SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2024, 1–4 P.M., walk begins and ends in Leffler Garden (Note corrected time.)
Take a Deep Time Walk to Connect Earth History and Creation Care
Explore climate change through a transformative walking experience that leads participants into a profound connection with the more-than-human world. Deep Time Walk is a journey through 4.6 billion years of Earth's history via a 2.8-mile guided walk. Using a science-based approach to connect to the history of the earth, we'll learn about the magnitude of the Earth's history. Along the way, you’ll have a chance to connect with other participants by discussing questions such as ‘what is your origin story’ and ‘when were you a pioneer in a new activity?'
At the end of the walk, leveraging a Creation Care perspective, we will share light refreshments, discuss what we have learned and consider how to take positive action for a regenerative earth. WALK. EXPERIENCE. ACT.
High school-age and older please. Please RSVP to organizer Richard Hartung: rlhartung@outlook.com
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2024, 6–8 P.M., in Bloedel Hall; registration required.
The evening will begin with dinner: a catered taco bar with all the trimmings. Over dessert there will be engaging activities for all ages and an “off-Broadway” act offered by Dean Thomason and the Cathedral staff (designed to bring the house down!). The Rev. Timothy Dombek, guest preacher the following morning, will share a brief reflection about “The Power of Gift” before Dean Thomason closes the evening with prayer and blessing. Come and be a part!
Childcare provided.
DEADLINE TO REGISTER: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 12 P.M. The deadline to register has now passed.
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2024, 6:45–8:15 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom.
Program is free; optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($8/adult; $25/family max.)
"Cathedral Commons" resumes this Wednesday, September 11. Join Dean Thomason and invited guests—Deacon Frank DiGirolamo and others from Operation Nightwatch, with whom Saint Mark’s is partnering to provide a new Women’s Shelter on the cathedral property, launching later this fall in space formerly occupied by Gage Academy of Arts in the St. Nicholas building. The shelter will serve up to twenty women nightly and will have showers, laundry, a clinical care room, and lockers where women can secure their belongings. We will begin with a consideration of the lack of adequate shelter beds in Seattle and reasons for it, then learn more about the important ministry of Operation Nightwatch, and finally share some of the details of the new shelter at Saint Mark’s as a sacramental sign of our commitment to seek and serve Christ in all persons. Those present in Bloedel will have the opportunity to tour the rooms in the St. Nicholas building where the shelter will be located.
UPDATE: A complete video is now available. A few snapshots of the tour of the space that followed the forum can be seen below the video (click to enlarge.)
Bishop Phil LaBelle is being seated at Saint Mark's Cathedral at a 4:30 p.m. Choral Evensong on Sunday, September 15—see more information below. We, the congregation of Saint Mark's, are providing a festive and elegant reception in the cathedral nave following the liturgy. Contributions of refreshments are needed! Please take a look at this signup form to see what is needed, or speak with Virginia Lenker at a table in the nave on Sunday, September 1, following the 11 a.m. service.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 10:10-10:50 A.M., Bloedel Hall
Attend this special Sunday forum in Bloedel Hall between the 9 and 11 a.m. liturgies this Sunday for a summary of the events of the 81st General Convention, the governing body of The Episcopal Church. General Convention takes place every three years, and this year occurred in Louisville, Kentucky from June 23–28. Hear from three Saint Mark's members—Michael Seewer, Michael Perera, and Hannah Hochkeppel—who were at General Convention and serving in different roles. Hear from them about the activities from the Houses of Deputies and Bishops, the Exhibit Hall, the election of the next Presiding Bishop (The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe), and more.
UPDATE: The slides from this presentation can now be downloaded here.
Join members of the 20s/30s, 40s/50s, Third Acters, and Queer in Christ as we learn about and celebrate a new ministry opportunity at Saint Mark’s, Operation Nightwatch’s Broadway Street Ministry. Operation Nightwatch is a local non-profit that reduces the impact of poverty and homelessness, in keeping with Jesus’ teaching to love our neighbors.
