An Invitation from the Presiding Bishop

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Are you discerning a year with Episcopal Service Corps?

This video from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry talks about the courage to serve, and that it is in spaces like ESC where the real work of "doing church" takes place. The "PB" is behind ESC all the way, and it's worth listening to his wisdom and words of encouragement, particularly in light of the challenges of COVID-19.

Meet the 2020–21 Seattle Service Corps!

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Check out this video by and about the current Seattle Service Corps!

The seven women of the 2020–21 cohort extend pandemic-safe hospitality with a virtual tour of their home. Learn who is who, where they're from, and where they serve. Produced, directed, and edited by Stephanie and Caroline.

Introduction to Sunday’s Hymns: November 1, 2020

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On Thursday, October 15, Canon Michael Kleinschmidt introduced the hymns that will be sung this coming Sunday, November 1, the Feast of All Saints, both at the 11 a.m. morning Eucharist and the 4:30 p.m. Choral Evensong. This introduction was presented live on Facebook.

The hymns discussed are:

  • For All the Saints [Hymn #287]
  • Ye watchers and ye holy ones [Hymn #618]
  • Jerusalem the Golden [Hymn #624]

...plus a few words about the organ music and choir anthems which will be offered on this great feast of the Church.

Join us in the future on Thursdays at 4 p.m. for another live hymn chat! Just visit the cathedral's public Facebook page at the time of the broadcast—if you "follow" the cathedral on Facebook, you should receive a notification when we're live.

The Twenty-First Sunday After Pentecost, 2020

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Diocesan Ordination Liturgy

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October 24, 2:30 p.m. Diocesan Ordination Liturgy

Service Leaflet, EnglishService Leaflet, Spanish


Support the Mission and Ministry of Saint Mark's Cathedral

If you watch and enjoy our live-streamed or archived services, please consider making a donation in support of the mission and ministry of this cathedral.

You may also donate using the Venmo mobile app from your smartphone (search for @SaintMarksCathedralSeattle ) Thank you for your generosity.

Flentrop Organ Concert – Symphonie Romane

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October 23, 7:30 p.m. Flentrop Organ Concert

Recital program


Support the Mission and Ministry of Saint Mark's Cathedral

If you watch and enjoy our live-streamed or archived services, please consider making a donation in support of the mission and ministry of this cathedral.

You may also donate using the Venmo mobile app from your smartphone (search for @SaintMarksCathedralSeattle ) Thank you for your generosity.

Introduction to Sunday’s Hymns, October 25, 2020

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On Thursday, October 8, Associate Organist John Stuntebeck introduced the hymns that will be sung at the 11 a.m. morning liturgy on October 25, 2020, the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost. This introduction was presented live on Facebook.

The hymns discussed are:

  • Immortal, Invisible, God only wise  [Hymn #423]
  • What does the Lord require? [Hymn #605]

... followed by a few words by John about his organ selections for Sunday, and a reminder about Canon Kleinschmidt's recital on the Flentrop on Friday, October 23, 2020, at 7:30 p.m.

Join us in the future on Thursdays at 4 p.m. for another live hymn chat! Just visit the cathedral's public Facebook page at the time of the broadcast—if you "follow" the cathedral on Facebook, you should receive a notification when we're live.

Stewardship Reflection and Community Discussion

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Each Tuesday during Stewardship Season, October 4–November 8, a member of the Stewardship Ministry is posting a brief reflection and invitation to discussion in the Saint Mark's Community Life closed Facebook group. If you do not use Facebook, here is the final reflection from November 3, posted by The Rev Canon Cristi Chapman, along with highlights of the subsequent discussion. Please add your thoughts in the comments below!

My coffee table was anything but pristine this morning, featuring at least nine different containers. The obvious ones were present: cereal bowl, empty mug, and tea strainer. Several candleholders occupied one corner. On the other side, a ceramic bowl was filled with buttons and stickers and, yes, dust.

