SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2:30 P.M., meet at the Discovery Park North Parking Lot
For the next intergenerational hike, we will be exploring Discovery Park! The walk will include the park's nature trails as well as the Daybreak Star Cultural Center. A brief liturgy of prayer and song will be offered on a high bluff overlooking Puget Sound. Participants in the previous intergenerational hikes have found them a fun opportunity to connect with community members in a new way.
If you plan to attend, contact Canon Barrie and she will reply with her cell phone number: wbarrie@saintmarks.org
DETAILS & ROUTE:
We’ll meet at the far end of the North Parking Lot at 2:30 p.m. (Note: This was printed as "3:20" in some place. We apologize for the typo.) Park there, or take King County Metro bus #33.
We will be hiking the Wolf Creek Nature Trail which is accessed from the parking lot. From the Nature Trail we will proceed around the Ceremonial Ponds, then to the Daybreak Star Cultural Center grounds. There we find a lookout over the Sound, high on a bluff. We’ll have our brief liturgy there.
Next, we’ll walk back toward the Cultural Center. From here we will walk the Pow Wow circle, turn right to follow the paved road to the loop trail. Follow the loop trail to the field at the top of the stairs that lead down to the North Beach, Intrepid hikers may want to take the long steep staircase down to the beach or access the Hidden Valley trail.
At this point we’ll goodbye to them and retrace our steps, crossing the paved road on the loop trail (cross another paved road) through the forest to the trail down to the North Parking lot.
The Nature Trail/Daybreak Star/North Bluff/ section of the loop trail is about 2 1/2 miles total and includes a paved staircase up to the Daybreak Star center.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do I get there? Is carpooling available? If you would like to carpool, go for it. There is not a formal carpool arrangement.
What should I bring? We definitely recommend good hiking boots, water and snacks. It’s a good idea to check out other recommended essentials. See this list and overview from REI: What to bring Day Hiking and other essentials
Can I bring my dog? Leashed dogs are permitted except on the Ceremonial Ponds trail; there is an alternate path that will allow us to arrive at the same destination, the Daybreak Star Cultural Center.
Is there a pass required? No, although parking is limited. Public transit is recommended.
ON EXHIBIT APRIL 24–JUNE 5, in the cathedral nave UPDATE: Now extended through JULY 10
SUNDAY MORNING FORUM WITH THE ARTIST: APRIL 24, 10:10 A.M., in Bloedel Hall
UPDATE: A complete video of the forum may be seen below.
OPENING RECEPTION: SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 12:30 P.M., cathedral nave
The Visual Arts Ministry of Saint Mark's Cathedral and Saint Mark's Creation Care Ministry are delighted to co-sponsor an exhibition of works by Peter Boome, Coast Salish Artist and member of the Upper Skagit Tribe of Washington State, April 24–June 5 in the cathedral nave. He works in a variety of mediums, and his exhibition at Saint Mark's will include both prints and paintings. Each of his works tells a story, and his exhibition at Saint Mark’s will explore themes including the connection between spirituality and natural world. Works on display in the nave will include new work created especially for this exhibition, a template for a mural on the Seattle waterfront displayed here publicly for the first time, large-scale works on canvas, and smaller prints and paintings. Works will available to be purchased from the artist.
Join the artist for a conversational forum at 10 a.m. between Sunday morning services on April 24, offered in person and online, and for the opening reception at 12:30 p.m. that afternoon. The reception will feature music by members of the Native Jazz Quartet.
Peter Boome is a member of the Upper Skagit Tribe of Washington State. He earned his AA from Northwest Indian College, his BAS and MES from the Evergreen State College, and his JD from the University of Washington School of Law.
Peter’s work has been aggressively sought after by collectors around the world. He has emerged as a leading Coast Salish artist, winning prestigious awards at shows such as Indian Market in Santa Fe, The Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, the Heard Museum in Phoenix and many more. Peter has worked with both new and established indigenous artists from around the country and as far away as New Zealand.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 9 A.M. to 12 P.M., cathedral nave
Do you have a beloved psalm? Join with the Evensong Choir for PSALMATHON 2022, a fundraiser for the choir’s 2022 UK Pilgrimage. Over 3 hours, we will sing 50 of our most beloved psalms, proclaiming them in a variety of musical forms. Parishioners are encouraged to sponsor one of our singers for a dollar amount per psalm or join in the singing with a sponsor of your own! Mark your calendars now; more info is to come on how the cathedral community can support the Psalmathon and the Evensong Choir’s residencies in Bristol and Chichester Cathedrals in August.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 6:45–8:15 P.M., online via Zoom ONLY; registrationrequired
You are invited! The next Liturgical Minister Training will be on Wednesday evening, May 4. We are offering this training for the first time at a Wednesday Evening Forum, and it will be online only via Zoom so that as many people as possible can attend. The format will be abridged from Liturgical Minister Trainings in past, as follows:
6:45-7:30 p.m.: Plenary and Theological Reflection led by Dean Thomason
7:30-8:15 p.m.: Breakouts by Liturgical Ministry, led by ministry leaders
All Liturgical Ministers, or those interested in joining a new ministry, are invited to attend. The goal is that everyone active in Liturgical Ministries attend one of these trainings at least every three years, so if you haven't attended one in a while, please join us! The next training will be offered again after Labor Day. Please contact sacristan Michael Seewer if you have any questions: mseewer@saintmarks.org
FRIDAY, MAY 6, 7 P.M., in the cathedral nave, registration required
This groundbreaking Christian worship event, hosted and co-sponsored by Saint Mark's, was created in 2018 by a team led by The Rev. Yolanda M. Norton (Disciples of Christ). Beyoncé Mass is a worship service rooted in womanist theology that uses the music and personal life of Beyoncé as a tool to foster an empowering conversation about Black women—their lives, their bodies, and their voices.
