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


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News

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.

 - Christ Church Cathedral

Join us for our spring concert, 'Grow,' a heartwarming program about growing up. Through folk-inspired music, we’ll explore the beautiful and complex process of change — from childhood to adulthood. Reflect on our shared human journey: the joys and sorrows, the highs and lows, and the moments of transformation that shape us. This concert is a reminder that no matter where we are in life, we are never alone, and it is never too late to grow and change.

A portion of ticket sales will be donated to Sleep In Heavenly Peace, a local charity that provides beds for children in need.  No kid sleeps on the floor in our town!  For more information, visit: www.shpbeds.org

To purchase tickets click here! 

Chippewa Valley Street Ministry - April 10, 2025
 
Greetings from the Street Ministry. The number of people we're serving is on the rise, but curiously, we're not always seeing the same people consistently.  We continue to serve young and old, young and elderly, and able-bodied and ability-challenged. One gentleman is in a wheelchair and propels himself backwards — a challenge to his safety but an efficient means of traversing the city. 
 
As noted in our previous journal, the challenges of the recent cuts in governmental aid are noticeable in many programs that we partner with, and this is a cause for concern. Michelle Pride of Feed My People provided the following information relating to the cuts and effects of policy changes. Please take a look. The Street Ministry depends on food from Feed My People to provide food to our brothers and sisters on the street. Without this resource, we (and other programs) will struggle to provide the food portion of our services to people in need. We are living in uncertain times but we will be here to support those in need. We believe that it is our responsibility, collectively ours as a community, to work together to serve all those who are in need.
 
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A young woman came to our table -- she appeared to be in her very early 20s -- who was hesitant to provide any information to us. This was understandable as she had no history with us and no reason to trust us. She did finally share that she is fairly new to being homeless and that she was scared. We discussed safety and some options of where to go during the day and night. We encouraged her to return and visit the next time we were going to be out and she replied that she had no intention of being homeless for very long. She did not want to stay to visit and we hope that she was able to fulfill her plans to get off the street. Women of all ages are at risk of being taken advantage of or hurt and this was a real concern for this woman. 
 
Another woman that we've seen a few times welcomed the chance to sit and rest. She has numerous medical complications ranging from spinal problems to cardiac complications to both of her feet causing pain — all diagnoses that complicate, and are complicated, by being homeless. She talked about qualifying for limited services through a disability program but nothing that she felt would be helpful without housing. We encouraged her to call the local aging and disability office to be reassessed. She admits to being miserable surviving from day to day in her condition.
 
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Tess and Steve assist a mobility-challenged friend. 
He had fallen multiple times but declined hands-on assistance.
 
Our services are provided only because of generous donations from our support system. We are made up of unpaid volunteers that are dedicated to helping people in need. We are the only organization (that we are aware of) with the longevity we have of being in the elements, on the street, and with the people we serve. We are in need of financial donations to continue our work. We are aware that there are multiple organizations frequently asking for your help and donations — we try to focus on the people we serve and not always on the 'how' we serve, but we are now asking for your help. No donation is too small; anything helps and is appreciated. Donations can be made online at our website and Facebook page or mailed. As we are approaching our thirteenth year of service, please help us support some of our community's most vulnerable members. 
 
 
Chippewa Valley Street Ministry
PO Box 51
Eau Claire, WI 54702
 
Our street ministry is based on being a "Ministry of Presence" with the people on the street. While there is considerable concern amongst our brothers and sisters regarding the possible limited services at the shelter and other benefits,  we will continue walking with our friends during their journey — through the darkness to the light, through the sorrows to their joys. We will continue to encourage hope where there is little and continue to just be with our friends. We are obligated to protect the fragile, the innocent, and the least of them, our sisters and brothers, to be servants to all that we meet here in the street.
 
CVSM staff
 
 
Something to think about as we enter Easter ....
 
..By North American standards, Jesus could
be considered neither a successful person,
nor could he be considered morally respectable.
He identified with the prostitutes and drunkards,
the unemployed and the poor, not because he felt
sorry for them, but in order to reveal God's judgment
against social and religious structures that oppress
the weak.  Jesus was born like the poor, he lived
with them, and on the cross he died like them.
 
~ James H. Cone - Theologian
 
  1. Obituary ~ Cynthia L. Stamm
  2. Good Friday ~ April 18th
  3. Palm Sunday ~ April 13th
  4. 2025 Altar Flower Calendar is Back!