At this special Tuesday night forum, The Rev. Michael Cox, pastor at All Pilgrim’s Church in Capitol Hill and Director of Outreach for Operation Nightwatch, will share the background of this ministry, why it is important for our Capitol Hill neighborhood, and how the community of Saint Mark’s can help. Volunteer opportunities through Saint Mark’s with the new ministry will be on Tuesday evenings starting in September.
The members of Saint Mark’s Writer’s Group invite you to join us at our first in-person Salon, to listen to, and/or share writing from the heart and soul. We welcome 20s/30s, 40s/50s, and Third Acters (60 plus). You may bring an original work, or a work by a favorite author (limit: 5–7 minutes). If you have a piece you would like to share but are shy to read to the group, one of us can read it for you.
If you plan to attend and just be an audience, that is great. If you want to read please submit your request to Elizabeth Clark-Stern: ecstern@yahoo.com (This is not an audition, just a way to keep track of how many readers we can expect.) Everyone please bring a simple snack to share. There will be time for community, laughter, and joy!
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 12:15 P.M. (following the 11 a.m. service), on the labyrinth and front lawn; RSVP requested.
This year, we’re delighted to provide a delicious picnic lunch of grilled burgers and hot dogs (vegan alternative available), macaroni salad, chips, watermelon, and cookies following the 11 am service on the front lawn. There’s no charge, but please register here so we know how many people to cook for.
Activities will include:
Ministry Fair! (naturally!)
Live bluegrass music!
Blessing of Backpacks and Briefcases! (All ages are invited to bring their bags.)
Bake sale to benefit children and youth ministries at Saint Mark’s!
If you usually come to the 9 am service, please note that there will be Children’s Chapel at the 11 a.m. service as well that day.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1:30-4:30 P.M. (Renewal of Baptismal Covenant at 3 p.m.), in the cathedral nave and outdoors; registration requested
In the Baptism rite of the Book of Common Prayer, parents and godparents of younger children are asked “by your prayers and witness, will you help this child to grow into the full stature of Christ?” Adult baptizands have sponsors, too, and the entire community is asked if we will “do all in your power to support these persons in their life in Christ?” Living into our baptism, then, is a lifelong pilgrimage.
On the afternoon of Saturday, September 7, 2024, Saint Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle, invites parents, godparents, sponsors, and those baptized of every generation to make a pilgrimage to your cathedral where we consider the fortifying qualities of baptismal waters that mark us sacramentally and indelibly as Christ’s own forever. Those who gather will be invited to explore what it means to have inquiring and discerning hearts across a lifetime, the courage and will to persevere, a spirit to know and to love God, and to have joy and wonder in all God’s works of creation, including you and me. Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome here! There will be reflection and activity stations for all ages (including the splash mat, weather permitting!).
Activities will be available 1:30–4:30 p.m. in the cathedral nave — arrive any time and stay as long as you wish. Please plan to be present at 3 p.m., when everyone will gather around the font to renew our Baptismal Covenant in community. Other offerings include:
Activity and reflection stations based on the six promises of the baptismal covenant
Splash pad!
Water beads and water table, and sand play-dough and shells for kids
Water walk around the cathedral campus
Water poetry and scripture
Watercolor painting
Rock painting using imagery from the Waters of Baptism mural in the nave
Special music offered by members of the Schola
Remarks by Dean Thomason on the meaning of the sacrament and its elements, just before the renewal of Baptismal promises
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 7 P.M.–8 P.M., outside on the labyrinth and front lawn
All ages are welcome to join the 20s/30s group for an outdoor evening of music and prayer. Using Night Prayer from the New Zealand Prayer Book as our guide, we will end our day gathering on the Labyrinth in front of Saint Mark's. We will also intersperse simple singing together inspired by music from Taize and other short refrains.
If you play an outdoor appropriate instrument and want to join in helping to make music you are welcome to join! Musicians are invited to gather early at 6 p.m. to review the songs - melody and chords will be provided.
We will stay afterward for casual social time. Feel free to bring some cookies to share!
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2024, 9 A.M.–12 P.M., registration required; total capacity limited to 35 participants.