What if “Flaws and All” was a song about a complicated relationship with God?
What if “Survivor” spoke to how Black women thrive even as they’re undervalued and underestimated?
Beyoncé Mass is a womanist worship service. Womanism recognizes and celebrates the lives, beauty, culture, spirituality, and experiences of Black women and is committed to the survival, well-being, and wholeness of all people. The event explores how Black women find their voice, represent the image of God, and create spaces for liberation.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 6:45 p.m.–8:15 P.M., in Bloedel Hall and via Zoom
Join Zeiad Shamrouch, Executive Director of the Middle East Children’s Alliance, as he discusses MECA’s Maia project, which is supported by Bishop Rickel and the Diocese of Olympia.
The Maia Project began in 2007 when the Student Parliament at the UN Boys’ School in Bureij Refugee Camp, Gaza were given the opportunity to choose one thing they most wanted for their school: They chose to have clean drinking water. The reason: 95% of Gaza’s water is unfit for human consumption. Since then The Maia Project has completed 73 water purification and desalinization projects, bringing clean water to 90,000 children in Gaza.
The Middle East Children’s Alliance is a nonprofit organization working for the rights and the well-being of children in the Middle East.
Each year at the Easter Vigil, the choirs of Saint Mark’s gather in the gallery to sing a special anthem at the Offertory, as we turn into the first Eucharist of Easter and hold for a moment the splendid ways that God is working out divine purpose in our lives, and in the world. It is a setting of a Kyivan/Kievan chant melody written by the Russian composer Pavlev Gregorievich Chesnokov more than a century ago, and it is a favorite of many. For me, it marks the moment Easter speaks deep down into my soul. Music does that; this piece does especially so.
The text of the anthem is simple, lifted from one verse of Psalm 74, which when transliterated from Church Slavic to the Latin alphabet reads: Spaséniye sodélal yesí posredé ziemlí, Bózhe. Allilúiya. These are the words the choir sings. In English, it means:
Salvation is made in the midst of the earth, O God. Alleluia.
We sing of God’s acts of healing right in our very midst, and our response is a sublime Alleluia—a superlative expression of thanksgiving. We need not understand resurrection fully on this side of the grave to know this joy, this referential point in our lives oriented to God who is doing great things!
Chesnokov wrote this in 1912, on the eve of the capitulation of Russia’s last tsar. It would be one of his last sacred compositions before being forced by Soviet reformers to abandon that and turn to secular music for his final three decades of life. (He would never hear the piece performed, and would die of malnutrition during WWII.) He wrote this hopeful music against the backdrop of violence and bloodshed in his native land.
I am mindful this Easter, as the drumbeat of war in the same region weighs heavily on our hearts, we still sing this song, and let its grace pour into our hearts as healing balm once more. If Chesnokov could create this exquisite and hopeful work during such troubled times, surely we can lean on it in our time for solace and strength.
The brilliant piece bears a patient ferment of hope, unrushed, girded by bass tones that afford a certain foundation on which to stand and trust that God is up to something, even if we cannot see it fully just yet. Salvation is made in the midst of earth—not heaven, not in the afterlife only, but in the midst of the earth—here and now, by God, for all the earth to experience. For you and me. That is the gift of Easter, of resurrection hope, of Christ come among us, and rising from the dead, the first fruits of this new life offered freely to all.
And so we make our song, even at the grave: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
I invite you to listen to the choir sing our way into Easter. May your season of Easter celebration be one of patient ferment of hope in God’s movement in your life, and in this world of ours so famished for such good news.
The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector
It’s Shrove Tuesday, aka Mardi Gras—the night before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. As I’m waiting for a friend, a message on my phone alerts me to the information that it’s World Water Day. Water scarcity in the West Bank and Gaza is an issue I’ve explored in some detail, beginning with my first trip to Israel-Palestine some ten years ago with friends from Earth Ministry.
The water situation there hasn’t changed much since then. As Amnesty International reports, soon after Israel occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, in June 1967, the Israeli military authorities consolidated complete power over all water resources and water-related infrastructure in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). Of the water available from West Bank aquifers, Israel uses 73%, West Bank Palestinians use 17%, and illegal Jewish settlers use 10%. While 10-14% of Palestine’s GDP is agricultural, 90% of them must rely on rain-fed farming methods.
I’ve not been to Gaza—it’s next to impossible to get in since its border has been controlled by Israel—but I have friends who endure the reality of life over there, where the water is essentially undrinkable, primarily because of the destruction of sewage plants during Israeli attacks. A recent report sums up the hard news.
We all have a chance to learn something about this through a Wednesday night forum on April 20th featuring staff from The Middle East Children's Alliance. They[1] will lead a discussion about the Maia Project that brings clean water to schools in Gaza by installing filtration systems. It’s a project endorsed by our Bishop; members of the Bishop’s Committee and the Cathedral’s Mideast Focus Committee are working at raising awareness and funds.
It's all part of what we’re calling Mutual Ministry: the recognition that we do not work in silos but that, for example, Creation Care connects directly with issues of environmental injustice, which in turn connects with ongoing racial injustice. And all of it calls us because of a love for a world seeded into us by the love given to us by Christ.
There are no borders in the geography of Jesus.
The next night, Judy and I go to the Cathedral for the Ash Wednesday service and listen to Eliacin give the homily, where he beautifully connects the mark of ash on the forehead received tonight—from dust you came, to dust you return—to the mark of oil on that same forehead that will come for the newly baptized at the Easter Vigil. Which this year will include my grandson Walter, who will be baptized at the Vigil at Saint Mark’s in the Bowery in New York. The hand of the priest, flesh on flesh, the sign of the cross.
