Candlelit Prayer with Music from Taizé | January 31, 2023
About “Be Still and Rejoice”
This song was inspired by an Advent video reflection written and recorded by Matthew Briggs and Victoria Szydlowski in December of 2020, perhaps the darkest and most isolated days of the pandemic. Several cathedral community members had been asked to create these videos to be released throughout Advent that year, each reflecting on a different passage of Scripture, but it was Victoria and Matt’s reflection, on the opening verse of the Magnificat, that lodged itself in my head. Their video begins: “Before Mary rejoices in the things God does, she first and foremost simply rejoices in God...”
Matt died about nine months later, in August of 2021. After his death was announced to the community, I shared the video with the community once again, and Matt and Victoria’s words continued rolling around in my head. At some point, I realized I needed to set them to music. When I write music, I almost always begin with a clear concept of what the end will look like, but that was not the cast this time. At various points in the process I thought I was setting a long passage of the text as choral anthem, or a solo with organ, or a duet. Gradually, what I had written was pared down and focused, and finally I discovered that what I had been working on all along was, in fact, a meditation in the style of Taizé, using only final sentence spoken by Matt in the video. At that point, the words of Scripture that inspired the reflection in the first place seemed to click into place as solo verses above the refrain.
I’m grateful to the Taizé organizers at Saint Mark’s for including it in this service, where it is being sung publicly for the first time. I offer it to the greater glory of God and in memory of this remarkable person. He was taken from us too soon, but his presence in this world can still be felt, like the ripples in a pond when the pebble can no longer be seen, creating even now new wisdom, beauty, and joy.
– Gregory Bloch
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That 
The strife in Memphis is not so distant from us as to be removed from the orbit of our pain and grief. Nor are the woes of that city so different than ours. This does not indict every police officer. Many do uphold the values in the oath above, and they serve us with dignity and respect. We should not lose sight of that fact. We should be grateful for them and thank them. But surely we can say that there is a plague in the law enforcement industry where such brutality is somehow justified time and again. (It is a red herring, in my opinion, to cite that these five officers were Black—except perhaps to note just how quickly they were charged with murder unlike many other police whose demeanor was similarly abusive.)
A former Roman Catholic, I moved to Seattle from Virginia in 2017, began attending Saint Mark’s with my wife Lauren, and became a member of the Episcopal Church and Saint Mark’s parish in 2021. In my previous parish, I served as a lector, choir member, and confirmation catechist. At Saint Mark’s I serve as a lay reader and member of the Restorative Justice Council. I have facilitated two Radix groups and served in prison ministry at King County jail. I attend weekly Cursillo group and Second Sunday Cathedral book group meetings. I hold a PhD in American history. I have taught at every level of public instruction and served as a historian and manager in Virginia’s State Historic Preservation Office for 35 years. Lauren and I have been married for fifty years and have three sons and six grandchildren. As a member of the Vestry I would strongly uphold and support the welcoming, inclusive spirit of the Saint Mark’s community and our strong commitment to equality, justice and the spiritual growth of our parishioners. I will advocate for the formation of a team of parishioners to research, write and publish an illustrated history of Saint Mark’s Church.
Sallie is a lifelong Episcopalian and fairly new to Saint Mark’s. She was born in Dallas but raised in Galveston, Texas where her family attended Trinity Episcopal Church. Her mother became one of the first female Episcopal priests in Texas. Episcopal schools also shaped Sallie: Trinity in Galveston, St. Stephen’s in Austin, and Sewanee: The University of the South. At each she served in various capacities. While earning her Ed.M. at Harvard, she attended Christ Church Cambridge. In Dallas, where she lived for 26 years, she attended St. Matthew’s Cathedral and married Mark. They later attended St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church and raised their children, Kate and Stephen, there. She served as a Lay Eucharist Minister, Sunday School and Children’s Chapel teacher, Lay Reader, Young Adult Forum facilitator, and Diocesan Convention delegate. She served one term on the Vestry, her last year as Senior Warden. She led a Vestry retreat and stewardship campaign. After moving to Seattle in June 2019, Sallie and Mark joined Saint Mark’s. She finished Education for Ministry and has participated in Radix and EfM book group. During lockdown, she attended many virtual offerings and services. As the world reopens, she plans to engage in Creation Care Ministry and other opportunities. As a writer, teacher, and mental health advocate, Sallie believes she would bring a unique perspective to Vestry. She is open and curious. As a priest’s child, she recognizes clergy demands. Additionally, she has watched her children move through the various stages of growing up Episcopalian.