Now at capacity.UPDATE: Due to cancellations, a few spots have opened up. Please email Dean Thomason: sthomason@saintmarks.org
LED BY THE REV. SR. MIRIAM ELIZABETH BLEDSOE, OSH
In a world of constant commotion, what does it mean to practice silence? In a culture of shifting change, how do we practice stillness? In the crowds of everyday life, where do we find solitude? While silence, stillness and solitude have long been foundations of living for those in monastic life, such practices are available to everyone. These wisdom practices can open in us hospitable space to welcome the Christ Child and bear hope into the world.
The Rev. Sr. Miriam Elizabeth Bledsoe from The Order of Saint Helena, an Episcopal monastic order for women in South Carolina, will join us in exploring how these ancient practices can shape our lives for bearing hope in a modern world.
About the Facilitator
"I am an Episcopal priest and monastic sister with the Order of Saint Helena in North Augusta, SC. I was ordained in 2002–3 and served as a parish priest before coming to the order in 2011. In my order I serve as part of a duo on the Leadership Council; as sister in charge of the kitchen; and as a priest, preacher, spiritual director and retreat leader. As well, I provide occasional sacramental supply for Christ Episcopal Church in Denmark, SC."
NOTE: Sr. Miriam will also offer a guest sermon at the 9 and 11 a.m. services on Sunday, December 15.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2024, 10:00 A.M.–2:00 P.M.
Drawing on traditional cyclical wisdom that holds seasonal, weekly and daily rhythms as sacred, how we mark time matters, and it informs the ways we live intentionally in the ordinary routines of daily life. Guided by contemplative practices that help us align with the rhythms of the natural world, those gathered will prepare and share a meal as a way of framing our lives by rooted intention.
Dean Thomason invites members of the cathedral community to prayerfully consider applying to join the inaugural cohort of the The Center for Spirituality and Action (CSA), a new ministry of Saint Mark's launching this fall and based in Leffler House.
The CSA will function as an intentional Christian community for individuals who seek to order their lives by a contemplative spirituality and regularly gather for prayer, formation, retreats, spiritual direction and service. In the monastic tradition, this “prayer and work” model serves as a way of life even as we remain grounded “in the world.” The first cohort of 12–15 persons will form intentional community in September 2024.
Please carefully review the information on the CSA webpage, including the individual pages on what the group's plan for study and prayer might look like, and what form its action and service in the world could take. Then visit saintmarks.org/csa-apply to download an application. The deadline to submit an application is August 12, and the group will begin gathering in September.
The Visual Arts Ministry of Saint Mark's has mounted a community photography exhibition for the "Hallway Gallery"—the semicircular office hallway on the floor above Bloedel Hall.
A dozen parishioners responded to the call for submissions for photographs reflecting on a personal experience of sacred travel, and the subject matter of the photos in the exhibition ranges from the cathedral's own 2023 Celtic pilgrimage and 2022 journey to the Holy Land, to experiences of the Camino de Santiago, to our own backyard.
The hallway is usually accessible when the office is open, and can be opened any time by request—ask any member of the cathedral staff.
Click below to enlarge a feature from The Rubric about the first Women's Compline Choir services:
THREE SUNDAYS: AUGUST 4, 11, AND 18, 2024, 9:30 P.M., in the cathedral nave, broadcast, and livestreamed
Following their debut in the summer of 2019, the Women's Compline Choir, led by Saint Mark's Associate Musician Rebekah Gilmore, has become an annual tradition at Saint Mark's, chanting the Office of Compline in place of the all-male Compline Choir and presenting special repertoire for women's voices, including world-premiere compositions and arrangements.
In the summer of 2019, the men of the Compline Choir traveled to the U.K. for two weeks, serving residencies in Canterbury and Salisbury. To cover the services during absence, Saint Mark's Associate Musician Rebekah Gilmore was asked to assemble an all-female choir, comprising some of the most accomplished choral singers in the Seattle area. The services they sang, the first all-female services in the 63-year history of Compline at Saint Mark's, were deeply moving to many.
The Women's Compline Choir now gathers to chant the service a few times each year, usually during the summer. This included a quartet of women's voices in the summer of 2020, and the full complement of voices in 2021, 2022, and 2023. These service can be seen and heard in the videos and recordings below on this page
This year, the men of the Compline Choir are again traveling to the U.K., this time to serve residencies at the cathedrals of Canterbury, St Albans, and St. Paul's, London. Rebekah will again lead the Women's Compline Choir in chanting the office for three Sundays while they are away: August 4, 11, and 18.