It is fitting that a container is the image for this year’s annual campaign. By now, you probably have seen the clear glass bowl, full of colored stones, during the live stream. Like every aspect of our liturgy, the bowl serves a purpose. There’s a practical aspect, of course. Each stone represents a pledge for 2021. And wow, it’s much easier to move 500 stones when they are all gathered into one place! That’s not all, though. The glass container is also an outward sign of something profoundly important: God’s movement at Saint Mark’s and in our own lives. It is a tangible reminder of the Body of Christ and each of our part within it.

How has God been at work through you and through your experiences at Saint Mark’s in the last year?


Saint Mark’s has kept me connected to community even when we can’t physically be together. Our parish and Church is like the simple glass bowl, it holds a secure space for all of God’s diverse children. I meet God in that diversity and call to create a secure space in our church for all.Oh, the simple crystal bowl was my mom’s. It makes my heart sing to see it and I know mom is pleased it’s part of our appeal.
—Robert Stevens

Here is the reflection from October 27, posted by ministry team member Greg Simon.

Can Venmo be a sacrament? It has become one for me.

Julie and I fulfill our annual pledge to Saint Mark’s automatically – directly from our bank to the cathedral office every month. But I have still valued the ritual of hearing those offertory sentences and placing cash in our offertory basin every Sunday. Or I did until the pandemic happened. Since March, that sacramental act of giving during our liturgy now happens on Venmo.

I could say that the pandemic has upended many of our sacraments. Or I could say it has expanded them. As life has moved to “the cloud”, Zoom has become a space for sacrament. And Facebook. And Chromecast. Even Xfinity! When that all seems disorienting or even disturbing to me, I remind myself that people said the same thing about the printing press.

I think that our actions with money have always been a sacramental space. Our money decisions are, as the traditional catechism puts it, “outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace”. Giving money directly connects our ordinary lives to the extraordinary life of God’s Kingdom. Our gifts to grow the Kingdom are, as the catechism says, “certain means by which we receive that grace”. Even if they happen over Venmo.

How has your sacramental giving changed since March?


I have been giving online for years, even since the option became available, mainly because I stopped carrying my checkbook, and it was a way for me to give "my first fruits" on payday.
Giving during this time of pandemic feels like a powerful connection. I think it always did, but I had so many other ways of connecting and interacting with all of you, that I didn't notice it as much. Now, when I give my gift, I take a little time, picture our church and our wonderful people, and savor the thought that I am continuing to be present with you all, even while apart physically.

—Lynne Markova


I donate using the text message system. Before, I’d send the message just before the offertory anthem at the 9:00 service, then sing that anthem since I’m in the Saint Mark’s Singers. Now, I do it from home at the same point in the online Sunday morning webcast. It is a symbolic way of putting something in the basket.

—Carleton MacDonald

Here is the reflection from October 20, posted by Vestry member and fashion historian Clara Berg, along with highlights of the subsequent discussion. Please add your thoughts in the comments below!

The stewardship collect for this year begins with, “Generous Creator, you knit us together into one common life.” For today’s stewardship reflection I want to muse a little on knitting as a theological metaphor. Knitting is known as a “single element” technique. That means knitting takes one continuous thread and then shapes it into something new. You begin with a ball of yarn and loop it in a specific way to form a hat or scarf or sweater. So being knit together implies that, like a strand of yarn, we are already connected to one another (as members of the human family and children of God). But being knit together means an added closeness and a new shape—which serves a fresh purpose. How have you felt knit into community at Saint Mark's?

