Activities - Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral

Wisdom School: Wilderness Spirituality

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on November 25, 2025 with 1 Comment

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2026, 9:30 A.M.–12:30 P.M.

with The Rt. Rev. Phil LaBelle, bishop of olympia

For centuries, Christians have been following Jesus’ lead and heading into the wilderness to find God. Wilderness experiences—both those intentionally taken in the natural world and those unplanned and taken metaphorically —strip away what’s unnecessary in our lives and give us an opportunity to pay attention to the inner workings of the soul. Belden Lane suggests that while there are times when we descend into difficult times in our lives, it is then that we “may discover our greatest joy in having survived the night, in finding resources we did not know we had, falling back on a strength that was more than ours.” During this day, we’ll discuss the realities of being in the wilderness—whether a hiking trail or a difficult season of life—and contemplate how to prepare for those times with spiritual practice, discovering how we can cross the threshold from a time of descent to one of delight.

Program slides are available for download.

About the Presenter

The Rt. Rev. Philip N. LaBelle is the Ninth Bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, previously serving as rector of St. Mark’s Church in Southborough, Massachusetts. In 2024, Bishop LaBelle received his Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Seminary focused on Christian Spirituality. His thesis work explored the theology and practice of zimzum and how to make space in our overly busy lives for God, others, and the natural world. He received his MDiv from Yale University in 2004, and holds a Master’s degree in composition and rhetoric from Northeastern University and a Bachelor’s degree in English and theological studies from Gordon College. During a 2017 sabbatical, he explored wilderness spirituality, the beauty of the natural world, and the need for climate justice. Additionally, he and his family walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain, and he and Noah have summited Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Between Two Worlds: Thresholds of Expectant Hope in Advent

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on November 24, 2025 with No Comments

Cathedral Commons—Forum on The Council of Nicaea

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on November 20, 2025 with No Comments

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2025

A Cathedral Commons Forum with the Rev Canon Rich Weyls

This past summer marked the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea (325). Martin Luther considered it "the most sacred of all councils." The decrees of the Council helped us find language to describe what we mean when we say "God." We will explore the historical context of the Council while reflecting upon its rich theology in order to discover significance for today. Rather than being a list of intellectual propositions, the Council is a gift to the church and an act of praise to God.

UPDATE: The slides for this presentation can be seen here.

The handout with the original text of the Creed as adopted at the Council of Nicaea in 325 can be seen here.

Canon Rich closed the forum with a prayer to the Holy Spirit written by Pope Leo XIV in his Apostolic Letter on the occasion of the 1,700th Anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. Here is that prayer:

Holy Spirit of God, you guide believers along the path of history. We thank you for inspiring the Symbols of Faith and for stirring in our hearts the joy of professing our salvation in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, consubstantial with the Father. Without him, we can do nothing. Eternal Spirit of God, rejuvenate the faith of the Church from age to age. Help us to deepen it and to return always to the essentials in order to proclaim it. So that our witness in the world may not be futile, come, Holy Spirit, with your fire of grace, to revive our faith, to enkindle us with hope, to inflame us with charity. Come, divine Comforter, source of harmony, unite the hearts and minds of believers. Come and grant us to taste the beauty of communion. Come, Love of the Father and the Son, gather us into the one flock of Christ. Show us the ways to follow, so that with your wisdom, we become once again what we are in Christ: one, so that the world may believe. Amen.

Pope Leo's remarks at the joint liturgy in İznik (Nicaea) with Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I can be heard here.

A complete video of the forum is now available below.

2025 Alternative Gift Market!

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on November 20, 2025 with No Comments

UPDATE (December 12):

This year's Alternative Gift Market and Giving Tree raised an amazing combined total of over $12,900 in cash and gift cards for the Threshold Fund and our community partners: Casa Latina, Lambert House, Lowell Elementary, L’Arche Seattle, L’Honey Tacoma, Operation Nightwatch, and Seattle Seafarers. Plus, on top of that, a sleigh full of toys for Mary's Place and eleven warm and colorful outfits for Lowell students!

A team of more than forty people made the 2025 Alternative Gift Market a resounding success, making edible gifts, decorating and setting up Bloedel Hall, pricing items, staffing the tables, and cleaning up afterwards. Erik Donner deserves special recognition as the financial wizard responsible for tracking all the donations.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time or talents, donated or made items for the Alternative Gift Market, fulfilled the tags on the Giving Tree with purchases of toys or gift cards, or made donations to our community partners and the Threshold fund. You really made a difference, and we are so very grateful.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 10 A.M.–1 P.M. (after the 9 and 11 a.m. services), in Bloedel Hall.

