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Clergy & Staff

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

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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.

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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.



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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.

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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]

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The Right Reverend Poulson Reed

Bishop of the Diocese of Oklahoma

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Staff

Joseph Ripka
Canon Musician and Diocesan Music Missioner
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Ashley Ozan
Children, Family & Cathedral Life Minister
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Caroline Dennis
Office Coordinator
Lauren Bass
Director of Operations
Terry Jenks
Audio-Visual Coordinator
Jani Hill
Pastoral Care Coordinator
Philip Newcomer
Youth and Communications Minister
Todd Olberding
Facilites Manager

Joseph Ripka

Canon Musician and Diocesan Music Missioner

Joseph Ripka is an internationally respected and acclaimed organist, recognized for his virtuosity and expressiveness. He was the rst-prize winner of the Dublin International Organ Competition, the Fort Wayne National Organ Playing Competition, and the San Marino/ Elizabeth Elftman National Organ Competition.

Joseph is in demand as a concert organist and has performed recitals throughout the United States. He received high praise in a review from the Boston Musical Intelligencer for his performance at Holy Cross College in Worcester Massachusetts on the renowned Taylor and Boody Opus 9 instrument. Joseph has performed with the New World Symphony, the Boston Philharmonic, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra under conductors Michael Tilson Thomas, Benjamin Zander, and Alan Gilbert. Mr. Ripka’s recitals have been aired on American Public Media's Pipedreams several times; he was invited by Michael Barone to be the featured artist for the 25th anniversary celebration of Pipedreams in 2008 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During the summer of 2009, Joseph made his European concert debut with recitals at St. Sulpice in Paris, Bavo Kerk in Haarlem, Oude Kerk in Amsterdam, and Hooglandse Kerk in Leiden, Netherlands. Joseph has since played recitals at Westminster Cathedral in London, St. Michael’s Church in Dun Laoghaire, St Paul's Cathedral in London, St Columb's Cathedral in Derry, Noorderkerk in Amsterdam, and many more. Joseph’s acclaimed YouTube videos have received hundreds of thousands of views and have earned rave comments from around the world.

Joseph holds bachelor’s degrees in both organ and piano performance from St. Cloud State University, masters degrees in organ and piano performance from the University of Kansas, the Artist Diploma in organ performance from Oberlin College and a master’s degree in organ performance from Yale University. His principal teachers were James David Christie, Webb Wiggins (harpsichord), Derek Rêmes (thoroughbass), Martin Jean, James Higdon, Charles Echols, Jack Winerock and Carmen Wilhite, and Yakov Gelfand. He has coached with Olivier Latry, Marie Claire Alain, Wilma Jensen, Jean-Baptiste Robin, John Scott, and Phillipe Lefebvre as well.

Mr. Ripka is the Canon Musician at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Oklahoma City, OK. At St. Paul’s, Joseph is director of a comprehensive choral and music program, including two adult choirs and the Cathedral Chorister program, which he inaugurated in the fall of 2021. He also serves as Diocesan Music Missioner for the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma.

An internationally recognized organist, Mr. Ripka is also a performing pianist and harpsichordist, He has performed professionally as a pianist in numerous duo recitals and chamber-music concerts and as a continuo harpsichordist in concerts and recitals with Baroque ensembles and soloists. Joseph has conducted numerous complete performances of Handel’s Messiah and cantatas of Bach, Buxtehude and Schutz. His repertoire as a keyboardist, conductor and teacher extends from the late Renaissance and early Baroque to the 21st century. Joseph serves as instructor of harpsichord and director of the Early Music Ensemble at Oklahoma City University.

www.josephripkaorganist.com

Ashley Ozan

Children, Family & Cathedral Life Minister

Ashley is the mom to Amelia, Charlotte and George. Ashley and her family usually attend the Rite I service. She has been active not only in the undercroft teaching many classes over the past years, but has also served as the Altar Guild director, Wedding Chair and an acolyte. Ashley comes to us from the First Presbyterian Preschool where she has been a teacher and manager of the preschool for over 9 years. She is looking forward to developing stronger relationships with each family and building our undercroft programs in this new season of change.


Caroline Dennis

Office Coordinator

Lauren Bass

Director of Operations

Terry Jenks

Audio-Visual Coordinator

Jani Hill

Pastoral Care Coordinator

Philip Newcomer

Youth and Communications Minister

Todd Olberding

Facilites Manager

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Upcoming Events

Wednesday, 3/29 at 9:00 AM
Mobile Meals
Wednesday, 3/29 at 10:00 AM
Cathedral Bookstore Open
Wednesday, 3/29 at 12:00 PM
Downtown 12 & 12 Meeting
Wednesday, 3/29 at 12:00 PM
Wednesday Eucharist Chapel
Wednesday, 3/29 at 5:00 PM
Training Choir- 5 to 8 years old
Wednesday, 3/29 at 6:00 PM
Crowded Table
Thursday, 3/30 at 12:00 PM
Downtown 12 & 12
Thursday, 3/30 at 12:00 PM
Brown Bag Book Club with the Dean

Mobile Meals

Wednesday, March 29, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Kitchen.

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Cathedral Bookstore Open

Wednesday, March 29, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

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-0500 America/Chicago 1 -564

Downtown 12 & 12 Meeting

Wednesday, March 29, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

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-0500 America/Chicago 1 -564

Wednesday Eucharist Chapel

Wednesday, March 29, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

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-0500 America/Chicago 1 -564

Training Choir- 5 to 8 years old

Wednesday, March 29, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Click here to view on Google Calendar.

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-0500 America/Chicago 1 -564

Crowded Table

Wednesday, March 29, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

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-0500 America/Chicago 1 -564

Downtown 12 & 12

Thursday, March 30, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

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-0500 America/Chicago 1 -564

Brown Bag Book Club with the Dean

Thursday, March 30, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Click here to view on Google Calendar.

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-0500 America/Chicago 1 -564

Sermons

  • Mar 26 | The Reverend Sarah Smith
    The Fifth Sunday in Lent
  • Mar 19 | The Very Reverend Katie Churchwell, Dean
    The Fourth Sunday after Lent
  • Mar 12 | The Reverend Canon Tim Sean Youmans
    The Third Sunday in Lent
  • Mar 5 | The Very Reverend Katie Churchwell, Dean
    The Second Sunday in Lent
  • Feb 26 | The Reverend Sarah Smith
    The First Sunday of Lent

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127 NW 7th Street · Oklahoma City, OK 73102
(405) 235-3436
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St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral
127 NW 7th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73102

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(405) 235-3436

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St. Paul’s Cathedral welcomes everyone with open arms and open hearts! The Cathedral community is intentionally vibrant, active, diverse and inclusive. Our joy is in being a loving, accepting spiritual home - that serves as the face of God - to our community and to everyone who wishes to be part of our downtown parish.

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