On Thursday, March 18, Canon Michael Kleinschmit introduced the hymns that will be sung at the 11 a.m. livestreamed and in-person service of Holy Eucharist this coming Sunday, March 21, 2021, the Fifth Sunday in Lent. This introduction was presented live on Facebook. The hymns discussed are:
"When Christ was lifted from the earth" [Hymn #603]
"Lift high the cross!" [Hymn #473]
"O wheat, whose crushing was for bread" [WLP #760].
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.
Dean Thomason sent an email message to the community on Thursday morning, March 18, regarding hate crimes against Asian Americans—not just in Georgia, but also in our own city, our own neighborhoods, and our own community.
Dear friends,
The news out of Atlanta over the last 36 hours has been a swirl of tragedy, horror, and a distressing series of comments by police that seek to point anywhere but to the fact that these murders were racially motivated. Sex addiction, mental illness, human trafficking, random gun violence—these are threads woven into the news cycle for reasons yet unclear to me—perhaps meant to humanize the alleged perpetrator (we must ask then, for what purpose?), or perhaps police are striving to avoid stoking the embers of racial protests Atlanta saw last summer.
Whatever the motives, and whatever other “isms” may be involved in this mass murder, it is evident that these were racially motivated hate crimes targeting Asian women. What’s more, I have heard from Asian Americans in the Saint Mark’s community in the last 24 hours expressing a real fear for their lack of safety in this time—and yes, in this place…in Seattle where we have heard accounts of violence against Asian Americans precipitated by an insidious xenophobia seeking to lay blame for a viral pandemic. This is not an issue for a city in the Deep South—it is an epidemic that has swept the nation, and lurks in our midst as well—right here, right now.
The Vestry of this Cathedral is on record as denouncing white nationalism which I believe is at the heart of all this hatred and the violence that flows from it. I write this morning, not primarily to comment on the hate crimes in Atlanta (horrific as they are), but to draw on whatever emotional response you may have in this moment in the wake of those murders, and say to you: we have work to do HERE, in Seattle, and at Saint Mark’s.
An estimated ten percent of the Saint Mark’s community are Asian Americans; 14% of Seattle’s population is Asian. It is not okay that they do not feel safe. It is not okay that they feel the need to watch over their shoulder when they go to the grocery store, or to work…or to church. The collective trauma of decades of disrespect, injustice, and racial violence takes its toll, and I wonder how we might awaken to the haunts of racism, not just as a systemic blight on our society, but also really face racism as the very real weight some in our midst must carry relentlessly while others of us do not.
Do we care enough to make it personal?
Here on the eve of Holy Week, I’m mindful that Jesus says, if we are to follow him, it must be personal. What is our response, beyond horror or outrage for a few days before returning to our routines? What is our response collectively as a faith community? What will you do personally?
Your Brother in Christ,
The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector
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 make a contribution online at saintmarks.org/give(link opens in new tab). You may also donate using the Venmo mobile app from your smartphone (search for @SaintMarksCathedralSeattle ) Thank you for your generosity.
Check out the first newsletter created by the members of the Seattle Service Corps! In their words:
In this newsletter, you will find stories, musings, and lessons gained from our experiences in Seattle, introductions to a few of our corps member’s service placements, as well as one of our favorite recipes we’ve made for our community meals. We hope you enjoy it!
Click in the lower right of the reader below to read the report full-screen.
In this brief video Dean Thomason talks to us about the “how” and "why" of the good news that Saint Mark’s resumes in-person worship, beginning Sunday, March 21, 2021.
UPDATE: Beginning Sunday, April 11, the procedure for distributing Holy Communion will be modified from what is described in this video (around the 5' mark). Priests will place the bread directly into worshippers' hands. You will still be asked to return to your seat before removing your mask to eat.
Important details:
All in-person services require pre-registration.
Registration opens at 9:00 a.m. six days ahead of any service (so registration for a Sunday is the preceding Monday at 9:00 a.m.).
