Exciting Updates at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral!

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January 08, 2025

Exciting New Year Updates at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral!

Beloveds,
As we step into 2025, I’m excited to share two wonderful updates that reflect our commitment to community engagement, supporting the arts, and strengthening pastoral care within our congregation.
Strengthening Pastoral Care
I am delighted to announce that Debbie Butcher will be stepping into the newly created role of Director of Pastoral Ministries. Debbie, who has served as the past president of the Diocesan Episcopal Church Women (ECW), is also a nurse and a clergy spouse—bringing a wealth of experience, compassion, and unique insights to this role.

Under Debbie’s leadership, our Pastoral Care Team, which includes many dedicated lay members, will continue to grow and thrive. This expanded team approach ensures more members of our congregation can engage in providing pastoral care, fostering a deeper sense of connection and community. With the incredible support of Deacons Tracy and Gerald and Debbie’s vision, we are excited for the enhancements this new structure will bring.

Please join me in welcoming Debbie to this important role and celebrating the many ways pastoral care continues to flourish at St. Paul’s.
A New Partnership with the Oklahoma Conservatory of Music (OCM)

We are thrilled to welcome the Oklahoma Conservatory of Music (OCM) as a long-term partner in our space! Founded in 2013 by Dr. Angelika Machnik-Jones, OCM is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing high-quality music education, particularly to young students. Many of you may already be familiar with their work, as they’ve been using our facilities on a limited basis for the past six months. Joey Ripka’s wife is one of their instructors, and their program beautifully aligns with our values of community engagement and supporting youth and the arts.

OCM’s relocation to St. Paul’s stems from their need for a space that meets their growing needs. Through this partnership, we support their mission to nurture young musicians and bring classical music to life in our community, while also generating income from our underutilized spaces—an economic opportunity that benefits the cathedral.

This partnership provides an opportunity for music to be heard in both formal and informal ways, enriching the vibrancy of our cathedral while preserving our space for Sunday worship and activities. To learn more about OCM and their inspiring mission, I encourage you to visit their website: okconservatoryofmusic.com.


With gratitude,

Dean Katie Churchwell 

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