A Thursday evening Wisdom School event with acclaimed poet and theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama
THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2025, 7–8:30 P.M., in person in the cathedral nave and livestreamed
UPDATE: Due to the number of registrations, this event will be offered in the cathedral nave rather than Bloedel Hall. A livestream will be available to registrants as announced previously.
UPDATED DESCRIPTION: We live in fraught times when violence seems to be the common denominator in a calculus based in mistrust and misanthropic othering. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind… Drawing on inspiration from his work with language and religion, conflict and peacemaking, this truth-teller of our time will draw us into an orbit of soulful wisdom and poetic grace.
Fee: $15 (for in-person and livestream participation). A recording of the livestream will be available to those who register for a limited time after the event.
Register below or using this link.
Advance registration is now closed. You can present and pay at the door on Thursday still.
About Pádraig Ó Tuama
Pádraig Ó Tuama (b. 1975, Ireland) is a poet with interests in language, violence, power, and religion. He is the host of On Being’s Poetry Unbound and has published volumes of poetry, essays, a memoir and theology. He has two books forthcoming in early 2025: Kitchen Hymns, a volume of original poems (CHEERIO and Copper Canyon Press), and the anthology 44 Poems on Being with Each Other; A Poetry Unbound Collection (Canongate and WW Norton). He lives in Belfast and New York City.
Learn more at padraigotuama.com
Byzantine iconography is an ancient and deeply prayerful art form in the Christian tradition, dating back nearly to the apostolic times. Over the centuries, it has evolved and developed as the faith spread throughout the world. Iconography follows a highly systematic and disciplined process which has been handed from teacher to student for centuries. It’s also a very comprehensively demanding educational course for those who want to explore and master the technical, historical, and spiritual aspects of this field. Fr. Peter Pearson, a Franciscan, will guide a reflection and conversation on icons, their use in worship and contemplative practice, and their contribution to art and beauty across generations. All are welcome.
Icons have served since the earliest days of Christianity as spiritual aids, and they have enjoyed something of a renaissance of spiritual purpose in recent times. Byzantine Iconography is a highly structured and disciplined art form which combines prayer and painting techniques to create serene images of Christ, Mary, the angels and the saints following centuries old guidelines.
In conjunction with his workshop, sermon, and forums, members of the Saint Mark's 
Since joining Saint Mark’s in 2012, I have been actively involved in many areas of this community. I am a member of both the Cathedral Choir and Evensong Choirs and currently serve as the Choir School Treasurer. When I’m not in the choir loft, I have been an acolyte, a confirmation mentor, both delegate and convenor for the Diocesan Convention, and previously served on vestry, including a year as Junior Warden for Finance. Professionally, I have worked at local nonprofits for over 13 years in financial, administrative, and fundraising roles.
As the son of a Lutheran pastor, I have been involved in church communities my entire life. My parents were instrumental in our faith development and showing us what it is like to be a part of a church family. My husband James and I began attending regular services at St. Mark’s during Holy Week of 2019, making the decision to officially join during the pandemic in 2021. Since then I have become ever increasingly involved in the church by joining the Cathedral and Evensong Choirs, becoming the leader of the Compline Host Ministry, participating in Radix, Queer in Christ and developing lifelong memories and friendships during two Pilgrimages. Serving on the Vestry would be a great way to enhance my continued growth at St. Mark’s, and give a little back to an organization which has provided so much.
I moved to Seattle in 2021 with my wife, Kim. Our older daughter, her husband, and their first son were already here. They have since had a second son and we enjoy being active grandparents. This year, our younger daughter and her partner moved here. We have always been a close family and are blessed to be together in the same city. I am educated and trained as a psychologist and have been a therapist for 25 plus years. The last 15 of those have been in private practice. My office is in the Green Lake area. At our last church, in Albuquerque, NM, I served on the stewardship committee and was part of two successful campaigns. I liked learning some of what it takes to run a church and working with my fellow parishioners towards that end. We have attended St. Mark’s since 2022 with the 11 a.m. service being our preference.
I have been in a special one-year position on the vestry this past year and am now standing for a regular position. I was baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal church and began attending Saint Mark’s regularly since 2018 when I was reaffirmed in the church. Since then, in addition to the vestry, I have served in the ushering ministry, the phase II discernment committee for Robert Stevens, and when my work schedule permits, bible study and the Radix Project. I have also attended a Wesleyan Small Group at Seattle Pacific University. I was very fortunate to be able to go on pilgrimage to Ireland and Iona a year ago, a life-altering experience which brought my faith into focus and created bonds with my fellow pilgrims that both surprised and touched me. I also volunteered for a month last summer at Saint Andrews House, an Episcopal retreat center on the Hood Canal.