"I love the "knit together" anthems - seeing all those faces I miss seeing in person....
It's important to me to walk around the grounds at least a couple of times a week. And sometimes chat with Ray"
—Greg Simon


"There was something comforting about seeing pictures of everyone's Wednesday evening dinners right after the building closed. Knowing that we were still finding a way to eat together but from our own homes was reassuring. It was also fun to discover what a deep bench of good chefs there are at Saint Mark's!"
—The Rev. Cristi Chapman


"Sometimes, especially when we have large meetings or classes, I like to arrive early and spend the first few minutes just scrolling through the gallery of faces, reminding me that we're all part of the same community even if we can't be together in person."
—Lynne Markova


"Clara, I’ll never use the phrase “knit together” in quite the same way ever again! What an beautiful and profound image... and it speaks exactly to what I’ve learned during the building closure: that this wasn’t just a group of people who happened to be in the same place as me on Sunday morning, and that we were actually connected in a deeper way all along."
—Greg Bloch


"It also implies a creation, as in "you knit me together in my mother's womb" from my favorite Psalm 139."
—Lynne Cobb


"I've been able to meet folks that I might not have met otherwise because of having more available on Zoom. I'm eager to see people in real life again and I'm thankful I can participate in some things that I couldn't have before."
—Amanda Osenga


 

Here is the reflection from October 6, posted by ministry co-chair Lynne Markova, along with highlights of the subsequent discussion. Please add your thoughts in the comments below!

Welcome to this week's Stewardship Reflection!

During this pandemic, two unique clouds have helped me to stay connected and avoid isolation. I am grateful for them both.

One is the technical computing cloud, the backbone of servers, other hardware and software that fuels our global network. It enables us to connect quickly, safely and virtually, whether through texting, emailing, attending (yet another) Zoom meeting, or my sharing this reflection. The other is our wonderful “Cloud of Witnesses,” our Saint Mark’s community that has gathered virtually in dozens of new and innovative ways, reminding us that we are not alone. We are still One Body, even during this difficult time, and, one day, we will gather in person again.

For me, making my pledge is one way of giving thanks to God for the gift of our community. It is also a tangible way I can contribute to others staying connected and can help to bring about our longed-for reunion, whenever it arrives.

How has God helped you to stay connected and “knit together” during this pandemic?


Thank you, Lynne! One of the ways I witnessed God working through Saint Mark's this summer was through Tent City 3. The hospitality of the community to care for our new neighbors was remarkable. So was the hospitality of the residents to the wider community. (More on that latter part in Sunday's sermon!) God *is* finding all kinds of ways to bring us together...to knit us more closely to and with each other. What a great joy to witness!
—Cristi Chapman


Being part of the team that helps with the livestream production during the pandemic has been a discomfiting experience; the nave feels unnaturally sterile (no pun intended), and I'm acutely aware of the privilege of having access to the cathedral when so many hundreds of our fellow worshippers can't be there.

But when I read their comments on social media about how they follow along every week, how they stand and sing the hymns as we do every Sunday, it reminds me that we are all so deeply and powerfully connected. We have committed our time, our energy, and our money to this place, and I fully believe that God commits to us that we will never be alone.

Even as COVID-19 has taken away so much from us, God has given us so much; the gift of community, the gift of connection, the gift of love.
—Michael Perera

Lynne Markova replied: "Thank you, Michael ! I was on the Vestry when we voted to purchase the livestream equipment. I remember we were all very excited about the new technology and how it might make people feel more drawn in and included. I'm not sure if anyone envisioned it being the lifeline that it has proven to be. So many thanks to you and the rest of the team who work so hard to make the connection possible."


This summer we brought several Ministry groups together through “Virtual Popcorn HappyHours.” It was great to see familiar smiling faces and to hear voices of people we are in community with but have not seen since closure. It was as if time has not passed. It was a blessing.
Robert Stevens

Lynne Markova replied: "Thank you, Robert! The one I attended was so much fun. One of the things I try to do is arrive early to Zoom meetings, especially the larger ones, so I can scroll through and see everyone's faces.
As one of my friends and I agreed, if we *have* to live through a pandemic, at least we're doing it in a time where we have technology to keep us connected."

