Cathedral Church of Saint Matthew (Dallas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Matthew's Cathedral |
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| The Cathedral Church of Saint Matthew | |
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 Location in Texas
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| 32°48′30.3″N 96°46′21.4″W / 32.808417°N 96.772611°W | |
| Location | 5100 Ross Ave. Dallas, Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | The Episcopal Church |
| History | |
| Founded | May 25, 1856 |
| Dedication | Saint Matthew |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1907, 1929 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Dallas |
The Cathedral Church of Saint Matthew, often called St. Matthew's Cathedral, is a special church in Dallas, Texas. It belongs to the Episcopal Church. You can find it at 5100 Ross Avenue.
This cathedral is the main church for the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas. It is sometimes called the "mother church" of the area. The Texas Historical Commission has listed it as an important historic landmark.
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History of St. Matthew's Cathedral
St. Matthew's Church was the third church started in Dallas. The first Episcopal church service in Dallas happened on May 25, 1856. Reverend George Rottenstein led this service on the second floor of a general store. At that time, Dallas was a small town with about 400 people.
The small group of churchgoers grew. Reverend Rottenstein asked the Episcopal Church to officially create the Episcopal Church of Saint Matthew. This happened on September 21, 1857.
Challenges and Growth
On July 8, 1860, a big fire destroyed most businesses in the town square. It also burned down the church's rented space and all its belongings and records. When Bishop Alexander Gregg visited Dallas in October 1860, he found no church building and only six members. Bishop Gregg helped the small group so the church could continue.
The church recovered and grew. By 1870, they had enough money to build their own church. A church bell was added later that same year.
As Dallas grew, the church needed to move. In 1877, the building was put on large rollers and pulled by oxen. However, the building fell apart. Church members and other citizens carried the wooden boards by hand to a new spot. There, they built a new church.
Becoming a Cathedral
The Diocese of the Missionary District of Northern Texas was formed. Bishop Alexander Garrett led this new district. On February 2, 1875, Bishop Garrett chose Dallas as his main city. He named Saint Matthew's as his cathedral church. On December 20, 1895, the Missionary District became the Diocese of Dallas.
In 1893, the church built a beautiful new stone cathedral. It was located at Elm and Lamar streets. But after a few years, the busy city grew around it. Train tracks were laid nearby. Noisy steam engines arrived at a nearby station every Sunday at noon. Smoke from the trains would fill the church.
At the same time, Saint Mary's Episcopal College for Women was having money problems. The church leaders decided to move the cathedral to the corner of Ross and Henderson. They also took on the debt of St. Mary's College. The cathedral moved to its current location in July 1929. The Wall Street crash of 1929 happened in October. The cathedral, like many people in Dallas, faced hard times.
St. Matthew's Cathedral Today
The Cathedral Church of Saint Matthew is still at the old Saint Mary's campus. The college's former chapel was made bigger. It now serves as the cathedral for the Diocese of Dallas. The campus, with its many trees, is now the cathedral grounds. The buildings hold a collection of stained-glass windows from the late 1800s.
The cathedral also has many Victorian era paintings. Many of these were gifts to Saint Mary's Episcopal College for Women. They often show Saint Mary.
In October 2013, the Justus Sundermann Art Gallery opened. It shows art from local artists.
Community Involvement
The church members are very active in helping the community. The cathedral helps people who are homeless or in need through its Food Pantry.
The Bishop Stanton Center for Ministry Formation trains people for church work. This includes deacons, priests for rural areas, and youth ministers. It also offers classes for people who want to learn more about the Bible and church history. The cathedral has also sent mission trips to Peru to help churches there. The Angel Tree program provides Christmas gifts for children and older people who might not receive any.
Schools at the Cathedral
The cathedral runs the Right Reverend James M. Stanton Center for Ministry Formation. This center mainly helps people who feel called to become deacons. It helps them decide if this is the right path. It also gives them the training needed to become deacons. The Cathedral Center is a place where future deacons can learn and grow spiritually.
The school also trains priests to serve in rural areas. It teaches youth ministers and offers training in understanding different cultures. There are also classes for church members to study the Bible, theology, and church history more deeply.
