Trinity Episcopal Cathedral announces the calling of its seventh dean
June 19, 2026
With joy and gratitude, the vestry of Trinity Cathedral announces that The Rev. Cameron Nations has accepted the call to be the seventh dean of the cathedral. The announcement follows a 12-month nationwide search.
Nations currently serves as the canon for vocations for The Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. Prior to this role, he spent a decade in parish ministry, including four years as rector of St. Richard’s Episcopal Church in Round Rock, Texas. He has also served as associate rector at churches in Birmingham, Ala. and Winter Park, Fla., and as the chaplain at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta.
“I love both the pastoral and administrative sides of ministry, seeing them as inseparable for aligning the church’s vision to be the people of God with its mission to serve the Kingdom of God,” Nations said. “My priesthood has always been and continues to be defined by a commitment to discipleship and the development of Christian leaders who share a deep heart for the Gospel and the salvific spiritual transformation that comes to us through the love of Jesus Christ.”
Nations has been published in both religious and secular publications, including The Living Church, The Washington Post’s “On Faith” blog, Huffington Post and Relevant magazine. He has offered public speaking engagements, workshops and retreats, and served on many community and church-affiliated committees.
“The Rev. Nations has a breadth and depth of experience at both the congregational and diocesan levels that will be an asset to Trinity,” said Bill Matthews, senior warden of Trinity Cathedral. “He has a deep understanding of the complicated systems associated with a large church. He has proven himself as an adept administrator, a caring pastoral leader, and a creative visionary in his career.”
Nations earned a bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Master of Divinity from Sewanee: The University of the South. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree in preaching from Sewanee.
Nations and his wife Carly have two children, and are looking forward to making Columbia and Trinity their home. He will celebrate his first liturgies at Trinity on Sunday, August 9.
“Sitting at the intersection of the city, the capitol, and the campus of the University of South Carolina, Trinity lies at the heart of the city, the state, and the diocese. This unique position is more than just geographical or symbolic—I believe it’s a key to understanding the kind of mission and ministry God is calling us to in this next chapter together,” the dean-elect said.
About Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral is a historic site in the heart of downtown Columbia, S.C., adjacent to the South Carolina Statehouse. Founded in 1812 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Cathedral features important architecture, artifacts and stained-glass artwork that help preserve the history of the state of South Carolina and the City of Columbia. Trinity’s churchyard is the final resting place of many Episcopal bishops, South Carolina governors, officers and soldiers of the Revolutionary War and Civil War, presidents of the University of South Carolina, and other notable South Carolina citizens. Today, Trinity Cathedral offers a full schedule of worship services, a robust music ministry, mission and outreach projects, and educational programming to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in ways that are relevant, hopeful, and transformative for our parishioners, our community, and the world. Learn more at trinitysc.org.
