At Cathedral Day Service, Dean Hollerith Renews His Commitment, Celebrated for 10-Years of Leadership

Marking the 119th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone, Washington National Cathedral celebrated Cathedral Day this week with a joyful Sunday of worship, music and gratitude.

As a part of the festivities, the extended Cathedral community and senior leadership gave special thanks and honored Dean Randy Hollerith for his 10 years of service to the Cathedral. Dean Randy Hollerith then publicly and prayerfully renewed his commitment to his ministry. 

“Randy, ten years ago you were called to serve as Dean of this Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. You have broken the bread, proclaimed the word and shepherded this community with grace and devotion,” Julie Miller, Chair of the Cathedral Chapter, said to Dean Hollerith during worship before inviting him to renew his commitment before the congregation.  

“We stand here today to thank God for your leadership. For the last decade you have led us with faith and resilience, deepening our commitment to a rich worship life, anchoring us through profound disruptions of a pandemic and nurturing our role as a vibrant center for cultural dialogue, public forums and community events that speak to the heart of our nation and beyond,” Miller added. 

Rev. Bertie Pearson, Rector of St. Alban’s Episcopal Parish, the Cathedral’s closest neighbor, was the guest preacher at the dedicated service. He offered a challenged from the Gospel to friends of the Cathedral and all Christians:  

“In today’s epistle, we are told that we have to become living stones of the true cathedral. That we ourselves have to be the cathedral, the true temple of God. What does that mean? We come to church to see the beauty of God. To feel the peace of God. To receive the forgiveness of God. And this is what you are supposed to be in the world.” 

Rev. Pearson went on to preach about Christ’s work through Dean Hollerith’s years of service. 

“When Dean Hollerith came to this cathedral in 2016, it had just suffered in 2011 the horrific damage of an earthquake. There was a $50 million repair bill hanging out there. And what’s more, this cathedral had been operating at a deficit for years… But Randy showed up, worked hard, gave all that he was and all that he had,” Rev. Pearson said.  

“The crazy thing is the financial precariousness, the physical precariousness of this building – those weren’t even the big challenges. 2016 was the beginning of one of the biggest divisions in American society since the Civil War…. Yet Randy showed up, worked hardand gave all of himself. And what happens? Christ took that little bit of bread that the couple of fish and started dividing and dividing and dividing. In one year, the cathedral went from red to black.”  

“Miracles occurred not through the miraculous nature of Randy’s hands, but because he gave all that he is and all that he had, and Christ worked through him,” Rev. Pearson said.  

The celebration Sunday continued with a special Choral Evensong featuring the Cathedral Choir of Christ Church, Oxford alongside our Girls Cathedral Choir.