Deacon Steve Rayburn
Deacon
Deacon Steve Rayburn and his wife Kathy were married in 1980, have two children and two grandchildren. Originally from Southern California the Rayburns moved to Idaho in 1992 to raise their 2 adult children in the family-friendly environment of Boise.
Deacon Steve was a Diesel Technician for 28 years before starting his teaching career in Diesel Technology, first at the high school level in 2002 and then at college level in 2004. Steven returned to teach high school in 2018 and sees it as an opportunity to have a positive impact on young people. Steve earned a master’s degree in Adult Education from the University of Idaho in 2012.
Deacon Steve is a convert having spent most of his life as a non-Catholic Christian. It seems ironic that he married a cradle Catholic from a very faithful Catholic family. Kathy’s dad was a deacon, her brother is a Priest and her mother taught in Catholic schools for over thirty years. Surrounded by Catholics, Steve credits the family’s patience and the Holy Spirit for opening his eyes to the Catholic Church entering the church in 2013. The couple has been part of the Holy Apostles Parish since 2013. Kathy and Steve have always considered themselves a team so where you find one you usually find the other. They have been part of the RCIA Team since 2013 and currently lead the Mystagogy ministry for Catholics looking to deepen their understanding of the faith.
From the time Steve decided to join the Catholic Church he was in love with it. God has blessed him with a passion for “the church Jesus started” and is always looking for ways to serve it. There is a “pull” that is hard to describe but it is there and clear. Steve found that other parishioners were suggesting he consider the diaconate, so he began praying about it and felt the prayers of others. “I reached a point where I felt that saying no to the deaconate was saying no to God himself.” Steve was ordained in 2019 and was blessed to have his wife Kathy with him every step of the way. In fact, Kathy completed the same coursework and received a Master Catechist certificate in 2019.