Of course, livestreamworship will continue for all services!
Several (but not all) Holy Week services will include an in-person congregation: Tenebrae on March 31; Maundy Thursday on April 1; and two services on Good Friday—noon or 7 p.m. Again, registration for each opens at 9 a.m. six days in advance. (Holy Week Monday and Tuesday are online-only via Zoom.)
Please note that, for Saturday’s Easter Vigil, only those being baptized or confirmed, along with their sponsors and families, will serve as the in-person congregation.
On Easter Sundaywe are pleased to offer three services which will include in-person attendance:
On Thursday, March 11, Associate organist John Stuntenbeck introduced the hymns that will be sung at the morning service of Holy Eucharist this coming Sunday, March 14, 2021, the Fourth Sunday in Lent, at Saint Mark's Cathedral, Seattle. This introduction was presented live on Facebook. The hymns discussed are:
"Come, thou fount of every blessing" [Hymn #686]
"Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness" [Hymn #339]
"Guide me, O thou great Jehovah" [Hymn #690].:
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.
Help underwrite the beautiful flowers and music of Easter by making a special contribution in honor or memory of someone. Simply fill out the form below, and then make a gift in any amount using the method that is most convenient for you. (Information about payment can be found at the bottom of the form.)
Names submitted by Palm Sunday—March 28, 2021—will be included in the service bulletins for Easter Day.
Sunday, March 7, 2021, 9:30 p.m. • The Office of Compline
See the Order of Service in Lent here. Each week's repertoire can be found here.
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 make a contribution online at saintmarks.org/give(link opens in new tab). You may also donate using the Venmo mobile app from your smartphone (search for @SaintMarksCathedralSeattle ) Thank you for your generosity.
There is something about writing and receiving a handwritten note that can be central to our wellbeing in connecting with others. Join the 20s/30s Group for “Postal Fellowship” as an opportunity to pause, reflect, and connect with each other in handwritten correspondence during the weeks of March 22 and March 29.
Share your letter writing, card decorating, stamp selection, envelope art or postcard style with another 20s/30s member. Suggested writing prompts will include themes of “Release” (Week 1) and “Renewal” (Week 2). If you are interested in participating, then please complete this form by March 15 to get your “match” and additional instructions.
Come to the cathedral nave for a moment of quiet, prayerful reflection during Lent. Several times have been set aside to welcome parishioners to the nave for socially-distanced individual prayer. There is no need to register. Come to the Hoerster Annex entrance (southwest corner of cathedral) where you will be greeted and asked to sign a health waiver. Then you will proceed to the nave for your time of prayer. Total occupancy will be limited. Contact Canon Jennifer, jkdaugherty@saintmarks.org with any questions.
The 20s/30s Group is focusing on March 14 and March 22, but all are welcome at all scheduled times.
On Thursday, March 4, Canon Michael Kleinschmidt introduced the hymns which will be sung at the morning service of Holy Eucharist this coming Sunday, March 7, 2021, the Third Sunday in Lent. The hymns discussed are:
"Lord Jesus, think on me" [Hymn #641]
"God the Sculptor of the Heavens" [WLP #746]
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.
WEDNESDAYS IN LENT, BEGINNING FEBRUARY 24, 4:30 P.M., via Zoom
During the season of Lent, the choristers of the Choir School will host a weekly Evensong service over Zoom on Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. All are welcome! Take a break in your week to be led in prayer by the voices of our cathedral choristers. (Daily Evening Prayer continues at 6:30 p.m. as usual.) Join using this Zoom link.
Although these services are led by the choristers of the choir school, they are very much a worship service for the entire congregation, of all ages.
The cathedral is blessed to be able to display the stunning sculptural interpretation of the traditional fourteen Stations of the Cross by artist Virginia Maksymowicz in the nave once again this year. This beautiful video of the "Way of the Cross" liturgy from the Book of Occasional Services was directed and edited by filmmaker and community member David Wild—it is available to used as an aid to prayer at any time.
