Evicted book study groups

In-person discussion of Evicted:
THREE SUNDAYS: JANUARY 12 & 19 and FEBRUARY 2, 12:30–2 P.M.
PLEASE NOTE: in-person discussion in Room 210 on January 12 and February 2, but in the St. Nicholas Building, 1st floor, on January 19.

Zoom discussion of Evicted:
THREE THURSDAYS: JANUARY 16 & 23 and FEBRUARY 6, 7–8:30 P.M.

UPDATE (1/16): Discussions of Evicted are underway and registration for these group are closed. You can still register to participate in the Poverty, by America discussions. 

Poverty, by America book study groups

In-person discussion of Poverty, by America:
THREE SUNDAYS: FEBRUARY 9, 16, and 23, 12:30–2 P.M.

Zoom discussion of Poverty, by America:
THREE THURSDAYS: FEBRUARY 13, 20, and 27, 7–8:30 P.M.

The Intergenerational Council, the Restorative Justice Council, and the Affordable Housing Committee invite the entire community of Saint Mark's to participate in a book study this winter to help us better understand issues of housing insecurity and houselessness. We've chosen two books by Matthew Desmond, Evicted from 2016 and Poverty, by America, published in 2023.

Thanks to a grant from the Episcopal Periodical Society, there are copies of both books available for anyone in the cathedral community for free. Books will be available to pick up on Sundays in the nave and in the church office during the week. Curious to learn more about the subject and the author? Check out this podcast interview with author Matthew Desmond.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have lived experience of housing insecurity and are interested in reading Evicted in the safe space of an affinity group, please reach out to co-facilitators Deborah Anderson (waterlily3in1@gmail.com), Canon Wendy Claire Barrie (wbarrie@saintmarks.org), or one of the clergy.

Also available through the same grant is I See You, a wordless picture book published by the American Psychological Association intended to open a door for kids and parents to begin a conversation about homelessness. I See You is available for families with children and comes with resources for parents, educators, and neighbors.

This year's Giving Tree is now on display in the nave, filled with tags for gifts to Lowell Elementary School, Casa Latina, Mary’s Place, and Lambert House, including gift cards as well as toys and other items. Giving Tree gifts are due back to the cathedral by 11 a.m. on Sunday, December 8, so they can blessed at the altar that Sunday and then be distributed to recipients in a timely fashion. (The gifts need to be delivered to Lowell School before classes end.)

As an alternative to picking up a tag on the Giving Tree, you are welcome to use of the following wish lists. These gifts and gift cards are also needed at the cathedral no later than Sunday, December 8.

• for Lowell Elementary: Lowell Holiday Gift Wish List.
• for Mary’s Place: Mary's Place Holiday Gift Wish List.
• for Casa Latina, please drop off gift cards in the amount of $25 for either Target or Fred Meyer.
•  for Lambert House, please drop off gift cards in the amount of $25 for Amazon, Target, Kroger/QFC/Fred Meyer, or Safeway/Albertsons

Drop off donations at the cathedral on Sundays or at the cathedral offices Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Finally you are also invited to visit saintmarks.org/give and select "Giving Tree" from the list of options (these donations will be distributed equitable among the recipient organizations).

Your generosity means an enormous amount to these families in our community. If you have questions about the Giving Tree, please contact

UPDATE (12/26/24):

Thank you for your extraordinary generosity to our community ministry partners and to the Threshold Fund through your support of the 2024 Alternative Gift Market and Giving Tree! 160 tags were taken from the Giving Tree, and additional gifts were purchased through the wish lists for Lowell Elementary School and Mary's Place and delivered to those organizations directly. On top of all those gifts, an additional $1,502 was given to purchase gifts and gift cards for Casa Latina, Lambert House, Lowell Elementary, and Mary's Place.

At the Alternative Gift Market itself, a total of $836 was given to L’Arche Seattle, Operation Nightwatch, Seattle Seafarers Center, and Underhill House.

After adding up proceeds from the sale of treasures, handicrafts, and treats made or given by Saint Mark's parishioners, along with donations made at the event, a total of $3,416.50 was raised for the Threshold Fund. We're look forward to another great Gift Market next year!

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 10 A.M.–1 P.M. (following the 9 and 11 a.m. services), Bloedel Hall

The proceeds from this event benefit our community partner organizations: Lowell Elementary School, Casa Latina, Mary’s Place, Lambert House, Operation Nightwatch, Seattle Seafarers Center, L’Arche Seattle, Underhill House, and the Threshold Fund.

Sign up to help or contribute

Your help is needed to set up and put the finishing touches on some projects on Saturday, November 23, and to staff tables during the market and help clean up on Sunday, November 24.