I found my spiritual home at St. Mark’s in 2016 after moving to Seattle from New Jersey with my husband Greg to be near our children and granddaughter. Since then, I have been increasingly drawn into Cathedral life in a variety of ways: Radix groups, a pilgrimage, the Saint Mark’s Singers, and various committees. Since 2020, I spend most of my time and energy with the Flower Ministry as ministry leader.
St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral has been my spiritual home since I moved to Seattle in 2018 with my beloved spouse, Matthew Briggs, to begin my PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Washington. I largely receive when I come to St. Mark’s. Slowly opening to participate in St. Mark’s over the years allowed me to integrate contemplation and action, to grow and co-create community oriented toward liberation theology. Significantly, my life at St. Mark’s is informed by acting on values Matthew and I built our lives around as he prepared for his death from a rare cancer (2021) to use our shared resources to lovingly serve those who are marginalized and to challenge structures of privilege. As such, both Dr. Christena Cleveland, PhD and The Rev. Will Gafney, PhD visited St. Mark’s to imagine a more equitable way of illuminating the plurality and abundance of Gods ways. St. Mark’s holds the reality of pain, illness, death, and love that knows no bounds. I would be honored to serve as a member of the vestry at St. Mark’s to share this holy mystery and promise of love with you all.
I joined the Saint Mark’s Cathedral Choir in September 2013. I had just moved to Seattle to go to graduate school at UW in computer science, and I thought a church choir would be a good way to stay musically active and meet people who are not computer scientists. At first I thought I was “just” joining the Cathedral Choir, but Saint Mark’s has a wonderful way of patiently growing on you, and in the years since then, I joined the Evensong and Compline Choirs, served on the Compline Choir board for 6 years, helped lead in-person evening prayer on Wednesdays, and met and married my wife Molly Porter here. That’s a bit more than I thought I was signing up for, but certainly I can say I’ve been musically active and have met plenty of people who are not computer scientists! I feel called to continue to let Saint Mark’s grow on me by standing for Vestry this year.
Colton is an active member of the Saint Mark’s community, currently serving on the Visual Arts Ministry, as one of the lay leaders of the Queer in Christ Ministry (QuiC), and participating in Education for Ministry (EFM) and the discernment process. Raised in Eastern Washington, Colton studied at Seattle University (B.A.), the University of Washington School of Law (J.D.), and the Université Jean Moulin—Lyon III in France (LL.M.). Professionally, he is a technology transactions attorney at Perkins Coie, where he has an active pro bono practice with arts organizations. Outside of work, he delights in traveling, speaking French, and attending opera performances and Kraken hockey games. Colton looks forward to bringing his love for Saint Mark’s, experience in governance, and passion for justice to his role as a delegate to diocesan convention.
I have grown up as a member of the Saint Mark’s community, having attended since I was a few months old. Music is the most critical part of my connection to both Saint Mark’s and my faith as a whole. I have been a member of the choir school since I was five years old, and it has truly shaped who I am today. As a current Junior in high school, I am now a member of the Schola and Evensong choirs and occasionally play piano for the monthly service of Taizé. Outside of the church, I am especially interested in biology and/or medicine, and I participate in the Ballard High School orchestra (as a violinist), as well as Ballard’s student arts council.
I first came to the 11 a.m. service in January 2004. While I grew up in the Northern Baptist Church and was married in the Roman Catholic my spiritual home is at St. Mark’s. In the early weeks of attending, I recognized the lightness, the burden lifted as I walked to the car to resume my “outside” life. Now I understand: the liturgy encouraging participation with its antiphonal structure, and the absolutely bedrock grounding of the sermons with their suggestions, descriptions of integrating our spiritual lives as we move through the secular world were such a perfect beginning. The beauty and inspiration of the anthems and organ offerings provide the so important lift, the emotional response to Hope, and finally the comfort of singing hymns alongside the kind neighbor next to us in the pew suggested it was possible for all to be well… I believe the worship service provides the stability and the emotional space to take first steps toward the sought after
I grew up in Lynnwood and used to attend Compline in high school, but really came to St. Mark’s in 2012. Ever since I have been blessed by the lovely community of people here, as well as challenged to think differently about my faith and theology. I currently lead the reading ministry and have enjoyed attending some Radix groups as well as many Wisdom School offerings. I would be honored to be a convention delegate and learn more about the larger structure of our diocese.
