A Plumb Line for Our Life Together
I am grateful to the Chapter of St. Paul’s Cathedral for the trust they have placed in me in electing me to serve as Senior Warden. I am thankful for those who have served in this role before me and for the steady leadership that has shaped this Cathedral over many years. It is a privilege to step into this ministry alongside colleagues who care deeply about the health and mission of St. Paul’s.
As I begin this work, I do so with gratitude for a community formed by prayer, worship, and love. This season offers an opportunity to reflect and to be clear about how we live our shared calling.
Our Cathedral’s vision calls us to be grounded in worship, deepening in faith, and reaching out in love. These words guide how we gather, how we care for one another, and how we understand our place in downtown Des Moines. From daily prayer to the sound of bells marking the hour, our presence in this city carries both responsibility and hope.
This year, we are giving particular attention to being more outward facing and more intentionally invitational. That begins with paying attention to how our life together is experienced by those beyond our regular community. We are asking who encounters this place during the week, who feels comfortable crossing the threshold, and where we might create space for those who are searching, returning, curious, or unsure where they belong.
In prayer and conversation, I have found myself returning to an image from the prophet Amos. In one of his visions, the Lord stands beside a wall built with a plumb line. A plumb line shows alignment. It reveals whether something stands true.
And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.”
Then the Lord said,
“See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel;
I will spare them no longer; the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,
and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,
and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”
— Amos 7:7–9
That image feels right for us right now. It invites careful attention to the shape of our shared life. Are we aligned with the love we proclaim? Are our structures serving our mission? Are our habits helping us love God and neighbor with integrity?
Most of us recognize the feeling when something begins to lean. What once felt settled may need adjustment as growth takes place. Faithfulness often begins with that kind of honest assessment.
Being outward facing requires the same attentiveness. It asks us to notice where familiarity or fatigue may have narrowed our focus and to consider how we are being drawn again toward our neighbors and our city.
We are already taking steps in that direction. Through Cathedral Arts, we are broadening our musical offerings to include different styles and expressions, welcoming new audiences into this sacred space. We are planning to partner with local organizations to host contemplative experiences in the Cathedral, offering space for silence and reflection to those who may not yet be ready for Sunday worship. Through our work with AMOS, we are listening to the needs of Des Moines and connecting our faith to real concerns within the community.
These efforts reflect who we are.
An invitational posture takes shape in steady welcome, in listening well, and in making room for faith to unfold over time. If you are reading this and wondering where you fit, you are not alone. St. Paul’s Cathedral is a place for lifelong Episcopalians and first-time visitors alike, where questions are taken seriously and where faith can deepen gradually.
As Senior Warden, my responsibility is to help ensure that our governance, resources, and shared leadership remain aligned with the mission entrusted to us. Much of that work happens quietly. It supports the daily life of this Cathedral so that what we build together remains steady.
My prayer for this year is that we will place our shared life against the plumb line with care, adjusting where needed and following where God is leading. May we remain grounded in worship, deepening in faith, and reaching out in love.
Wherever you find yourself on the journey, you are welcome to walk it with us.
Book of the Blog
As I continue reflecting on what it means to remain aligned with Christ in our time, I've been reminded of a book that has been particularly helpful.
The Homebrewed Christianity Guide to Jesus: Lord, Liar, Lunatic… or Awesome?
By Tripp Fuller
The book revisits the familiar “Lord, liar, or lunatic” framing and considers whether that way of speaking about Jesus still serves the church well. Fuller traces the historical Jesus, the development of Christology across the centuries, and the real questions many believers carry as they seek to hold faith and intellectual honesty together.
What I appreciate is the recognition that many struggles around Jesus are no longer debates between skeptics and believers, but conversations happening within the hearts of disciples themselves. At its center is a vision of a God deeply invested in the world and unwilling to remain distant from it. For those interested in thinking more carefully about who Jesus is and what that means for faith today, this is a thoughtful companion.