You won’t want to miss this year’s Alternative Gift Market on Sunday, November 23, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Bloedel Hall. This year's market will include unique handmade items you won’t find anywhere else, a bake sale with delicious treats, opportunities to donate to meaningful causes, and more.

This event benefits our community partner organizations: Lowell Elementary School, Casa Latina, Mary’s Place, Lambert House, Operation Nightwatch/Donna Jean’s Place, Seattle Seafarers Center, L’Arche Seattle, and the Threshold Fund.

One-of-a-kind handmade items from Saint Mark’s ministries handmade items Quilt Ministry, the Ministry of Worsted Wool, and our neighbors at the Seattle Weavers' Guild
Dried flower creations from the Flower Ministry
Holy Honey from our hives, homemade cranberry sauce and elderberry syrup
Hot cider, cocoa, coffee, tea, and baked goods, hot soup and fresh rolls available for shoppers
Donation certificates to include in your Christmas cards to family and loved ones, indicating that you have given a donation to one of our community partner organizations in their honor, as a meaningful alternative to the consumer frenzy
Products from L'Honey, a ministry of St Leo's parish, Tacoma, and L'Arche Farm, Tacoma.
2025 Giving Tree

Sign up to support this great community event here—volunteers are needed to help set up the space on Friday and Saturday, or helping out during the market itself or helping to clean up on Sunday.

Another way to give at the Alternative Gift Market is to bring something new and unopened that our community partner organizations need:

Operation Nightwatch is collecting men's socks
Saint Mark's is filling Christmas stockings for Donna Jean's Place (the women's shelter on the cathedral campus) tinted lip gloss, nail polish, and purse-sized hand lotion
Mission to Seafarers needs full-sized toiletries: shampoo, body wash, bar of soap, toothpaste, deodorant, and shaving cream

Questions? Contact Canon Wendy Claire Barrie: wbarrie@saintmarks.org

Christmas Memorials and Thanksgivings, 2025

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on November 18, 2025 with No Comments

DONATIONS RECEIVED BY DECEMBER 15 WILL BE PRINTED IN THE CHRISTMAS BULLETINS.

Help underwrite the beautiful flowers and special music of the season by making a special contribution in honor or memory of someone. Please fill out the form here or below, or use the paper form inserted in your bulletin on Sunday.

Then you can make your gift online at saintmarks.org/give, or donate by check in the offering plate, to the cathedral office, or by mail (instructions may be found on the form.) Contributions received by the end of the day on December 15 will be acknowledged in the bulletins on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Contact Erik Donner with questions: edonner@saintmarks.org

The Longest Night 2025: A Service for All Who Grieve in These Days

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on November 18, 2025 with No Comments

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21, 7 P.M., in the cathedral nave

Each year Saint Mark's offers a service for those for whom the holiday season brings a mix of emotions, and for anyone for whom grief is a companion in life. The service (formerly known as "Blue Christmas") is held near the winter solstice, marking time with intention in the candlelit cathedral while holding space for those present to pray, remember loved ones, and (if desired) have anointing by the priests before we share Holy Communion.

Although the Christmas season is claimed by our culture as festive and happy, for many people it is a painful time of year. Memories of loved ones who have passed away or other losses can stir up grief and exacerbate loneliness. For those who are grappling with the loss of health or happier times, the expectation to be joyful can be difficult. And for others, preparation for Christmas stirs up a general sadness that is hard to pin down.

This service is offered in the nave, but is not livestreamed. Canon Rich Weyls will preside, Canon Emily Griffin will offer a brief reflection, and they, along with Dean Thomason and Fr. Conley will be on hand to offering anointing and prayers individually for any who would like that. All are welcome at this service, wherever you are on your spiritual journey or whatever concerns you bring.

Cathedral Commons Forum: Simple Gifts

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on November 13, 2025 with No Comments

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025

James Davidson and Molly Bosch share what they are reading, listening to and gifting this season, with a focus on what’s grounding them and giving them hope and joy. Art, music, and literature are particularly important in the current social climate, and those attending in person and on zoom are encouraged to share their personal recommendations. We’ll also talk about alternatives to the holiday consumer frenzy, as a way of making a difference locally and an opportunity to participate in socially conscious gift-giving.

