Saint Mark's Cathedral - Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral

“Exploring Indigenous Theology” with The Rev. Canon Mary Crist. Ed.D.

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on September 16, 2022 with 7 Comments

UPDATED WITH VIDEO, SLIDES, AND RESOURCES

Exploring Indigenous Theology: Two-Eyed Seeing, Vision Quests, and Sacred Stories

A Saturday morning workshop offered by The Rev. Canon Mary Crist, Ed.D. (Blackfeet)

Co-sponsored by Saint Mark's Cathedral and the Office of the Bishop of the Diocese of Olympia.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2022, 9:30 A.M.–12:30 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall or online via Zoom. Free, but registration required for either option.

Dr. Crist extends this invitation to join the workshop:

"Did you know that the Episcopal Church has over 400 years of history with Indigenous people in North America? Did you know that many Indigenous spiritual beliefs are compatible with those of Jesus? How can we make it possible for Indigenous people to be Christians and to honor the spiritual practices of their ancestors at the same time? How can we use “two-eyed” seeing, vision quests, and sacred stories to explore Indigenous theology? We will explore these questions and others in our time together. Participants will learn what Indigenous leaders in the Episcopal Church have to say about being both Native and Christian and how theological education is expanding to broaden the preparation of church leaders. Bring your own stories and questions to share in this workshop grounded in the narrative tradition."

The Rev. Canon Mary Crist, Ed.D. (Piitaki/Eagle Woman) is enrolled Blackfeet from the Douglas family in Montana. She is a priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles serving at St. Michael’s Ministry Center in Riverside. Dr. Crist serves on the Presiding Bishop’s Staff as the Coordinator of Indigenous Theological Education in the Department of Ethnic Ministries. She is a Visiting Professor of Education and Indigenous Studies at Bexley Seabury Seminary in Chicago. She has earned the Doctor of Education from Columbia University in New York, Master of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology, Master of Education from Pan American University, and Bachelor of Arts from the University of California Berkeley. She is the author of the articles “Frybread in Canaan” and “Native Christian Perspectives on Reconciliation,” both published in the First Peoples Theology Journal, as well as various articles in early childhood education, special education, and online instructional design. In 2022 she was named a Woman of Distinction for Province VIII by the National Episcopal Church Women.

UPDATE:

Download the slides from the presentation (pdf) here: Exploring Indigenous Theology Presentation Slides

Note: some slides in the presentation contain video, which are not included in the pdf version. Videos played include:

"Two-Eyed Seeing" from Cape Breton University
Introduction to The Four Vision Quests of Jesus with The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston (Choctaw)
Story and Prayer by Chief Earl Old Person of the Blackfeet Nation

The personal essay by The Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton referenced in the presentation may be found here: The Cultural Conundrum of the Indigenous Christian

A complete video may be seen below:

Reflections on the Pilgrimage to Iona and the Celtic Missions

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on September 14, 2022 with No Comments

UPDATED WITH VIDEO

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 6:45–8:15 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom. Optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($6/child; $8/adult; $25/max. family).

Join Dean Thomason, Canon Daugherty, and participants from July’s pilgrimage from Saint Mark’s as they share a bit of their experience and spiritual gleanings while also inviting everyone present to share experiences of sacred travel and why this is an important spiritual practice for all people. A preview of a potential pilgrimage to Ireland will also be shared. All are welcome.

Canon Daugherty's slides from her presentation may be seen here (pdf).

A complete video may be seen below:

Dean Thomason on the Meaning of the Legacy of Queen Elizabeth II

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on September 14, 2022 with No Comments

UPDATED WITH VIDEO

The Queen, Colonialism, and the Anglican Communion: Connections, Heritage, and Hope in a New Era

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 6:45 p.m.–8:15 p.m., in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom. Optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($6/child; $8/adult; $25/max. family).

Join Cathedral clergy and canons for a reflection and conversation on our experience of Queen Elizabeth’s recent death and funeral, the connections we share as Anglican Christians, the challenges of colonial realities of the British Empire, and what we see unfolding in the global arena of 21st Century geopolitical landscapes.

Dean Thomason has written a reflection on the meaning of Queen Elizabeth's legacy, which may be read below.

UPDATE: A complete video is now available:

A REFLECTION FROM DEAN THOMASON

A Queen and the Project of Democracy

Dear friends,

In the days since Queen Elizabeth died, I have received several inquiries about what we at Saint Mark’s Cathedral planned to do. Some had an expressed need for formal ritual to honor this woman of remarkable grace and fidelity to her role; others found it troubling that a monarch who epitomized the colonialist structures of a fading empire would be regarded at all. I will admit being a bit amused by the machinations other cathedrals and churches undertook to have special services, watch parties, and the like.

For our part, we split the difference: we commended her in our prayers on Sunday morning September 11, while the Compline Choir devoted parts of the service of compline that evening to special intentions for the Queen. It felt like a Via Media approach worthy of our Anglican heritage.
I am no royalist, but I fervently believe we pray for those who have died, as we did for Elizabeth, using her full name, Elizabeth Mountbatten-Windsor, as we did for her husband Philip last year. Her name was read alongside others’ names—in our baptismal and resurrection theology, no one person is more important than others. We buried my sister-in-law on September 8, the same day Elizabeth died, and I was preparing for a parishioner’s funeral at Saint Mark’s two days later. These others were no less important to observe than a queen’s.