The leaflet for this service may be downloaded and printed here.
What Lenten prayers are on your heart? We may be distanced from each other in these times, but we can share our prayers, a piece of ourselves, in community.
All in the Saint Mark’s cathedral community are invited to contribute to a display of prayer banners around the labyrinth—a tangible and tactile expression of our prayers, both personal and communal.
UPDATE: On Maundy Thursday all the banners will be gathered together, collectively blessed at the evening liturgy, and offered up as an embodiment of the prayers of the community.
You will need a piece of cloth about 3" wide, and between 12" and 24" long. You can pick one up from the bin placed on the front patio of the cathedral during the day (M–F, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Or you can make one yourself, using whatever fabric is at hand.
Using a Sharpie, fabric marker, or another method that will be permanent and waterproof, write your prayer intention on the cloth, in whatever style makes sense to you. You can write a small note in one corner or the banner, or your lettering can fill the whole space. You can write a lot, or just a single word.
Then, make a prayer pilgrimage to Saint Mark’s!
Bring your prayer banner—or make one on the spot—and then take a clip from the bin on the patio to string your banner along with others around the labyrinth. (The banners will be more permanently attached at the end of each day.) If you cannot make it to the cathedral in-person, please mail your banner to the cathedral at the usual mailing address.
When we put our prayer banners together this way, even though we may not be all walking there at the same time, we are connecting with each other, taking time to be present at the labyrinth in prayer, and leaving something of ourselves that we share. As we string our own prayer banners, we pray for all the others who have walked and placed their prayers here in community.
Join your Dean Steve, Canon Jennifer and Canon Nancy on Saturday, March 6 from 10:30–11:30 am on Zoom as we make pretzels together and learn why they are a Lenten tradition.
Download the recipe here—you won’t need many ingredients, just flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and an egg!
Saint Mark's will offer Choral Evensong via live stream with the most singers permitted since the COVID lock down began in Seattle almost one year ago to the day. Twelve members of the Evensong Choir, fully masked anat least 9' apart in all directions, will offer a chant-based setting of the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis by Canadian composer, Healey Willan; and Johannes Brahms' ravishing setting of Paul Flemming's prayer, "Let nothing ever grieve thee" (Geistliches Lied, Opus 30.) Join with the choir in raising your eventide prayers and praises to God on the eve of the third full work week in Lent.
The season of Lent has provided a certain rhythm to the lives of Christians for twenty centuries now. Through thick and thin, Lent is a steadfast part of the journey for people of all ages. Of course, this year will be different, but there is also an opportunity to return to our roots in the early Christian community, before church buildings became normative, and the home was the principal place for gathering and growing in faith.
Here are some resources and practices to help you and your family journey through Lent, and as you do, know that many others in the Saint Mark’s community are journeying with you.
Lenten Evening Devotional
This five-minute evening service of worship is a great way to begin your evening meal or prepare for bed and can be found below on this page. A printed version of the service was mailed to parishioners in February, or you can view a pdf online here. You’ll light and then extinguish candles to acknowledge the darkness that comes before Easter light, and then at Easter, light all the candles to celebrate.
Prayer Banners
All the members of Saint Mark’s are invited to share their prayer intentions by writing them on a fabric banner and hanging them around the labyrinth on the cathedral front lawn. You can pick up fabric and a marking pen at the Saint Mark’s office or make your own with other fabric and permanent ink. Then make a prayer pilgrimage to Saint Mark's to join your prayer with the whole community. More information can be found here.
Lenten Community Book Study
Jesus and the Disinherited. Join Theologian-in-residence Canon Walter Brownridge in engaging with this foundational text exploring the Gospel as a manual of resistance for the poor and disenfranchised. Introductory presentation on Sunday, February 28 at 1 p.m.—join using this Zoom link.