Watch a video recording of the forum:

TERRA EXHIBIT: A Monumental Installation in the Cathedral Nave

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on November 4, 2025 with 12 Comments

ON VIEW MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3 through SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, in the cathedral nave. (The cathedral building is open 12–5 P.M., MONDAY–FRIDAY during the exhibit.)

OFFICIAL LAUNCH EVENT: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 5–10 P.M. Free, but registration required.

For three weeks in November, a 24-foot museum-grade Earth globe will be suspended from the central beam in the cathedral nave. This awe-inspiring exhibit is co-produced by Revival Gatherings and Orbis Globes, in collaboration with Saint Mark's.

The power of the TERRA Exhibition is in opportunity to experience the “overview effect,” a profound shift in human consciousness previously only made possible by viewing the earth from outer space. When Commander Frank Borman first glimpsed the blue-green marble from Apollo 8, he exclaimed, “This must be what God sees.”

Every weekday during the period when the globe is on display, the cathedral will be open and accessible to the public from 12–5 p.m., and it will form a moving backdrop to weekly offerings—like Cathedral Yoga, Contemplative Prayer, and Sunday services including Compline—as well as special events like the United We Stand Prayer Vigil (Wednesday, November 5, 7 p.m.) a Creation-themed Taizé litrugy (Tuesday, November 11, 7 p.m.) and the Skyros Quartet concert (Sunday, November 23, 3 p.m.).

In addition, there will be events specifically tied to the exhibit: a presentation and community resource fair organized by Saint Mark's Creation Care Ministry and Visual Arts Ministry on November 14 titled Thin Places: Climate Change and Seeing Earth Whole (Friday, November 14, 7:30 p.m), and a five-hour "ritual concert experience" titled THE CIRCLE: Bridging Culture Through Song & Story organized by the producers of the Terra Exhibit itself (Saturday, November 22, 5:45–11 p.m.)

Debut event

The official TERRA debut evening on Friday, November 7, begins at 5 p.m. with an informal reception and refreshments, and continues with introductory remarks at 6:30, collective & participatory music-making at 7 p.m., and a sound bath at 9:30 p.m. This event is free, but attendance is limited, so registration is required. Register here.

United We Stand: An Interreligious Prayer Vigil in Troubled Times

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on November 4, 2025 with 4 Comments

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 7–8 P.M., in the cathedral nave and livestreamed

In this time of trial and struggle, as we confront challenges to our civil society and our body politic, we are at a crossroads of conscience. And though the voices of vitriol and extremism often resound loudly, it is the judicious wisdom of resilient and courageous peacemakers who will lead us through this crisis. Prayerful reflection stands as a hopeful response to the static of cynicism.

Join local religious leaders and fellow citizens who will gather in Seattle’s Saint Mark’s Cathedral at this critical juncture of our nation’s history. In times of crisis, we come together. All are invited to join in this brief non-partisan interfaith service of hope, either in-person or via livestream. We ask you to embrace this moment of contemplation and connection, as we affirm the principles that transcend our differences, and the common cause that will bind the wounds of this great nation.

Event co-sponsored by: Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle, St. James Catholic Cathedral, Temple De Hirsch Sinai, First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Seattle, and the Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement at Seattle University

Thin Places: Climate Change and Seeing Earth Whole

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on November 4, 2025 with 3 Comments

Held in conjunction with the TERRA Exhibit—a 24-foot rotating replica of the Earth suspended in the nave—Dr. Graumlich’s talk will explore how climate change reveals our world as a single, interconnected system. She will discuss the "thin places" where science and faith converge, showing us that our climate crisis demands not just new technology, but new eyes to see the Earth whole. The evening will be introduced by Dean Steve Thomason and will feature an extensive Q&A.

Dr. Graumlich is professor emerita of environmental and forest science at the University of Washington, who has served as the dean of the UW College of the Environment and as the president of the American Geophysical Union. She is also a deacon in The Episcopal Church.

Come early or stay late for a Community Resource Fair, with representatives of community, government, and faith-based groups focused on creation care and climate justice, who will have tables set up in the nave. All are invited to visit the information tables before the presentation begins, 6:30–7:30 p.m., or after it concludes.

Participants in the resource fair include:

Duwamish River Community Coalition
Empower Me
Episcopal Diocese of Olympia Creation Care & Environmental Justice Resources
Faith Action Network
First Church, Seattle (UMC) Climate Justice Working Group
St. James Cathedral Care for Creation Team
St. Joseph Parish Climate Justice Committee
Saint Mark’s Cathedral Creation Care Ministry
Save Our Wild Salmon
Third Act Washington
Tree Action Seattle
University Unitarian Church Climate Action Team

In addition, Queen Anne Book Company will be on hand to sell books, and the Saint Mark's Intergenerational Ministries will have a table with activities and resources for families and people of all ages.