But the energy given this particular queen’s death amidst the pomp and circumstance of royal customs surrounding her funeral provides an opportunity to reflect on what is really involved for us as we gaze upon the ritual from a distance—from a country that fought a war to separate ourselves from this imperial throne. We can have it both ways (independent yet with bonds of affection), but we should give considerable thought to what it is in this moment that draws us into this queen’s orbit.

Rowan Williams offers a fine reflection on the ways her life and work as monarch were sacramental, grace-filled and faithfully exercised. The invitation is to see not just Queen Elizabeth’s life in that light, but how we might see ours alongside such an invocation of the Spirit to speak into our lives as faithful enterprise.

Serge Schmemann wrote an opinion piece in the September 11 issue of the New York Times: “To function in an otherwise normal democracy, a hereditary monarchy requires that the citizenry accept a bit of fiction — namely that one family, standing above politics, can represent the nation and its values.” What is it about royalty that captures our imagination, and why?

And Hari Kunzru wrote in the same issue: “the British elite have always understood that the monarchy is a screen onto which the people project their own fantasies.” What does that mean for us as Americans?

There are 56 countries in the British Commonwealth; 14 of those are constitutional monarchies (including Canada) who will now replace their queen’s image from their currency with their new king’s. There is already talk about which of those nations may choose this time of transition to reflect on what has been, and how they may orient to a different polity. I pray that work is guided primarily by principles of justice for all their citizens. To be sure, we have work to do in this regard as well.

None of us choose the family into which we are born. Elizabeth was born wealthy, and when called upon to serve as queen, she did so with courage and commitment to her people. She did not seek the throne. I believe history will account for her effort as one of faithful devotion in which she sacrificed her ego in the cause of service to her society. And perhaps that is the image worthy of emulation—servant to the larger project of democracy, just society, and the common good. May we have the grace and courage to be such servants here and now.

Blessings and peace,

The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector

Compline in Memory of HM Queen Elizabeth II, Sept. 11, 2022

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on September 11, 2022 with No Comments

The Order of Service and repertoire may be found at: complineunderground.wordpress.com/2022/09/10/compline-2022-in-memory-of-her-majesty-queen-elizabeth-ii-1926-2022/

September 11, 2022 • In memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022)

ORISON: Holy is the true light – William H. Harris (1883-1973)

PSALM 121 – H. Walford Davies (1869-1941)

HYMN: I vow to thee my country (Tune: Thaxted) – Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

NUNC DIMITTIS (ATB/ATB) – Charles Wood (1866-1926)

ANTHEM: Beati quorum via – Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924); arr. Richard Barnes

Jason Anderson, director • James Wilcox, cantor • Joel Matter, reader

Thanks to this evening's Compline volunteers—hospitality ministers Maria Drury and Ray Miller, and videographer Micah Hayes.

Compline at Saint Mark's Cathedral has been a Seattle tradition since 1956. All the singers are volunteers. Learn more at: https://saintmarks.org/worship/compline/
and: https://complinechoir.org/

The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on September 11, 2022 with No Comments

Funeral Liturgy for Dr. Margaret Gaines

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on September 10, 2022 with No Comments

New Children’s Worship Bags

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on September 7, 2022 with 1 Comment

New purple bags with color-coded tags (pink for toddlers, blue for preschoolers, yellow for elementary ages) filled with items to connect kids to worship are ready for this Sunday, September 11!

Pick them up in the narthex and return them there when you leave. Each contains age-appropriate materials such as a clipboard with a children’s lectionary-based bulletin, a finger labyrinth for older children, a lacing lamb for younger ones, and Montessori hand kites with ribbons in liturgical colors for responding to the music.

Candlelight Prayer with Music from Taizé | September 6, 2022, 7 p.m. | Saint Mark’s Seattle

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on September 6, 2022 with No Comments

Compline on the 13th Sunday after Pentecost, 2022

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on September 4, 2022 with No Comments

The Order of Service and repertoire may be found at: complineunderground.wordpress.com/2022/09/04/compline-2022-the-thirteenth-sunday-after-pentecost/

September 4, 2022 • The 13th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 18C)

ORISON: The shadows of the evening hours – Joshua Haberman (b. 1982)

PSALM 1 – Jason A. Anderson (b. 1976)

HYMN 662: Abide with me (Tune: Eventide) – William Henry Monk (1823-1889)

NUNC DIMITTIS – Plainsong setting, Tone VII; harm. Lodovico Grossi da Viadana (c. 1560-1627)

ANTHEM: Salva nos, Domine, vigilantes – Jacob Handl (1551-1591)

Jason Anderson, director & cantor • Gregory Bloch, reader

Thanks to this evening's Compline volunteers—hospitality ministers Robin Ethridge and Jim Buskirk, and videographer Michael Seewer.

Compline at Saint Mark's Cathedral has been a Seattle tradition since 1956. All the singers are volunteers. Learn more at: https://saintmarks.org/worship/compline/
and: https://complinechoir.org/

Celebrating 10 Years of Steve and Kathy Thomason’s Ministry at Saint Mark’s Seattle

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on September 4, 2022 with 40 Comments

Steve and Kathy Thomason's first Sunday at Saint Mark's, Seattle, was September 2, 2012. The community of Saint Mark's Seattle recognizes with joy and gratitude ten years of their presence in this place, and of Steve's leadership of the cathedral community.

