Our Staff
The Rev. Paula Jefferson
Vicar
The Rev. Paula Jefferson joined St. Christopher Episcopal Church Fort Worth on Aug. 1, 2022. The vestry called her to serve as its priest-in-charge, then vicar.
Paula graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1983 with a BS-Accounting degree. In 1990, she started a CPA firm in the mid-cities area of Tarrant County. She retired from the CPA firm in 2015 and graduated from the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest (Austin, Texas) with a masters of divinity degree in 2018. Paula was ordained a priest by the Rt. Rev. J Scott Mayer in December 2020.
Paula and her dog, Dursey, are avid hikers. In the heat of summer, they are equally happy swimming laps. Texas Rangers, Penn State Nittany Lions, the Fort Worth Symphony, and Kimball Museum exhibits are joyful diversions.
Rev. Iwao Asakura
Curate
A recent graduate of Seminary of the Southwest with a Master of Divinity degree, Iwao Asakura is originally from Nagoya, Japan. Before attending seminary, he taught music - primarily vocal performance and related courses - for more than twenty years at various institutions of higher education, most recently at Tarleton State University. He earned degrees from The University of Southern Mississippi and Florida State University and has performed as a soloist in numerous opera and oratorio productions.
A recipient of the Texas Paul Murray Scholarship, Iwao served at St. Julian of Norwich Episcopal Church during his time at Seminary of the Southwest as a part of his Field Education program. In 2025, he was selected to participate in the Preaching Excellence Program (PEP). He was also been active in Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries, leading a monthly Zoom Bible study and annual retreat for the Metropolitan Japanese Ministry (MJM) in New York City. In addition, he served on the planning team for the Seminarians of Color Conference held in Oklahoma City in January 2026.
Rev. Cynthia Steblein Ruiz-Riquer
Deacon
The Rev. Cynthia Steblein Ruiz-Riquer joined the staff of St. Christopher’s as a deacon in 2024.
Originally from the Niagara borderlands near Canada, Cindy earned bachelor’s degrees in history and German and in secondary education from the University of Rhode Island. While there, she met and married her husband, Gustavo. When he returned to Mexico, she joined him and earned a master’s degree in applied linguistics from the University of the Americas-Puebla. She taught at the American School in Puebla, where their two daughters were born.
The family moved from Mexico to Fort Worth in 2001, and their son was born in 2003. Cindy became active in Latino ministry and studied at the Instituto Teológico in Dallas before beginning the ordination process. She started her Master of Divinity studies at Perkins School of Theology and later transferred to Seminary of the Southwest, where she completed her degree with a concentration in Hispanic Studies in 2011. The Rt. Rev. C. Wallis Ohl ordained her as a deacon in 2012.
Cindy is a teacher, translator, writer and poet who continues to develop her skills in each of those areas. She also handles repairs and maintenance on her family’s 1928 Craftsman home on Fort Worth’s East Side. Her favorite activity is helping transform the “tossed-out” into the “treasured.”
Melanie Kingsbury
Director of Christian Formation and Youth Ministries
Melanie Wright Kingsbury serves as St. Christopher’s Director of Christian Formation and Youth Ministries. She helped launch Christofolx, our college and career group, and currently oversees Journey to Adulthood for youth ages 11 to 18 and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for children ages 4 to 11. On the second Sunday of each month, Melanie invites our young people to join her for a children’s sermon.
At age 12, Melanie sensed God calling her to shepherd God’s sheep—especially the little lambs. Since then, she has devoted her life to nurturing children, youth and adults in their faith.
Melanie earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Texas Christian University in 1991 and a Master of Divinity from General Theological Seminary in 2006.
She also enjoys gardening, working with clay and spending time with her three grown children.
David Lindsey
Director of Music
David joined the staff of St. Christopher in 2001. He has been a church musician-pianist-organist-chorister for more than 60 years. He grew up playing the piano in Baptist churches his father pastored. He’s played in Baptist, Disciples of Christ and Episcopal Churches. His professional life has included stints in journalism, political consulting, public relations-events planning and financial services. He is married to Rosemary Cooper Lindsey. They have two daughters and two grandchildren.
Shirley Johnson
Choir Director
Shirley Johnson earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Texas Christian University and has served as music director for Christ the King and St. Elisabeth Episcopal church for over 30 years. She has over 30 years experience as a private voice instructor for adults and adolescents and headed the voice lesson program at Haltom High School from 1990 to 2019. She enjoys her time with her husband, Stanley and her cat, Zoey.
Margaret Mieuli
Treasurer
Margaret Darmon, a cradle Episcopalian, came to St. Christopher Pre-school as a teacher in 1973. She found in this church a loving and welcoming family and soon transferred her membership and began attending regularly.
Margaret has served on the Vestry, was Senior Warden in 1990 and has enjoyed countless opportunities to serve the church and the community. She became treasurer of both the church and the school in 2000.
Marriage in 1992 gave her a new last name – Mieuli, but she reserves the “D” initial in honor of her original in-laws. She is overjoyed to have two children, Rick and Kelly, five grandchildren and two precious great-grands. Life is good!
Tara Moore
Administrative Assistant, Safeguarding records administrator
Tara came to St. Christopher's in June 2011. It was meant to be a temporary position while she awaited the birth of her son, but the church made the decision to keep her around. Tara’s daughter was born in 2014 and spent her first year in the office with her and was known as the ‘office baby.’ Both of her kids attended St. Christopher Preschool, and it was a blessing to have them nearby. Tara says she gained an amazing church family when she began working at St. Christopher's, and she is thankful for this Parish.