Weekday Liturgical offerings via Zoom
Consider committing to attending one of the Daily Office liturgies online from home for the next six weeks—perhaps just once a week, or more—as part of your Lenten discipline. Beginning Wednesday, February 24, and every Wednesday thereafter, a new service of Morning Prayer will be offered at 8:30 a.m. (Thursday Morning Prayer at 7 a.m. continues as usual.) This means Morning Prayer is now offered twice a week, while Evening Prayer continues to be offered five times a week, M–F at 6:30 p.m. as usual.
In addition, for five Wednesdays in Lent only, a special service of Evensong (sung Evening Prayer) led by choristers of the Choir School will be offered at 4:30 p.m. These very special Zoom services are intended for the whole community, and will happen each Wednesday, from February 24 through March 24.
The cathedral is blessed to be able to once again display the stunning sculptural interpretation of the traditional fourteen Stations of the Cross by artist Virginia Maksymowicz in the nave. This beautiful video of the "Way of the Cross" liturgy from the Book of Occasional Services was directed and edited filmmaker and community member David Wild—it is available to used as an aid to prayer at any time.
The leaflet for this service may be downloaded and printed here.
Sung Prayer
The words and music for the Taizé song The Lord is My Light are found here for use as a meal grace or prayer to begin or end the day.
Here is a video from our neighbors at St Andrew's, Green Lake, in Seattle—try singing the other parts of the round along with the singer in the video! A version of the song with all the parts of the round can be heard here.
Local candlemaker Big Dipper Waxworks makes beautiful beeswax candles in their SODO factory (and has been generous to the cathedral through the years). These might be a good choice for the liturgy below, and don't miss their sale section.
An Evening Prayer Service for Lent
This simple form of evening worship for people of all ages, a brief five minutes, is for use during Lent, February 17–April 3. It can be used at the daily evening meal or close of day, or another time. The simplicity and repetition embeds the words in our minds and hearts. We are drawn into the reflection of what Jesus has done for us, and into our own penance and devotion, as we prepare for the events of Holy Week and the joy of the Resurrection on Easter.
Place six candles, lined up, at the center of the dining table or another gathering place. Similar to the Tenebrae service on Wednesday of Holy Week, where the lights dim by steps as we head into Jesus’ Passion, you begin each time of prayer with all six candles lit—and then, at the appointed time, extinguish one each night of the first week, two the second week, and so on, experiencing the growing darkness that leads to the light of Easter.
OPENING ANTIPHON
A leader begins by saying the antiphon of the week, or:
Leader: Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.
All respond: Thanks be to God.
SCRIPTURE
A reader reads the following, or another appropriate passage of Holy Scripture:
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches me, night after night. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not fall. —Psalm 16:7–8
PRAYER
All pray together:
Almighty and most merciful God, kindle within us the fire of love, that by its cleansing flame we may be purged of all our sins and made worthy to worship you in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
EXTINGUISHING OF CANDLE
As we move toward the events of Holy Week, we extinguish one candle each week, recognizing the darkness that comes before the light of the Resurrection. In the days immediately following Ash Wednesday, keep all the candles lit. Then, extinguish one candle of the six on the nights of the first week of Lent, two candles the second week, and so on.
HYMN
Conclude by saying or singing the evening hymn, known as the Nunc dimittis or “Song of Simeon,” one of the oldest Christian hymns.
Lord, you now have set your servant free
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior,
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel.
[Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, it now and will be for ever. Amen.]
or another version, such as this one [The Hymnal 1982 # 499] :
Lord God, you now have set your servant free
to go in peace as promised in your word.
My eyes have seen the Savior, Christ the Lord,
prepared by you for all the world to see—
To shine on nations trapped in darkest night,
the glory of your people and their light.