Everyone is invited to add their voice to the community's expression of thanks by leaving a comment of any length, at the bottom of this post.

Your email address will not be shown. If this is your first time leaving a message on saintmarks.org, your comment will be held temporarily for moderation.

Wednesday Night Community Dinner Resumes

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on September 1, 2022 with No Comments

One of the first cathedral offerings to be suspended in March of 2020 was the treasured community supper, offered most Wednesdays for several years as part of the regular Wednesday night suite of offerings. Now at last we are able to gather for this shared meal once again, created by the team led by Chef Marc Aubertin.

Wednesday evening offerings begin with in-person Evening Prayer in Thomsen Chapel at 6 p.m. Dinner is served in Bloedel Hall from 6 to 6:30 p.m. (Health regulations require that food service ends promptly at 6:30.) A faith formation offering or other community activity usually follows at 6:45. For the first dinner, on Wednesday, September 14, there will be no Cathedral Commons offering—they begin one week later with Dean Thomason's presentation on embodied spirituality on September 21 (see bel0w). But the dinner will have all its usual energy provided by the kids of the Choir School, whose rehearsals are immediately before or after the meal. The cost of the meal, payable in cash at the door or electronically, is now: Child/$6, Adult/$8, Family max/$25.

Note: One beloved element of the Wednesday community meal that will sadly not be resuming are Jim Green's delicious salads. For several years he personally made the salad for the dinner each week. Jim died last May, and the UW Department of Anthropology recently published this moving remembrance.

Luke Abdow Called as Seattle Service Corps Program Director

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on August 31, 2022 with No Comments

Dear friends,

It is my great delight to announce that Luke Abdow has accepted the call to serve as Program Director for the Seattle Service Corps and as staff support for the vibrant 20s & 30s ministry group.

Luke is a native of Massachusetts and served as a fellow in an Episcopal Service Corps program in Boston for two years, 2016 to 2018. Prior to that he served in the Fulbright Scholars program as an English teacher in Senegal, and he has experience as a community organizer, a food service worker, and a chef and baker. He comes to Saint Mark’s from nearby North Bend, where he is the Food Services Director and Head Chef at Rainbow Lodge Retreat Center. He was a researcher and co-author of the Racial Justice Audit of the Episcopal Church, which is part of the broader church-wide initiative, Becoming Beloved Community: The Episcopal Church’s Long Term Strategic Commitment to Racial Healing, Reconciliation, and Justice. He is a 2014 graduate of Tufts University with a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies and Community Health. He will begin his role at Saint Mark’s Cathedral in early October.

Mr. Abdow’s call is the culmination of a robust search process in which an extraordinary committee of gifted leaders of Saint Mark’s diligently worked with an excellent pool of applicants, prayerfully discerning unanimous support for Luke’s call. I am very grateful to committee members Scott Hulet, Fraser Reach, Hannah Hochkeppel and Lynette Hatscher, and to Canon Barrie for guiding the process. I hope you will join me in thanking them for their good work, and please join me in welcoming Luke to the Saint Mark’s community. I am,

Gratefully

The Very Rev. Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector

Compline on the 12th Sunday after Pentecost, 2022

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on August 28, 2022 with No Comments

The Order of Service and repertoire may be found at: complineunderground.wordpress.com/2022/08/28/compline-2022-the-twelfth-sunday-after-pentecost/

August 28, 2022 • The 12th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 17C)

ORISON: O Christ, you are both light and day – Tune: COMPLINE by David Hurd (b. 1950)

PSALM 112 - plainsong, Tone I.7

HYMN: Thy kingdom come on bended knee - Tune: ST. FLAVIAN, melody from Day's Psalter, 1562; adapt. and harm. Richard Redhead (1820-1901)

NUNC DIMITTIS – "Marilyn" setting, Peter R. Hallock (1924-2014)

ANTHEM: Visita quaesumus Domine – William Byrd (1540-1623)

Jeremy Matheis, director • Joel Matter, reader • Derek Curtis-Tilton, cantor • William Turnipseed, organist

Thanks to this evening's Compline volunteers—hospitality ministers Priscilla Strand and Ray Miller, and videographer Kathy Wickward.

The Holy Land: What’s Next?

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on August 26, 2022 with No Comments

A Conversation Among Faith Leaders Witnessing to Peace and Justice in Israel-Palestine

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1–4 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall or online via Zoom. Free, but registration required for either option.

The Mideast Focus Ministry of Saint Mark's Cathedral, the Bishop’s Committee for Justice & Peace in the Holy Land, and Kairos Puget Sound Coalition present this symposium, which brings together prominent voices from different religious backgrounds to ask where the struggle to achieve justice and peace in the Israel-Palestine goes from here. Participants will include:

Rev. Naim Ateek – Founder, Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center
Rev. Richard K. Toll – Founding Exec. Director, Friends of Sabeel North America
Rev. Don Wagner, former National Program Director, Friends of Sabeel N.A.
Jonathan Kuttab, Executive Director, Friends of Sabeel North America
Mark Braverman, Ph.D. - Executive Director, Kairos U.S.A.
Alice Rothchild, M.D. – Jewish writer and social activist for peace
Ranna Harb – Co-Founder, Falastiniyat (Palestinian diaspora collective)

UPDATE: A complete video is now available below:

Radix 8: Creation, Community, and Connection

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on August 25, 2022 with No Comments

UPDATED WITH VIDEO

The Return of The Radix Project

OPENING PLENARY: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2022, 6:30–8 P.M., online via Zoom ONLY

(Note: This presentation will NOT be offered in person in Bloedel, as previously announced.)

