Cathedral Congregant:
Dottie Woodcock
By Sheila Strand
For Dorothy “Dottie” Woodcock, deciding to serve as one of seven new members of the National Cathedral Chapter wasn’t a hard choice. After all, it’s in her DNA. “My mother loved the National Cathedral Association and served on the Rhode Island Chapter,” Dottie recalled recently with a soft smile. “Every time she visited, we rushed to check out the progress of the Cathedral construction and all of her favorite nooks and crannies.”
But that was only Dottie’s starting point to Cathedral service, she is quick to say. “There’s a magnetism about the Cathedral that just draws me in. I feel so welcomed and so at home,” she said. “Our preaching/teaching Dean is so amazing. Then there’s the liturgy and the music; what’s not to like?”
After growing up in Rhode Island, Dottie moved to the District of Columbia where she met her husband, Ken. Together, they raised two daughters. One attended the National Cathedral School. Ken was on the Board of the school for several years, ultimately serving as its chair. Laura, 35, gave Dottie and Ken their first grandchild in February. Liz, 32, lives and works near her sister in Seattle.
Dottie found the Cathedral Congregation when she was seeking a new church home to meet her changing spiritual needs. She participated in the Disciples of Christ in Community (DOCC) program in the spring of 2009, and she has reserved a berth in the March Cathedral Pilgrimage to the Holy Land with the Rev. John Peterson.
Contributing to the Cathedral was a natural next step for Dottie, when she was asked by Dean Lloyd to serve on the Chapter. Most of the new members joining Dottie on the Chapter are Congregation members, including the chair, the Rev. Dr. Jim Wind. Her committee assignments are Development and Fabric and Fine Arts. “We’re working hard on developing a sustainable economic model for the Cathedral,” Dottie said, adding that she is fast learning how the Fabric and Fine Arts Committee has exercised serious care over the years preserving and protecting the many beautiful elements that make the Cathedral such a stunning worship space.
Ultimately, her goal as a Chapter member is to open the eyes of potential donors who don’t think the Cathedral needs their support. “So many people take the Cathedral for granted,” she said. “I want to work personally on how to explain the importance of the Cathedral and why people should both support it financially and take advantage of its rich resources and programs.”
While she concedes her novice stature, she has a passion for the Cathedral that radiates from her. “I am still a beginner here, and I am very humbled to be asked to be a part of this effort,” she said. “I want to do all I can to ensure the financial health of the Cathedral and to help develop tools to communicate our core mission to our city and the nation. The potential is extraordinary and being part of this growing Congregation keeps me close.”