Trinity Episcopal Cathedral stands at the corner of 18th Street and Capitol Avenue in downtown Omaha, an 1883 stone building that has welcomed worshipers for more than 140 years. It is the oldest church building in Nebraska still in use, and the congregation that fills it has been gathering in the city since long before the building existed. Today Trinity is the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska, a parish committed to the Anglican tradition of liturgical worship and choral music, and a community known for its radical inclusion, its partnership with survivors of violence through Tamar's Pantry, and a contemplative Benedictine presence called The Benedictine Way.
The Oldest Church Building in Nebraska Still in Use
The community of Trinity has been worshiping in the city since the earliest days of Omaha. The parish was founded in 1856 by some of Nebraska's first settlers. In its first decades the congregation survived a financial crash, a building fire, and the hardships of the frontier before moving into the stone building at 18th and Capitol in 1883. That long history gave Trinity a love of beauty and tradition that still shapes the architecture of its worship, the choral music that fills the nave, and the rhythm of its common life.
That long legacy has given the cathedral a love of beauty and history, which shows up in architecture, music, and worship. It has also made the parish committed to serving the physical, spiritual, and social needs of its neighbors as an inclusive, loving community where everyone can find a home. Despite its long history, Trinity is also forward-looking, open to new ideas and creative solutions to the challenges the congregation faces. In the spirit of its founders, the parish is always ready for the next frontier.
Two Sunday Eucharists: Rite I at 8:30, Rite II at 10:30
Sunday is the heart of life at Trinity. Two Holy Eucharists are offered each week. At 8:30 AM, Rite I uses traditional language and is offered without music, a quiet service that draws those who prefer a contemplative, spoken liturgy. At 10:30 AM, Rite II is offered in contemporary language and features the Cathedral Choir. Both services follow the order for Holy Eucharist as set out in the Book of Common Prayer. At each, the assembly reads from the Bible, hears a sermon, celebrates the Eucharist, and shares consecrated bread and wine. The words of the prayers and the music sung at 10:30 are drawn from the rich Anglican tradition.
The 10:30 service is also livestreamed on YouTube, so those who cannot be in the building can join the assembly in real time. Bulletins are printed with the service in them, so newcomers can follow along and participate. The blue Hymnal 1982 sits in the pews for the hymns sung at the later service. Newcomers are gently reminded that if they get lost or do something "wrong," one of their neighbors will help, and that being present is much more important than being perfect.
After both Sunday services, time for coffee and fellowship happens in the Clarkson Center, with additional treats provided by cathedral volunteers after the 10:30 AM service.
Children, Nursery, and Sunday School
All children are welcome in worship and may attend either service in the nave with their parents, grandparents, or other guardians. For families who would like their children to have a program of their own, Sunday School meets every Sunday from 9:30 to 10:15 AM in the third floor classrooms of the Parish Hall. Children ages 3 through 11 are invited to join for age-based learning, activities, and fun.
Sunday School uses two complementary curricula. For the youngest, ages 3 to 5, the program follows Godly Play, a Montessori-based curriculum developed by The Rev. Dr. Jerome Berryman that teaches core Bible stories through story, play, and interaction. Children listen to the story, watch and wonder together as questions emerge, and interact through activities and crafts. For older children, the parish uses Weaving God's Promises, a digital three-year formation curriculum for ages 3 to 11 that is structured around the Holy Eucharist and includes special sessions for seasons of the church year. Parents are welcome to use the door by the parking lot and take the elevator to the third floor.
For those with wigglers, professional caregivers staff the nursery from 8:15 AM to 12:00 PM each Sunday. Parents are gently assured that if their children are noisy, that is fine. God put the wiggle in children. Some tips from fellow parents: sit toward the front so children can see what is happening; explain the service; help your child find the printed parts of the service and the hymns; sing, pray, and respond so your child learns by copying you; and if your child needs to leave, feel free to step out or use the nursery.
Wednesday Evenings: Evening Prayer and Adult Formation
On Wednesday evenings the cathedral opens its doors for formation. At 5:45 PM the assembly gathers for Evening Prayer, then moves into a Bible or book study from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Studies rotate through the seasons, and recent series have explored the Gospel of Matthew chapter by chapter through the lens of its five great discourses, the nature of prayer in the Easter season, and a series titled "Calls Are Not Just for Clergy." The Wednesday gatherings meet either in the Clarkson Center or in the Youth Conference Room on the third floor of the Parish House. Walk-ins are always welcome.
Adult Formation connects Christian teaching with daily living, in line with the parish's commitment to discipleship as a way of life. Upcoming studies are announced in bulletin inserts and in the Cathedral Matters newsletter.
Music and Arts: Cathedral Choir, Schola, and Sung Compline
Music is one of the defining marks of Trinity. The Cathedral Choir is open to all adults who can sing, read music, and commit to regular rehearsal attendance. The choir rehearses on Wednesdays at 7:30 PM and sings for the 10:30 AM Holy Eucharist each Sunday from September through Trinity Sunday. The choir also sings for all Principal Feasts and Holy Week liturgies.