You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in baptism and marked as Christ’s own forever.
From death and a desert wandering to new life, rising up out of the waters in a resurrected body that is not simply one’s old body but is every body, everyone, the body of Christ, raised with Him, meaning that we’re alive in love, immortalized in and through love. The waters of baptism—often just a few drops, a handful—signify this love which cleanses and heals and, yes, restores.
We take water so much for granted until we don’t have it. But of course the beauty and power of water is at the heart of this new life, both literally in our bodily need but also aesthetically in its sheer beauty. One of the first places I felt something of this was on the Gulf Coast of Florida where my grandparents lived. At night, as a teenager, I’d leave our rented apartment and walk down to the beach and just sit there and stare out at the dark waves, the sky and stars. It was there that I first sensed that we are truly as wide as the sky.
That feeling remains every time I’m at the ocean or simply sitting at the shore of Puget Sound or a river in the North Cascades. It is as deep as the sky, older than the universe itself. What’s left is gratitude, because you know you’ve done nothing to deserve it. And you know that what you feel is a holy thing. The old life gone. Nothing left but grace.
Rising up from the ashes.
After all the years of laboring you arrive here, at this place, this Easter, with the memory of ash on your forehead, yourself as dust and yet with the love for a newly baptized grandson seeded deep inside the soil of your heart. Knowing that there is work to be done in the vineyard, in this wounded world, and knowing too that there are new generations preparing for the task. May there be rainfall and snow melt, flowing rivers and clean lakes, for those who follow us. May there be clean water.
Longtime Saint Mark's parishioner and former vestry member Doug Thorpe is Professor Emeritus of English at Seattle Pacific University.
The Night Watch at the Altar of Repose will be offered via livestream and in person this year.
After Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday, some of the consecrated bread and wine of the Eucharist are placed on the altar in McCaw chapel, where they may be a focus for prayer and meditation through the night. We remember the agony of Jesus' final night before his crucifixion, and we remember his challenge to the disciples: "Could you not keep awake one hour? Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:37–38)
All are invited to spend some time in prayer and stillness before the altar of either from home (streaming live from the nave all night) or in person (in the cathedral until midnight). Spend the time in whatever way feels meaningful to you: meditating, reading scripture or poetry, journaling, knitting or just sitting in silence.
Altar of Repose Online
The virtual Night Watch will be streamed slightly differently than the usual liturgy livestreams. It will be streamed through YouTube only. Soon after the Maundy Thursday liturgy concludes, check the cathedral's YouTube channel for the live video. A short time later, the video will also be embedded in the usual livestream page of the cathedral website—you may need to refresh the page to see it. The stream will continue live until Friday morning.
Altar of Repose In Person
If you would like to sign up for an in-person time slot between 8:30 p.m. and midnight please fill out this form. You may sign up for more than one slot, and multiple people can sign up for the same slot.
When you arrive for your time slot, please come to the Hoerster Annex doors (southwest corner of the parking lot) and ring the doorbell. Someone will come let you in on the hour and the half-hour. (If you arrive at, for example, 10:15, you will need to wait until 10:30 to enter).
The Christian mystical tradition can be deeply earthy and sensual in its yearning for union with the Divine. Hildegard of Bingen and Teresa of Avila found a wondrous God in trees and flowing water. Catherine of Siena and Ignatius Loyola were drawn by the wild energy of fire and the darkness of the cave. These mystics call us back to a “Great Conversation” with the natural world, reconnecting our spiritual lives with the earth. Renowned theologian and best-selling author Belden Lane will guide this wholesome exploration through images, storytelling, poetry, and guided meditation.
The confluence of Earth Day, the Easter Season, and springtime delight affords a spectacular opportunity to engage in conversation with nature, and through it, with God. Dr. Lane will offer four reflections:
The Great Conversation: Listening to Trees
Wilderness, Storytelling, and the Power of Place
Catherine and Teresa, Women of Spirit: Fire and Water (Feeding one’s Desire for God)
Ignatius Loyola and the Cave as Teacher
Space and time are integrated to allow contemplative time in the urban green space, journaling, and plenary conversations. Fee is $60 which includes snacks and light breakfast and lunch Saturday for those in Bloedel Hall.
The current state of pandemic safety precautions is explained in this message and video.
There will be no pre-registration or screening at the door for any of this year's services.
Masks are now optional in the cathedral building, but a "masked & distanced" section is set aside on the south side of the nave. Spaces in the masked and distanced section are limited, and available on a first-come, first served basis.
The following services will be livestreamed:
Palm Sunday 11 a.m.
Tenebrae
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday noon
Good Friday 7 p.m.
The Great Vigil of Easter
Easter Sunday 11 a.m.
All other liturgies are either in person only, or online only via Zoom, as indicated.
Holy Week is upon us, and for the first time in three years the full cycle of Holy Week liturgies will be offered in person, in their familiar form, with a full complement of musicians and liturgical ministers. Thanks be to God!
Many elements of the liturgies for these sacred days have been passed down to us from the earliest centuries of Christianity, while other elements are unique to Saint Mark's, having become beloved traditions of this community through the decades, and can be experienced nowhere else. In addition, there are some new or revised liturgies that will be offered for the first time in 2022.
The liturgies of this most sacred time are an invitation to enter more fully into the mystery of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Please participate as you feel called. Consider joining in an experience new to you. The entire community is blessed by your presence.