The Radix Project is an opportunity to gather in small groups, share their stories, reflect on Holy Scripture and sacred art, and pray for one another with intention. The project was created to provide a way to connect in a setting that fosters trust, so that our relationships with God and one another are strengthened. This fall, the theme for Radix 8, Creation, Community, and Connection, will draw from scriptures that invite us to consider how creation itself may inform our relationship to God and each other. All are welcome and encouraged to join the opening Plenary Presentation with Dean Thomason and the Radix Project team, whether or not you plan to participate in the small groups.

SMALL GROUPS MEET: ONCE A WEEK STARTING THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 18, THROUGH THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 23. (Sunday groups conclude on October 30.)

Deadline to register for a small group: Tuesday, September 13, 2022. Click here to download the participant packet (pdf), containing guidelines, scripture selections, discussion questions, and accompanying visual art. Learn more about Radix groups and see video and materials from previous iterations here. Questions? Email radix@saintmarks.org

A complete video of the opening plenary may now be seen below:

Compline on the 11th Sunday after Pentecost, 2022

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on August 21, 2022 with No Comments

The Order of Service and repertoire may be found at: complineunderground.wordpress.com/2022/08/21/compline-2022-the-eleventh-sunday-after-pentecost/

August 21, 2022 • The 11th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 16C)

ORISON: Christe, qui lux es et dies – Plainsong, arr. Kevin Seigfried (b 1969)

PSALM 103 – Plainsong, Tone VIII.5

HYMN: Te lucis ante terminum

NUNC DIMITTIS – Two-part setting with handbell – Richard Proulx (1937–2021)

ANTHEM: O bone Jesu – Claudio Monteverdi

Jeremy Matheis, director • J. Scott Kovacs, reader • Ken Peterson, cantor

Two Important Ministry Surveys

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on August 19, 2022 with No Comments

The Needs and Hopes of Families with Children and What Happens After the 20s/30s Group?

The Children and Families Committee has a survey for parents, grandparents, and caregivers about faith formation and community building for kids and their adults. We'd love to learn what you are hoping for! Find the survey here:

https://forms.office.com/r/se0nRia2RH

What might be next for those who are moving on from the 20s/30s Group at Saint Mark's? The cathedral leadership is eager to hear what you need and what you'd like. Here's the link:

https://forms.office.com/r/WG8Qc1cFPC

Conversations About Gratitude

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on August 18, 2022 with 3 Comments

This year's annual Stewardship campaign will occur in October as usual, but as a "prelude" to Stewardship season the members of the Stewardship Committee, led by Junior Warden for Stewardship Chris Rigos, invite all to participate in a five-week conversation about gratitude.

Each week, a broad question to stimulate mindfulness of and reflection on gratitude will be posted. In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul writes: “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus towards you.” —let's explore this mindset together. The Stewardship Committee believes that a heightened awareness is the best way to thoughtfully begin our formal stewardship season in October. Everyone in the community is invited to write replies to each week's prompt.

The members of the Stewardship Committee—Greg Simon, Amanda Davis, Wayne Duncan, Deborah Person, Canon Eliacín Rosario-Cruz, and Junior Warden for Stewardship Chris Rigos—are looking forward to these conversations, and thank you for your willingness to be part of this exercise. If you have any questions, please write Chris Rigos at: crigos33@gmail.com

WEEK 5—GRATITUDE FOR THE CATHEDRAL

For the last several weeks, the Stewardship Ministry has invited everyone to reflect on what gratitude or thankfulness means to you and how you experience it. We talked about how you express gratitude to yourself or others, and how you nurture that sense of wellbeing and goodwill. These abstract conversations are almost over, and we now focus hearts and minds on the here and now—Saint Mark’s formal Stewardship campaign for the year 2023 will begin on Sunday, October 2. Soon you will receive a package of Stewardship materials in the mail, and you will hear reflections from parishioners in person and on video throughout the month of October.

So, our final question involves how your developing sense of gratitude applies to this beloved spiritual home, Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral. For what are you grateful, here at Saint Mark’s? Do you experience that feeling towards the clergy, staff, preaching, liturgy, or music? Ministries of restorative justice, creation care, or intergenerational connections? The sense of community, or particular community members? Perhaps it is the core beliefs and ethos of this place. If you have been attending Saint Mark's for some time, have these feeling changed over time? Remember: “wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome here.”

As we launch into our formal Stewardship campaign, continue to reflect on the ideas shared here. As we bring this series to a close, we thank you for your thoughts and prayers, and we end with our final question: Where are you on your gratitude journey with Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral?

Please offer a response of any length in the comments at the bottom of this page, or send an email to stewardship@saintmarks.org. (Note that the first time you leave a comment, it will be held in moderation before appearing.) Thank you for participating in this conversation.

