The Fourth Sunday of Easter is known as "Good Shepherd Sunday" because each year the Gospel selection is on the theme of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, and Psalm 23 ("The Lord is my shepherd") is always appointed as the psalm for the day.
Saint Mark's and our amazing videographer Chris Brown have now been livestreaming cathedral liturgies for over 5 years, and in that time the choirs of the cathedral have sung Psalm 23 in many different guises: Anglican chant, Hallock settings, hymn paraphrases, and more. Greg Bloch has gathered a selection of these settings into a compilation video as an offering to the community. The wide variety of settings serves as another reminder of the variety that can be expected at the Psalmathon on May 14!
Each year at the Easter Vigil, the choirs of Saint Mark’s gather in the gallery to sing a special anthem at the Offertory, as we turn into the first Eucharist of Easter and hold for a moment the splendid ways that God is working out divine purpose in our lives, and in the world. It is a setting of a Kyivan/Kievan chant melody written by the Russian composer Pavlev Gregorievich Chesnokov more than a century ago, and it is a favorite of many. For me, it marks the moment Easter speaks deep down into my soul. Music does that; this piece does especially so.
The text of the anthem is simple, lifted from one verse of Psalm 74, which when transliterated from Church Slavic to the Latin alphabet reads: Spaséniye sodélal yesí posredé ziemlí, Bózhe. Allilúiya. These are the words the choir sings. In English, it means:
Salvation is made in the midst of the earth, O God. Alleluia.
We sing of God’s acts of healing right in our very midst, and our response is a sublime Alleluia—a superlative expression of thanksgiving. We need not understand resurrection fully on this side of the grave to know this joy, this referential point in our lives oriented to God who is doing great things!
Chesnokov wrote this in 1912, on the eve of the capitulation of Russia’s last tsar. It would be one of his last sacred compositions before being forced by Soviet reformers to abandon that and turn to secular music for his final three decades of life. (He would never hear the piece performed, and would die of malnutrition during WWII.) He wrote this hopeful music against the backdrop of violence and bloodshed in his native land.
I am mindful this Easter, as the drumbeat of war in the same region weighs heavily on our hearts, we still sing this song, and let its grace pour into our hearts as healing balm once more. If Chesnokov could create this exquisite and hopeful work during such troubled times, surely we can lean on it in our time for solace and strength.
The brilliant piece bears a patient ferment of hope, unrushed, girded by bass tones that afford a certain foundation on which to stand and trust that God is up to something, even if we cannot see it fully just yet. Salvation is made in the midst of earth—not heaven, not in the afterlife only, but in the midst of the earth—here and now, by God, for all the earth to experience. For you and me. That is the gift of Easter, of resurrection hope, of Christ come among us, and rising from the dead, the first fruits of this new life offered freely to all.
And so we make our song, even at the grave: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
I invite you to listen to the choir sing our way into Easter. May your season of Easter celebration be one of patient ferment of hope in God’s movement in your life, and in this world of ours so famished for such good news.
The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector
Dean Thomason has prepared this brief (~2-minute) video message, announcing that the cathedral will resume offering the cup of wine to the entire congregation at the time of Holy Communion, on a strictly optional basis, beginning this Sunday, March 6, 2022.
In this brief video Dean Thomason talks to us about the “how” and "why" of the good news that Saint Mark’s resumes in-person worship, beginning Sunday, March 21, 2021.
UPDATE: Beginning Sunday, April 11, the procedure for distributing Holy Communion will be modified from what is described in this video (around the 5' mark). Priests will place the bread directly into worshippers' hands. You will still be asked to return to your seat before removing your mask to eat.
Important details:
All in-person services require pre-registration.
Registration opens at 9:00 a.m. six days ahead of any service (so registration for a Sunday is the preceding Monday at 9:00 a.m.).
Of course, livestreamworship will continue for all services!
Several (but not all) Holy Week services will include an in-person congregation: Tenebrae on March 31; Maundy Thursday on April 1; and two services on Good Friday—noon or 7 p.m. Again, registration for each opens at 9 a.m. six days in advance. (Holy Week Monday and Tuesday are online-only via Zoom.)
Please note that, for Saturday’s Easter Vigil, only those being baptized or confirmed, along with their sponsors and families, will serve as the in-person congregation.
On Easter Sundaywe are pleased to offer three services which will include in-person attendance:
The cathedral is blessed to be able to display the stunning sculptural interpretation of the traditional fourteen Stations of the Cross by artist Virginia Maksymowicz in the nave once again this year. This beautiful video of the "Way of the Cross" liturgy from the Book of Occasional Services was directed and edited by filmmaker and community member David Wild—it is available to used as an aid to prayer at any time.
The leaflet for this service may be downloaded and printed here.
Ash Wednesday will look and feel different this year, but its meaning is more relevant than ever. In this brief (4-minute) video, Dean Thomason explores the significance of this observance, and invites you to fully participate from home.
