Review by Rob Price
In Self Comes to Mind, neurobiologist Antonio Damasio observes that in the field of criminal justice, “the weight given to evidence coming from brain science and cognitive science has been negligible” (300). I think that that goes double for ecclesial discourse. Damasio’s presentation of recent findings in evolutionary brain science bears significantly on epistemology, ethics, and eschatology.
Read more on The Covenant Blog…
The Neurobiology of Old and New Creation:
Father Austin is Cathedral Theologian-in-residence as well as Theologian-in-residence for the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas. An Oklahoman, he went to college in Santa Fe and then seminary in New York, where he got stuck and served parishes in the Hudson Valley for nearly two decades. He was then Theologian-in-residence at Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue before finally returning to the Southwest and coming to Dallas in 2016. He has written about his late wife’s brain disease in Losing Susan. His theological interests concern how theology makes a difference to everyday life (he has written on friendship, for instance). He has two adult children and nine grandchildren.
As the receptionist and administrative assistant at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, Veronica has the privilege of being the first to meet our visitors and the first to greet those who call our office. She delights in welcoming our parishioners and visitors, answering questions, and connecting them with our different ministries. Her goal is to ensure our cathedral office is always a helpful, organized, and welcoming place for our entire community.
Joseph serves as our Sexton and takes great pride in working behind the scenes to manage the Cathedral facilities so that everyone who walks through our doors feels at home. Outside of his work at the church, Joseph enjoys working on vehicles and spending time with his family.
Erica spent over thirty years in the meetings and events industry, working for both independent meeting planning/meeting communications/production companies and in Convention Service/Catering operations in the hotel/convention center industry for twenty-plus of those years. She worked with Gaylord Hotels, Waldorf-Astoria and Fairmont Hotels, where she concluded her meetings career as Director of Conferences and Catering. She has been blessed to bring her experience and skills to serve the Episcopal Church at the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas, Church of the Incarnation, and St. Matthew’s Cathedral. Erica now serves St. Matthew’s Cathedral in church publications, social media, eNews and communication efforts that support the mission and ministry of St. Matthew’s.
Adele coordinates St. Matthew’s and Diocesan events at St. Matthew’s after a fifty-year career in hospitality including Director of Catering at the Adolphus, Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center and the Meyerson Symphony Center (Culinaire). Adele has been a parishioner at the Cathedral for thirty-five years and has been a ministry leader for all of them; serving as a sub-deacon, with Cathedral Arts, and multiple times on the Vestry, among other ministries. She is an accomplished horsewoman and volunteers weekly at the Dallas Zoo as a caretaker in the Okapi habitat.
Paul has been helping congregations sing together for over 10 years. He and his wife, Trisha, started leading music at the Cathedral in 2020 and helped to start the Agape Service. Paul also works as a singer-songwriter, record producer, and outreach musician. He has released several albums of original music, played over 1,500 concerts in hospitals and nursing homes in partnership with the local non-profit Texas Winds Musical Outreach, and regularly produces records for other artists.
Keith Franks, Organist and Choir Director of the Cathedral Church of St. Matthew since June 2015, was previously Assistant Organist at Church of the Incarnation (1996-2012) where he accompanied the Incarnation Choir as organist on six English cathedral residency tours from 1998 –2011 at Westminster Abbey, Chichester Cathedral, Wells Cathedral, St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral-Edinburgh, Lincoln Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral, Lichfield Cathedral, Southwark Cathedral, and the Chapel of St. George -Windsor. He was also the organist for several Incarnation Choir CDs. Mr. Franks has a long history with St. Matthew’s Cathedral as he was a Staff Singer 1975-1976 while an undergraduate at the University of North Texas and again in 1985. He sang alto in the Grace Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys in San Francisco from 1976-1984. Keith sang alto in the St. Mark’s School of Texas Choir of Men and Boys from 1987-1992 and sang in two St. Mark’s residency tours singing at Westminster Abbey and Magdalen College 1988 and later at St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh and York Minster in 1990.
Known throughout the Diocese of Dallas as “Deacon Pam,” The Reverend Canon Pamela Dunbar retired from seventeen years of service with the Diocese of Dallas in 2017 as the Missioner for Christian Formation and Youth. She always considered the Cathedral her “home church” and assisted here with the Families and Children ministry for many years. Also known at St.Matthew’s as “the Deaconator”, her invaluable guidance with children and youth have had lasting impact with our families at the Cathedral.
