by Cathedral Member Justin Strickland
I honestly never planned on being a member of the Cathedral. After leaving the Pentecostal church in my twenties, I was sure I'd never set foot in one again. But by my forties, something in my life felt incomplete. I decided to give church another shot.
I had a different church picked out, and on a Sunday in May of 2024, I got all dressed up, drove over, and realized I'd missed the service. Not wanting to waste the effort, I googled "Episcopal churches still open" and the Cathedral popped up. I figured since I was already dressed, I might as well try it.
Sitting in that service, something just clicked. The music and the preaching felt right. It felt like home. Afterward, I met a few people, and the connections were instant. I joined All God’s Children and the Young Professionals group, went to the BBQ, and even became an adult acolyte. I just kept showing up and plugging in.
It’s been an amazing first year at St. Philip’s. It truly feels like I've always been here. Every Sunday is a reminder that I've found a place where I'm loved and where I belong. I even got to go on a pilgrimage to Africa with the diocese!
My journey was an accident, a last-minute decision on a Sunday morning. But it led me to a spiritual home. I give because I want others to have that same chance—to walk through these doors and find their own home, just as I did.