Deprecated: Methods with the same name as their class will not be constructors in a future version of PHP; plgSystemAddPrintStylesheet has a deprecated constructor in /home/djxcbosu/public_html/plugins/system/addprintstylesheet/addprintstylesheet.php on line 17
News


510 S. Farwell St., Eau Claire WI 54701 • 715.835.3734 Map to the Cathedral

News

Chippewa Valley Street Ministry Journal
May 21, 2025
 
We hope this journal note finds you all well. We continue our work on the street with our unhoused brothers and sisters, with growing concern for the increased number of people we're serving. We have been seeing a steady increase and are now going to start preparing for 70 guests each time we're out. It's a challenge to know how much to bring out, as we never want to leave someone in need of food or hydration; some people tell us that the food we provide is what gets them from one day to the next, especially if they're working and cannot get to other resources. 
 
We've been blessed to have some young visitors from the local family shelter over the last few visits. The pictures are used with the mother's permission. She said the children had clothing needs, and our partner, Shepherd's Closet, filled the needs, and we provided the items at the next visit. The mother reports that they will be moving into housing in the next few weeks, which is very exciting news.  At each visit, the children are gracious and interactive. We're happy to be of service to all ages and needs.
 
                   image.png
                The children love the Prime drinks that we distribute!
 
                        image.png
                             Lots of smiles and hugs from our young friends.
 
The people we serve often have to carry everything they own from place to place.  To the outsider, it may be curious why someone who has nowhere to store their belongings would attempt to bring so much with them.  There is likely a psychological explanation that I suspect relates to trauma and/or the need to have some control in their lives.  It is not our place to judge the behavior; we do not know the past traumas or triggers of each person. Our role is to support the current needs of those we serve to help keep them safe from the elements from day to day.  We do set limits on how many items a person receives in order to ensure that there is an adequate supply for as many people as possible. 
 
  image.png
Everything a person owns is strapped onto this bicycle. Somehow, the person manages to balance and ride it. 
 
 
 image.png  
This person has a cart to wheel her belongings from place to place. 
 
 
We were happy to talk with a man who independently obtained housing!  His presentation has changed drastically: housing has taken several years of stress off his appearance. He smiled throughout the conversation, appeared to be more confident, he stood taller. We believe that he has the skills to be successful, but did encourage him to keep in touch with us for basic needs.  
 
As always, thank you for your ongoing interest and support of the street ministry. We absolutely cannot provide our services without you and need donations, both financial and material.  Please check out our needs list for more information.
 
Blessings to all!
 
CVSM staff

We are thrilled to introduce
the next Dean and Rector of Christ Church Cathedral,
Fr. Tyler C. Richards.

This appointment is the joyful result of many months (years) of prayer, discernment, and dedicated work by our search committee. We are deeply grateful for their faithful service and for the support of the Diocese throughout this process.

Fr. Tyler, along with his wife Colleen and their children Emery and Linnea, will join us in July. In the meantime, we invite you to read his letter to the congregation and get to know their wonderful family through the introduction below.

Please join us in holding them in your prayers as they prepare for the journey to Eau Claire. We look forward to welcoming them with open hearts and open arms.

Fr. Tyler C. Richards

May 4, 2025

Dear People of God,

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

My family and I are grateful to the search committee for their tireless work in bringing us to you, as well as the vestry who have placed their trust in me in electing me your next Dean and Rector. I know that we are going to do great work together in the years to come.

Cathedrals are special places within a diocese. They are a place of worship for the resident community. As well as serving as a home for members of the wider diocesan family. In this way, they become houses of the diocese at large, as well as being a sacred space for those people who call them home. Mediaeval Cathedrals in England also served as centers of learning and community life in the cities where they were founded. I see many opportunities for us to continue to develop this identity for our cathedral, as well as discerning other ministry opportunities that exist for us to explore.

Our first Sunday with you will be July 13, and while there is much to do between now and then, we are very excited about making a start. Please keep us all in your prayers as we make our way to you there in Eau Claire.

Faithfully

Tyler+, Colleen, Emery, and Linnea

 Fun Facts about our family The “Mikrichardsons”:

  • Fr. Tyler (40) is a native Alabamian with a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from The University of Alabama and a Master’s of Divinity from The School of Theology at Sewanee. He is also a digital content creator, has been published in two separate Forward Movement publications, which include the March devotions from Forward Day by Day from this last year, as well as The Disciples’ Way. He is co-creator and producer for The BCP and Me Podcast, and is currently developing a multi-format education program called Episco101 for The Episcopal Church in conjunction with The Diocese of Wisconsin. He is also to be clothed as a novice in the Order of Christ the Saviour, a Dominican order within the Episcopal Church, at the end of May. While most of his reading is relegated to Theology these days, he has read widely from classic literature to contemporary science fiction, including much from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of The Rings Universe and C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series.

  • Colleen (38) is a native Minnesotan with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Northern Michigan University and a Master’s in the same from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She also has several published scientific papers dealing with epidemiological subjects! She is an avid gardener and loves landscaping with native plants, as well as growing pumpkins and her own cooking. Colleen has been in the same book club since 2014 and has read more titles than can be listed here, but among her favorite authors is Barbara Kingsolver.

  • Emery (5) is obsessed with animals (all of them real or imagined!), books, flying kites, and currently ballet. Favorite colors include anything within the visible spectrum, with a slight preference towards pink at the moment. Favorite books include The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers, Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne, and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. She also loves Octonauts and Not Quite Narwhal.

  • Linnea (3) is currently in love with all things dinosaurs. She loves dancing, doing art projects on the walls, and feeding her baby dolls. While she is not yet capable of other specialized 3-year-old activities, she is an adorable and enthusiastic presence. She loves Daniel Tiger, Bluey, Miss Rumphius, Corduroy by Don Freeman, and Daniel Tiger from Fred Rogers Productions.

  • As a family, we all love being outside. We enjoy camping on Lake Superior at my aunt’s cabin in Northern Minnesota, and camping when we can. Our favorite National Parks include Rocky Mountain, Zion, the Smokies, the Dunes, the Porcupine Mountains, and Isle Royale together. As a family, we have done several overnight camping trips.

We are thrilled to introduce
the next Dean and Rector of Christ Church Cathedral,
Fr. Tyler C. Richards.

This appointment is the joyful result of many months (years) of prayer, discernment, and dedicated work by our search committee. We are deeply grateful for their faithful service and for the support of the Diocese throughout this process.

Fr. Tyler, along with his wife Colleen and their children Emery and Linnea, will join us in July. In the meantime, we invite you to read his letter to the congregation and get to know their wonderful family through the introduction below.

Please join us in holding them in your prayers as they prepare for the journey to Eau Claire. We look forward to welcoming them with open hearts and open arms.

Fr. Tyler C. Richards