WEEK 4—SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

Every week the presenting clergy member at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral invites us by saying: “Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome here.” On Sunday, September 11, Dean Steve Thomason continued this blessing by asking us in his sermon on Sunday morning: “Where are you on your spiritual journey?”

1 Corinthians 13:11 reminds us that we are born with a developing sense of self, our world, and our place in that world. When we become adults, we “put an end to childish ways.” The same observation may apply to our developing sense of gratitude or thankfulness. In our youth, perhaps we are grateful in a purely transactional way—for an unexpected gift, a fine report card, or a dream job. Sometimes our praise and prayers of gratitude are only for the “positive” or “pleasant” things, and we nurture, perhaps unconsciously, the belief that our prayers are being answered because of our “good” behavior.

So, where are you on your spiritual journey with gratitude? Are you prayerful for the events that benefit your life and family? Are you able to give thanks for positive things that happen to others but not to you? Are justice advances in far-off places part of your gratitude list, or progress in protecting our endangered creation, or nourishing meals provided to those who are experiencing hunger?

Where are you on your spiritual journey with gratitude?

WEEK 3—DAILY PRACTICE

The Saint Mark’s Stewardship Committee continues its five-part Gratitude Conversations with a question from community member Greg Simon:

In my day job, I reply to a lot of emails—200 or more most weeks. I’ve noticed that nearly every one of my responses begins with “Thanks.” And I really do mean that. Setting aside all of the marketing spam, the messages I respond to really do deserve my gratitude. Often, someone is telling me something that I need or want to know. Or someone is telling me they’ve finished doing something that I asked for or just hoped for.

I did have the thought that I could just automate the first word of every email response. It would be simple to have every reply start with “Thanks.” In my email software, that’s under “Options>Mail>Replies and Forwards>Preface Comments With”. Starting every reply with an automated “Thanks” would look exactly the same to the person receiving my message. But it wouldn’t be the same for me. And gratitude really isn’t a transaction. While it is important for people I correspond with to feel thanked, it’s much more important for me to feel thankful.

So I still type out those letters T-H-A-N-K-S every time. Those six keystrokes add a few seconds for me to feel gratitude and consider what I’m grateful for. I hope my gratitude will grow to be ever-present – but never automatic.

What things do you do every day to cultivate gratitude? How do you make gratitude ever-present but not automatic?

WEEK 2—EXPERIENCE

The Saint Mark’s Stewardship Committee continues its five-part Gratitude Conversations with a focus how we experience gratitude and what we do with that experience.

Franciscan Father Richard Rohr talked in May 2020 about our need for a new vision when he wrote:

G. K. Chesterton spoke of the “mystical minimum” which he defined as gratitude. When we stand in the immense abundance of the True Self, there is no time or space for being hurt. We are always secure, at rest, and foundationally grateful. The grateful response for what is given—seeing the cup half full—requires seeing with a completely different set of eyes than the eyes that always see the cup as half empty. I don’t think it is an oversimplification to say that people basically live either in an overall attitude of gratitude or an overall attitude of resentment. The mystical minimum is gratitude. Everything that is given—that we are breathing today—is pure gift. None of us have earned it. None of us have a right to it. All we can do is kneel and kiss the ground—somewhere, anywhere, everywhere.

Several questions immediately rush into our consciousness. Does Rohr’s view or that of G.K. Chesterton resonate with you? How does a sense of thankfulness come upon you? Does it come to you slowly and quietly, or with a burst of speed, clarity, and whistles and bells?

What you do when gratitude fills your heart, mind, or soul? Do you rest quietly, “kiss the ground,” or rush to “go tell it on the mountain?”

WEEK 1—DEFINITIONS

The Saint Mark’s Stewardship Committee continues its five-part Gratitude Conversations with a focus on the broad importance of gratitude and its meaning to each of us.

In his 1984 book Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer: An Approach to Life in Fullness, Brother David Steindl-Rast writes: “All prayer is essentially an act of gratitude. Even the prayer of petition that boils up from some agonizing personal need includes, if it is authentic, a stated belief that ‘God’s will be done’—an expression of our utter dependence on God’s mercy.” Another author states that “gratitude is the ultimate spiritual practice.”

But what is gratitude? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary offers a definition for gratitude as “a strong feeling of appreciation to someone or something for what the person has done to help you.” Researchers writing in a 2019 article published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology propose that “gratitude stems from the recognition that something good happened to you, accompanied by an appraisal that someone, whether another individual or an impersonal source, such as nature or a divine entity, was responsible for it.”

So, what does gratitude mean to you? How it is different in different contexts?

Blessing of Backpacks, Community Picnic, and Dessert Dash

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on August 18, 2022 with No Comments

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 6–7:30 P.M.

All are welcome to a back-to-school gathering on Friday evening, September 3—to reconnect in person, have some fun together, and celebrate the amazing kids of our community. Bring a blanket and your own picnic dinner. The cathedral will provide fresh fruit, chips, and water/lemonade for everyone along with a variety of fun activities. There will also be a Lunchbox Dessert Dash (featuring cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and bars) to benefit the Seattle Service Corps and the youth of Saint Mark's. Bring your backpacks, bookbags, and briefcases to receive a blessing! Contact Canon Barrie with questions.