I grew up in a small town on the Oregon coast. My family did not attend church except for a few times with our grandma. I knew there was a God, because we said the Lords Prayer every morning in school until about 4th grade. I worked in aerospace for 35 years starting out as an airplane mechanic, and then working my way into engineering. I was a mechanical engineer in fasteners with Boeing when I retired in 2017. After retirement I felt like I needed to grow my community so I started attending services at Saint Marks figuring I’d find a good cross section of people on Capitol Hill. The first morning I walked into the 11 a.m. service Carolyn White nabbed me. She told me about the service and sat with me until it ended. After a couple more services I felt like I found a home, so I was baptized and joined the church in 2018. I am currently active in the Garden Ministry and the Facilities Committee, and serve as Greeter, Acolyte, Oblation bearer, and Eucharistic visitor (2nd). I have participated in both Women’s Retreats and in Radix groups. I love to figure out how things go together and how to fix them when they don’t. I’m always trying to learn more about how the church works and where my work is within it. Joining the Vestry might tie it altogether. I’m not sure where I’m going on my journey, but I know I’m going with God.
I have been a member of Saint Mark’s Cathedral for about 6 years. My wife and I relocated to Seattle from New Jersey to be near our sons; earlier we lived in Germany and California. We began attending Saint Mark’s shortly after arriving in Seattle. We were initially drawn by two things: the music offerings and the inclusive spirit that is evident in all the Cathedral does. I am retired; my professional life was spent in both academic settings (computing in genomics and molecular biology) and in biotechnology companies (IT, human resources, and corporate management). Most recently, I consulted for life science companies on issues involving corporate integration, change management, and executive team coaching. I currently serve on the Saint Mark’s Finance Committee and sing in the Cathedral Choir. I served on a subcommittee of the Finance Committee tasked with determining needs and plans for office space at the cathedral. Since 2019, I have chaired the ad hoc Audit Committee for the cathedral Foundation. I feel called to service on the Vestry out of gratitude for Saint Mark’s and its contributions to life in Seattle. As the Cathedral continues to weather many changes wrought by the pandemic and other storms that beset our community, I hope that my background in organizational change and helping people to achieve consensus around common goals could be useful in the Vestry setting as well.
My name is Kelsey Herschberger (she/her) and I’ve been a member of Saint Mark’s Cathedral since my confirmation in November 2021. I serve as a chalice-bearer, work with Creation Care and go to events for the 20s/30s group. I’m also serving as a confirmation mentor and I’m in my second year of Education for Ministry. In my professional life, I work as a business continuity analyst for HomeStreet Bank, a Seattle-based community bank. I’m responsible for implementing the business continuity program, which ensure the bank has plans and infrastructure to weather all kinds of disaster scenarios. I’ve also done quite a bit of volunteer work outside of church. I worked the front desk at Peer, an organization that helps provide peer emotional support and development services to the LGBTQ community. I was the public relations assistant for GeekGirlCon, which is dedicated to celebrating female involvement in all fields of math, the sciences, comics, sci-fi, fantasy, fiction, gaming, and much more. I also wrote public relation materials for Thurston County Coalition Against Trafficking, which works to prevent human trafficking through community partnerships and prevention education.
I was baptized and raised an Episcopalian. After a detour into other denominations, I eventually came home to the Episcopal church because I found there a commitment to “seek and serve Christ in all persons” and an openness to the multitude of ways this commitment can be lived out. I became a member of Saint Mark’s about three years ago, drawn by the community’s focus on justice and inclusivity, and by the beautiful and compelling worship that I experience here. Since then, I have participated in liturgical ministry as a lector, intercessor, and assisting lay minister. I sit on the Council for Intergenerational Ministry, was a delegate to the Diocesan Convention this year, and am currently in my third year of EfM. More recently, I have been involved in racial justice ministries and in our feeding programs. These experiences have enriched my spiritual life in more ways that I can name. I have served on vestries at other parishes, and it would be an honor to do so at Saint Mark’s.
