Christ Church names its first female dean, rector

The Rev. Canon Carol L. Wade, former canon precentor at the National Cathedral in Washington, will be the new dean and rector at Lexington's historic Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral. She is the first woman to hold either position at the downtown church.

Wade will assume her new duties in September. Her selection was announced Sunday during both worship services at Christ Church.

"I am overjoyed," Wade said in a telephone interview. "I cannot tell you how much I look forward to partnering with the wonderfully gifted people at the cathedral and working with the diocese, the people of Lexington and beyond.

"Christ Church is an extraordinary place. When you come there you can experience the majesty and mystery of God in a setting that values a beautiful and thoughtful and generous Christianity."

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, said in a statement she was "delighted" to hear of Wade's election to the post in Lexington.

"Her abundant gifts will bless that cathedral as well as the diocese, but they will also resound to the glory of God far beyond," Schori said. "May the Episcopal Church in Lexington find much blessing in this new partnership."

The Rev. Stacy F. Sauls, bishop of Lexington, said, "I could not possibly be more pleased at the ... choice to call the Rev. Carol Wade to be the next dean of Christ Church Cathedral. She brings a depth of faith, combined with cathedral experience, that few others could have offered. ... I am absolutely confident that she will lead the cathedral to be all that it can be."

While at the National Cathedral, Wade helped plan many high-profile worship services, including the funeral of former President Gerald R. Ford, the inaugural prayer service of President Barack Obama, and Schori's investiture. As precentor from 2004 through 2010, Wade had creative and administrative oversight of the cathedral's largest programmatic staff and budget, and more than 1,800 worship services each year.

She also was chaplain to the House of Bishops, and was responsible for implementation of worship at the 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Anaheim, Calif.

She is an advocate for social justice issues, including the environment and global and domestic poverty, the diocese said.

Wade, who grew up in Michigan, said she first felt drawn to the church when she became a choir member at age 8. She also has a background in the performing arts as an actor and dancer, working in New York and Los Angeles. She entered Yale Divinity School after her dancing career ended.

Wade is co-writing a three-volume worship companion to the Westminster/John Knox Feasting on the Word series, for which she served as a contributing writer.

Wade will be the seventh dean and the 22nd rector of Christ Church in Lexington since 1796, when the Rev. James Moore became the first rector. She succeeds the Right Rev. Morris K. Thompson, who was elected bishop of Louisiana, and the interim dean, the Rev. Larae Rutenbar.