[St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral press release] The Rev. Will Mebane will assume interim leadership of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral on July 1. Mebane comes to Buffalo from Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Cleveland, Ohio, where he has served as Canon since 2011.

Mebane entered ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church after an eclectic career in media.  After receiving his B.A. degree in Radio,Television and Motion Pictures from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he held positions with several radio and television stations, including WKBW-Channel 7 here in Buffalo in from 1977 to 1980.

Mebane’s heart was always drawn to social justice. And he is a founding board member and served as vice president of AMISTAD America, Inc. It was this thirst for social justice that originally led the teenaged Mebane to the Episcopal Church.  He had wrestled since childhood with a call to ordained ministry and entered a formal discernment process just short of his 50th birthday. He was accepted into Yale Divinity School and earned his Master of Divinity along with an award for excellence in preaching. He received a Diploma in Anglican Studies from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale at that same time. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2010.

At Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland he shared in serving as a pastor, prophet and priest to the more than 900 individuals that gather there. He worked with clergy, staff and laity on neighborhood ministry, congregational life and social justice programs. He served as chaplain to the Wilma Ruth Combs Union of Black Episcopalians Chapter in Northern Ohio and served on the Strategy Leadership Team of Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC). He was also an active diocesan leader.

Recently, Mebane was appointed by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and President of the House of Deputies, the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, to The Episcopal Church’s new Task Force on the Study of Marriage.

Mebane and his wife Paulette (aka “Ronnie”), a registered and master’s prepared nurse affiliated with University Hospitals Case Medical Center, have parented two sons during their 40+ years of marriage.

Mebane’s first Sunday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral will be Sunday, July 6^th. Summer Eucharist Hours are 8:00 am in the Richmond Chapel, and 9:00 am in Cathedral Park. All are welcome.

Mebane’s full bio may be read at http://www.stpaulscathedral.org/article/2/welcome/