Leadership of the Cathedral
The cathedral is where the Bishop of Dallas has his main office. The Right Reverend George Sumner became the seventh bishop for the Diocese of Dallas in May 2015. He was officially made bishop on November 14, 2015. As bishop, he manages the needs of the diocese. He is also the main pastor for over 31,000 Episcopalians, 200 clergy, and 100 churches.
In 2018, the church leaders chose the Very Reverend Robert P. Price to be the new dean. Dean Price studied history at Stanford University. He also studied at Yale Divinity School to become a minister.
The cathedral usually has several assisting priests and deacons. Many of them are called canons of the cathedral.
Many groups and guilds are led by church members.
There is a large group of cathedral vergers. Their main job is to help with church services. Vergers work with acolytes and the altar guild. They prepare the church for services and help put things away afterward. Vergers also help with tours and special events. The cathedral often hosts training for vergers from across the diocese.
Worship Services
The church is part of the Episcopal Church. Worship services follow the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. There are important services like the Solemn Mass of Easter and Midnight Mass at Christmas. Most services are traditional, but some are more relaxed. The church is in East Dallas, and its members come from many different backgrounds.
Music at the Cathedral
Music is a very important part of the cathedral. It has a pipe organ with about 2,800 pipes. The organ has been made bigger several times. It now has three keyboards and many different sounds. The cathedral has hosted music festivals with famous musicians. The current Director of Music and Organist is Keith Franks.
On Sundays, the cathedral holds two worship services.
Weekday services are held in the Oratory Chapel. Morning Prayer is held every morning at 8:45 am. Evening Prayer is held every evening at 6:00 pm. Noonday Prayer is offered on the last Saturday of each month.
The cathedral also hosts many events for the diocese. These include ordinations (making new priests), confirmations, and meetings. It also hosts retreats for religious and community groups.
The cathedral also hosts many community events each year. These include plays, dances, festivals, and summer camps for youth. St. Matthew's Cathedral Arts was started in 2012. Its goal is to share God's presence through beautiful human creativity. It aims to make the cathedral a center for arts, culture, and community in Dallas.
Diversity in the Community
The cathedral is located in East Dallas. This area is always changing. A large Hispanic community has grown in the area over the past few decades. In 1982, the cathedral started a worship service in Spanish. This group has grown to have 25 to 300 people attending on Sundays.
Developers are also buying land nearby and building expensive apartments. The cathedral grounds are close to downtown. It is a neighborhood that is changing. It is home to immigrants and also people who are homeless. Because of this, the church members come from many different backgrounds. The cathedral is known for helping a wide range of people.
Architecture of the Cathedral
The church is built in the Gothic Revival style. The college chapel, built in 1907, was shaped like a traditional Latin cross. In 1929, the chapel was made larger to hold the cathedral's big congregation. This changed the shape of the cross. Before the expansion, the bell tower was at the northwest corner. Today, the tower is on the north side. The inside of the three-story bell tower is very small. Only a small person can enter it using a ladder.
Cornerstones, plaques, and stained-glass windows from the cathedral's earlier locations are now part of the current church.
The main stained-glass window from Saint Mary's Episcopal College for Women showed the birth of Jesus. On each side were windows about patron saints of women. Instead of replacing these, a stained-glass window of Saint Matthew was put in the south transept. Many windows came from older buildings and were installed in the 1970s. Other windows show the Resurrection, the Stations of the Cross, and the sacraments. Some windows even show unusual images like cowboys, Native Americans, and a stagecoach. This is because the church is in Texas.
The oratory and Great Hall are in a modern style. The oratory has a columbarium, which is a place for ashes of the dead.
The Great Hall, built in 1955, has a large church hall with a stage and two big kitchens. When the cathedral moved to its current spot, it brought the Great Matthew Bell. This bell dates back to 1870. It was reshaped in 1888 and now weighs about 680 kg (1500 lb). The bell tower could not hold such a huge bell. So, it was placed on a bell-cot next to the Great Hall. This bell-cot has a plaque from 1899, marking the cathedral's 25th anniversary.
The entrance of the Great Hall has several stained-glass pieces. This includes a Tiffany window from the previous cathedral.
See also