Deacon Diana was ordained in 1996 and joined the staff of the Cathedral in the same year. She has been the heart of diaconal service at the Cathedral for thirty years. She coordinated the liturgical assistants and ministered in multiple outreach ministries. In her ministry, she also served as the Archdeacon of the Diocese of Dallas for ten years, coordinating the ministry of the deacons of the Diocese of Dallas. Deacon Diana attended the University of Texas at Arlington and is a graduate of the Anglican School of Theology.
Veronica provides office management and administrative support, hospitality for visitors and assistance with general inquiries. She is in the office Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 1:00pm.
Sarah comes to St. Matthew’s with fifteen years of corporate accounting experience, twenty years of accounting experience. She earned her degree from UNT. She maintains, tracks and analyzes our financials, ensuring accurate and timely reporting. She manages our budget and audit processes, along with the daily accounting of the Cathedral.
Sarah and her husband, Patrick, have three sons. She loves to read, hang out with her family, and play pickleball.
Elizabeth Dunbar is the friendly face you will see every Sunday at the serving window in the Great Hall. She is responsible for preparing and serving the coffee and treats we all enjoy at coffee hour in between services. She also helps with receptions for Cathedral Arts and other social events. Elizabeth has worked as a professional chef for 30 plus years at hotels and other venues and currently is the Chef at local bakery Hippos and Hashbrowns. Elizabeth is up for any conversation about football or hockey. She is a lifelong Cowboys and Stars fan. Stop by on Sunday and say, “Hi!”
Erin Sullivan directs the Cathedral Kids ministries, serving children from birth through fifth grade. She attended Texas A&M University and Dallas Theological Seminary, from which she received her master’s degree in counseling. Prior to joining the staff of St. Matthew’s, Erin worked as a licensed professional counselor. She is passionate about teaching the stories of our Christian faith to children and generating fellowship opportunities for families of the Cathedral. Born and raised in San Antonio, Erin is devoted to The Spurs, H-E-B, and properly made flour tortillas.
Sarah Shafer directs a new ministry at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, Cathedral Montessori School. She holds a BA in Biblical Studies from Criswell College. She has previously served on staff at St. Matthew’s as Minister to Families with Children. Sarah believes in the incredible potential of every child and the growing school reflects this belief by being a place where children flourish. She is married to Tyler, and they have three children.
Deacon Mark coordinates the Cathedral’s pastoral care ministries and is involved in various outreach ministries. He received a BA in Political Science from Drake University, a JD from the Georgetown University Law Center, and a Diploma in Ministry from the Stanton Center for Ministry Formation. He was ordained as a Deacon of the Church and came on staff at the Cathedral in June 2014.
Mother Kate spent her childhood in Canada and Israel, where her parents were church planters. At Saint Paul’s in Prosper, she has served as an Associate Priest since 2021. During her time there, she has been involved in pastoral care, women’s ministry, small group ministry, youth ministry, and spiritual direction. She also teaches a number of spiritual direction classes at the Stanton Institute as well as being a spiritual director for postulants in the discernment process. Prior to serving at Saint Paul’s, she served as a hospital chaplain and was the Fellows Director at Church of the Incarnation for four years. She was a member of the bishop’s search committee and also currently serves on Executive Council.
She has degrees in education from the University of Toronto and a master in theology from Wycliffe College. While living in Canada, Kate taught High School literature, served various churches, and even lay-pastored an English-speaking Chinese congregation for a time. Kate and Tom have three children, Kathryn (21), Simeon (18), and Cameron (17).
Father Tom is not from Texas, but he got here as fast as he could. Born and raised in Irish South Buffalo, he grew up Roman Catholic and then spent a number of years in Baptist/Non-Denominational circles. He later found a home in the Episcopal Church.
He did his undergraduate degree at Moody Bible in Chicago. He studied Greek and Hebrew at Gordon-Conwell in Boston taking an MA in New Testament and an MA in Old Testament. At the University of Toronto, he completed his Ph.D. in Old Testament studying how the Bible was used during the Civil War.
He served as an associate priest in Toronto and as rector of Saint Paul’s in Prosper, TX. He currently serves as Dean of Saint Matthew’s Cathedral in Dallas.
(He remains an ever-suffering always-loyal Buffalo Bills fan.)
