Sort By
March 22, 2019 — A message from the Senior Warden

A Message from our Senior Warden, Johnnie Alex

 

 

As we begin our celebrations thanking Dean Carlsen (Steve) for the growth that he has helped us achieve, I want to send this written message that expresses my gratitude for all that I see that he has done for Christ Church Cathedral.  Throughout his time here he has endorsed and added new programs to keep us involved on our spiritual journeys.  He has directed our paths to a full understanding of  “Love thy Neighbor as thyself” and discerning “Who is thy Neighbor.”  Those two expressions have lead us to an acceptance of a more diverse community and a willingness to share and understand a range of cultures.  We have included our homeless neighbors in our expression of  “Widening the Circle of God’s Embrace with Heart and Voice.”  Our welcoming of the LGBTQ Community shows that we understand that we are all God’s people and we earthly beings do not get to decide who belongs to God and who does not.  Steve’s establishment of Education for Ministry (EFM) and re-instituting The Catechumenate programs have given us a way to nurture our spiritual growth and to embrace new stewardship directions. His focus on our financial health has been clarifying and rewarding.  For his total attention to broadening our Circle, I thank him and wish him well.

As we say goodbye to Steve we must ensure our continued spiritual growth by being patient as we search for the priest who will take us to the next level.  Steve has already guided us to not look for someone to fill his shoes because he is taking his shoes with him.  So as we move forward, let us focus on being patient with the process, getting it right and being successful in choosing our next Dean.  Our next task as a congregation is to identify the profile of the Cathedral,  The Vestry expects that everyone including children and the elderly will all participate in that experience.  We must stay focused on our next desired direction.  For those of you who are not on the Vestry and may not be on the search committee, your task is to stay prayerful throughout the search and selection process (you may remain engaged by bookmarking our page for updates).

Lastly,  Steve: Be proud of your accomplishments here and know that you have left in tact a loving and thankful congregation for your time here.  Go in peace and love, my friend.

Johnnie W. Alex
Senior Warden

If you have questions about the New Dean and Rector Search Process, you may contact Johnnie Alex, Senior Warden and/or Brad Ayers, Junior Warden. All are welcome to be part of this search process.