Note: In the fall, the singers of the Women's Compline Choir will also participate in the concert Shaker Harmonies: Celebrating 250 Years of the Shakers in America, presented on the Saint Mark's Music Series, November 10, 2024.
An emailto the cathedral parish community, sent July 4, 2024
Dear friends,
The tragic irony is not lost on me that in this week when we observe the 248th anniversary of the signing of this nation’s Declaration of Independence, with its litany of the king's calumny, we have received another document into the public discourse—this time delivered by six Supreme Court justices who have rendered a starkly unsettling decision about presidential immunity. My purpose in writing to the cathedral community is not to levy an ideologically charged response; there are plenty of spinners across the spectrum frantically casting their webs of political response, ranging from full-on glory in the court’s verdict to fearful prognostications of the demise of democracy.
My purpose in writing is twofold: first, in the wake of so many of you confessing your heavy hearts to me in recent days, I intend a pastoral response for a community of faith here. Read on for that if you so choose. I get the weariness, even to the point of despair—the global manifestations of tribal hatred that holds war as the solution to our ills; the societal anguish of inequity in these hard times; the fractious political divide that has cast aside our better angels for a zero-sum game of ad hominem attacks; a perilous future for humanity which seems bent on self-destruction. It is a lot to hold right now. Let us hold it together; let us hold one another in community as we make our way. The Church exists for times such as this!
I am reminded that six months before Thomas Jefferson set his pen to parchment in 1776, Thomas Paine wrote famously, “these are the times that try men’s souls [sic]…” The words resonate across the generations into this Independence Day on which we reflect once more on the gifts of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Of course, we know Jefferson’s document was not scoped to afford every human being with certain unalienable rights, and we continue to come to terms with the pain and suffering he and others caused even while tilling the soil for a democracy we have inherited. Historian Jon Meacham reminds us that “the story of America is...one of slow, often unsteady steps forward. If we expect the trumpets of a given era to sound unwavering notes, we will be disappointed, for the past tells us that politics is an uneven symphony.” We feel the dissonance today. And we have much work to do, as citizens, and especially as citizens who are guided by a Gospel that, quite frankly, is the balm needed to help heal our broken humanity.
Which brings me to the second purpose for writing today: to gently remind us that, in the person of Jesus, we follow One who knew suffering wrought by unjust governments, who knew the weight of war waged to keep the peace in injurious and demeaning ways, who knew intimately the tribalisms of human impulse which convince us that violence must be met with violence if there is to be any justice. Jesus refused such a quid pro quo calculus, offering instead a way of being that bends toward hope while insisting on a non-violent response.
Jesus was, in the span of his short life, a refugee, unhoused, hungry, targeted by his opponents, and ultimately murdered by an unholy alliance of leaders who saw him as a threat to their power. He knew the sharp end of the spear of hatred, and yet he never wavered. When we speak of his Body and Blood every Sunday, we remember this… and we commit to embody such a way of being in our own right.
So how do we translate this into our civic life? Well, (and here is the pastoral exhortation to us all), we pattern our lives after this Jesus we follow. We have truth to speak into the world in which we live, and it must be a just truth, even when that is hard to do or carries consequences. We must be clear not to be guided by ideological impulses that quickly degrade into violence, but by virtues that insistently orient to human flourishing. This is nuanced, to be sure, which is why we form community to navigate the path with care.
I am convinced that Jesus was able to remain non-violent in the face of all that beset him because with great intention he engaged in contemplative practices that were restorative and resolutely grounding in the “still point” of love that dwells deeply within each of us. The center of that love is God, and I am convinced that we must ground ourselves in such contemplative rhythms if our work of justice is to have any lasting effect. It is the both/and enterprise of the Church.
And finally, it is the Christian’s charism to retain hope, not because we ourselves will fix all that is broken in humanity, in this nation, or in our lives, but because we believe that this “still point” of love is the guiding force of the cosmos pulling us into a future that will be made whole in the fullness of time. We hope because we believe God is present in us and to us as we make our way.