Supporting ensembles include the Requiem Choir, open to adults with the schedule flexibility to sing for weekday and Saturday funerals as needed; the Schola Cantorum, a small select ensemble formed by Cathedral Choir section leaders and other professional singers in the Omaha community, which sings for Compline and provides musical leadership for the 10:30 AM Eucharist in June and August; and the Cathedral Handbell Ensemble, which rehearses on select Wednesdays at 6:30 PM and rings once every four to six weeks for the 10:30 AM Holy Eucharist.
Sung Compline is one of the signature offerings of the cathedral. Recorded live in November 2019 by the Trinity Cathedral Schola Cantorum, it is available to listen to online and is part of the parish's broader Music & Arts ministry, which includes a YouTube "Music & Arts" playlist featuring the cathedral's choral offerings.
Service and Outreach: Victory Apartments, Tamar's Pantry, and the Courtyard Garden
Following the example of Jesus, Trinity is committed to righting the injustices and relieving the suffering that afflict so many of God's beloved ones in the neighborhood, the city, and the world. Several ongoing ministries embody this call.
Trinity has partnered with Victory Apartments, a community one mile from the Durham Museum and Henry Doorly Zoo that houses insecure veterans in beautiful apartments with amenities and camaraderie. The cathedral supports the community's food pantry with regular deliveries of approximately 100 dozen eggs and holds periodic worship services with the residents.
One of the simplest and most practical ministries is providing bus tickets. Each week the cathedral provides a limited number of 10-ride bus tickets that community members can use to get to work, to medical appointments, and for transportation to other community resources.
Alcoholics Anonymous meets at Trinity every Friday at 5:30 PM in the Clarkson Conference Room. All are welcome to join. To attend meetings, enter through the glass doors on 18th Street.
Trinity is also home to Tamar's Pantry, founded in 2014 by the Friends of Tamar, a community of survivors of sexual and domestic violence and the volunteers who have helped them make a new beginning. Since 2022, the Friends of Tamar have supported Tamar's Pantry, a personal-items pantry for survivors of sexual violence in all its forms, located at Magdalene Omaha. Volunteers keep the pantry stocked with the items survivors identify that they need, and assist with distribution of those items to other organizations supporting survivors.
The Courtyard Garden around the cathedral was donated, planned, rearranged, and planted by Trinity's members. Rooted in creation care, it uses Nebraska-friendly perennials to attract pollinators and requires less water. Designed to provide a beautiful public space for downtown neighbors, the garden is a riot of brightness from the varieties of grasses swaying in the wind to small pink salvia splashing color to a carpet of chocolate chip ajuga. The garden is open to anyone who wants to do yoga by the fountain, relax in the shade, or enjoy the beauty of God's world.
The Benedictine Way: A Monastery in Residence
A distinctive mark of Trinity's spiritual life is The Benedictine Way, a community of monks, oblates, and young adult residents of Incarnation Monastery in North Omaha at 3020 Belvedere Boulevard. The community is Trinity's "Monastery in Residence" and offers a variety of prayer, retreat, and worship opportunities to the wider cathedral community.
All are welcome at the community's Prayer Hours. Sunday offers 4 PM online Centering Prayer and 5:30 PM Vespers. Monday has 7:30 AM online Centering Prayer with no in-person services. Tuesday begins with 8 AM Lauds and Holy Eucharist, has 12:15 PM online Centering Prayer, 5:30 PM Vespers (in-person and livestreamed), and 7 PM Compline. Wednesday has 7:30 AM online Centering Prayer, 8 AM Lauds and Holy Eucharist, 12:15 PM Centering Prayer, 5:30 PM Vespers, and 7 PM Compline. Thursday has 8 AM Lauds and Holy Eucharist, 12:15 PM online Centering Prayer, 5:30 PM Vespers, and 7 PM Compline. Friday has 8 AM Lauds and Holy Eucharist, 12:15 PM Centering Prayer, 5:30 PM Vespers, and 7 PM Compline. Saturday has 8 AM Lauds and Holy Eucharist, 10 AM online Centering Prayer, and 5:30 PM Vespers.
The Benedictine Way also hosts the Contemplative Underground, an online branch of their community that unites contemplatives and those seeking to explore what contemplative prayer might mean in their lives. They offer a variety of resources and host virtual Centering Prayer sits six days a week.
A Cathedral of Radical Welcome
Trinity stands with the national Episcopal Church in affirming that LGBTQ+ people have a full and equal claim to the love, acceptance, and pastoral care of the church. Each summer, during Heartland Pride Week, the cathedral celebrates the Annual Pride Mass, a worship service designed to celebrate and promote the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in the life of the church. The service features singers from the Trinity Cathedral Choir and the River City Mixed Chorus. All who attend are invited to communion and worship.
The cathedral also takes its welcome public. During Heartland Pride weekend, the parish marches in the Heartland Pride Parade and hosts an Open House where parade-goers can stop by, use the bathroom, get water, and pray in the cathedral. The parish also staffs a booth at the Pride Festival and at Youth Pride the night before.