The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost 2020

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Watch Party and Discussion of Documentary “13th”

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 19

5:30 P.M. • MOVIE WATCH PARTY OVER ZOOM; 7:15 – 8:15 P.M. POST-FILM DISCUSSION OVER ZOOM

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED! A USEFUL DISCUSSION/REFLECTION GUIDE MAY BE SEEN HERE

Gather together online to watch and then discuss the profound documentary “13th,” filmmaker Ava DuVernay’s exploration of the history of racial inequality in the United States, focusing on the mass incarceration of African Americans. Scholars, activists, and politicians analyze the history of criminalization of African Americans and the intersection of race, justice, and the prison-industrial complex. If you’ve already watched the documentary, join us later at 7:15 – 8:15 on Zoom for a discussion of what this means for us, and what our responsibility is to work to change this system. Registration for both movie and discussion are the same, and are required here. Want to know more? Great article in The Atlantic here, and Ava DuVernay discusses the film with Oprah here.

Erik Donner receives the Ky Chen Service Award

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Each year at Diocesan Convention, the Bishop recognizes a church employee in the diocese with The Ky Chen Employee Excellence “No Problem” Award, named after the staff member at Diocesan House who ran the print shop for 25 years, and famously replied "No problem!" to any request.

At this year's (virtual) diocesan convention, held last weekend, the 2020 Ky Chen award was presented to Saint Mark's Cathedral's own Erik Donner. As is made clear in the award citation, printed below, Erik serves an extraordinary number of different roles at the cathedral, and anyone who engages with Saint Mark's in any way has most likely experienced his dedication, conscientiousness, and efficiency first-hand.

Please read the Bishop's citation, and then watch the video of his acceptance below (or using this link). Congratulations, Erik!


2020 Ky Chen Award Citation

For several years Erik Donner has worn many hats at the cathedral—executive assistant to the dean, manager of accounts receivables, stewardship and membership support liaison, office manager and office volunteer coordinator, and the one who juggles many other responsibilities in this complex organization.

He always engages his work with grace and good will for all whom he encounters, and he has the deft gift of engaging parishioners in communication about money with non-anxious presence, a commitment to confidentiality and an eye toward the pastoral realities of people's relationship with money.

He greets all people with respect and a desire to help, no matter who it is that presents with an issue.

And on top of all that, he is a Cathedral Verger, acolyte, lector, altar guild member, and the spouse of Jenny, an equally gracious and active member of Saint Mark's.

Erik epitomizes the "no problem" approach to his work as ministry, and all at the cathedral are grateful for his presence among them.

The Bishop's presentation of the award may be seen in the video below, beginning at 24'40" (the final award presented in the video).

Introduction to Sunday’s Hymns: October 18, 2020

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On Thursday, October 15, Canon Michael Kleinschmidt introduced the hymns that will be sung at the 11 a.m. morning liturgy on October 18, 2020, the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost. This introduction was presented live on Facebook.

The hymns discussed are:

  • Jesus shall reign  [Hymn #544]
  • O God of earth and altar [Hymn #591]

...plus a few words about this Sunday's anthem at the offertory, Kevin Siegfried's arrangement of the Shaker song "Peace unto Zion," and the organ prelude, two baroque chorale-preludes on the hymn tune Ein' Feste Burg.

Join us in the future on Thursdays at 4 p.m. for another live hymn chat! Just visit the cathedral's public Facebook page at the time of the broadcast—if you "follow" the cathedral on Facebook, you should receive a notification when we're live.

Tent City 3 at Saint Mark’s: A Report from Summer 2020

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Click the image below to see a pdf of this report as it appeared in the Fall 2020 issue of The Rubric. 

The following report was published in the Fall 2020 issue of The Rubric.

Ministry report by The Rev. Canon Cristi Chapman.