Doug Thorpe is emeritus professor of literature and creative writing from Seattle Pacific University and the author of four books, including Rapture of the Deep: Reflections on the Wild in Art, Wilderness and the Sacred. Having joined the Episcopal Church and Saint Mark’s Cathedral at the Easter Vigil in April 1980, he subsequently served as a Vestry member, a lector, chalice bearer, greeter, and spiritual director. He chaired the Adult Education Committee, taught adult education classes, worked for twenty years with the labyrinth group, and co-led a high school group to Belize (such a hardship!). He currently co-chairs the Mideast Focus Ministry (and serves on the Diocesan Middle East Affairs Committee) and writes for and helps the Creation Care Committee publish its newsletter. He’s married to Judy Andrews, is the father of Kate Thorpe and delighted grandfather of Walter. Doug was elected to the Vestry in 2022 to serve a one-year term, to complete the term of a Vestry member who stepped down before their term was complete.
My name is Alexandra Thompson and I am honored to be nominated for the Vestry. I have watched their work from afar for years and am excited to have the chance to get a closer look at the life of the Cathedral. I have been attending SMC since 2001. I live in West Seattle with my two teen-aged daughters and husband (and our one year old poodle mix). My husband is from the area and works for Boeing. I was born and raised on the campus of the Virginia Theological Seminary and graduated from the nearby Episcopalian high school. In my 20-some years here, I’ve served on a few committees, worked in the Child Care program, and volunteered in the Godly Play program while my daughters were young. I’ve been acolyting for 10 years and recently became the cathedral’s newest Verger. My professional background is primarily in project and program management for King County, but also includes teaching and language translation and interpretation. We are a neuro-diverse family and embrace creative problem solving to every day situations. My younger daughter exclaimed the other night (after a rehearsal of the Pageant of the Nativity) that she loves coming to Saint Mark’s because she likes how coming to the cathedral also means that you can be “in” the Cathedral. I want to be part of the Vestry in part because I want everyone to feel the same way, that coming to the Cathedral means they belong.
No statement submitted
Saint Mark’s has been my spiritual home since my graduation from Pacific Lutheran University in 2013. I am an active member of both the Cathedral Choir and Evensong Choir and have served as an acolyte. I was elected to the Vestry in 2017 and ended my term as Junior Warden for Finance. I have a degree in Religion and work work at the non-profit Holocaust Center for Humanity. I have a passion for the ecumenical, humanitarian, and transformational work that Saint Mark’s provides for this city and diocese.
I first started attending St. Mark’s in 2019 after my husband and I moved to Seattle from Philadelphia. Initially pulled to Saint Mark’s due to continuity—we attended a St. Mark’s in Pennsylvania—I was drawn deeper by the church’s commitment to diversity and equity. Technically a cradle Episcopalian, I spent my college years confidently areligious, but after a spiritual awakening was particularly drawn to Saint Mark’s Education for Ministry program. Now in my fourth year of EfM, I have discovered a passion for theological education and a fascination with Anglican governance and history. Especially after recently baptizing our first child, Grace, at Saint Mark’s, I am eager to take a more active role in the Episcopal diocese and within the Saint Mark’s community.
I have lived in the Greater Seattle area for most of my life. I left to attend university on the East Coast in 2009 and then briefly left again to live in Australia for a year from the summer of 2015 to the summer of 2016. I first attended Saint Mark’s Easter of 2021 for the Easter sunrise liturgy. I was looking for an accepting spiritual home. I grew up in the Evangelical tradition and I didn’t feel safe going back once I started my transition as a transgender woman. Everyone was so nice to me at the Cathedral and the Rev. Canon Jennifer Daugherty kindly made it clear to me that I was welcome here. At my previous churches I served in children’s ministry and hospitality. At Saint Mark’s I have served in Altar Guild, as a Eucharistic Minister as a Chalice Bearer, and as an Acolyte. I am also involved in helping to start a LGBTQIA+ ministry and as well as the 20s/30s group. Professionally, I have worked as a congressional staffer, a member of the buying team for Costco Wholesale, and currently as a Human Resources Personnel Specialist also at Costco.