This welcome flows from a deeper theology. The cathedral's stated mission is "to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ," drawn from the Book of Common Prayer. As Christians, Trinity is called to join in God's restoration of the world through Jesus: mending relationships, responding to human need, drawing nearer to God in worship and prayer. That mission takes particular form in many ways at Trinity, but it is all in service to what the parish aims to be: a gathering place where people can meet Jesus, be transformed by it, and help God transform the world.
Dean Vanessa E. B. Clark and the Cathedral's Clergy
The Very Rev. Vanessa E. B. Clark has served Trinity Episcopal Cathedral as Dean and Rector since 2021, leading the congregation in radical welcome of all persons in worship, service, and community engagement. Dean Clark is an active member of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance in Omaha. She attended Bexley Hall Seminary for her theological studies and was ordained in the Diocese of Southern Ohio. In 2009 she began ministry at St. James Episcopal Church in Painesville, Ohio, where she led diverse parishes, served as Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer for the diocese, and served as Vice President of the Ohio Council of Churches. Her earlier involvement as a board member of Lake County LGBTQ+ Allies and as a member of the Painesville Rotary Club has made her passionate about social justice and service to neighbors in need.
The Rev. Deacon Ellen Ross is a lifelong Episcopalian and resident of Council Bluffs, Iowa. She was ordained a Deacon at Trinity Cathedral in May of 1988 and has continued to serve here throughout her ordained ministry. She serves liturgically at all services, visits those in hospitals or with limited mobility providing fellowship and communion, and serves as a Director and Secretary of the Fund for the Diaconate, a corporation that serves Episcopal deacons by helping to provide grants and allowances in times of financial need.
The Rev. Dr. Kate Hennessy-Keimig, Obl/OSB, is a bi-vocational priest and psychologist who serves in the Diocese of Nebraska. Brother James Dowd, OSB, is a Benedictine monk in the Episcopal Church and the Prior of Incarnation Monastery and The Benedictine Way in Omaha. His ministry at the cathedral is focused on the prayer and spiritual life of the community. He has previously served in monasteries in New York State and South Africa.
Stacy Gustin has been a member of the Trinity Cathedral staff since 1992 and serves as Canon for Administration and Finance, maintaining financial and parish records, coordinating the cathedral calendar, and assisting the Dean, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, and Treasurer with various projects. Laura Petry is the Director of Music, who leads the cathedral's choral and handbell ensembles. Amanda Stevenson is the Children & Youth Arts Director. Bill Lenox Dunbar has served as Head Verger and Acolyte Master of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral since 2016 and is a Fellow in the Vergers Guild of the Episcopal Church. Maurice Thompson serves as Sexton and Honorary Canon.
Cathedral Chapter, Membership, and Giving
The Trinity Cathedral Chapter serves as the vestry in all matters concerning the corporate property of the cathedral and the relations of the cathedral parish to its clergy. Members include Norman Melichar as Senior Warden, Jeff Chapman as Treasurer, Bob Otis as Clerk, and members Char DeWitt, Charlotte Shafer, Craig Chingren-Hamann, Didi Brown, Doug Little, Gerard Pfannenstiel, Juan Pacheco, Karen Burkley, and Michael Stuhr. The Junior Warden position is vacant.
Those interested in becoming members of Trinity have several paths. Members of another Episcopal parish can join through a letter of transfer. Those not currently members of an Episcopal parish or of any church can join through baptism, confirmation, reception, or reaffirmation. Trinity 101 is an introduction to the Episcopal Church and Trinity Cathedral, and is the required course for any adult who would like to formally become a member of the cathedral.
The cathedral offers an online directory through the Realm platform, and giving is available online through gelire and Vanco. The 1883 Legacy Society recognizes those who have made a planned gift to Trinity through their will, life insurance policy, IRA, or investment account. Members of the society are recognized at annual gatherings, receive reports on the spiritual and financial life of the cathedral, and receive a society lapel pin.
Parking, Entering, and Visiting
There are several options for parking at Trinity. The parking meters surrounding the cathedral are free on Sundays. The Federal Building lot is always open; enter on Dodge between 18th and 19th Streets. On Sundays, parking is available at the neighboring Central Parking Garage from 8 AM to 2 PM for $1.00; a credit card is required to use the automated attendant.
To attend worship, the best place to enter is through the bell tower doors on the corner of 18th Street and Capitol Avenue. The Trinity Cathedral Historical Society collects, protects, and shares memorabilia of the cathedral's vast history, holds meetings, and hosts an annual Festive Open House in December, featuring the museum rooms in full seasonal décor. Private tours of the museum and the cathedral may be arranged through the Cathedral Office.
The cathedral office can be contacted at 402-342-7010 or office@trinityepiscopal.org. Dean Vanessa Clark can be reached at vclark@trinityepiscopal.org. The mailing address is 113 N. 18th Street, Omaha, NE 68102.