Dear friends, be assured of my prayers for you, for this community, and for our nation on this day. I am,
Faithfully yours,
The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector
SUNDAY, JULY 14, 10:10–10:50 A.M., Leffler Vegetable Garden
Everyone is invited to gather for the blessing of the Leffler Vegetable Garden between the 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday services on July 14 at 10:10 a.m. Following the blessing, enjoy a glass of lemonade and a tour of the garden. Bundles of oregano, mint, sage, parsley, and rosemary from the garden will be available to attendees! Contact Else with questions at: elsectb@gmail.com
(The Leffler Vegetable Garden will be open every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. through August 18, as part of the 2024 Sacred Spaces offerings)
BRAINSTORMING CHAT: THURSDAY, JULY 25, 4:30 P.M., viaZoom
MARKET: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24
Last year's Alternative Gift Market was a terrific success, with an overwhelming response to the many items on sale and the many opportunities for donations. This year’s Alternative Gift Market will be on Sunday, November 24 in Bloedel Hall following both the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services. This is slightly earlier than last year, on the Sunday before both Thanksgiving and the beginning of Advent, which we hope that will make it easier for more folks to participate.
To build on last year’s success, let's team up now to consider what worked, what didn't, and what new additions could be added. Perhaps a "Treasures Table" for small items donated by parishioners, or themed gift baskets, or a raffle? Bring your ideas to a Zoom brainstorming chat on Thursday, July 25, 4:30–5:30 p.m. Join using this Zoom link.
If you are unable to attend, or if you have questions, email Canon Barrie: wbarrie@saintmarks.org
Saint Mark’s Intergenerational Council presents A Movable Feast—a new ministry of neighborhood-based gatherings to foster friendship and build community.
What is the format?
Parishioners who register will be organized into groups of 8–10 people near where they live or work, and then be invited to share three meals together between August and November. Each group will together decide when and where to meet. All ages are encouraged to participate!
Which neighborhoods are part of the launch?
The neighborhood groups below were chosen based on concentration of parishioners by zip codes to help make travel and meeting easier. Please choose which group is most convenient for you knowing the meeting location is intended to be in the neighborhood-area listed.
Ballard area including Loyal Heights, Crown Hill, Whittier Heights, North Beach-Blue Ridge, Sunset Hill (based on 98107 and 98117)
West Seattle and White Center (based on 98116, 98136 and 98126)
Wallingford area including some parts of Green Lake (based on 98103)
Maple Leaf, Roosevelt, Green Lake, View Ridge, Hawthorne Hills, Wedgwood (based on 98115)
Madison Park (based on 98112)
East Lake and Capitol Hill-north (based on 98102)
“A Movable Feast” will start in these six neighborhood areas – we hope to expand depending on interest.
Where should we meet?
You don’t need to be an expert cook, or to have a huge space. Groups can gather in a home, in a park for a picnic, at a local restaurant, or another place of your choosing.
How do I register?
Register here by Friday, July 26.
RECEPTIONS: SUNDAY, JULY 7, following the 9 and 11 a.m. services
Emily Meeks heading to Seminary
Emily Meeks is leaving in July for Virginia Theological Seminary where she will engage in coursework toward a Master of Divinity. As a postulant in the Diocese of Olympia, she is sponsored by Saint Mark’s Cathedral, and her seminary training is expected to last three years, after which she would return to the diocese to be ordained to the priesthood and serve in a parish in this diocese. Her last Sunday before moving is July 7, when she will preach at the morning services, and we will bless her at each service, with receptions in her honor following the 9am and 11am services. Parishioners are invited to bring an item for the receptions: sign up to contribute food using this link.
The story of a member of Rev. Diab's congregation who was seized in her home in a night-time raid by the Israeli military in April and remains detained without charge.
SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 10:10 A.M.–10:50 A.M., in Bloedel Hall and on Zoom
Fr. Fadi Diab, an Anglican priest at St. Andrew’s in Ramallah, Palestine, will join us once again on Sunday morning via Zoom to share a report of life in the West Bank in these extremely difficult times. Last year, he preachedat Saint Mark’s in July, and then conducted a similar hybrid forum in December from his home in Ramallah after the war in Gaza began. He and Dean Thomason have remained in communication, and Saint Mark’s has continued to offer financial support to St. Andrew’s school and orphanage.
