Marshall’s Trinity Episcopal Church welcomes first female priest

Published 10:59 pm Sunday, July 27, 2025

It’s a new chapter at Trinity Episcopal Church in Marshall, as the congregation has welcomed its first female priest.

The Rev. Dana Jean, who came to the parish as a curate this past year, was officially appointed as priest July 1. She succeeds the Rev. Kevin Wittmayer, who served as interim rector following a period of transition.

Jean said becoming the first woman to serve as the church’s spiritual and pastoral leader in its 175th anniversary year is not only a blessing, but a significant responsibility that she doesn’t take lightly.

“It’s really (surreal),” Jean said. “You know, the Episcopal Church has only ordained women for 51 years. This is our 51st year of ordaining women, and not all of our churches have had that experience, or not all of our churches have had the experience of having a female leader as the clergy. Not all of them have had the opportunity to even see a woman be ordained. Most women in the Episcopal Church have traditionally been deacons. So the majority of the deacons in our church are women.

“So, it’s a momentous occasion, and I really feel honored to be (appointed),” she said. “And it’s a great congregation, so I’m really happy to be here.”

The feeling is mutual.

“As someone who’s been part of Trinity Church for the past couple of years, I’m really encouraged by this new chapter for our church and inspired by the energy Rev. Dana brings with her,” said member Tiffany Moore. “She is bold, outspoken and a fantastic leader.”

Moore reflected on a time the pastor stood by her when she needed a shoulder to lean on the most.

Tony Pierce, senior warden at Trinity Episcopal, also shared his excitement.

“We are very excited to have Rev. Dana here with us at Trinity as priest in charge,” he said. “I am honored to serve Trinity and Rev. Dana as senior warden, and I am excited about what Rev. Dana will bring to Trinity and the community of Marshall.

“This is definitely a historic time in Trinity’s 175-year history for which we will be celebrating next year for which planning has already commenced,” he added. “Rev. Dana has developed meaningful and loving relationships so quickly, not only within Trinity’s congregation yet within Marshall and the surrounding communities. Her love for all people is a true testament of her faith and deep desire to share the word and love of our savior Jesus Christ.”

Jean arrived at Trinity in July 2024 as a curate, interning in preparation for her role as priest in charge. She was ordained in January.

“That’s sort of historic, too, because there has never been a woman ordained in this church building,” Jean said.

She moved to Marshall from the Dallas area and previously worked as youth minister and director of outreach at Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Dallas. While there, she enrolled in seminary in Virginia, splitting her time between Texas and Virginia for three years. After completing her mission at the Diocese of Dallas, she then joined the Episcopal Diocese of Texas to fulfill her curacy requirements before ordination.

Following seminary, she was assigned to be the curate at Trinity for two years, but because Trinity was in a time of transition, her new appointment as priest in chief came sooner.

“The original plan was for me to be the curate for two years, but Trinity was in a special place, because two-and-a-half years ago, there was a split in the church,” Jean said. “So the person who was the priest at that time left, and the diocese put in an interim rector. He came out of retirement to do it. He only committed to doing it part-time, and he requested a curate to help, and got me, and we worked really well together.”

The interim rector, Wittmayer, decided it was time to return to retirement, leaving the church under Jean’s guidance.

Jean, 54, said she’s glad to have Wittmayer’s mentorship and support and looks forward to him and his wife returning to the church as parishioners in the future.

“He came to them in a time when they really needed someone to love them and let them know that the world isn’t over, that just because the church split doesn’t mean it’s the end,” she said. “And he delivered that message for two years. It was great.”

She also said she’s excited about fellowship opportunities with other churches.

“One of the things that I love about smaller communities, especially, coming from Dallas, is the opportunity to work with the other churches and to be friends with the other churches,” she said. “I have a friend who always says we’re batting for the same team. And it’s not an attitude that (universally) we’re taught to have. We’re usually taught to be really protective and proprietary about our denomination. And I don’t think that serves us.”

She said she’s glad of the connections she’s made with women of First Baptist, who join in their women’s Bible study, and other female ministers such as Angelita Jackson, director of Carver Community Center and co-pastor of Anointing Grace Ministries.

Jean is excited to be a part of Trinity’s rich history as the church has been a cornerstone of faith, serving the Marshall community for nearly two centuries.