About the Presenter

The Rev. Lisa Graumlich, Ph.D., is a distinguished climate scientist and Episcopal deacon who bridges the worlds of scientific inquiry and faith leadership. From 2010 to 2021, she served as the inaugural dean of the University of Washington College of the Environment. She recently completed her term as president of the American Geophysical Union in 2024. Dr. Graumlich has represented The Episcopal Church as a faith leader at the United Nations Climate Conferences in 2023 and 2024. She holds a special connection to the community of Saint Mark's, having been ordained to the vocational diaconate at the cathedral in 2023. She currently serves as a Deacon in Arizona.

See an interview from 2020 in which Dr. Graumlich discusses her work as a scientist and her faith journey here.

The Giving Tree 2025

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on November 1, 2025 with No Comments

UPDATE (December 12):

This year's Alternative Gift Market and Giving Tree raised an amazing combined total of over $12,900 in cash and gift cards for the Threshold Fund and our community partners: Casa Latina, Lambert House, Lowell Elementary, L’Arche Seattle, L’Honey Tacoma, Operation Nightwatch, and Seattle Seafarers. Plus, on top of that, a sleigh full of toys for Mary's Place and eleven warm and colorful outfits for Lowell students!

A team of more than forty people made the 2025 Alternative Gift Market a resounding success, making edible gifts, decorating and setting up Bloedel Hall, pricing items, staffing the tables, and cleaning up afterwards. Erik Donner deserves special recognition as the financial wizard responsible for tracking all the donations.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time or talents, donated or made items for the Alternative Gift Market, fulfilled the tags on the Giving Tree with purchases of toys or gift cards, or made donations to our community partners and the Threshold fund. You really made a difference, and we are so very grateful.

2025 Giving Tree

This year's Giving Tree will be available at the Alternative Gift Market on November 23, and then be moved to the nave. Like every year, it will be filled with tags for gift cards to Lowell Elementary School, Casa Latina, and Lambert House, and toys for Mary’s Place.

Drop off donations at the cathedral on Sundays or at the cathedral offices Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. All gifts from the Giving Tree, Wish List, or gift cards are are due back to the cathedral by 11 a.m. on Sunday, December 7, so they can blessed at the altar that Sunday and then be distributed to recipients in a timely fashion.

Wish Lists

As an alternative to picking up a tag on the Giving Tree, you are welcome to use of the following wish lists:

for Lowell Elementary: Lowell Holiday Gift Wish List.
for Mary’s Place: Mary's Place Holiday Gift Wish List.

When you check out from Amazon, look for the words "Gift Registry Address" under Canon Barrie's name (Wendy Claire Barrie) when selecting the delivery address so that it will be delivered to the cathedral to be blessed at the altar on December 7.

Gift Cards

You can also simply purchase a gift card directly and drop it off at the cathedral:

for Casa Latina, gift cards are requested in the amount of $25 for either Target or QFC/Fred Meyer.
for Lambert House, gift cards are requested in the amount of $25 for Target or QFC/Fred Meyer
For Lowell Elementary, gift cards are requested in the amount of $50 from Target, Ross, or Grocery Outlet.

All gifts from the Giving Tree, Wish List, or gift cards are are due back to the cathedral by 11 a.m. on Sunday, December 7.

Your generosity means an enormous amount to these families in our community. Additional opportunities to support our community partners will be announced each week, now through Advent!

Questions? Contact Canon Barrie: wbarrie@saintmarks.org

Second Annual Crafternoon!

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on October 30, 2025 with No Comments

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1–4:30 P.M., Bloedel Hall

Let's gather in Bloedel Hall as a cathedral community for an afternoon of creativity! Bring your own craft project to work on or join in one of several activity stations making items to be sold at the Alternative Gift Market to benefit the Threshold Fund. Members of the Quilt Ministry will be on hand for quilt tying and nine-patch designing, we’ll make cranberry sauce and rosemary nuts, craft simple Christmas ornaments, pour or roll candles, and repot some small plants. Have an idea of something else we should make? Email Canon Barrie: wbarrie@saintmarks.org

A Special Opportunity. Toward the conclusion of Crafternoon, from 3:30 to 4 :30 p.m., we’ll go to the nave for a private introduction to the TERRA Exhibit and an intergenerational song circle. TERRA Production lead Ben Browner will orient us to the purpose of the exhibit. Then, our own Elizabeth Antley will lead us in songs about creation, connection, and peace as we gather around the globe.