Although relatively new to St. Mark’s, I have been involved in the Diocese of Olympia since 1974—Bishop Phil is the fifth Bishop of the Diocese since I arrived. At the parish level I have served as Vestry member, Senior Warden as well as serving at the Altar as Lector, Chalice Bearer and herding the young Acolytes. At the Diocesan level, I have served on the First Nations, Camps & Conference facilities, and Episcopal Charities Appeal Committees. I am a graduate of the former Diocese of Olympia School of Theology with such St. Mark’s notables as Earl Grout and Hisako Beasly. I have often said that Convention presents the Church at its best and its worst as it brings together the faithful as we try to live into the Gospel Message and guide the temporal affairs of the Diocese. I will try to focus on bringing out the best.
Baptized at age three in Butte, Montana, I have been a life-long member of the Episcopal Church. My first encounter with St. Mark’s was as a diocesan delegate in the years when the convention gathered in the pews of St. Mark’s Cathedral. A lot has changed over the intervening years. I have been involved in small group prayer and pastoral care in the parishes we have attended, leading me to earn a Masters of Pastoral Care degree at Seattle University. Yearning for deeper educational offerings, the Wisdom School listed on the Cathedral website drew me to St. Mark’s. I believe that we are stronger together, and the diversity in our parishes across the diocese offers the opportunity to learn from others we might not otherwise meet. I look forward to those opportunities to listen, learn and grow, and to share what I learn with you.
I grew up singing in the choir in my local Episcopal Church in Potomac Maryland, then attended several Episcopal churches on the East coast before moving to Seattle in 1992. I eventually became a member of Saint Mark’s in 2009, and have been a lector ever since, as well as intercessor. I served on the Vestry 2021-2023, where I also participated on the Strategic Planning Committee. I became Co-Chair of the Creation Care Ministry September 2021 through 2024 and am currently Co-Chair of the Third Acters Ministry which started up in November 2023. I took the 4 year Education for Ministry course, graduating this past June, which gave me a deeper understanding of scripture and the history of Christianity. I am in the current Center of Spirituality and Action program. Even though I’ve been fortunate to serve as a Diocesan Convention Delegate several times, I am honored to be considered once again. I’ve always enjoyed the Conventions and appreciate the importance of the governance of the Episcopal Church.
Hi! I’ve been attending Saint Mark’s for just over 4 years. For most of that time, I’ve sung in the cathedral and evensong choirs, where I met my husband James. I have also recently made my stirring debut as a Compline hospitality minister, and love taking part in various events around the cathedral. Beyond Saint Mark’s, I am a PhD candidate in English at UW, where I also teach writing and literature, and I like hiking, skiing, gabbing, cooking, and reading. Previously, I have lived and taken part in Episcopal community in Wyoming, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. James and I have enjoyed attending services and coffee hours around the diocese, and I’d like to get to know how the diocese works more through attending Convention. Plus, I take an odd delight in the mundane happenings that result from the delightful confluence of relative strangers with a common goal in logistics meetings, so I am excited to take part in this one.
I have been a member of St. Mark’s Cathedral since 2007, confirmed in 2009. My current ministries include serving as an acolyte, chalice bearer, coordinating our Eucharistic Visitor ministry, and I’ve taken a Cathedral-related picture or two. I have previously served as a delegate to the Diocesan Convention and am pleased to serve again. I appreciate the opportunity it provides the Cathedral delegation to meet parishioners from around the Diocese, while offering insight into our contribution to the Diocesan community.
James Davidson comes to the Episcopal Church from the United Methodist tradition. During seminary (Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University), James served as a minister with a circuit of 11 chapels in Yorkshire, England. James and his husband, John Gulhaugen, joined Saint Mark’s in 2021. At Saint Mark’s, James has facilitated Radix groups, as well as Queer in Christ Lenten study groups. He currently serves on the Altar Guild, Chalice Bearer, and Lector ministries. And (with John) serves as a Compline host once a month. A lifetime highlight with many cherished memories is a Saint Mark’s Cathedral pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the Spring of 2023.
I was born and raised in Seattle, and baptized at Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church. My family joined the Episcopal Church when I was 10 years old, and I have been an Episcopalian ever since. I grew up in the Church of the Ascension in Magnolia, and as an adult have been a member of Grace Church in New York, and attended St. James in the City in Los Angeles. When travelling, I always try to find an Episcopal Community where I can worship, and celebrate the global reach of our church.