Between 2001 and 2013, Tent City 3 (TC3), a movable community of people who have experienced homelessness, took up residence at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle for three months each year. After a hiatus, they returned this summer in the midst of a global pandemic, arriving to set up camp on July 7. Tent cities began in Seattle in 1990, when a group of citizens experiencing homelessness came together to create a self-managing community run according to grassroots democratic principles. Thirty years later, the organization that grew out of this initiative, called SHARE/WHEEL, runs 11 indoor shelters and two tent cities, housing almost 500 individuals. During that time, the crisis of homelessness in the Seattle area has only become more acute. Today, Seattle has the third-largest homeless population in the nation, despite being only the 15th largest city. [citation]

Per an agreement with the City of Seattle, Tent City 3 sets up its facilities on the property of a church or other host and stays for approximately 90 days before moving on. Living in a tent is not the secure, permanent housing that everyone deserves; however, for some of those for whom such housing is inaccessible, a Tent City can be a better situation than more traditional homeless shelters. Unlike many shelters, it allows mixed-gender couples to live together and some animal companions can join them. In addition, the residents are not bound to restrictive curfews, which removes a significant barrier to employment (most residents of Tent City are employed full- or part-time).

TC3 resident Mary moved to the camp in late August after returning from Florida. She says it has been difficult for her to figure out how to finalize her claim for disability after a recent accident. In Florida, she had to meet with people in person to verify her claim, but with covid-19, those offices were closed. She moved back to Washington, in part, because the state offers more pathways for her to receive benefits. Mary was grateful to find a home at TC3 while she sorted out what was next. About TC3 and covid-19, Mary said, “You make the best out of whatever situation you find yourself in.” Mary’s motto was shared by many others who made their homes in tents outside the cathedral building this summer.

TC3 residents were not the only ones who had to adjust to covid-19. So did members from Saint Mark’s. In the past, many different groups at the cathedral would regularly interact with residents from the camp. While this summer’s building closure and physical distancing requirements made that more difficult, it didn’t stop ministry from happening. Instead, new ways developed to connect residents with the community. Members of Saint Brigid’s Banquet provided meals while adhering to the governor’s precautions. The cathedral provided pallets of water. Individuals brought other basic needs like socks, jeans, t-shirts, and can openers.

Parishioner Kathy Albert recently said of the work done by Saint Brigid’s Banquet: “We need to continue doing this kind of work! We could conceivably shut down this ministry out of consideration for our own health needs and those of the people around us. But what about the needs of the most vulnerable among us? Our faith tells us their needs are to be considered first.”

Tent City 3 packed up and moved to their next host on September 15. In this extraordinary and dangerous time, their presence was a gift and a blessing to the cathedral in so many ways. We continue to remember them in prayer, we decry and denounce the dehumanizing and degrading treatment to which those who have lost their home are subjected in this country, and we continue to work for a world in which all can live with safety and dignity.

United for Good: An Interfaith Election Contemplative Prayer Vigil Co-Sponsored by Saint Mark’s

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Click on the flyer image below to enlarge.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2020,  6:30 P.M., watch live here or on the Saint Mark's livestream page

This event is co-sponsored by Saint Mark's, St. James Catholic Cathedral, Temple de Hirsch Sinai, First African Methodist Episcopal, and the Church Council of Greater Seattle

Please join with Dean Thomason, virtually, as Saint Mark’s cosponsors this event with Temple DeHirsch Sinai, First AME Church, St. James Cathedral, and Church Council of Greater Seattle. Amidst the cacophonous noise of round-the-clock spin and the restless ticking of our anxious hearts, we gather in prayerful solidarity to settle our souls, as people of faith and citizens concerned for the well-being of our nation. As we pray for wisdom and grace, healing and connection, we draw on the broad and ancient wisdom to be still, entering the contemplative spirit that transcends word and speech, and rest for a moment of inspiration and intentional grounding. For more information, click here.