Community Book Study: The Asylum Seekers

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on October 30, 2025 with No Comments

SUNDAYS, DECEMBER 7 and 14, 2025, 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Cathedral Room 210, in person.

This Advent as we begin tracing the migrant journey of the Holy Family, the Restorative Justice Council invites the entire community of Saint Mark's to participate in a book study to help guide our response as followers of Jesus to questions of migrant justice. We’ve chosen The Asylum Seekers: A Chronicle of Life, Death and Community at the Border (2025) by Episcopal priest Cristina Rathbone. The book traces her four-month accompaniment of Mexican asylum seekers in 2019 as their informal chaplain at a tent community in Juarez. While laws and enforcement practices have changed since then, the violence pushing our neighbors to flee their homes and the spiritual reserves required to make such journeys remains. We’ll consider up through Chapter 18 at our first session and finish the book in our second.

Questions? Contact the Rev. Canon Emily Griffin at egriffin@saintmarks.org.

Cathedral Commons—Reflections on the Evensong Pilgrimage

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on October 30, 2025 with No Comments

Thanksgiving Day Eucharist and Community Meal, 2025

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on October 27, 2025 with No Comments

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27
10 A.M. (liturgy), in the cathedral nave and livestreamed
11:30 A.M. (community Thanksgiving meal), in Bloedel Hall, registration requested

Begin your holiday observance by offering your thanks to God at a service of Holy Eucharist at 10 a.m. in the cathedral nave, then gather in Bloedel for a festive and abundant community celebration.

All are welcome, and feel free to bring others in your circles to join the fête. Turkeys (and a vegetarian alternative main dish) will be provided; bring a side dish, bread or dessert if you can. No worries if not—just come and be a part as we give thanks together in this place. In order to plan for room setup and the size of the turkeys, please reserve your spot no later than 10 a.m. on Monday, November 24. Register using this link or below.

(Check out some photos from Thanksgiving 2023 at the bottom of this page!)

Depolarizing Ourselves Introductory Workshop: A First Step Toward Civil Engagement

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on October 22, 2025 with 1 Comment

A Forum with Braver Angels

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 7–8:30 P.M., in Bloedel Hall or online via Zoom

NOTE UPDATED TIME!*

Register here to attend in person in Bloedel Hall*

Register here to participate online via Zoom

Capacity for the in-person event is strictly limited. If you register, but your plans change and you can no longer attend in person, please email Erik Donner in the cathedral office at edonner@saintmarks.org to cancel your reservation. You may register to participate online via Zoom at any time up to the day of the event.

*PLEASE NOTE: Both in-person Evening Prayer and Community Dinner will be offered as usual this Wednesday, at 5:30 and 6 p.m., respectively. As always, food service will end promptly at 6:30. To allow time to re-arrange Bloedel Hall, the forum itself will begin at 7 p.m. and continue until 8:30 p.m. (slightly later than a normal Cathedral Commons offering).

Civil discourse requires mutual respect. Respect, not agreement, is an essential key for a healthy discussion. This workshop addresses how we may inadvertently be complicit in, or possibly even encourage, polarization.

What is the Depolarizing Ourselves Introductory Workshop?

The Depolarizing Ourselves Introductory Workshop is designed to help you lessen the effects of polarization when you encounter them in your political conversations. Note that by “polarization,” we are not referring to healthy disagreements over issues or philosophy. We are talking about how we regard and talk about large groups of ordinary people on the other side of our own politics as if they were enemies.

This is a group session that is approximately 1.5 hours long. It is led by a volunteer Braver Angels Facilitator. Braver Angels is a non-religious organization that develops educational tools to build bridges between people divided over politics. We also partner with religious and other groups who use our tools in the context of their own traditions.

Goals

To teach participants:

How to be more aware of their own “inner polarizer”.
How to interact without demonizing, dismissing or stereotyping large swaths of the population.

In our current political climate, much of our conflict stems not from healthy disagreement over policies, issues, or philosophy. Instead, it’s created by the often emotional, rancor-escalating, and highly polarizing conversations that we typically have with others. Braver Angels has created our Depolarizing Ourselves Workshop to help you reframe how you view the other side in the face of disagreements around politics. Successfully ‘taming’ our inner polarizer starts with recognizing our tendencies around harmful generalizations about the other side. This requires acknowledging how we often attribute negative intent and motivations to the other side without first trying to understand them.