ANTIPHON OF THE WEEK
ASH WEDNESDAYS & THE DAYS FOLLOWING: RETURN TO THE LORD February 17–20
Return to the Lord, your God, for God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
FIRST WEEK OF LENT:
REPENT AND BELIEVE February 21 – 27
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.
SECOND WEEK OF LENT:
FOLLOW JESUS February 28 – March 6
If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
THIRD WEEK OF LENT:
LISTEN to GOD’s LAW March 7 - 13
The law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent.
FOURTH WEEK OF LENT:
CHOOSE LIFE March 14 - 20
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
FIFTH WEEK OF LENT:
THE HOUR HAS COME March 21 – 27
Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
HOLY WEEK:
JOURNEY TO THE CROSS March 28 – April 3
Being found in human form, Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross.
Plainsong setting (Saint Mark’s)
Setting by Tyler Morse (The Evensong Choir)
Setting by David Hogan (Choir Camp)
Hymn #499 (Saint Mark’s Schola)
Setting by Stephen Sturk (The Compline Choir)
Setting by Aleksandr Grechaninov (National Lutheran Choir)
MEALTIME BLESSING
If dinner follows immediately, say together the mealtime blessing for Lent:
Give us grateful hearts, O God, for all your mercies, and make us mindful of the needs of others; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The new issue of The Rubric contains stories, reports, and reflection by, from, and about the community of Saint Mark's during these extraordinary times. Read full-screen using the reader below, or download a full pdf here. Click the titles below to read individual stories.
On Thursday, February 25, Associate Organist John Stuntebeck introduced the hymns which will be sung at the morning service of Holy Eucharist this coming Sunday, February 28, 2021, the Second Sunday in Lent. The hymns discussed are:
"Take my life and let it be consecrated" [Hymn #707]
"You laid aside your rightful reputation" [WLP #734]
... plus a few words about Sunday's organ improvisation. 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.
Last year on March 1 the final Cathedral Yoga gathering of 2020 was offered on the altar platform of Saint Mark's. The following week, the class was suspended.
Now, one year later to the day, Cathedral Yoga will begin again as a once-a-month live Zoom offering from the cathedral nave direct to your living room!
Ministry leader Irene Beausoleil, a longtime parishioner of Saint Mark's and a professional yoga instructor, will lead the class. It will look different, but some things about Cathedral Yoga will remain the same as ever: a gentle, contemplative, and restorative practice, offered on a pay-what-you can basis. All are welcome, regardless of skill level or prior experience—Irene will always adapt or modify elements when requested. Cathedral Yoga will be offered on the first Monday of each month, and future months could feature special guest teachers and musicians. Check out the Cathedral Yoga web page for more information, and join using this Zoom link.
On Thursday, February 18, Canon Michael Kleinschmidt introduced the hymns and some of the service music which will be sung at the morning service of Holy Eucharist this coming Sunday, February 21, 2021, the First Sunday in Lent. The hymns discussed are:
"Now let us all with one accord" [Hymn #147]
"I want Jesus to walk with me" [WLP #805]
... plus an introduction to the Simplified Anglican Chant for Lent, and the setting of The Great Litany by Dent Davidson. 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 following message was included in the February 2021 edition of Be Present at Our Table, the monthly newsletter of Children and Family Ministries at Saint Mark's.
Dear families,
In the past year, the familiar heavy doors pictured above have not been swung open by little hands or harried parents very often. Prior to the pandemic, they were the physical threshold we passed through into the expansive and sacred space where we worship together, and the signal to our bodies that we were moving into a different kind of time and attention together with God. I don’t know about you, but opening those doors always evoked a deep breath in me that settled my soul.
I have missed thresholds this year; the markers of transitions that help us shift our energy and attention, and prepare ourselves for what is next. We talk often of thresholds in Godly Play; of using the outward and visible world to help kids transition into places of curiosity and wonder with God inside themselves. As you have probably heard me say before, what’s good for kids is good for adults! We, too, need thresholds to help us make transitions.