Voting, Politics, and the Church: A Message from Dean Thomason

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Thursday, October 15, 2020

Dear friends,

This Friday, October 16th, marks the opening day in this state for early voting in the November 3rd general election. As I consider my own ballot, I find myself prayerfully mindful of the right and privilege I have as a voting citizen in this nation. Not everyone is afforded the right, restrained either by law or by impediments of disenfranchisement or disinterest.

I am especially mindful of our nation in these turbulent days and prayerful for a peaceful election. I bid your prayers, too, that we may be given grace to be guided “by the better angels of our nature,” as Abraham Lincoln famously wrote in his first inaugural address, as the vituperations launched toward one another reached a boiling point. “Though passion may have strained, it must not break the bonds of our affection,” he said.

Many have offered spiritual counsel in recent weeks—good counsel—on ways to navigate this difficult stretch of days. I commend them to you here once more—


...to name just a few. The common theme is perspective and grounding. As people of faith, we know such perspective and grounding are forged in the contemplative spirit of prayer and self-reflection, not the acrimonious energy oriented to the other. So I add my voice of entreaty to you: claim your spaces of contemplative quiet with intention in the coming days and weeks; turn off the cacophonous spin which feeds off worst-case hyperbole; turn into those spiritual practices that enable you to plant your whole self squarely with perspective and a firm grounding in the values you hold most dear. These values rise from our identity as God’s beloved.

I often get questions, or challenges really—that the Church and its leaders should refrain from entering the political fracas. I appreciate their sentiment, which I take to mean we should avoid using the pulpit to make decidedly partisan pronouncements. They often cite “separation of church and state” as the prevailing reproach against such activity. A closer read of the founding documents of this nation, however, and additional clarifying statements made by those who wrote them, draws an important distinction between the need for a wall “separating church and state,” and some corollary premise to separate religion from politics. The latter is a fabrication not intended by the founders, and they made that very clear. They saw political and religious expression as inexorably linked and believed one’s values were derived from the intermingling of the two. [note 1]

A person’s religion informs his politics, or it’s not much of a religion. When Americans speak of freedom these days, I think we largely intend a freedom from obligation to anyone else. I am free to do and say whatever I want. Unmoored by a commitment to the common good, our nation teeters perilously close to the precipice of a chasm, lured over the edge by songs of hatred and fear and hubris—a house divided cannot stand.

Our faith-informed notion of freedom comes with an undeniable sense of servanthood. Christian freedom intends the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—virtues that ultimately bear fruit when others experience them as gifts from you.It is dangerous to speak of politics and religion in the same conversation. I know it is. Such talk is fraught with chances to demand that we are right while others are wrong, or even worse, to claim hubristically that God is on our side. But it seems to me that we are living in a time when our religious virtues are desperately needed in the public discourse, and that is what we have to offer—not our claim of moral superiority, but our humble claim to Christ-like virtues offered to all as neighbors.

So vote, dear ones. Bless you in the act of voting. And may you be a blessing to all the families of the earth. I am,

Affectionately,

The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason

Dean and Rector

NOTE
  1. Meacham, Jon. American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation. New York: Random House, 2006. We must note the sad deficiencies of the Declaration of Independence and its authors who did not responsibly address the evil of slavery in this nation.

The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, 2020

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October 11, 11:00 a.m. Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost

Service Leaflet


Support the Mission and Ministry of Saint Mark's Cathedral

If you watch and enjoy our live-streamed or archived services, please consider making a donation in support of the mission and ministry of this cathedral.

You may also donate using the Venmo mobile app from your smartphone (search for @SaintMarksCathedralSeattle ) Thank you for your generosity.

Virtual Choir Anthem Collection

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Inspired by the success of the "O come, O come Emmanuel" video, the next virtual choir video will again be for the entire cathedral community—a rendition of "Jesus Christ is risen today" for Easter Sunday! Click the image above for all the details.

 


In the Stewardship video above, Heather and Peter briefly reflect on their history at Saint Mark's, and then explain how the Saint Mark's virtual choir offerings came about.

