Clergy & Staff | St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral

Clergy

The Very Reverend Katie Churchwell, Dean

Dean Churchwell came to St. Paul's in August of 2020 (hello Covid lockdown!), proving she believes that God's presence is with us always, especially when we take big risks for God and neighbor!

A life-long Episcopalian, Dean Churchwell has served in churches in Arizona, Oregon, Virginia, Texas, and Florida before making St. Paul's her spiritual home.

As Dean of the Cathedral, Dean Churchwell is responsible for the spiritual health and vitality of the cathedral, serves as Head of Staff for clergy and laity, chairs the Vestry (the lay leadership team of the Cathedral), and spends equa time bent over the Bible as she does spreadsheets.

For fun Dean Churchwell spends time with her family; husband Logan and their three children Addison, Crawford, and Collins. She reads, naps, and enjoys the ritual of a good cup of coffee enjoyed with a side of good conversation. You can find her cheering loudly at swim meets, roaming the aisles at Trader Joe's, or jogging downtown between meetings.

Want to schedule a meeting with Dean Churchwell? Click here

The Reverend Sarah Smith

Curate

Sarah is a sixth generation Oklahoman. She comes from a long line of Okies dating back to the inception of the state in the early 1900s. Growing up in northwest Oklahoma City, she attended Heritage Hall High School.

Sarah was recruited around the country to play softball and landed at the University of Notre Dame. At Notre Dame she played left field for the Fighting Irish and completed a degree in Catholic Systematic Theology. After undergraduate studies, she completed a master's degree in Sports Administration at the University of Northern Colorado where she was a volunteer assistant softball coach and a ski instructor at Winter Park Mountain.

Following her year in Colorado, Sarah moved back to South Bend to work in the Office of Student Welfare and Development in the Athletics Department at Notre Dame for four years. She helped student-athletes with their holistic development including career and leadership programs, alcohol and drug education, and community service projects. She also served as the advisor to the Student-Athlete Advisory Council and Notre Dame Christian Athletes.

Sarah soon felt called back to school to study theology and work on social issues near to her heart. She wanted to help make the church a safer place for LGBT people. At Vanderbilt University, Sarah worked as a seminarian intern at St. Ann's Episcopal Church in Nashville for two years funded by the Arcus Grant. Her ministry focus was homelessness. She assisted in the creation of Launch Pad—grassroots shelters in urban churches—for young adults experiencing homelessness in Nashville.

Sarah completed a master's in Theological Studies at Vanderbilt University with a Carpenter Certificate in Religion Gender and Sexuality in May 2016. After, Sarah served as the Director of Media & Technology for the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma and the Head Softball Coach at Casady School. In November 2017, she started the Theosophia Podcast, a platform for women's voices in theology.

In December 2021, Sarah was ordained to the transitional diaconate. She completed a diploma in Anglican Studies at the Seminary of the Southwest in May 2022 and immediately started her curacy at St. Paul’s Cathedral in OKC in June. She was ordained to the priesthood on June 24th, the Feast Day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.

In her role at St. Paul’s, Mother Sarah will oversee adult formation, community outreach and assist in all liturgical and pastoral responsibilities of a priest.

The Reverend Canon Tim Sean Youmans

Clergy Canon

Father Tim Sean Youmans serves as the Vicar of St. Edward the Confessor Chapel and Chair of the Religion Department at Casady School. Additionally, Father Tim Sean is the Bible Instructor for the Diocesan Iona School for Ministry. He serves the Cathedral as Canon for Youth and Families, bringing experience, joy, ad creativity to our community. A native of Wyoming, Father Tim Sean is married to Dr. Karen Youmans, Honors Director and Associate Professor of English at Oklahoma City University. Tim Sean came into the Episcopal Church after 20 years as a Baptist youth pastor. He earned a degree in English and History from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1991, a Master's of Divinity at Southwestern Baptist in 1994, and Anglican Studies at Nashotah House in 2011. He is the author of Blessed to Bless: An Introduction to the Bible, a survey of the scriptures geared toward teenagers and the biblically uninitiated. Tim Sean is a folk musician and songwriter, and tinkers at the banjo. Tim Sean and Karen have a son in college, Noah.

The Reverend Gerald Butcher

Deacon

Gerald Butcher was appointed by the Bishop to serve St. Paul’s Cathedral in 2013. Gerald's primary service is Community Outreach. A native Oklahoman, Gerald is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and has worked for Western Farmers Electric Cooperative for nearly four decades as an Environmental Regulatory Affairs Coordinator. His wife Debra is a registered nurse (BS, BSN, MSN, CHN) and is employed at Mercy Hospital. Gerald and Debra have three adult daughters who also work in the health-care industry. Daughter Catherine is a radiation therapy clinic and technical manager at the University of Texas Medical Center in Dallas, Rebekah is a nurse supervisor for Mercy Home Health and Jennafer is a dietitian supervisor at the OU Medical Center in Edmond. Five grandchildren light up Debra's and Gerald's lives. Deacon Butcher loves working in the community where he has served as a coach for youth soccer, softball and basketball, serving on the board of directors for Chickasha Youth Soccer. Additionally, Gerald served on the National Rural Electric Environmental Association board and as a Grady County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). Today, he continues to serve on the Environmental Federation of Oklahoma board of directors and is a volunteer with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Recently, the Bishop appointed Gerald to the Oklahoma Prison Commission.

The Reverend Marilyn Robertson

Deacon and Cathedral Nurse

St. Paul's has been Marilyn's church home since the 1990s. During that time, she has led various mission trips, both to Mexico and locally. She's served as the parish nurse for many years and additionally as a Deacon at the Cathedral for more than a decade. The health team at St. Paul’s offers a Health Fair every October. As well, the health team also supports various church functions. Marilyn enjoys horses and being out in the country. Her family is very important; giving her strength and enriching her soul. Marilyn feels blessed to serve the Cathedral community where she sees the true Spirit of Christ through the words and action of the loving and caring people who make up the parish. Contact Marilyn at [email protected]