As the Dean says in the video, small containers of ashes are now available to be picked up from the cathedral office—drop by during normal opening hours, weekdays 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., between now and February 17. (Come to the Hoerster Annex entrance and ring the bell on the call box.)
However, as an alternative, all are invited to collect dirt from the earth, from your own garden or form a place meaningful to you, to use in this ritual instead.
Stay tuned for further invitations for observing a holy Lent from home.
In preparation for his concert on Friday, John made this delightful video introducing the Marion Camp Oliver Organ in Thomsen Memorial Chapel—constructed and installed by Paul Fritts of Tacoma Washington in 2003. John talks about its sounds, mechanism, temperment, decorative carvings, and more, concluding with a full performance of a brief prelude by Buxtehude. It's 25 minutes, but feel free to jump around—the Buxtehude starts around minute 21.
More information and technical details about the Fritts organ may be read here.
Don't miss John's concert on Friday, January 29, at 7 p.m.! Watch live on the usual livestream page, or watch the simultaneous streams on Facebook or YouTube.
The program and program notes for John's concert are available in advance here.
The shocking (if unsurprising) events of January 6 have occasioned countless responses from faith leaders in The Episcopal Church and beyond. A selection of those responses, including the messages from Dean Thomason and Bishop Rickel, are collected here for convenience.
Bishop of Washington (D.C.) Mariann Edgar Budde and Dean of the Nation Cathedral Randy Hollerith Statement on Election Violence. [video embedded below] (January 6, 2021)
Before the 11 p.m. Christmas Eve liturgy ("Midnight Mass"), starting at 10:30 p.m., Canon Kleinschmidt will offer an unusual and special organ prelude for an unusual and special Christmas. He will begin with variations on a French Noël by Louis-Claude Daquin (1694–1772), followed by "Dieu parmi nous"—"God among us," from the monumental suite La Nativité du Seigneur by the twentieth-century composer, organist, and man of faith Olivier Messiaen.
Canon Kleinschmidt has recorded a brief video introduction to the latter piece, pointing out some of its unique qualities and playing some illustrative passages. Check it out below:
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 7 P.M., via YouTube live premiere; Community Zoom afterparty to follow.
Missing the Christmas Pageant this year? The delight of little angels, the sweet sounds of children’s voices, Magi processions, and three choirs gathered? Want to sing your carols as part of the experience? Pageants are an ancient way of telling the sacred story—a way that nourishes us deeply.
Join Dean Thomason and others in the cathedral community as we experience a prayerful telling of the Nativity through the familiar cycle of readings from scripture, with musical reflections and congregational carols selected from the cathedral's pageants of 2015, '16, '17, '18, and '19.
Then, let's gather together in a Zoom "afterparty" to share our thoughts as we turn into the week that leads to Christmas. All are welcome.
The Advent at Home page contains a form of private or family prayer which engages with an advent wreath in your own home. Each of the four weeks of advent is given a special theme: Keep Awake (week 1), Prepare the Way (week 2), Testify to the Light (week 3), and Here am I (week 4). Below you will find brief video reflections from Saint Mark's Community members, prompted by each of these themes.
Please check back on this page–the reflections for future weeks will be posted here as the become available. Feel free to add your response in the comments below.
Week 4: Matt Briggs and Victoria Szydlowski
Week 3: The Nelson Brown Family
Week 2: Tallulah Campbell
Week 1: Michael Perera
See the complete schedule of Advent liturgies and events:
Please take a moment to watch a brief video message from Dean Steve Thomason, reflecting on the season of Advent that is about to begin, and highlighting a few of the cathedral's upcoming offerings.
See the complete schedule of events, and stay up to date with the changing situation at:
The members of the Stewardship Ministry of Saint Mark's Cathedral have made the following video message to express their gratitude for all who have participated in this year's annual Stewardship campaign.
Please take a moment to watch, including a bit of special music played by Canon Kleinschmidt at the end.
Dr. Lisa Graumlich, in conversation with Kylee Krida
Lisa Graumlich is dean emeritus of the College of the Environment at the University of Washington. She has devoted her career to studying the causes and impacts of climate change, with a special focus on using paleoecological records such as tree-rings to understand the magnitude of human impacts. She is passionate about science communication, and she speaks frequently on climate change impacts and adaptation. She has testified on long-term climate variability before the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and is the president-elect of the American Geophysical Union as of January 1, 2021.
The seven women of the 2020–21 cohort extend pandemic-safe hospitality with a virtual tour of their home. Learn who is who, where they're from, and where they serve. Produced, directed, and edited by Stephanie and Caroline.
Inspired by the success of the "O come, O come Emmanuel" video, the next virtual choir video will again be for the entire cathedral community—a rendition of "Jesus Christ is risen today" for Easter Sunday! Click the image above for all the details.
In the Stewardship video above, Heather and Peter briefly reflect on their history at Saint Mark's, and then explain how the Saint Mark's virtual choir offerings came about.