We continue to pray for peace and for all devastated by the violence, and this partnership with our Christian siblings in the Holy Land is a tangible sign of our commitment to “strive for justice and peace, and to respect the dignity of every human being.”
Come experience and encounter the sacred spaces of Saint Mark’s Cathedral through art, music, journey, and story.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Remember Your Baptism!—A Cathedral Pilgrimage for Everyone
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1:30-4:30 P.M.
On the afternoon of Saturday, September 7, 2024, Saint Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle, invited parents, godparents, sponsors, and those baptized of every generation to make a pilgrimage to consider the fortifying qualities of baptismal waters that mark us sacramentally and indelibly as Christ’s own forever. Those who gathered explored what it means to have inquiring and discerning hearts across a lifetime, the courage and will to persevere, a spirit to know and to love God, and to have joy and wonder in all God’s works of creation, including you and me, through reflection and activity stations for all ages located throughout the cathedral. At 3 p.m., all gathered for a liturgy of renewal of Baptismal vows.
2024 St. Francis Day Celebration with Blessing of the Animals
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 3:30 P.M. (activities), 4:30 P.M. (liturgy), on the front lawn and labyrinth
On Saturday, October 5, Saint Mark’s once again offered its beloved Saint Francis Day tradition. A few years ago this offering was moved from Sunday morning to Saturday afternoon, and the outdoor celebration has a truly festive community atmosphere. As in previous years, the cathedral extended a special invitation to folks in the neighborhood who may not usually attend Saint Mark's. Dogs, cats, bird, bunnies, ponies, chickens, and all creatures great and small are welcome. New this year: Professional Pet Photographer Julie Austin was present offering to take free photos of animal friends, starting at 3:30.
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. After the service, animals can receive an individual blessing from a priest if desired. A festive reception with treats for pets and people concluded the afternoon. Learn more here.
Cozy Compline—Bedtime Prayers at the Cathedral
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 7–8 P.M.
Participants of all ages, from within the cathedral community and beyond, were invited to come in p.j.’s for milk and cookies and then get cozy for the Church’s bedtime prayers sung by the Schola (youth choir) of Saint Mark’s Choir School. Pillows and stuffed animals welcome!
After some time to gather with milk and cookies, the program began with a reading of Candle Walk by Karin Holsinger Sherman. The children present were given miniature lanterns, and then invited to settle in while the choir chanted the office. The liturgy followed the form familiar to this community, the so-called "Seattle Rite" of Compline, originally based on an order published in 1928 but evolved and adapted over the 68-year history of weekly sung choral compline at Saint Mark's. The service culminated with the quiet and moving 1943 setting of "This little light o' mine" by John W. Work, Jr.
The event was designed to be especially child-friendly, but meaningful to all members of the community.
The Pageant of the Nativity
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 7 P.M.
A retelling of a sacred story on a cathedral scale—a Christmas Pageant like no other! Learn more here.
2024 New Year's Eve Labyrinth Walk
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 6 P.M.–MIDNIGHT (Holy Eucharist at the center of the labyrinth at the stroke of midnight, observing the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.)
The 25th Anniversary Offering!—Since 1999, Seattle's most peaceful New Year's tradition.
As the old year passes and a new one begins, take time in the quiet, candle-lit space of the cathedral nave to pause, look inward, and experience a large indoor labyrinth laid out in the nave. Invitations to other contemplative practices are offered, and musical accompaniment will be provided by guest musicians throughout the evening. Drop by any time between 6 p.m. and midnight; stay for a few minutes or a few hours. Activities especially appropriate for younger children will also be available. Tea and cookies will be served. More details, including musician line-up, will be announced on this pagewhen they are available. All are welcome; freewill donations gratefully received. At the stroke of midnight, a special, intimate service of Holy Eucharist led by Canon Rich Weyls is offered in the center of the labyrinth, observing the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus—a beautiful way to begin 2025.