I have been a member of St. Mark’s Cathedral since 2007, confirmed in 2009. My current ministries include serving as an acolyte, chalice bearer, coordinating our Eucharistic Visitor ministry, and I’ve taken a Cathedral-related picture or two. I have previously served as a delegate to the Diocesan Convention and am pleased to serve again. I appreciate the opportunity it provides the Cathedral delegation to meet parishioners from around the Diocese, while offering insight into our contribution to the Diocesan community.
Carleton Macdonald is a member of the Saint Mark’s Singers and has been an active member of the Episcopal Church for decades. He served as a Vestry member and convention delegate in his previous church in the Washington, DC area. After retiring, he moved to the Seattle area. He and his wife were married at Saint Mark’s in 2020.
I am already engaged in various ministries and roles at Saint Mark’s, including serving as a Lector, hosting Newcomers’ Coffee Hour, and organizing the Ministry Fair. My top areas of interest at Saint Mark’s are ones addressing social injustice, racial inequalities, greater access to economic & social opportunities people with many barriers, sanctuary for those fleeing persecution, and immigration issues. I’m honored to be nominated for Diocesan Convention Delegate.
I started attending Saint Mark’s with my beloved spouse, Matthew Briggs, when we moved to Seattle in August 2018 to begin my doctoral program in adult clinical psychology at the University of Washington. We were previously members of Saint Thomas’ Parish in Washington DC. At Saint Mark’s, I attend events with the 20s/30s Group, and I co-facilitated a book group on Newell’s Listening for the Heartbeat of God: A Celtic Spirituality during Lent 2022. I spoke with the Sanit Mark’s confirmation class about how faith informing my lived experience in January 2023, served as a small group facilitator in the summer of 2020 as part of Saint Mark’s series on “Taking up our Responsibility for Racial Justice,” and volunteered with Saint Mark’s ministry to those without access to stable housing. Significantly, my life at Saint Mark’s is informed by using the funds donated in loving memory of my beloved spouse, Matthew Briggs, to align with his last will and testament to, “(1) serve marginalized youth and (2) lovingly challenge privileged youth to consider how they may more equitably share their power.” As such, I am honored to support the upcoming visits to Saint Mark’s of Dr. Christena Cleveland and The Rev. Wil Gafney, Ph.D.
I’m excited by the prospect of being a delegate to our 2023 Diocesan Convention. I believe that participation is an important part of ones ministry: to learn, to network, to represent the wishes of the parish in the business of the Diocese, to be a part of the larger Episcopal community and to share those experiences with the church family on return. A lifelong Episcopalian, I transferred to the Cathedral in 2021. I am active member of the Quilt Ministry and in the past have served on the Book Shop advisory board. Before retiring in 2013, I was the manager of the Cathedral Book Store at St. Philip’s Atlanta. I’m an EfM graduate with 2 years experience as mentor. I have served on 3 vestries in 3 different states including St. Elizabeth’s Burien. I’m a volunteer with the Friends of Seattle Public Library, League of Women Voters and the Missing in America Project.
No statement submitted
It is an honor to be nominated to be a convention delegate from Saint Mark’s to the Diocesan convention. I appreciate the opportunity to represent Saint Mark’s at the convention, but more importantly, I look forward to the opportunity that the convention provides to listen to the experiences of other congregations and to learn from other delegates. As a person who has been an elected official at the local level of government, I understand the importance of thoughtful governance—and also understand that change takes time. My wife, Nancy, and I have attended Saint Mark’s since 2003 and in that time I have been involved with the sanctuary ministry and I am currently involved with the Eucharistic visitor ministry. As a retired engineer, I apply my skills at keeping numbers straight by serving as a collection counter.
My family and I arrived at Saint Mark’s in the fall of 2003 after exploring multiple churches in the Diocese. We were inspired by the cathedral’s stance on peace and justice and were invited by the proclamation that all are welcome here, wherever they are on their faith journey. Since our arrival, I have been active at Noel House, the Welcome Table, the Hunger Offering, the Sanctuary Ministry, feeding Tent City, Education for Ministry, the Eucharistic Visitors and I have attended convention as a delegate. As a retired teacher interested in justice and compassion and an alumna of 1950’s Cathedral Days with deep roots in this Diocese, I find a place in my heart for both the Cathedral and the larger Diocese of Olympia. It is an honor to have been nominated to be a convention delegate.
