After an 18-month search, St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Harrisburg has called a new dean and rector, the Rev. Joshua Andrew Saxe. Read the cathedral’s announcement below:
A Dean Is Called
With gratitude to God and great joy, the vestry of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral announces that the Rev. Joshua Andrew Saxe has accepted the call to become the 11th dean and 26th rector of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral.
This moment marks the culmination of a faithful season of prayer, discernment, and listening that began when the Search Committee was commissioned on December 8, 2024, following the retirement of Dean Amy Wellin on September 15, 2024.
Under the leadership of Search Committee Chair Pete Tartline, a dedicated committee prayerfully guided a thorough and comprehensive search process. Fourteen gifted priests entered the discernment process, from which three finalists emerged. During May, the congregation was invited to worship with each candidate as they celebrated the Holy Eucharist and preached. Members of the congregation, the cathedral staff, the Search Committee, the vestry, and Bishop Audrey Scanlan all participated in offering thoughtful feedback as together we sought the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Following careful prayer and deliberation, the Search Committee recommended two exceptional candidates to the vestry. Both possessed remarkable gifts for ministry and leadership. After extensive discussion and continued discernment, the vestry voted unanimously to extend the call to the Rev. Joshua Andrew Saxe, who has joyfully accepted.
Joshua has served as rector of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Wheeling, West Virginia, since 2022. He earned his Master of Divinity from The General Theological Seminary in 2011. He and his wife, Catherine Saxe, Canon for Mission and Ministry in the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia, are the proud parents of two daughters, Willa (10) and Claire (5).
Reflecting on his ministry, Joshua shares:
I seek to lead in a way that is collaborative, Christ-centered, and committed to the community I’ve been called to serve. I understand leadership as a shared vocation rooted in prayer, formation, and attentiveness to the work of the Holy Spirit among the whole people of God.
Those words beautifully reflect the spirit in which this call has been discerned. As Joshua prepares to begin his ministry among us, we invite the entire cathedral community to join in praying for Joshua, Catherine, Willa, and Claire as they prepare for this new chapter. We also give heartfelt thanks to every member of the Search Committee, our vestry, Bishop Audrey Scanlan, the cathedral staff, and the congregation for their faithful participation throughout this journey.
May God richly bless Joshua and his family, and may the Holy Spirit guide us as we begin this new season of ministry on October 1 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral. Please keep Joshua and his family in your prayers. We look forward with hope and anticipation to welcoming them into the life of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Details as to his first Sunday leading a service, his formal installation as our dean and rector, and opportunities to meet him in person and welcome his family are forthcoming.