Welcome Fr. Tyler Richards and Family

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.

Welcome Fr. Tyler Richards and Family

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