Sunday, April 10: PALM SUNDAY—The Sunday of the Passion
The Holy Week journey to the Cross begins with Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem, greeted by shouts of "Hosanna!" At 8 a.m., palms are distributed and blessed, and at 9 & 11 a.m. an outdoor procession follows (weather permitting). In some traditions, these Palm Sunday processions are a solemn affair, but at Saint Mark's it has been our practice to make this procession as boisterous and noisy as the original would have been. This year we welcome back The Super-Krewe, a New Orleans-style brass band, to lead the parade.
Once inside the church, the liturgy makes an abrupt turn, as we hear the entire narrative of Jesus' crucifixion as it is told in one of the Gospels. (This year, the Passion according to Luke is read.) "Palm Sunday" and "Passion Sunday" were at one time observed on two separate days one week apart, but are combined into one liturgy in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. The dramatic shift in tone marks the beginning of the solemnity that will follow in the remainder of the week.
12:15 p.m. • Bilingual Stations of the Cross Liturgy - Liturgia del Vía Crucis bilingüe • cathedral nave
A new offering this year. Following the 11 a.m. Palm Sunday Liturgy, a communal walking of the Stations of the Cross, presented in English and Spanish, structured around contemplation of the sculptural interpretations by artist Virginia Maksymowicz. Readings and prayers will alternate languages, and a leaflet with both languages will help you locate yourself in the structure of the liturgy. This will be a moving, prayerful experience, whether or not you speak Spanish yourself; in fact, experiencing these familiar scriptures and prayers in this new way may provide a new perspective and fresh insight.
Canon Rosario-Cruz will preside, with music offered by Rebekah Gilmore.
9:30 p.m. • The Office of Compline for Palm Sunday • cathedral nave and livestreamed
Compline on Palm Sunday will feature the anthem Lamentations by Peter Hallock, written in 1973 for the Compline Choir with solo cello. It will be performed by the cellist for whom the work was composed, Page Smith.
Monday, April 11: Monday in Holy Week
7 p.m. • Contemplative Eucharist • cathedral nave
On the first weekday of Holy Week, experience a special version of the Contemplative Eucharist liturgy that is offered every Sunday at 7 p.m. in Thomsen Chapel. This is a liturgy of silence and stillness, following the familiar structure of the Holy Eucharist, but with generous time for reflection, meditation, and listening to the still small voice within. If you have never experienced the regular 7 p.m. Sunday service, you are especially encouraged to attend. Meditative music will be provided by cellist Page Smith.
Tuesday, April 12: Tuesday in Holy Week
7 p.m. • Healing Eucharist • cathedral nave
This service of Holy Eucharist is offered in the cathedral nave, but with the chairs and altar rearranged to emphasize to create a more intimate experience. To the familiar Eucharist liturgy, special prayers for healing (for yourself or others) are added. There will also be the option to participate in the ancient practice of anointing and laying on of hands by a priest. Music will be offered by Canon Michael Kleinschmidt and Associate Cathedral Musician Rebekah Gilmore.
(The Interdenominational Chrism Mass on Tuesday in Holy Week, which in certain years is celebrated at Saint Mark's, will this year instead be offered at Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, April 12, 11 a.m. All are welcome.)
Wednesday, April 13: Wednesday in Holy Week
8:30 a.m. • Morning Prayer on Wednesday in Holy Week • online via Zoom only
7 p.m. • Tenebrae • cathedral nave and livestreamed
The liturgy of Tenebrae is, for many, a highlight of the liturgical year at Saint Mark's, with its plainchant psalms and laments and a cappella meditations. The liturgy for Wednesday of Holy Week as we have it today was created by combining elements of three prayer offices, originally appointed for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, containing unique elements that have inspired composers through the centuries. These elements include the chanting of portions of the Book of Lamentations, with its distinctive Hebrew letters at the beginning of each verse, sung responsories which serve as small windows into the Passion narrative, and a complete rendition of Psalm 51, known as the Miserere. It is, in the words of The Book of Occasional Services, "An extended mediation upon, and a prelude to" the events of the Triduum. The word Tenebrae means "darkness" or "shadows," and the most memorable element of the liturgy is the space itself, without electric light, which is in twilight as the service begins and is gradually engulfed by darkness as the service progresses. Music is offered by the adults of Evensong Choir.
Triduum - The Sacred Three Days
The Liturgies of the Triduum—that is, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in Holy Week—are often considered to be a single liturgy stretched over three days. They trace Jesus' journey to the tomb, gradually increasing in intensity, until the proclamation of the Resurrection at the climax of the Easter Vigil, late Saturday night.
April 14: Maundy Thursday
7 a.m. • Morning Prayers on Maundy Thursday • online via Zoom only
On this night we remember the Last Supper and Jesus' final teachings to his friends. The word "Maundy" comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning "commandment," referring to "The New Commandment," that is, Jesus' commandment to us to "love one another." (The famous text Ubi caritas—"Where charity and love are, God is there"—has its origin in this liturgy.)
This Gospel is followed by a Liturgy of Foot Washing, an enactment of Jesus' gesture of humble service to his followers. At Saint Mark's, it is the tradition to invite the entire congregation to participate in this powerful and intimate act, both washing the feet of others, and allowing your own feet to be washed. It is your choice whether to participate or not.
A service of Holy Eucharist follows the foot washing, after which the ritual Stripping of the Altar is performed. Fundamentally, this ritual is simply preparing the worship space for the next "act" of the Triduum liturgy, since on Good Friday the altar is always kept completely bare. But in the context of the Maundy Thursday, the act takes on profound symbolic resonances, reminding us of the stripping of Jesus before his scourging in the final hours before his death, the preparation of the body of Jesus for his entombment, or even the stripping bare of our own hearts. At Saint Mark's this ritual contains unique elements—you are invited to find your own meaning in this powerful, ambiguous, and unsettling act.
Music for this liturgy is offered by the Saint Mark’s Singers & Senior Choristers.