Easing COVID-19 Requirements at Saint Mark’s—August 17, 2022

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on August 17, 2022 with No Comments

A MESSAGE FROM DEAN THOMASON

AUGUST 17, 2022

Dear friends,

As you may have seen in the news in recent days, the CDC has promulgated new guidelines related to COVID precautions and interventions. More importantly for us locally, King County public health officials have observed a dramatic decrease in infection rates and have reduced the risk level to LOW. That change, along with the trending infection rate of less than 200 new cases daily per 100,000 population, means that Saint Mark’s Cathedral will once again make mask-wearing optional, effective today for ministry groups and for worship beginning Sunday, August 21, 2022.

Please note: we will retain the “masked and distanced” section in the south pews and transept for any who want to continue those precautions. We do so, mindful still, that there are some for whom such safeguards are important measures for their comfort in worship. We want all to feel welcome. Of course, you’re welcome to mask and sit wherever you like. For ministry groups, I hope you will extend the courtesy of asking one another your comfort level and be guided by a consensus that takes everyone’s needs into account. I know you will be gracious and gentle with one another.

Liturgical ministers will continue to show proof of vaccination and boosters since they move about in the space and interact with many persons. Of course, vaccination remains an important element of caring for ourselves, and others. I hope you will get your next booster when they become available this fall. Be assured I will do so as well.

These changes mark a shift in approach to the virus as an endemic reality with which we must learn to live over the longer term. Having just returned from Britain, where similar adjustments were made weeks earlier, I can tell you we can do this and remain a vibrant worshipping community and a beacon of hope for all who yearn for the good news we have to share. We will remain nimble, flexing in our precautions as needed, always guided by our public health officials and the data with which informed decisions can be made. But for now, let’s celebrate this as a welcome relief and an opportunity to gather as we press on faithfully. I look forward to seeing your beautiful smiles once again!

Blessings and peace,

The Very Rev. Steven L. Thomason, Dean & Rector

Sharing Meals with Tent City 3

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on August 16, 2022 with No Comments

SUNDAY EVENINGS, JUNE 19 through SEPTEMBER 4, 2:30–6:30 P.M., Bloedel Hall. Volunteer Appreciation Dinner: Sunday, September 11.

Tent City 3 arrives in the cathedral parking lot June 4, and the cathedral's TC3 meals team has been coordinating the details of their stay. The residents have decided that they would like to share Sunday dinners with us indoors in Bloedel Hall! We are thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down and share dinner with them.

At this time all the volunteer slots are filled -- check out the updates below to see how the meals are going! Please contact co-coordinators Chris Rigos crigos33@gmail.com or Maris Olsen maris.olsen@gmail.com with any questions. Thanks to all!

FINAL UPDATE! (SEPTEMBER 9):

Sunday, September 4, 2022 was our final summer dinner for our friends in Tent City 3! Our cooks and volunteers made a wonderful final dinner, and we thank Emily Meeks, Stuart Meeks, Kristen Kelly, Lynne Cobb, Connor Harrison, Scott Hulet, Mandi Mogg, Maris Olsen, and Deborah Person. Our great menu included home-made chicken pot pies, rice, salad, cake and ice cream.

This marked the conclusion of this summer’s meals with Tent City, and we thank all of our friends and supporters. Our twelve dinners seemed to go by quickly, but with many blessings for all. I am grateful for your passion and commitment. We broke some new ground with our neighbors and strengthened our own bonds of fellowship and community. Thank you all!

As Dale Evans and Roy Rogers sang in the 1950’s, “Happy Trails to you - until we meet again.”

—Chris Rigos, Maris Olsen, Deborah Person

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UPDATE (SEPTEMBER 2):

ur great thanks to our crew on Sunday, August 28! Volunteers Emily Austin, Barbara Erickson, Emily Meeks, Deborah Person, Victoria Szydlowski, and Janet Young served a fine meal and helped out on a hot summer night. The menu included baked lemon chicken and rice, salad, watermelon, and (our specialty) ice cream sundaes. We had our usual fun as we coasted into our 11th Sunday night dinner. You may see all the details in the four photos!

Our dinners continue for one final night on September 4. Please do not forget our Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on September 11 at 6 p.m. And, please know that on Sunday, September 18, we are again starting up our preparation and serving of dinners to the men at the Saint Martin de Porres Shelter down on the waterfront after a long 30-month hiatus. (We still need volunteers for September 18! Write to Chris to get involved.)

Thank you all for making this summer a great launching for a continued Saint Marks Community meals program!

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UPDATE (AUGUST 26):

Our many thanks to volunteers Brook Brayman, Scott Hulet, Joel Bendickson, Cherie Bradshaw, Jen Younggren, and Sandy Piscatello for our 10th Sunday night dinner to our Tent City guests. Our fine menu included beef stroganoff, Caesar salad, rolls, butter, lemonade, and ice cream Sundays. The photos below show all the fun!

At 15 years old, Joel helped us on our intergenerational ministry goals! Next summer we will make more plans for family involvement. We will have two more Sunday dinners this 2022 summer for our guests before they leave our parking lot with our prayers and best wishes. It has been great to watch this new ministry move from dreams to actuality. Thanks be to God!

