Cathy appreciates the way the Presbyterian Church combines faith and knowledge in service to Almighty God.

Her faith was nurtured by a community of committed Christians who take seriously the Baptismal vow to raise a child to know and serve Jesus Christ. Her home church, First Presbyterian, Duncan, Oklahoma, has raised 5 generations of Cathy’s family. It was there that her understanding of grace, forgiveness, commitment, and stewardship was forged.

Faith and knowledge were combined in a unique way when Cathy attended Oklahoma State University, and was employed by First Presbyterian Church, Stillwater as a Fellow in Christian Education. This position provided the opportunity to explore a church vocation. This exploration led to enrollment in Union Seminary (Union/PSCE) upon graduation. Cathy sensed her call to ministry was in Christian Education. But upon receiving her M.Div. God called her to a small church in the panhandle of Texas as a solo pastor.

Ordained at First Presbyterian Church, Quanah, Texas in 1983, Cathy spend six years in this rural community learning the arts of ministry from wise saints of the church. Her next call was to First Presbyterian Church, Arkadelphia where she was the solo pastor of a trusting and progressive congregation. It was there that she met and married Tom Ulrich, and has been greatly blessed with an inspired partner in ministry and in life.

Before accepting the call to Central as co-pastor, Cathy was the solo pastor at First Presbyterian Church, Clarksville, where Tom was the Dean of the Chapel at the University of the Ozarks.

Faith and knowledge have brought Cathy in contact with Christians in base communities in Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico, have led to building and hunger projects for those counted among “the least of these” in our community. It has also resulted in a study tour of the Presbyterian United Nations office in New York where Ground Zero and the work of the United Nations were the central focus.

Preaching, teaching, and pastoral care are the center of Cathy’s ministry. She serves the Presbyterian Church as the Stated Clerk of Arkansas Presbytery, and as a member of the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly. Because ministry for Jesus Christ is not limited to church-related activities, Cathy serves on the Board of the Community Services Clearinghouse, as President of the Pastoral Care Committee of Sparks Hospital where she is also a Trustee and a member of the Ethics Committee. She enjoys baseball (Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves), swimming, reading, yoga, and dark chocolate.

She continues to practice grace, forgiveness, commitment, and stewardship hoping that some day she will get it right. Until then, she relies upon the large providence of Almighty God and the love of Jesus Christ to guide her ministry.