Register here to attend in person in Bloedel Hall*

Register here to participate online via Zoom

*NOTE: Capacity for the in-person event is strictly limited. If you register, but your plans change and you can no longer attend in person, please email Erik Donner in the cathedral office at edonner@saintmarks.org to cancel your reservation. You may register to participate online via Zoom at any time up to the day of the event.

Emergency Preparedness Workshop

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on October 22, 2025 with 6 Comments

Topics Covered:

The Roles and Commitment of a Safety Ministry Team
“The First 30 Seconds”-Case Studies of Active Assailants and Killers and Lessons Learned
Normal Human Response to Deadly Force Situations and how it affects survival
“Until the Police Arrive” after an incident, big or small.
Run, Hide, Fight”-the Challenges
Attackers-common traits and trends
Application of Relevant data, affordable training for Church for planning and training.
Intentional Situational Awareness- Staying “Left of Bang”
Most Effective Deterrent’s to Violence-What you can do today.
First Steps in Starting teams
Resources for Affordable, Quality Training for Safety Ministry Courses, and Networking

The content of this presentation includes several actual videos of violence in a house of worship and interviews of heroes. Every effort has been made to avoid any gratuitous display of such. There are valuable lessons to be learned. This is not a topic that one cannot ethically sugar coat and project images of unicorns and rainbows. Respect for those who are victims and heroes is paramount. There will be ample time for discussion of all the materials presented as we proceed.

Who Should Attend:

Clergy, Staff, Vestry, Ushers, Front Line Volunteers
Choir, Children & Youth Ministries Leadership
and anyone interested in emergency planning and preparedness.

About the Facilitators:

Ronald J. Miller, MA, MS

Retired CA police officer, licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Behavioral Forensics Investigator, and Clark County Special Deputy Cold Case Homicide Investigator.

Joanne L. Miller, RN, ARNP, MHL, MSN (retired)

Retired after 38 years as a Critical Care and Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner and a Trauma Coordinator for a major metropolitan Level II Trauma Hospital, and as an instructor in Advanced Life Support certification for nurses and physicians. She is also a Certified Firearms Instructor.

The Millers have been presenters at a number of Church workshops on creating a Safety Ministry with a focus on risk mitigation and reduction, and how to set up a safety and security team. Ron is the designated (volunteer) Safety & Security Coordinator for the Diocese of Olympia.

Special Parish Forum: Affordable Housing Project Updates

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on October 16, 2025 with No Comments

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2025

At a special Cathedral Commons forum on Dec. 10, the Affordable Housing Committee, along with partners Redwood Housing, Uncommon Bridges, and Kendall Clawson, shared key updates regarding the affordable housing project on the cathedral campus. Highlights include announcing a finalized joint development agreement between Saint Mark’s and Redwood Housing, previewing insights into design considerations, deepening community engagement, and discussing Saint Mark’s emerging community-based organization (CBO).

Learn about the history of the project up to this point here.

UPDATE: The slides from this forum are now available here.

A video will be posted on this page when it is available.

Cathedral Commons – Forum on the Archbishop of Canterbury

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on October 9, 2025 with 1 Comment

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 6:45–8:15 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom

WITH THE REV. ADAM CONLEY

The recent election of Sarah Mullaly as the first woman to serve as Archbishop of Canterbury is an historic event. What is the Archbishop of Canterbury all about? How did this clerical role gain such primacy? What does the recent election mean for the Episcopal Church, the Church of England, and the worldwide Anglican Communion? Fr. Adam will guide an exploration and discussion of the role, meaning, and impact of the Archbishop of Canterbury for Anglicans across the globe. He will offer stories of his personal experiences at an enthronement of a past archbishop and share perspectives on the current archbishop from different corners of the Worldwide Anglican Communion.

UPDATE: Download the slides from this presentation here.

