Join the community of Saint Mark’s in blessing and welcoming several new members of the Body of Christ when they are baptized on Sunday morning, August 8. This year, we will observe the Feast of the Transfiguration and have a special baptismal feast day to accommodate those whose baptisms were delayed by COVID. This is in addition to the four baptismal feast days designated by the Book of Common Prayer: Easter Vigil, Pentecost, All Saint’s Day, and the Baptism of Our Lord.

Please note that incense will be used at the 11 a.m. service. The 9 a.m. service will be incense-free.

SUNDAYS, STARTING AUGUST 1, 7–9 P.M., on the outdoor labyrinth in front of the cathedral

The outdoor labyrinth has been a treasured resource for many in the cathedral community and the broader neighborhood, more than ever during the closure of the cathedral building. Now, while the evenings are long and warm, the organizers of Saint Mark's Labyrinth Ministry invite everyone to an informal community labyrinth gathering on Sunday nights. Drop by any time between 7 and 9 p.m. Ministry members will be on hand to talk about the history, meaning, and spiritual significance of the Labyrinth.

On August 1, 8, and 15, you are welcome to stay until 9:30 p.m. and listen to the radio broadcast of the Office of Compline together. Beginning August 22, you are welcome to stay and attend Compline in person! Please contact Walter Stuteville with questions, or if you'd like to help out: wstuteville@comcast.net

Earlier this year the committee, with vestry approval, engaged a developer to submit a proposal for redevelopment of the St. Nicholas property. (Read more about that process here.) Following a four-month period of due diligence and building study, the proposal was received in June for redevelopment of St. Nicholas into market rate condominiums. The committee was disappointed with the valuation of the property in the proposal and was concerned with the lack of alignment between market rate housing and the cathedral’s mission.

The committee recommended to the vestry that we not proceed with this proposal at this time, but instead explore more deeply two alternative uses: 1) affordable housing and 2) preserving the building for eventual expanded parish use. The vestry unanimously concurred with that plan.

We will take the next 6–12 months to study feasibility of affordable housing potential on the property while also projecting more accurate costs to address deferred maintenance, seismic upgrades, and roof replacement and how we might finance those costs through rental income, bank loan, and/or capital fundraising. Either of these alternative uses would take several years to unfold, and there is no sense of urgency to come to a decision in the short-term.

The committee remains committed to seeking the highest and best use for the property that furthers the cathedral’s mission, either on the property or with proceeds from the property to be used in ministry elsewhere. We will continue to provide updates to the parish at key points in the process. If you have questions in the meantime, please address those to Dean Thomason or to Committee Chair John Hoerster at: stnicholas@saintmarks.org

UPDATE: Due to safety considerations around gathering in one space for eight hours at a time, the cathedral has made the difficult decision to cancel the in-person gathering for CONSPIRE. All registrants will be invited to participate virtually. Please note that those who have registered through Saint Mark's will not be able to experience the interactive elements of the weekends events. (Previous years' CONSPIRE offerings have not had interactive elements.) For the full interactive experience, you will need to register through C.A.C. directly. Please contact Dean Thomason with questions.

CONSPIRE 2021: The Final in a Seven-Year Series

Me / Us / the World:
Living Inside God's Great Story

A livestreamed conference hosted locally at Saint Mark's Cathedral

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 THOUGH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

Join in person in Bloedel Hall, or from home via Zoom.

PLEASE NOTE: Bloedel Hall has reached capacity and registration is now closed for in-person participate. Register at the link below to join in virtually from home.

Advance registration required. Fee: $20, includes refreshments across the three-day conference.

UPDATE: Following the most recent directive from the Governor, once again masks are required for everyone while indoors, beginning Sunday, August 22. The announcement below is no longer accurate. 

A Message from Dean Thomason

July 28, 2021

Updated Guidance on Masks—"Recommended but Not Required"

Dear friends,

There is a saying in health care: “the only constant is change…” The pandemic has required much of us, but perhaps above all it has required us to be nimble and adaptive as the circumstances change. It is no secret that our nation has not topped this hill on COVID just yet, largely due to a confluence of factors—the arrival of new variants, many choosing to remain unvaccinated despite sound science, and increased activity including travel and public gatherings.

Last Friday King County public health officials recommended all of us resume wearing masks when gathering indoors for public events. Some of us did so last Sunday, and I will ask the liturgical ministers to model the recommendation beginning this Sunday. Tuesday the CDC made a similar recommendation for regions with high infection rates, including Seattle. It is worth noting these are recommendations, not requirements, for vaccinated persons, and I write here to communicate the same language for all public gatherings at Saint Mark’s, including worship services. We recommend all persons wear masks when together, including all who are vaccinated. We will not require it unless the directive from public health officials adopts that language, which they may very well if we do not reverse the trend in infection rates.

Please note: the distanced section on the south side of the nave has plenty of space for additional people to be seated there. All should be masked and distanced in that section regardless of vaccination status. For the rest of the nave, where vaccinated persons may sit who choose not to be distanced, we recommend you wear you mask, but that is your decision at this time.

I know this is a frustrating setback, and you may feel you are being adversely impacted for the irresponsibility of others, but we are in this together, and there is a sense of taking on this extra burden now, to avoid a heavier burden later. Be safe, please, and take care.

Blessings and peace,

The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector

POST UPDATED WITH VIDEO

SUNDAYS, JULY 18 & 25, 9:30 P.M., broadcast/livestream only

In the summer of 2019, the Office of Compline was chanted by an ensemble of women for the first time in the six-decade history of Compline at Saint Mark's Cathedral, Seattle.

These beautifully-sung services were deeply moving to many. In the word of choir director Rebekah Gilmore, "We have many decades—generations worth of women who have wanted to sing Compline at Saint Mark's." And so the decision was made to make the Women's Compline Choir an annual tradition at Saint Mark's each summer. (In the summer of 2020, of course, a gathering of the full choir was not possible, and the Women's Compline Choir was represented by just four solo voices.) See photos and video from previous year's services below.

But now, in 2021, the full complement of 18 singers will return to chant the office at 9:30 p.m. on July 18 and 25.

Due to the unique nature of the Compline service and its congregation, the liturgy remains closed to public at this time. Please join the service via live radio broadcast on KING-FM 98.1 or king.org, or via livestream video at saintmarks.org/livestream, YouTube, the cathedral's Facebook page, or the Compline Choir's Facebook page.

Like the services in 2019 and 2020, these services will feature the world premiere of new works specially commissioned for the occasion from local composers. The service on July 25 will feature two new works by local composer (and former Compline Choir member) Jeff Junkinsmith.

In addition, the services will include music by contemporary Canadian composer Stephanie Martin, professor at York University in Toronto, former organist of the Church of Mary Magdalen (the position once held by Healey Willan), and founder of the noted women's choral ensemble Schola Magdalena.