This is one of the beautiful facets of the liturgical calendar. Built into our ecclesiastical timekeeping are thresholds like Advent, Ash Wednesday, Lent, or Palm Sunday that help us turn the corners in our spiritual lives. Episcopal worship includes bodily practices and experiences that support our internal work, and one of those is the imposition of ashes at the start of Lent. This year, instead of going into the Cathedral and having a cross imposed on your forehead by a priest, you will do this at home. You’ll see more details about this coming up in Sundays and Beyond, and in your mailbox! I hope you’ll take advantage of the opportunity to mark the transition into Lent with the Saint Mark’s community from home this year.
This note also serves as a threshold for me with you: I am resigning my role at Saint Mark’s to further discern my call to ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church in a smaller parish. I am excited to take this turn toward God’s beckoning, but I am also sad, because I love companioning you and your children in this life we share, and I will miss you. Transitions are often this way; they are filled with different kinds of emotions, and all of those are okay.
In the coming weeks, you’ll hear more from Dean Steve and Canon Jennifer about how you all will enter this transition together. I have confidence in the ministry and leadership of our incredible team of clergy and program staff, our vestry liaison, Kristen Austin, our dedicated church school leaders: Alicia Goodwin, Kristen Kelly, and Sonjia Gavin, and the abiding presence and care of Rebekah Gilmore, whose staff role continues among children and youth as choir school director and interim youth minister. And, I have complete confidence in you. We have learned and grown so much together these past 3 and a half years.
God’s spirit moves mightily in this community among you and your children. Trust that!
I do. It has been a humble honor and a privilege to cross so many thresholds with you, and see God revealed in our midst.
Ash Wednesday will look and feel different this year, but its meaning is more relevant than ever. In this brief (4-minute) video, Dean Thomason explores the significance of this observance, and invites you to fully participate from home.
As the Dean says in the video, small containers of ashes are now available to be picked up from the cathedral office—drop by during normal opening hours, weekdays 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., between now and February 17. (Come to the Hoerster Annex entrance and ring the bell on the call box.)
However, as an alternative, all are invited to collect dirt from the earth, from your own garden or form a place meaningful to you, to use in this ritual instead.
Stay tuned for further invitations for observing a holy Lent from home.
The schedule of Lent and Easter special liturgies, events, and opportunities can now be found on the Lent, Holy Week, and Easter 2021 page on the cathedral website. There are some events that are still being finalized, so check back for more information as the season unfolds.
Highlights include:
Ash Wednesday, February 17, livestream services at noon and 7 p.m.
Palm Sunday, March 28, livestream service at 11 a.m.
Maundy Thursday, April 1, livestream service with at-home component at 7 p.m.
Good Friday, April 2, services at noon and 7 p.m.
The Great Vigil of Easter, April 3, livestream service at 8:30 p.m.
Easter Sunday, April 4, service at 11 a.m. plus a new sunrise Service at 7 a.m.
Quartets resume February 17, at the 7 p.m. Ash Wednesday liturgy.
After a three-month hiatus during which only vocal soloists were permitted to sing during religious services, updated guidelines now once again allow small groups of singers to sing in harmony. (See Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 20-25.12 and the updated Religious and Faith-Based Organizations reopening guidance.)
While the updated guidelines allow for choirs of up to 15, livestreamed services at Saint Mark's will feature a quartet of singers beginning with the evening service on Ash Wednesday, February 17, with the possibility of larger groups of singers in the future. Singers will be spaced widely apart, and will remain masked at all times.
The Compline Choir has made a similar decision. Live broadcasts with a quartet of singers resume on February 21.
Keep an eye on the Reopening Planning webpage for the most up-to-date information.
All pray together:
Conclude by saying or singing the evening hymn, known as the Nunc dimittis or “Song of Simeon,” one of the oldest Christian hymns.
If dinner follows immediately, say together the mealtime blessing for Lent: 