Like many choral and instrumental ensemble around the world whose normal activities have been suspended due to the pandemic, the choirs of Saint Mark's Cathedral have turned to "virtual choir" offerings, in which choir members each record themselves singing their own part individually, and the videos are edited together to make one performance. While the experience for the choir members is nothing like gathering in person to sing in a choir, it is a valuable way to allow the participants to continue to offer their gifts in worship during this extraordinary time.
The process of editing together all the submitted videos is labor intensive and technically complicated. All the videos below were edited by longtime Cathedral Choir members Peter Garbes and Dr. Heather MacLaughlin Garbes, on a volunteer basis.
Their generosity of time and talent has been exceptional. Their many hours of work, combined with labor of the music staff in preparing the guide tracks and printed music, and of course the work of the choir members themselves, means that each video below represents dozens of hours of labor.
Jesus Christ is Risen Today! • April 4, 2021
O come O come, Emmanuel • November 29. 2020 (“O” Antiphons Liturgy)
Keep Your Lamps! (arr. Thomas) • November 8, 2020
At the River (Lowry/Copland) • November 1, 2020
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind (Parry) • October 11, 2020
Lord for Thy Tender Mercy’s Sake (attr. Farrant) • September 6, 2020
This year's stewardship campaign will feature videos from a number of community members, including brief messages included in Sunday morning worship, and longer videos and reflections send out via email and shared on social media.
Check back on this page—more videos will be added here as they are released in the coming weeks.
An Invitation from Dean Steve Thomason
Stewardship Ministry Co-Chairs Robert Stevens & Lynne Markova
Walter Stuteville
Dr. Heather MacLaughlin Garbes & Peter Garbes
Elizabeth Hawkins
Olivier Santos
Bishop Greg Rickel
A Message of Gratitude from the Stewardship Ministry members
On Thursday, June 11, Associate Organist John Stunteback introduced the hymns to be sung during this coming Sunday's live-streamed service for June 14 at 11 a.m—The Second Sunday after Pentecost. This introduction was presented live on Facebook, and this week it was presented on the Pasi portative organ from Thomsen Chapel, due to renovation work in the choir loft.
The Hymns discussed are:
The God of Abraham Praise (401, stanzas 1, 4, & 5); Come thou fount of every blessing (686); My God, thy table now is spread (321); Lord, you give the great commission (words of hymn #528, but sung to the tune Hyfrydol)
...with a few words about a very interesting organ .
Join us in the future on Thursdays at 4 p.m. for another live hymn chat! Just visit the cathedral's public Facebook page at the time of the broadcast—if you "follow" the cathedral on Facebook, you should receive a notification when we're live.
In preparation for the Feast of Pentecost, 2020, The Very Rev. Steven L. Thomason invites the community of Saint Mark's Seattle to reflect on the Baptismal Covenant of our denomination's Prayer Book. Featuring voices from the congregation.
On Sunday, May 24, The Rev. Canon Jennifer King Daugherty moderated a panel discussion with three women priests who served at Saint Mark's, Seattle, in three different decades: The Rev. Carla Berkedal Pryne, the first woman priest at Saint Mark's, who served in the 1980s, The Rev. Kate Kinney, who served in the 1990s, and The Rev. Sue Reid, who served in the 2000s.
Thank you to everyone who submitted photographs for the Heritage Sunday Slideshow, shown immediately before the livestreamed liturgy on May 24, 2020.
Please note: The photograph at 5:50 depicting the Saint Mark's Habitat for Humanity Team was not, as the caption says, taken in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. It was taken several years earlier at a work site in South Seattle.
Spend some time with The Rev. Canon Cristi Chapman and The Rev. Earl Grout, and hear how Earl approaches the reading of the Gospel, the stories of the Bible, and the way we tell our stories as people of faith! Earl also shares a few of his favorite Bible stories.
What are your favorite bible stories? Post in the comments below.
A complete video of the webinar is available below:
Do you find yourself fretting or anxious about reopening? Are your children stressed with the challenges of virtual school? Are you struggling to balance all the aspects of life now converging in your home life? We are all facing new pressures in light of this pandemic and the lack of certainty about so many things. Dr. Shelley Mackaman (clinical psychologist in Kirkland with emphasis in Child Development and Family Psychology) and Dr. Wayne Duncan (Child and Adolescent Psychologist in Seattle) are both active members of Saint Mark’s Cathedral and will offer timely and important information for people of all ages. Dean Steve Thomason will moderate the webinar. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. The webinar is free but advance registration is required. Click here to register now.
About the presenters
Shelley Mackaman has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Child Development and Family Psychology. After working and training in a variety of settings from urban pediatric hospitals to rural mental health centers, she is now in private practice in Redmond, Washington and is the staff psychologist at an integrated care clinic in Kirkland, Washington.
Wayne Duncan is a child and adolescent clinical psychologist in Seattle. He received his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota and completed his clinical internship at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. He consults frequently with families around learning and school issues.
