend. The Art Show began as a hot dog stand adjacent to the Coconut Grove Arts Festival more than 25 years ago. It’s staffed entirely by volunteers and open to the public free of charge.
The Art Show is one of many community outreach events and services St. Stephen’s offers. Others include participation in the Coconut Grove Crisis Food Pantry, annual free tax preparation services for families and individuals earning $60,000 or less, People Acting for Community Together (PACT), an ecumenical organization that draws on the power of people from diverse congregations, schools, and community organizations to create systemic change in Miami-Dade County, and an AIDS Ministry.
Given St. Stephen’s history of community involvement and service, Father Matthew Machowski (pronounced MaKOWski), is a good fit as rector. At 42 he has a broad educational and professional background. He speaks four languages, has lived on three continents, and has traveled to more than 65 countries.
For the past four years, he served as associate rector of The Falls Church in Falls Church, Virginia. During his tenure at that historic parish—it was founded by George Washington and George Mason—he contributed to making it one of the fastest-growing Episcopal churches in the nation, known particularly for its vibrant children and youth ministry and its emphasis on social justice.
Before his ordination, Father Matthew served as a lecturer in Middle Eastern politics and security at the University of London and worked at the U.K. Houses of Parliament. He wrote extensively on social and political issues and appeared on numerous media channels, including the BBC.
Farrar Richardson, currently the head of a middle school in Spartanburg, South Carolina, will be the new head of school at St. Stephen’s beginning July 1, 2025. She replaces Silvia Larrauri who retired last June after 19 years at the school’s helm. Father Matthew says he looks forward to working with her and emphasizes that “All Episcopal schools are an extension of the ministry of the church. It’s education rooted in Christianity even as we celebrate other religions and diversity.”
Asked about his big goals for St. Stephen’s, Father Matthew underscores the importance of building community. “I feel very passionate about that,” he says. “In Falls Church I built relationships with other churches, community organizations, a local synagogue, and a Baptist congregation. We celebrated Juneteenth and other events together. My ability to build partnerships is a gift I bring with me to Coconut Grove.”
Father Matthew is an avid cyclist and swimmer. He is also openly gay. “The congregation is very aware of the person they hired,” he says. “This is a fully inclusive church. All are welcome.”
In July 2025, St. Stephen’s will have both a new rector and a new head of school. “I’m excited to see where God takes us and what the future of St. Stephen’s looks like for decades to come,” says Father Matthew. “I’m excited about growing into this community and being a part of its future.”
Senior Warden Mike Kress led the church during the search for a new rector. “Our St. Stephen’s community, along with the greater Coconut Grove community, is truly blessed to have Father Matthew as a spiritual leader,” he says. “He will further enrich St. Stephen’s contributions to the arts, as well as social and environmental causes, that are so dear to our church.”