The following references and resources were shared at the forum:

An NPR interview about the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the next Archbishop of Canterbury
An episode of the Holy Smoke podcast, "What can we expect from the first Female ABC?" (Oct. 3, 2025) [NB: Fr. Conley recommends this single episode, not this podcast as a whole.]
This article from The Living Church, which outlines the diversity of responses to Sarah Mullaly’s appointment
The Anglican Communion at a Crossroads (2018) by Christopher Craig Brittain and Andrew McKinnon
Anglican Theology: Postcolonial Perspectives (2024) by Stephen Burns and James Tengatenga
The Anglican Tradition from a Postcolonial Perspective (2023) by Kwok Pui-Lan
Christianity and Social Order (1942) by William Temple (Archbishop of Canterbury,1942–1944)
Love's Redeeming Work: The Anglican Quest for Holiness (2003), ed. Geoffrey Rowell, Kenneth Stevenson, and Rowan Williams
Anglicanism: A Very Short Introduction (2006) by Mark Chapman
The Book of Common Prayer [...] According the Use of The Episcopal Church (1979)

St Francis Day Celebration and Blessing of the Animals

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on October 2, 2025 with 2 Comments

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 4:30 P.M., on the front lawn and labyrinth

On Saturday, October 4, Saint Mark’s will once again offer its beloved Saint Francis Day tradition. This Saturday afternoon outdoor offering has a truly festive community atmosphere. The cathedral extends a special invitation to folks in the neighborhood who may not usually attend Saint Mark's. Dogs, cats, birds, bunnies, ponies, chickens, and all creatures great and small are welcome.

The service at 4:30 p.m. includes prayers for healing humanity’s relationship with the earth, and for all the creatures who share the earth with us. Music will be offered by choristers of the Choir School. After the service, animals can receive an individual blessing from a priest if desired. A festive reception with treats for pets and people will conclude the afternoon.

All are invited to attend, with or without their animal companions. Stuffed animals are also welcome to be blessed, as are photographs of pets who would not find attending the event a blessed experience. Animals should remain leashed or kenneled. You are welcome to bring your own chair to use on the lawn, although chairs will also be provided.

Photos from the Blessing of the Animals in previous years:

Cathedral Commons – Naming Our Thresholds

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on October 2, 2025 with No Comments

Part of the Wisdom School at Saint Mark's 2025-26 season

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2025, 6:45–8:15 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom

Facilitated by the Rev. Canon Emily Griffin

Thresholds are places for entering and leaving—for moving from one kind of space or time to another. We make these kinds of transitions throughout our lives but often don’t know how to prepare for them, mark them, or discern the shape of our lives in light of them. In this session, we will share tools for narrating our own life stories and explore how our shared story as Christians helps us make meaning of our endings that are also new beginnings.

The Somatic Enneagram: Listening to the Wisdom of the Body

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on October 2, 2025 with 2 Comments

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7 and SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2025

FACILITATED BY ALICIA DIVERS

This two-day workshop invites participants to explore the Enneagram not only as a tool for understanding personality but as a pathway to deeper spiritual awareness through the body. Through gentle practices, reflection, and shared inquiry, we’ll consider how our habitual patterns live within us physically—and how tuning into the body can open us to healing, presence, and the sacred. No prior experience with the Enneagram or somatic work is needed—just a willingness to slow down and listen.

HANDOUTS

Alicia Divers has shared the following documents in advance of the workshop:

The Somatic Enneagram (Handout)

Resourcing For Safety

Somatic Enneagram Mapping, Practice, and Integration

Somatic Mapping Worksheet

Discover Anchors of Safety

List of Sensations

SLIDES

Download the slides from Day 1 (Friday)

Download the slides from Day 2 (Saturday)

RECORDINGS

About the Facilitator

Alicia Divers is a trauma-informed somatic practitioner, spiritual director, and Enneagram coach. She writes: “I help people slow down, reconnect with their bodies, and begin to heal—especially when life, trauma, or religion has pulled them away from themselves. I’ve spent over 15 years in full-time ministry, and I’m currently a pastor at Good Shepherd New York, an inclusive ecumenical church in Manhattan. My roots are in spiritual care—but over time, I realized that true healing happens when we bring the body into the conversation. That noticing led me into the world of somatic therapy, where I now support clients through nervous system healing, emotional resilience, and deeper spiritual reconnection.”

2026 Vestry Member and Diocesan Convention Delegate Nominations Now Open

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on September 25, 2025 with No Comments

Discerning Leadership Opportunities at Saint Mark’s

I consider serving on Vestry as a ministry, a privilege and a joy. It’s a commitment of time and energy, but it is also incredibly rewarding. In the process of making decisions that affect every aspect of Saint Mark’s, we form bonds, learn, grow and make lasting connections. Our shared love for this place informs all that we do.