Like many choral and instrumental ensemble around the world whose normal activities have been suspended due to the pandemic, the choirs of Saint Mark's Cathedral have turned to "virtual choir" offerings, in which choir members each record themselves singing their own part individually, and the videos are edited together to make one performance. While the experience for the choir members is nothing like gathering in person to sing in a choir, it is a valuable way to allow the participants to continue to offer their gifts in worship during this extraordinary time.

The process of editing together all the submitted videos is labor intensive and technically complicated. All the videos below were edited by longtime Cathedral Choir members Peter Garbes and Dr. Heather MacLaughlin Garbes, on a volunteer basis.

Their generosity of time and talent has been exceptional. Their many hours of work, combined with labor of the music staff in preparing the guide tracks and printed music, and of course the work of the choir members themselves, means that each video below represents dozens of hours of labor.

Jesus Christ is Risen Today! • April 4, 2021

O come O come, Emmanuel • November 29. 2020 (“O” Antiphons Liturgy)

Keep Your Lamps! (arr. Thomas) • November 8, 2020

At the River (Lowry/Copland) • November 1, 2020

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind (Parry) • October 11, 2020

Lord for Thy Tender Mercy’s Sake (attr. Farrant) • September 6, 2020

Ave Verum Corpus (Mozart) • July 26, 2020

If Ye Love Me (Tallis) • May 31, 2020

Faith Action Network Candidate Forum

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 7 P.M., via Zoom

The Faith Action Network will offer a candidate forum for candidates in legislative districts, which includes Sarah Reyneveld and Liz Berry from the 36th District, Kirsten Harris-Talley and Chukundi Salisbury from the 37th District, and Sherae Lascelles and Frank Chopp from the 43rd District. Participants may send in questions to use during the forum before the event. RSVP here: bit.ly/36-37-43CandidateForum to receive the Zoom link. There will be questions prepared by the sponsors as well as a limited opportunity for the audience to submit questions. Each district will have a 30-minute time slot - see the flyer for more information (click to enlarge).

Introduction to Sunday’s Hymns: October 11, 2020

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On Thursday, October 8, Associate Organist John Stuntebeck introduced the hymns that will be sung at the 11 a.m. morning liturgy on October 11, 2020, the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost. This introduction was presented live on Facebook.

The hymns discussed are:

  • Rejoice, ye pure in heart!  [Hymn #556]
  • Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness [Hymn #339]

... followed by a few words by John about his organ selections for Sunday, and more than a few words from Gregory Bloch about this Sunday's "vitual choir" presentation, Dear Lord and Father of mankind by C.H.H. Parry.

Join us in the future on Thursdays at 4 p.m. for another live hymn chat! Just visit the cathedral's public Facebook page at the time of the broadcast—if you "follow" the cathedral on Facebook, you should receive a notification when we're live.

Stewardship Videos

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This year's stewardship campaign will feature videos from a number of community members, including brief messages included in Sunday morning worship, and longer videos and reflections send out via email and shared on social media.

Check back on this page—more videos will be added here as they are released in the coming weeks.

An Invitation from Dean Steve Thomason

Stewardship Ministry Co-Chairs Robert Stevens & Lynne Markova

Dr. Heather MacLaughlin Garbes & Peter Garbes

A Message of Gratitude from the Stewardship Ministry members

Noel House Ministry Update

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Our Noel House guests have found a new home!

The women who formerly slept on the floor of Bloedel Hall now have a permanent home in the Central area of Seattle. The building is a former day care center and is named the Bunny Wilburn Home, in honor of a woman who worked to establish an early childhood education facility in the space a few decades ago. Each woman has her own bed and space to keep belongings. They do not have to leave in the morning. What a blessing! Operation Sack Lunch is providing breakfast, lunch, and dinner and a full time case manager is onsite. Click on this link for a Seattle Times article from early September.