On September 11 the ministry coordinating team will be hosting the Volunteer Appreciation dinner for all those who helped or will be helping. Please RSVP to Chris Rigos if you plan to attend the dinner on September 11; all who participated in any way are welcome!

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UPDATE (AUGUST 19):

Our many thanks to volunteers Brook Brayman, Katherine Adams, Debra Waddell, Barbara Zito, and Sandy Piscatello for our ninth Sunday night dinner to our Tent City guests. Their fine menu included beef tortilla pie, pink lemonade, and ice cream Sundays. Everyone enjoyed the meal, the conversation, and the camaraderie on a beautiful Sunday night. We will have three more Sunday dinners for our guests before they leave our parking lot with our prayers and best wishes.

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UPDATE (AUGUST 12):

Our great thanks to our crew on Sunday, August 7! Volunteers Deborah Person, Nathan Clark, Debra Waddell, Ashley Hedeen, Kathy Sodergren, Jen Younggren, Emily Arnold, and Janet Young served a fine meal and helped out on a hot summer night. The menu included baked chicken with BBQ sauce, cornbread, watermelon, and (our specialty) ice cream sundaes. We had our usual fun as we coasted into our 8th Sunday night dinner. You may see all the details in the three photos below!

Our dinners continue for four more Sundays. Our team is making plans for a great roll out next 2023 summer. We are hoping for new and continued volunteers, an improved scheduling system, budding cooks, some accommodation for families eager to join in. Our most prized possession is our dedicated volunteers who have made this summer something new. We have learned more about our guests and each other, as we have taken turns folding napkins, cleaning tables, serving in line, and chatting on every topic possible. Thank you!

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UPDATE (JULY 29):

We had another fine dinner for our tent City guests on July 24 due to the great work of our volunteers Erin Beary-Andersen, Casey Beary-Andersen, Debra Waddell, Kristine Ekman, Molly Tennis, Allison Narver, and Mark Stumpf. The menu was delicious—meat lasagna, fresh green beans, green salad, fruit salad, and ice cream sundaes!

Co-coordinators Maris Olsen and Chris Rigos are thrilled that we have completed six of our 12 Sunday night dinners with positive feedback from cooks, volunteers, and guests. Thank you all for your help and support. And, the winner is…. Actually, we are all winners, and the photo below show the fun!

NOTE: The Ministry Steering Committee is pleased to announce a Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on September 11 (following the departure of Tent City) for the volunteers who have served or will serve at the upcoming six dinners. No Saint Mark’s funds will be used for this “Thank You” to our volunteers. More information will be provided as we get closer to September 11. For any questions, please contact Chris Rigos at crigos33@gmail.com or Maris Olsen at maris.olsen@gmail.com

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UPDATE (JULY 22): Thanks to the volunteers on July 17 for another fine Sunday night for our Tent City guests. Volunteers Keiko Maruyama, Morgan Bawcom-Randall, Adam Oberstadt, Kate Causey, Kathy Albert, Nancy and Andy Valaas, Pamela Bradburn, and Heather Millar all pitched in for a smoothly-run fine dinner. Our menu was chicken Alfredo casserole, green salad, fruit salad, and brownies with ice cream. Yum!

As we reported recently, the remaining 7 weeks of Sunday night dinners are full of volunteers. Because of illness or last-minute conflicts, we may have some room for fill-ins. Co-coordinators Chris Rigos and Maris Olsen will keep those who have expressed interest informed. Email Chris or Maris with any questions.

One volunteer wrote, ”Thank you for organizing this opportunity to serve people in need.” We add our own "Thank You" to all who are making this ministry sustainable, including our dedicated church staff, clergy, and faithful volunteers who have offered endless help!

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UPDATE (JULY 15): Our many thanks for a fine July 10 dinner to our Tent City guests prepared by volunteers Kathy Albert, Laurel Petrik, Erin Beary Anderson, Cinda Madonna, and Emily Austin. Our menu included Tater Tot casserole, coleslaw, brownies, and ice cream. Our weather was fine, and all enjoyed themselves. Below you will see our photos of all the fun!

As we reported a few days ago, we have now filled all volunteer spots for the remaining seven dinners of the summer. Thank you!

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UPDATE (JULY 1): The Tent City Meals ministry co-coordinators Chris Rigos and Maris Olsen report that our second dinner on June 26 was a fun, outdoor barbecue at Leffler House with seating under the front yard trees. Our menu included grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, potato salad, fresh fruit, a chilled can of seltzer water, and ice cream. Everyone was grateful to our five volunteers Peter Snyder, Cherie Bradshaw, Linzi Stahlecker, Jen Younggren, and Barbara Erickson. A good time was had by all! One volunteer commented that sitting under the trees with a cool drink talking to a young guest was a thrill.

Next week the Steering Committee will open volunteer registration for the final seven Sunday dinners (from July 24 through September 4). We welcome new cooks and volunteers! Volunteers who will have served during the first five weeks are welcome to volunteer again, but we ask that they wait a few days to allow new persons to register. We would love to have you join us, pitch in, and enjoy the fun! Please send any questions to Chris Rigos at crigos33@gmail.com or Maris Olsen at maris.olsen@gmail.com.