—Julia Logan (2018–21 & 2024–27) former Senior Warden and current Junior Warden

Serving on Vestry and/or as a Convention Delegate are significant leadership ministry opportunities that help define and articulate the mission of the church, steward our resources, and share team ministry with Saint Mark’s clergy and staff.

There will be four open positions on Vestry as members rotate off in January after serving their three-year term. Parish Bylaws require that two candidates are nominated for each open Vestry position, with the result that eight candidate opportunities are open. In the case of the Diocesan Convention Delegate slate there will be 12 open positions, as the Bylaws do not require a double slate of candidates for Delegates. Elections will occur at our Annual Parish Meeting on January 25, 2026.

Candidate slates for election to these positions are selected by the Nominating Committee, which is composed of parish members appointed each Fall by the Vestry.

Every Sunday in October, after the 9 and 11 a.m. services, members of the Nominating Committee or Vestry will be present in the Coffee Corner. Come by to learn about the experience of those who are currently serving. Pick up material that further clarifies the role and responsibilities of Vestry membership and Convention Delegate. Parish members can nominate themselves or another parish member for consideration by the committee by submitting a form (available at the table) or by email to: nominations@saintmarks.org

Nominating Committee Members: Jim Buskirk, Carrie Davis, Hilary McLeland-Wieser, Peter Snyder, Alexandra Thompson, Nancy Valaas, Greg Hamm (Chair), Dean Steve Thomason (ex officio)

Intergenerational Hike to the Oxbow Loop Trail

by Josh Judd-Herzfeldt on September 25, 2025 with No Comments

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, 3 P.M., at Oxbow Loop Trailhead

Enjoy an easy, scenic 2-mile out-and-back on a well-surfaced, mostly level trail (<60 ft gain) with access to the Snoqualmie River—perfect for young children and anyone who prefers an unhurried pace. Dogs on leash are welcome. Rain or shine!

Trail info: WTA’s Oxbow Loop page.
Optional early supper in North Bend afterward at a casual restaurant.
Want more challenge? Hike the nearby Pratt Balcony trail earlier in the afternoon and meet the group at 3 p.m.

RSVP: Canon Wendy Claire Barrie — wbarrie@saintmarks.org

Sunday Forum: Reclaiming the Book of Revelation in the Face of Current Events

by Saint Mark's Cathedral on September 15, 2025 with 6 Comments

Reclaiming the Book of Revelation in the Face of Current Events: A Critique of Empire and Christian Nationalism Run Amok

A three-week series by Dean Thomason

THREE SUNDAYS, SEPTEMBER 14, 21, & 28, 10:10–10:50 A.M., Bloedel Hall

The Book of Revelation is perhaps the most misunderstood and misappropriated book of the entire Bible. “Rapture Theology” is a thoroughly modern phenomenon that is not actually supported by the Book of Revelation, and yet it has served as the backdrop to current events in which imperial power, Christian Nationalism, Christian Zionism, war in the Middle East, and much more have taken root and hold sway in our society in alarming ways today. Join Dean Thomason as he unpacks current events and Revelation’s unrelenting critique on Empire meant to offer a sustaining hope in the midst of strife. This book is as relevant as ever, but we need to reclaim it and the faith in Christ to which it calls us.

NOTE: This series of presentations will not be available via Zoom or livestreamed, but it will be recorded, and videos will be posted here shortly after the event.

PART 1

Download Dean Thomason's slides from Part 1 here.

A video of Part 1 is now available:

About the Presenter

AN ADVENT QUIET MORNING WITH THE VERY REV. KATE MOOREHEAD CARROLL

About the Presenter

A Cathedral Commons Forum with the Rev Canon Rich Weyls

Debut event

Click the image above to download the flyer (pdf).

United We Stand: An Interreligious Prayer Vigil in Troubled Times | Wednesday, November 5, 7 p.m.

Learn more about the TERRA globe here.

About the Presenter

2025 Giving Tree

Wish Lists

Gift Cards

A Forum with Braver Angels

Active Assailants and Emergencies on Faith-based Properties: Video & Resources

Topics Covered:

Who Should Attend:

About the Facilitators:

Part of the Wisdom School at Saint Mark's 2025-26 season

HANDOUTS

SLIDES

RECORDINGS

About the Facilitator

Discerning Leadership Opportunities at Saint Mark’s

Reclaiming the Book of Revelation in the Face of Current Events: A Critique of Empire and Christian Nationalism Run Amok

A three-week series by Dean Thomason

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3