~8:30 p.m. • Night Watch at the Altar of Repose (Cathedral nave by reservation and streamed to YouTube)
The Night Watch at the Altar of Repose will be offered via livestream and in person this year.
After Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday, some of the consecrated bread and wine of the Eucharist are placed on the altar in McCaw chapel, where they may be a focus for prayer and meditation through the night. We remember the agony of Jesus' final night before his crucifixion, and we remember his challenge to the disciples: "Could you not keep awake one hour? Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:37–38)
All are invited to spend some time in prayer and stillness before the altar of either from home (streaming live from the nave all night) or in person (in the cathedral until midnight). Spend the time in whatever way feels meaningful to you: meditating, reading scripture or poetry, journaling, knitting or just sitting in silence.
Altar of Repose Online
The virtual Night Watch will be streamed slightly differently than the usual liturgy livestreams. It will be streamed through YouTube only. Soon after the Maundy Thursday liturgy concludes, check the cathedral's YouTube channel for the live video. A short time later, the video will also be embedded in the usual livestream page of the cathedral website—you may need to refresh the page to see it. The stream will continue live until sunrise on Good Friday.
Altar of Repose In Person
If you would like to sign up for an in-person time slot between 8:30 p.m. and midnight please fill out this form. You may sign up for more than one slot, and multiple people can sign up for the same slot.
When you arrive for your time slot, please come to the Hoerster Annex doors (southwest corner of the parking lot) and ring the doorbell. Someone will come to let you in on the hour and the half-hour. (If you arrive at, for example, 10:15, you will need to wait until 10:30 to enter).
April 15: Good Friday
11 a.m. • Communal Walking of the Stations of the Cross • cathedral nave
Offered in English only, this is a final opportunity to experience this liturgy together with others this year. When we reach Eastertide, the Stations will be put away until next year.
12 p.m. • Good Friday Liturgy • cathedral nave and livestreamed
7 p.m. • Good Friday Liturgy • cathedral nave and livestreamed
Recalling the suffering and death of Jesus Christ, the Good Friday liturgy is out-of-joint. On this day, no service of Eucharist is permitted. The Passion—complete story of Jesus' trials, crucifixion, and entombment—is proclaimed. While on Palm/Passion Sunday the Passion narratives of Matthew, Mark, or Luke are read, depending on the year, on Good Friday it is invariably the Passion according to John. At the liturgy at noon, the Passion is read; at 7 p.m., it is chanted by members of the Cathedral Choir.
The Passion is followed by a long series of ancient prayers known as The Solemn Collects. These prayers are traditionally accompanied by a distinctive pattern of standing and kneeling, which becomes a sort of sacred dance. Like the Passion, the Solemn Collects are read at noon and chanted at 7 p.m.
Finally, a large cross is brought into the worship space. All are invited to use this cross as as a prompt to meditate on Jesus' redemptive self-sacrifice. At Saint Mark's, this is known as The Contemplation of the Cross.
At noon, music will be offered by noted Seattle musician and improvisor James Falzone. At 7 p.m. music is offered by the Cathedral Choir, who, for the first time this year, will be joined by the Schola of the Cathedral Choir School.
(It is the tradition at Saint Mark's to offer The Sacrament of Reconciliation, also known as “private confession,” on Good Friday. If this is something you would like, please contact any member of the clergy.)
A short but powerful liturgy is appointed for Holy Saturday in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, and in recent years it has been the practice at Saint Mark's to offer it in the Chapel of the Resurrection, the space in the crypt where the cathedral columbarium is found. As this is a small space with poor ventilation, the service will be moved to the cathedral nave this year, but to an unfamiliar position within the nave. This change of venue has prompted an expansion and enrichment of the liturgy, with scripture and silence providing space to contemplate both the grief and promise of the tomb.
8:30 p.m. • The Great Vigil of Easter • cathedral nave and livestreamed
This is most solemn night of the Christian year. We begin in near-total darkness, then the Bishop kindles the New Fire with flint and steel—a primal act of creation and a symbol of the return of light and life. From the New Fire is lit the Paschal Candle, and from the Paschal candle the light is spread to the candles held by each participant. In this way a tiny spark grows to illuminate the entire cathedral.
A cantor standing next to the Paschal candle chants the Exsultet, the church's ancient proclamation of Easter. Then, in candlelight, a Service of Lessons from Hebrew scripture recounts the mighty saving acts of God in the past and his promise of redemption and salvation. In the candlelit space, the scriptures take on some of the quality of "stories told around the campfire."
When the sequence of readings is completed, Baptisms are performed—the Easter Vigil has been an occasion for baptizing new Christians since the earliest centuries of Christianity, connecting the sacrament of new birth to the commemoration of Christ's triumph over death.
At last we reach the climax of the Great Vigil, the culmination of the Triduum and of Holy Week, and indeed the goal of our entire Lenten journey—the Proclamation of the Resurrection. The cathedral is flooded with light and we sing Gloria in excelsis. At Saint Mark's, this moment is accompanied by the opening of the great doors that were closed on Shrove Tuesday—another liturgical element that can experienced nowhere else. In the now-transformed space, we hear the Gospel story of the empty tomb, and celebrate the first Eucharist of Easter. The service concludes with hymns of rejoicing.
Incense is used at this service, and music is offered by the Senior Choristers, the Schola, and the Cathedral Choir.
April 17: Easter Sunday: The Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ
8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m. • Easter Day Liturgy • cathedral nave; livestreamed at 11 a.m. only
~10 a.m. • Easter Egg Hunt • labyrinth/front lawn
The Easter Sunday Liturgy is one of light and joy. The service includes a Renewal of Baptismal Vows. Music will be offered by the Cathedral Choir with organ, brass, percussion, and hand bells. This year, the choir is joined by the brass and percussion for Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem, composed in 1982 by former Saint Mark's Canon Precentor Peter Hallock, especially for this choir and this space. The 8:30 and 11 a.m. services are identical in most ways, although incense will be used at 11 a.m. only.