This program is made possible through a "Vital Worship, Vital Preaching" Grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Grand Rapids, Michigan, with funds provided by Lilly Endowment Inc.
RUBRIC ARTICLE
Click here to read an article about the Sacred Spaces suite of offerings from the Fall 2024 issue of The Rubric.
ONGOING OFFERINGS
CATHEDRAL TOURS: A tour of the cathedral, telling the story of this unique building and visiting some little-seen spaces in the crypt, is offered immediately following the 11 a.m. service on the last Sunday of each month. Gather under the clock in the rear of the nave after the liturgy concludes. At about 12:30, the group will move to Thomsen Chapel to begin the tour.
LABYRINTH: Walk the outdoor labyrinth on the front lawn (accessible 24 hours a day) or the indoor labyrinth in Compline Corner (whenever the nave is open). Finger labyrinths will also be available, along with a selection of books and materials for all ages about engaging with the labyrinth as a spiritual tool.
GARDENS: Bring your own picnic on the front lawn and enjoy the beautiful ornamental plantings by the Garden Ministry, explore the Saint Mark’s Greenbelt, and visit the Leffler Vegetable Garden (when it is open on Sundays and Wednesdays). Check out the Seed Library in the cathedral nave, where you can take seeds for planting and bring seeds from your own garden for others to use. Engaging with the gardens and gardening serves as an invitation to consider Creation Care as a spiritual practice.
CHILDREN'S CORNER: Whenever the cathedral is open, so is the Children's Corner, with a variety of creative and reflective activities appropriate for a range of ages, along with a curated selection of picture books and toys. A cathedral coloring book and a family guide will be available.
SUMMER 2024 OFFERINGS
ART INSTALLATIONS: During the summer the cathedral nave will contain a set of three large-scale worship-themed installations by artist Sandy Nelson created in collaboration with the community of Saint Mark's: Communion of Saints, Waters of Baptism, and Hands of Pilgrimage. A video of Sandy introducing these site-specific works are available below.
LIVE MUSIC RECITALS: As part of the 2024 Sacred Spaces offerings, informal 30–45 minute recitals of live music were offered by a line-up of guest musicians on Wednesdays and Sundays between July 14 and August 17, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. (following the conclusion of the the special summer cathedral building tours).
Art Installations by Sandy Nelson
Three large-scale installations by artist, designer, and cathedral community member Sandy Nelson, titled Communion of Saints, Waters of Baptism, and Hands of Pilgrimage, will be on display in the cathedral nave for the duration of the Sacred Spaces offerings. All three were created in collaboration with members of the Saint Mark's community of all ages. Hear Sandy explain each of the works in the videos below.
As noted in our worship services on June 9, 2024, the Rev. Edie Weller has been named honorary canon of Saint Mark’s Cathedral by Bishop Provisional Melissa Skelton at Dean Thomason’s request. This lifetime appointment is the Church’s way of recognizing and celebrating a person’s extraordinary service to Christ and the Church.
The office has no obligatory duties, but we know Edie is still very much engaged in the work of ministry in retirement, and we are deeply grateful for Edie’s presence and ministry in our midst at Saint Mark’s Cathedral. Bishop Skelton’s letter (see below) shares more detail about Edie’s decades of humble and faithful service in the diocese, and we are honored to count her as an Honorary Cathedral Canon, joining the ranks of other notable servants of Christ, including:
Rebecca McClain
Joan Anthony
Mel Butler
Mary Coon Butler
Patricia Taylor
Marda Steedman Sanborn
Please join me in thanking the Rev. Canon Edie Weller for her ministry among us.
The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector
A MESSAGE FROM BISHOP MELISSA SKELTON
Dear Dean Thomason,
It is both the prerogative and privilege of a bishop to acknowledge from time to time certain individuals who have provided exemplary service to Christ's church. The title of "honorary cathedral canon" is accorded to those who have labored long and well and have been exemplars of servant leaders who have built up the kingdom of God. These persons have distinguished themselves in their work of equipping the saints for the work of ministry, building up the body of Christ, helping others to grow into the full stature of Christ.