Sign-up form for AGM Support Saturday & Sunday, November 23 & 24

Donation are being accepted for the Bake Sale.

Sign-up form for the Bake Sale

Ways to participate

There are many ways to participate in the Alternative Gift Market! Come to Bloedel Hall any time between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday, November 24 to see everything that is on offer.

1. Purchase a unique item from the Treasure Tables with vintage, gently used, new, or handcrafted items donated by Saint Mark’s parishioners and ministries. Proceeds from the Treasure Tables benefit the Threshold Fund.
2. Children are invited to shop for family members and caregivers in the Secret Santa Shop in the Bloedel Stage Room, where all items are specially priced to fit a child’s budget, from $1 to $5. These purchases benefit the Threshold Fund.
3. Enjoy hot cider, cocoa, coffee, tea, and baked goods! These purchases also benefit the Threshold Fund.
4. Drop off donations for Seattle Seafarers Center. The Mission to Seafarers gives much-appreciated gifts to hundreds of ship-bound workers each year at the holidays, and they will be present at the Gift Market accepting donations of hand-knit hats, full size toiletries (shampoo, body wash, shaving cream, deodorant, toothpaste, razors, individually wrapped toothbrushes), and candy/snacks.
5. Take a tag from the Giving Tree. The 2024 Giving Tree will be available in the cathedral from November 23 through December 6, filled with tags for gifts to Lowell, Casa Latina, Mary’s Place, and Lambert House, including gift cards as well as toys and other items. Giving Tree gifts are due back to the cathedral by 11 a.m. on Sunday, December 8, so they can be distributed to recipients in a timely fashion. 
6. You can also make a donation to one of our partner organizations a the Gift Market. If you wish, you may give a gift on behalf of a loved one, as a meaningful alternative to a more commercial Christmas gift.

NOTE: This year, there is just one way to pay! All purchases and donations at the Alternative Gift Market are made through Saint Mark’s Cathedral and distributed to the partner organizations. You’ll have a check-out card which table hosts will mark for you. Each person’s donations and purchases will be tallied and paid for before you leave Bloedel Hall.

As an alternative to picking up a tag on the Giving Tree, you are welcome to use of the following wish lists. These gifts and gift cards are also needed at the cathedral no later than Sunday, December 8.

• for Lowell Elementary: Lowell Holiday Gift Wish List.
• for Mary’s Place: Mary's Place Holiday Gift Wish List.
• for Casa Latina, please drop off gift cards in the amount of $25 for either Target or Fred Meyer.
• UPDATE: for Lambert House, please drop off gift cards in the amount of $25 for Amazon, Target, Kroger/QFC/Fred Meyer, or Safeway/Albertsons

Drop off donations at the cathedral on Sundays or at the cathedral offices Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 7–8 P.M., via Zoom

Canon for Intergenerational Ministries Wendy Claire Barrie and Vestry member Alexandra Thompson invite you to consider joining a short-term Task Force on Accessibility. We expect this work to take place from November 2024 to March 2025. The task force will identify short term, medium term, and long term actions and opportunities to improve the physical campus and worship and ministry experience with regard to physical abilities, neurodiversity, and people with cognitive disabilities. We anticipate most work will be done in small groups or by doing some research on your own and reporting back to the subgroup or task force.

Our 2024 Strategic Plan calls us to Cultivate Diverse Community. With this task force, we want to be able to answer how we are actively seeking and nurturing diverse community through the words we use, the spaces we inhabit, and the ways we gather; and we want to arrive at those answers through listening, connection, and collaboration.

Zoom link will follow soon. If you would like to get involved, or having any questions or comments, email: wbarrie@saintmarks.org or alexandra.thompson62@yahoo.com

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11 (Veterans' Day holiday), 1–4:30 P.M., Bloedel Hall and around the cathedral campus

Let's gather as a cathedral community for an afternoon of making, exploring, and sharing! 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. Members of the Quilt Ministry and the Ministry of Worsted Wool (knitting and crochet) will be present, along with artist Sandy Nelson.

Bloedel Kitchen will be available all day for those wishing to make baked goods and other edible gifts. The Cathedral Beekeepers will be harvesting and jarring this year's honey, and volunteers are needed to work the hand-cranked spinner.

The Orgelkids Experience!

From 3 to 4 p.m., there will be a very special opportunity for kids to explore, hands-on, how a real pipe organ works and is put together. Orgelkids is a program that leads kids aged 4 and up through the assembly of an actual kid-sized working pipe organ. Watch a video to see Orgelkids in action here. Adults and teens are needed to help set up and supervise. Total participation is limited, so RSVP is requested—submit the form here.

At 4 p.m., everyone is invited to the nave for a 30-minute demonstration and recital of the organ that the kids have built, alongside our own Mighty Flentrop.