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UPDATE (JUNE 24): On June 19 the Cathedral prepared and shared a fine dinner meal with our guests in Tent City 3. Our able chefs Maris Olsen and Deborah Person served sloppy joes, fruit salad, coleslaw, and ice cream to 24 guests. Our volunteers Sandy Piscatello, Kathy Albert, and Ashley Hedeen helped with set up, serving, and clean up, and then sat down to eat with our guests. Reports from our guests were positive, and they are invited back this Sunday night for a barbeque! Dinners will continue for the next ten weeks with volunteer cooks and servers. Check out some photos below! (click to enlarge)

UPDATE (JUNE 10): Tent City 3 has now arrived on the cathedral property, and the organizers of the meals have been delighted with the response to last week's call for volunteers. At list time just a few open spots remain. The total number of volunteer slots for each dinner was limited, because if too many volunteers are present, there may not be enough work for each volunteer to do. However, as this is a new experience for everyone in the context of the pandemic, the limits may be revised according to the lessons learned in the first few dinners. Please stay tuned!

Compline on the Eve of the Feast of Saint Mary the Virgin, 2022

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on August 14, 2022 with No Comments

The Order of Service and repertoire may be found at: complineunderground.wordpress.com/2022/08/14/compline-2022-the-eve-of-saint-mary-the-virgin/

August 14, 2022 • THE EVE OF SAINT MARY THE VIRGIN

ORISON: Virgin-born, we bow before thee – Claude Goudimel (c. 1514–1572)

PSALM 34:1-9 – Plainsong, Tone V.2

HYMN 278: Sing we of the blessed Mother (Tune: RUSTINGTON) – Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848–918)

NUNC DIMITTIS – Plainchant, Mode 6

ANTHEM: Ave Maria – Franz Biebl (1906–2001)

Jason Anderson, director • William Turnipseed, reader • Jeremy Matheis, cantor

Thanks to this evening's Compline volunteers—hospitality minister Ray Miller, and videographer Michael Lee.

Compline at Saint Mark's Cathedral has been a Seattle tradition since 1956. All the singers are volunteers. Learn more at: https://saintmarks.org/worship/compline/

and: https://complinechoir.org/

The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, 2022

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on August 14, 2022 with No Comments

Climate Conversations

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on August 11, 2022 with 2 Comments

THIS POST IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED. FOR UP-TO-DATE CLIMATE CONVERSAITON INFORMATION, VISIT THIS PAGE.

SECOND THURSDAYS, 6:30–7:30 P.M., online via Zoom

Looking for practical ways to reduce your impact on the environment? Saint Mark’s Creation Care Ministry is hosting Climate Conversations about everyday things in our lives. These monthly conversations will be held on environmentally-friendly Zoom on the second Thursday evening of each month.

Register to participate using this link (same Zoom link each month).

Scroll down on this page to find materials, slides, and videos of past conversations in this series.

UPCOMING CONVERSATIONS

20s/30s Mariners Game Outing

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on August 8, 2022 with No Comments

Exploring Indigenous Theology: Two-Eyed Seeing, Vision Quests, and Sacred Stories

Click to enlarge:

The slide show played before the presentation:

Steve played a brief excerpt from remarks by Phil Cousineau to the group prior to the pilgrimage. His complete presentation may be seen here:

The Queen, Colonialism, and the Anglican Communion: Connections, Heritage, and Hope in a New Era

A Queen and the Project of Democracy

Compline in Memory of HM Queen Elizabeth II | September 11, 2022

LEAFLETS

NEWSLETTER

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Support the Mission and Ministry of Saint Mark's Cathedral

The Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost | September 11, 2022, 11 a.m.

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Funeral Liturgy for Dr. Margaret Gaines | September 10, 2022, 11 a.m.

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NEWSLETTER

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Candlelight Prayer with Music from Taizé | September 6, 2022, 7 p.m.

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The Office of Compline the 13th Sunday after Pentecost | September 4, 2022

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Steve and Kathy Thomason's first Sunday at Saint Mark's, Seattle, was September 2, 2012. The community of Saint Mark's Seattle recognizes with joy and gratitude ten years of their presence in this place, and of Steve's leadership of the cathedral community.

The Office of Compline the 12th Sunday after Pentecost | August 28, 2022

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A Conversation Among Faith Leaders Witnessing to Peace and Justice in Israel-Palestine

The Return of The Radix Project

The Office of Compline the 11th Sunday after Pentecost | August 21, 2022

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The Needs and Hopes of Families with Children and What Happens After the 20s/30s Group?

https://forms.office.com/r/se0nRia2RH

https://forms.office.com/r/WG8Qc1cFPC

This year's annual Stewardship campaign will occur in October as usual, but as a "prelude" to Stewardship season the members of the Stewardship Committee, led by Junior Warden for Stewardship Chris Rigos, invite all to participate in a five-week conversation about gratitude.

WEEK 5—GRATITUDE FOR THE CATHEDRAL

WEEK 4—SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

WEEK 3—DAILY PRACTICE

WEEK 2—EXPERIENCE

WEEK 1—DEFINITIONS

The Office of Compline the Eve of the Feast of Saint Mary the Virgin | August 14, 2022

LEAFLETS

NEWSLETTER

ARCHIVES

Support the Mission and Ministry of Saint Mark's Cathedral

The Tenth Sunday After Pentecost | August 14, 2022, 11 a.m.

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NEWSLETTER

ARCHIVES

UPCOMING CONVERSATIONS