Clergy & Staff

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Clergy

The Reverend John Zahl

Rector

St. Matthew’s Church welcomed Rev. Zahl as its thirteenth rector in fall, 2018. Since then, at the 2020 Convention of the Diocese of New York, he was also elected a member of the Standing Committee of the Diocese. More recently, he served on the Committee to Elect a Bishop of the Diocese of New York. Before coming to St. Matthew’s, he served for six years as Canon Missioner at Grace Church Cathedral, Charleston, SC. He was ordained in 2007, and served his curacy at Church of the Holy Cross, Sullivan's Island, SC.

John is a graduate of Kenyon College, holds a Master of Divinity degree from Oxford University and is completing work toward the Doctor of Divinity in Preaching degree from Sewanee University.

The son of an Episcopal minister, John grew up at Grace Church, Manhattan, and has also lived in Westchester, Charleston, Zurich (CH), Surrey (UK), Birmingham, AL and Brooklyn. He is married to Sara Elizabeth, a photographer, and they have a daughter Daphne and a newborn son John, a beloved pug Oscar, two guinea pigs and two ducks.

The author of two books (Sermons of Grace and Grace in Addiction), John regularly contributes to Mockingbird Ministries (mbird.com), participates in a series of podcasts by the Zahl Brothers on the "God Business, " and also moonlights occasionally as a DJ and collector of obscure disco records.

The Reverend Matthew Rossi

Associate Rector

Rev. Rossi joins the St. Matthew’s family in March 2025 from the Church of the Incarnation in Dallas. He is a graduate of Duke Divinity School and was ordained in 2023. Matt is married to Haley and they have two children, Mila, age 5 who is enrolled in St. Matthew’s Preschool and Hugo, age 1. He will be focused on young families, formation, outreach and also serves as Chaplain of the Preschool.

The Reverend Christine Veillon

Curate

The Rev. Christine Veillon joined St. Matthew's as Curate in January 2025. She is a 2023 graduate of Berkeley Seminary at Yale Divinity School and Yale's Institute of Sacred Music, and was ordained priest in September 2023. Chris is Priest-in-Charge at St. John's Church in Pleasantville. Additionally, to nourish her lifelong vocation and expand her experience in parish ministry, she is committing time to St. Matthew’s to assist with sacred duties, Bible Studies and pastoral care, receiving further mentorship from St. Matthew's rector and a robust congregation and community.

Before seminary, Chris was Director of Communications and Education for Ministry mentor at St. James’, Madison Avenue. She earned her MFA in writing and publishing in 2011. Chris is married to Peter (whom she met at church, the old-fashioned way) and is mom to two young girls, Lucy and Ruth.

Anthony Newman

Music Director

We are most fortunate to have as our Music Director Anthony Newman, who is a world-renowned organist and harpsichord player. As keyboardist, he has performed more than sixty times at Lincoln Center in New York, and has collaborated with many of the greats of music. As conductor, he has worked with the greats of chamber music orchestras: St. Paul Chamber, LA Chamber, Budapest Chamber, Scottish Chamber, and the 92nd St. Y Chamber Orchestras. Larger symphonic groups include: Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, Calgary, Denver, and New York Philharmonic Orchestras. As a composer, his output includes 4 symphonies, 4 concerti, 3 large choral works, 2 operas: Nicole, and Massacre (in collaboration with Charles Flowers), 3 CDs of piano music, and a large assortment of chamber, organ and guitar works.