Dean Thomason will preside, with music offered by Charles Coldwell, recorder.
9:30 p.m. • The Office of Compline on Easter • cathedral nave
Compline on Easter Sunday always begins with the the canticle Pascha nostrum, sung in procession with hand bells, in a musical setting by the choir's founder, Peter Hallock. The anthem in 2022 will be Jacob Handl's Haec est dies, an exuberant shout of joy.
10 p.m. • Organ by Night • cathedral nave
Canon Kleinschmidt will offer this month’s Organ by Night music following Compline on Easter Sunday, April 17. As he had planned to do on March 20, but cancelled because of illness, he will play Bach's beloved Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, and—as an expression of the unbridled joy of Easter—the famous Toccata from the Fifth Symphony by Charles-Marie Widor.
(On every third Sunday of the month, organists offer 20 minutes of music on the mighty Flentrop organ, and encourage listeners to join them in the gallery to see and hear the organ and organist up close. They are also happy to answer questions about the music and the organ itself.)
Jamie, our guest in Sanctuary since March of 2019, his wife Keiko, and their son Yoshi have shared the following message of thanks to the cathedral community, as they begin the next stage of their journey.
Dear Saint Mark's community,
After 3 years of living in Sanctuary at St. Mark’s Cathedral, Jaime is ready to transition back to our home in the Shoreline community where we built our life together.
Looking back, we did not know what our journey would be like in Sanctuary. We were desperate for ICE not to tear Jaime away from our family.
We drove to St. Mark’s that night with one backpack of toiletries and spare clothes, and we told our son that we were going camping in a special place. The truth was that we were terrified of what our life would be, all we knew was that St. Mark’s was the huge church we had seen from I-5. We were uncertain and worried if anyone in the church community would disapprove of us living on their campus. Over the years, we had experienced rejection from friends and acquaintances due to our immigration battle. The idea that a large number of strangers would be supportive of our family was unimaginable.
Hearing the words, “wherever you are in your spiritual journey you are welcome here”, immediately made us feel safe and gave us hope for the future. We learned these words are true to the St. Mark’s community, everyone opened their arms to welcome us. We are humbled by your support and the trust that you put in us. You inspired us and taught us the true meaning of community at the hardest time of our life.
Thank you so much for letting us be a part of your family and community, and for showing compassion and empathy to complete strangers.
This place, Sanctuary at St. Mark’s Cathedral, became our home during the last three long years. Our son grew from having little baby cheeks into a pre-teen boy. We have to admit it is a little frightening for Jaime to go back into society where his future is uncertain and find a purpose of his life again. But we are happy to go home. Our son recently said, “I am so excited for next week!” When we asked him why, he answered “we are going home!”
Even though Jaime’s immigration journey is far from over, we are excited to continue fighting for his rights to stay, and the possibility of his residency. Right now, we are celebrating that we can be together again as family with our heads held high. We are grateful to continue to be a part of this amazing community and appreciate each and every one of you.
UPDATE: THIS WILL NOW BE A MONTHLY OFFERING, ON THE THIRD MONDAY OF EACH MONTH, STARTING JUNE 20, 2022.
MONDAY, APRIL 18, 7:30 P.M. (immediately following Cathedral Yoga)
On the Monday after Easter, Cathedral Yoga will host a 30-minute sound bath/aural meditation by Black Moon Company, a Seattle musician and Reiki practitioner. The yoga class is offered as usual from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., and the sounds will begin shortly afterwards. You are welcome to attend the sound bath without participating in the class. Check out samples of Black Moon Company's work here.
Saint Mark's supports the Duwamish Tribe's struggle to restore their federal recognition. Click the button to learn more and sign the petition.
UPDATED WITH VIDEO
SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 6:30–7:30 P.M., in the cathedral nave and livestreamed
For over 35 years, Cecile Hansen has been the elected chair of the Duwamish Tribe. She is the great-great grandniece of Chief Si’ahl’. On Sunday, April 3, Cecile Hansen will speak at Saint Mark’s Cathedral on the efforts of the Duwamish Tribe to gain federal recognition and how faith communities and citizens of Seattle can be allies with the Duwamish in support of their cause. She will also share about environmental and cultural projects the Duwamish are engaged in currently and in the coming months, while offering an historical perspective that invites us all to honor with gratitude the land itself and the life of the Duwamish Tribe.
The forum will also provide occasion for participants to ask questions of Chair Hansen. All Saint Mark’s parishioners are encouraged to attend this important forum as we seek to deepen the relationship with the Duwamish on whose ancestral land we gather. The event will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.
In 2021, the Saint Mark’s Vestry approved a Land Acknowledgment, with counsel provided by Cecile Hansen and others in the Tribe: We acknowledge that Saint Mark’s Cathedral gathers on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish people, who are still here, and we honor with gratitude the land itself and the life of all Coast Salish tribes. The statement informs a commitment to intentional education, listening, learning, and seeking wisdom from the Duwamish with whom we seek deeper ties. Saint Mark’s Cathedral, and many of its members, also pay
Real Rent to stand in solidarity with the First Peoples of the land on which we live and gather for worship. Several groups from Saint Mark’s have visited the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center, and additional group visits will be forming in the coming weeks.