For over 20 years, Saint Mark’s Cathedral has opened its doors to 30 women each night of the week. They have slept in Bloedel Hall and received an evening snack and light breakfast. Our dedicated volunteers have cooked soup, sewed holiday bags, shopped for groceries, picked up and delivered donations from Food Lifeline, tended the vegetable garden, and served meals in the evenings and mornings. Then, when COVID-19 required the Cathedral to close to the public, the women moved to other emergency shelters set up by the city. The move to the Bunny Wilburn Home is good news for our former guests.

When it is safe to gather again, we will plan an event for volunteers to meet and tell stories and reminisce.

The Saint Mark’s community and Justice Ministries are committed to responding to the ongoing challenges of the homeless population. Watch for news of opportunities to volunteer and get involved.

The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, 2020

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October 4, 11:00 p.m. The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, 2020

Service Leaflet


Support the Mission and Ministry of Saint Mark's Cathedral

If you watch and enjoy our live-streamed or archived services, please consider making a donation in support of the mission and ministry of this cathedral.

You may also donate using the Venmo mobile app from your smartphone (search for @SaintMarksCathedralSeattle ) Thank you for your generosity.

Looking for the Livestream video archive? It now has its own page here

Choral Evensong – Feast of Saint Michael, 2020

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October 4, 4:30 p.m. Choral Evensong • The Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels

Service Leaflet


Support the Mission and Ministry of Saint Mark's Cathedral

If you watch and enjoy our live-streamed or archived services, please consider making a donation in support of the mission and ministry of this cathedral.

You may also donate using the Venmo mobile app from your smartphone (search for @SaintMarksCathedralSeattle ) Thank you for your generosity.

Looking for the Livestream video archive? It now has its own page here

Blessing of the Animals 2020

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Saturday, October 3, 4:30 p.m. A Blessing of the Animals

Celebrating Creation on the Feast of Francis and Clare of Assisi

Service Leaflet


Support the Mission and Ministry of Saint Mark's Cathedral

If you watch and enjoy our live-streamed or archived services, please consider making a donation in support of the mission and ministry of this cathedral.

You may also donate using the Venmo mobile app from your smartphone (search for @SaintMarksCathedralSeattle ) Thank you for your generosity.

Looking for the Livestream video archive? It now has its own page here

Stewardship Season Begins

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OCTOBER 4 (LAUNCH) THROUGH NOVEMBER 8 (INGATHERING)

Join a community Facebook discussion:

THIS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2020, 5:30 P.M. in the Community Facebook Group (highlights will be posted later in the week on the Cathedral website)

To the greater Seattle community, Saint Mark’s Cathedral provides a welcoming place to come in joyous times, times of sorrow, times to pray for peace, and as a beacon on the hill for justice. For many of us, both near and far, The Holy Box on the Hill is our spiritual home, where we come on Sundays, Holy Days, and special events to experience a faith community full of love and acceptance.  This year, we have worshiped and gathered both physically at the Cathedral and through Livestream. We are living as One Body—A Cloud of Witnesses, both near and far.

The Stewardship Ministry invites all to join in a weekly reflection on the year and how St. Mark’s has knit all of us together into a community. We will host an informal sharing on Saint Mark’s Seattle Community Life during the Closure Facebook page. Each Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., a member from Stewardship Ministry will host and offer a brief reflection, and invite others to share. Please plan on joining us on October 6 at 5:30 p.m. on Facebook.Highlights will be posted on the cathedral website later in the week.

Look out for additional offerings from the Stewardship ministry throughout the month! Watch your mail next week for the annual stewardship mailing, and watch your email next Tuesday, October 6, for a special video invitation from Dean Thomason.

 Generous Creator, who knits us together into one common life: open our eyes and hearts to your gracious hand at work in all of creation, so that, rejoicing in your glory, we may be faithful stewards of your gifts as One Body - A Cloud of Witnesses; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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