I write to you today with the appointment of the Rev. Edie Weller as an Honorary Canon of Saint Mark's Cathedral. Edie has served this diocese and the cathedral with much grace over the years. I am delighted for this acknowledgement to honor and give thanks for her service to Christ and the Church.
Edie was born on November 11, 1953. She earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin–Platteville in 1977. Edie met Albert John Weller, and they were married on December 29, 1973. They have two children, Elizabeth and Bryan. Edie went on to earn a Master in Health Administration from the University of Washington in 1981, and worked with Group Health in various roles from 1981–1996 when she founded her own consulting firm, working with community-based and not-for-profit organizations in strategic and program planning, group facilitation, and grant preparation.
Edie felt the call to ordained ministry and began taking courses at Seattle University's Institute for Ecumenical Theological Studies. Witnessing Patty Baker's installation and the celebration of the new ministry at St. Clare's helped Edie clearly resolve her own sense of ministry as a priest. She earned her Master of Divinity degree from the Church of Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, CA. While in graduate school, she completed an internship at St. Peter's Church in Seattle and a Chaplain Internship with the Veterans Administration–Puget Sound Health Care in Seattle.
She was ordained to the Diaconate on June 28, 2003, by Bishop Vincent Waydell Warner and to the priesthood on January 17, 2004, by Bishop Vincent Waydell Warner. She was called to Trinity Church in Everett as a Curate, where she served from 2003 to 2006. Edie was called as Rector at the Church of the Resurrection in Bellevue from 2008 to 2015.
Edie retired from active ministry on September 1, 2016, but she did not stop working as a minister of Christ in this diocese. Her long-held commitment to justice has guided much of her time since retiring, with deep commitments to the work of anti-racism and ecumenical/inter faith engagement. She has also served as a trained listener at Underhill House and as a pre-cook/server for the Fatted Calf Café at St. Paul's in Seattle, and since retirement has held the position of priest associate at Saint Mark's Cathedral where, in addition to regularly providing liturgical leadership for worship, she has provided leadership to the Creation Care ministry, Seattle Service Corps, Noel House Women's Shelter, the Sanctuary Network, and many other ministries. Most recently, she has served as Interim Pastoral Associate for Saint Mark's, and many in the community recognize her as pastor, priest, and teacher.
It is with deep gratitude and great affection for Edie, and for her dedication and service to the people of this diocese, that I delight in appointing the Rev. Edie Weller as Honorary Canon of Saint Mark's Cathedral.
Faithfully,
The Most Rev. Melissa Skelton
Bishop Provisional Diocese of Olympia
PART 1: SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 10:10–10:50 A.M., Bloedel Hall
PART 2: SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 10:10–10:50 A.M. AND 12:30–2 P.M., Bloedel Hall
PART 3: SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 12:30–2 P.M., Bloedel Hall
Artist and designer Sandy Nelson is inviting the entire community of Saint Mark’s into the creation of three large-scale art installations that will be displayed in the cathedral nave as part of the cathedral’s suite of summer offerings, Sacred Spaces.
I. Gather in Bloedel Hall on Sunday, June 9, between the 9 and 11 a.m. services for the first of these, an assemblage installation titled Communion of Saints, an artistic reflection on the table of the Eucharist, where everyone is welcome and fed. There are several different jobs to do, and all ages can participate—don’t miss your chance to take part.
II. On Sunday, June 16, help create the second project, titled Waters of Baptism, which is a collectively-created image of God’s gift of water—flowing, cleansing, and renewing. Participate either in the 10 a.m. hour between the 9 and 11 a.m. services, OR following the 11 a.m. service at 12:30 p.m.
III. Finally, participate on Sunday, June 30, following the 11 a.m. service at 12:30 p.m. to create a piece titled Hands of Pilgrimage, which references the laying on of hands in Christian community, hands open to receive God’s love, and helping hands for helping others.
40s/50s, gather on Sunday, June 30, for a belated Midsommer/Solstice themed brunch after the 11 a.m. service in Leffler House. We'll enjoy some yummy summer themed food and fellowship.
Sign up at this link to RSVP and indicate if you are able to bring food or drink.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Kristine Ekman at krisekman@aol.com
Three large-scale installations by artist, designer, and cathedral community member 