SUNDAY, APRIL 3, at the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services
Special "Friends Talking" Forum, 10:10 a.m. in Bloedel Hall, or via Zoom
It is our delight to welcome The Rev. Dr. Bradley S. Hauff as Guest Preacher April 3. In 2018 he was called to serve as Episcopal Church Missioner for Indigenous Ministries, a member of the Presiding Bishop’s staff. In his role, Hauff is responsible for enabling and empowering Indigenous peoples and their respective communities within the Episcopal Church while also guiding the broader Church in intercultural competencies.
He is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and lives in Minneapolis. He previously served as rector of All Saints’ in Philadelphia, PA, and has served congregations in Florida, Texas, Minnesota and South Dakota. Hauff holds a Master of Divinity from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary; a Doctor of Clinical Psychology from Minnesota School of Professional Psychology of Argosy University; a Master of Education from South Dakota State University; and a Bachelor of Arts, Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
The "Friends Talking" forum at 10:10 a.m. in Bloedel Hall on April 3 will feature Dr. Hauff and Dean Thomason in informal conversation, with time for those present to engage Dr. Hauff as well.
UPDATE: A complete video of the Sunday forum, along with additional resources may be seen below. Rev. Hauff's sermon may be heard here.(A transcript will be posted when available.)
Rev. Hauff has shared the following bibliography for those interested in diving more deeply into the history of Indigenous Peoples, the injustices done, and the Church’s role.
400 Years: Anglican/Episcopal Mission Among American Indians by Owanah Anderson
Jamestown Commitment: The Episcopal Church and the American Indian by Owanah Anderson
The Wisconsin Oneidas and the Episcopal Church: A Chain Linking Two Traditions edited by L. Gordon McLester III et al.
This book is a history of the Oneidas, the first Indigenous tribe with whom The Episcopal Church developed an intentional, organized mission in the 1820s, prior to their relocation from New York to Wisconsin.
Dakota Crossbearer by Mary Cochran.
The life story of the Rt. Reverend Harold Jones, Santee Sioux and first Indigenous Episcopal bishop.
That They May Have Life: The Episcopal Church in South Dakota 1859–1976 by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve
Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve is the mother of The Ven. Paul Sneve, Archdeacon in South Dakota
The Four Vision Quests of Jesus by Steven Charleston
The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston is a citizen of Choctaw Nation and a retired Episcopal bishop. While this is primarily a Christological book, there is also a good deal of history in it.
An Indigenous People’s History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz
TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 7 P.M., in the cathedral nave and livestreamed
Experience a new worship offering at Saint Mark’s: Taizé Prayer, on Tuesday, April 5 at 7 p.m. in the nave, lasting approximately 45 minutes. Four members of the Saint Mark’s community have been collaborating for the last 6 months in planning this service, and are delighted to add Taizé Prayer to the cathedral's worship life. The service on April 5 will be a one-time offering, so if you are interested in Taizé Prayer, please consider joining us in person or via live-stream to show your support. (We will discern whether to have future Taizé Prayer services based on the interest for this initial service on April 5.)
What exactly is Taizé Prayer? It is named after small village in eastern France which, for over 50 years, has been the home of an ecumenical Christian monastic community. Members of the Taizé community belong to several different Christian denominations. Catholics, Anglicans, Protestants, Orthodox and others live and pray together, share a simple life and welcome thousands of visitors who come to spend time with them every year from all over the world.
Taizé Prayer services have a strong meditative quality and are comprised of silence and song, candlelight and stillness, prayer and contemplation. The singing at Saint Mark’s service will be led by four members of the Evensong Choir, and all are invited to join in as you feel moved. We invite all who attend this service, either online or in person, to stop, pray with song and silence, and listen to the “still, small voice” within. The mind calms and the soul opens up. God speaks and the heart hears.
If you have any questions, please contact Cathedral Sacristan Michael Seewer (mseewer@saintmarks.org).
UPDATE: A complete video is available below. The service leaflet may be seen here.
The service was extremely well-received, and the text Taizé services will be offered on:
Tuesday, June 7, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, September 6, 7 p.m. (Note change from earlier announcement)
Each year at this time, all are invited to make a special contribution in honor or in memory of a loved one, in order to help underwrite the beautiful flowers and music of the celebration of the Feast of the Resurrection, which this year includes a full complement of brass and percussion for Peter Hallock's Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem, a thrilling anthem written in 1983 especially for this space and this choir.
Fill out the form below, or use the paper form in the Sunday service leaflets. Then make a gift in any amount, using the method that is most convenient for you—by check, saintmarks.org/give, or Venmo.
Contributions received by Palm Sunday, April 10, will be acknowledged in the Easter service bulletins. Contact Erik Donner in the cathedral office with questions: edonner@saintmarks.org.
On three Sundays—March 20, March 27, and April 3, 2022—Saint Mark's is gathering needed supplies for Mary's Place. Please bring your donations of disposable diapers (any size), baby wipes, travel-sized toiletries, or deodorant and place them in the large wicker baskets in the Coffee Corner, and they will be delivered to families at Mary's Place.
TWO WEDNESDAYS, MARCH 23 & 30, 6:45–8:15 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall or online via Zoom
A Forum with The Rev. Linzi Stahlecker
Over the course of this two-week series, Rev. Linzi will explore embodiment as a way to come to know and love ourselves, each other, and God more fully; discussing together why this is essential for the mission of the Church. Drawing from interdisciplinary thinkers, Scripture, and spiritual practice, Rev. Linzi will frame this series in her own life experience, participants are encouraged to notice parallels and differences from their own social location and life story.
Rev. Linzi hopes you will join her in Bloedel Hall—the series will be hybrid and you are also welcome to join via Zoom.
SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 7:30 P.M., Bloedel Hall or join in via livestream
Join the adults, teens, and kids of the Saint Mark's Evensong Choir for CHOIR UNVESTED, an evening of brilliant entertainment, gourmet desserts, and a silent auction. Enjoy delicious treats by Chef Marc Aubertin and refreshing beverages as you listen to the members of the choir sing favorites from The Sound of Music, Godspell, Pippin, and other Broadway gems.
Choir Unvested is a fundraiser for the choir's upcoming pilgrimage to Chichester and Bristol Cathedrals, England, where they will serve as choir-in-residence for one week each in August. Funds are being raised to ensure that all the members can participate regardless of their ability to pay.
Tickets are $75 (plus a processing fee), $50 of which is tax deductible. Proof of vaccination/recent negative COVID test will be checked at the door. Purchase tickets here.
To join online, purchase a ticket and a URL will be sent to you with your confirmation.
For a taste of what's in store at Saturday's UNVESTED cabaret fundraiser, check out this moment from a recent rehearsal, led by the cabaret's director and choreographer Heather MacLaughlin Garbes, featuring Evensong Choir countertenor John Garlid as Pippin (a role he seems to have been born to play!):
SUNDAY, MARCH 27, 2022, 6:30-8 P.M. (note evening time!), in Bloedel Hall or via Zoom
The St. Nicholas Exploratory Committee has completed 18 months of study and reported its recommendations to the Vestry, which has received the report and adopted those recommendations. Next step is to report to the cathedral parish. Committee members will do so in a special forum to which all are invited.
There will be a Special Parish Forum on Sunday March 27, 2022, 6:30–8 p.m. in which the St. Nicholas Exploratory Committee will present its report to the parish along with recommendations it has made to the vestry. All are encouraged to attend, either in-person in Bloedel Hall, or via Zoom. The committee was established in Fall 2020 and charged by the vestry to explore the highest and best long-term use of the St. Nicholas property.
Several potential development approaches were considered, and the committee’s report can be viewed here. Committee members will be on hand to present key findings and recommendations, which have been adopted by the vestry, and to answer questions parishioners may have. We will also discuss next steps for potential campus development. All are welcome. Questions should be addressed to Dean Steve Thomason or Committee Chair John Hoerster.
Gratefully yours,
The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector
Dean Thomason has prepared this brief (~2-minute) video message, announcing that the cathedral will resume offering the cup of wine to the entire congregation at the time of Holy Communion, on a strictly optional basis, beginning this Sunday, March 6, 2022.
TWO WEDNESDAYS, MARCH 9 & 16, 2022, 6:45–8:15 P.M. PACIFIC TIME, via Zoom only, registration required.
In the last few years, scientists have discovered what indigenous communities have known for countless generations: that the emotional and physical lives of our ancestors will fundamentally affect our emotional and physical lives as well. Yet, this concept of generational spirituality is underexplored in our faith communities. In this two part series, The Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining, Saint Mark’s 2022 Theologian-in-Residence, will explore the role of our ancestors in shaping our lives as well as how we might help heal ourselves and others. Join us for a combination of scholarship and experience in community!
Participants are invited to read Rev. Raining’s article on spiritual inheritance and gratitude here. Learn more about Rev. Raining here.
SPIRITUAL GENOGRAM
Rev. Raining has invited participants to construct their own "Spiritual Genogram" before the second session on March 16. Here some resources to guide you:
SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2022, 9 A.M.–12:30 P.M., at Saint Mark’s Cathedral
This gathering is open to all and free. The morning is designed to help us move deeply into the sacred seasons with morning prayer, centering prayer, walking meditation, and unstructured time for reflection held in shared silence. Freewill donations gratefully accepted ($10–15 suggested). For more information, contact Canon Wendy Claire Barrie.
For Christians, the Season of Lent offers a certain wisdom—that death is understood not merely as an event that occurs at the end of life, but also as an ever-present character in the story of our lives. Death is a mystery to be contemplated while we live.
For the past few years, I’ve made an annual appeal at the beginning of Lent for each adult at Saint Mark’s to undertake the work of planning your own funeral. Scores of people have done so; many have expressed how deeply meaningful this work is. If you have done so already, take time this Lent to dust off your plan, review and update it if needed. If you’ve not yet taken this work on, I exhort you to include this work this year in your observance of a holy Lent. It is indeed holy work. The clergy are happy to assist you in any way you find helpful.
Here are the documents that will serve as resources for you:
These documents are also available at saintmarks.org/funeral. Ideally, you would complete this planning form (or as much as you’d like to complete) and provide a copy to the Dean’s office, where it will be kept on file, and held in confidence, until the time it is needed (hopefully a long time from now!) Of course, you can retrieve it, amend it, or replace it at any time (and many of us do).
This year, I want to broaden this invitation to include preparation (or review) of your will. My granddaughter was born earlier this year, and her birth has prompted my daughter and her wife to prepare their wills. They are in their 30s; Kathy and I did much the same when our first child was born. It is never too soon to give thought to that part of end-of-life planning, including provision for heirs and designating legacy gifts for charitable agencies to which you are committed. Again, Lent is a particularly poignant time to undertake this work, or to conduct an annual review of your estate documents. For some with complex estates, an attorney will be needed. For others, this can be a straightforward exercise, and the Cathedral Foundation and the Diocese of Olympia have partnered withFreewill, a free online resource designed to help guide your decisions around estate planning and will preparation.
Kathy and I rewrote our wills a few years ago—maybe the fifth time in our lives—and we will review them again this Lent as a spiritual practice that evokes gratitude—for the blessings in our lives, for our children, and for Saint Mark’s, our alma maters, and other organizations we want to support with planned gifts.
This is holy work, my friends, wherever you are on the spiritual journey of life, wherever you are in the course of life. I hope you will embrace it as part of your Lenten observance.
Blessings and peace,
The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector
