Transphobia has no place in the Christian Church

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 A Message from Dean Thomason

Dear friends,

Haters will hate…and yet we have another story to tell!

As we approach Holy Week and the heart-heavy task of walking with Jesus to the cross and beyond, I am keenly aware of the harm that is done when religion is misused to justify crimes against humanity. The One we follow was killed by the deadly concoction of distorted religious fervor by the few, doused with the flammable rhetoric of a politics of hatred.

The sin of transphobia and the devastating effects on the dignity of human beings is not new, but it does seem to be escalating in our country. This week a television talk show host took the further step of twisting theological language to advance the argument, and his rhetoric sent a violent message to his followers. I do not join his echo chamber regularly, but its ripple effects were sobering and fearful for the trans and queer communities. For their sakes, I watched the segment, and feel the need to respond.

This person does not speak for me, or for this cathedral community, and his transphobic tropes are poorly developed, dangerously extrapolated, and provocative of the sort of violence we, as Christians, eschew. We have a different message to share with one another and with the world—it is one of love, mutuality, dignity, respect, all while espousing the Christ-like virtue of non-violence. This is who we are; let us show the world what it means to be Christian!

To that end, I want to highlight a special forum tomorrow evening in which Saint Mark’s is hosting the Rev. Canon Carla Robinson who will facilitate a conversation of hope and respect observing the Transgender Day of Visibility. You are invited to join in Bloedel Hall or via Zoom. Registration is required, and the space will be moderated. Cis-gendered participants should take our cues from our trans siblings.

Canon Robinson is a transgender priest in the Episcopal Church, a leader in this diocese, a blessing to this cathedral community which sponsored her for ordained ministry, and I count Carla+ as a friend, confidante and counselor to me. I marvel at her witness to Christ’s love, and I have learned much from her. We are grateful for her ministry in our midst.

We have a different story to tell, and our world needs it now as much as ever. This cathedral community is committed to this work, and I hope you will join the effort. I am,

Your sibling in Christ,

The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector

 

Holy Week Liturgies at Saint Mark’s, 2023

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A note about pandemic safety:
There will be no pre-registration or screening at the door for any of this year's services.
At this time, masks are recommended (not required) in the cathedral buildings. Learn more here. The designated "distanced section" in the nave, where all must remain masked and distanced, remains available.
The following services will be livestreamed:
  • Palm Sunday 11 a.m.
  • Palm Sunday Choral Evensong
  • Palm Sunday Compline
  • Chrism Mass
  • Tenebrae
  • Maundy Thursday
  • Good Friday noon
  • Good Friday 7 p.m.
  • The Great Vigil of Easter
  • Easter Sunday 11 a.m.
  • Easter Sunday Compline

A Message from Dean Thomason

Dear Friends,

Holy Week is hard work—it drives to the heart of humanity’s deepest yearnings, fears and joys. It is such a special time that we engage the story differently, marking time by the pulse of Christ as he enters Jerusalem joyfully, as a king preparing for coronation, only to have his head pierced days later by a thorny crown, mocked and lashed and crucified as his followers desert him.

But Holy Week is not, at its core, about listening to the story once more—the story whose ending we think we know, because we’ve heard it so many times before. If we just listen with passive ears—our hearts will not quicken, our stomachs will not turn, our thoughts will keep their objective distance…and we will miss the point of it all.

Holy Week has a telos, to be sure, but there is no contraction of time that gets us to Easter without making the journey of Holy Week.

Many have tried, but they bounce off into orbit once more, thinking perhaps that next time it will be different, and the yearning for weighty meaning persists.

We make our way together, and we go with all the senses engaged, trusting that God emboldens us to speak of eternal life even in the face of death—Christ’s, and our own.

I want to note here three services in particular that have not been in our usual schedule of services:

    1. Choral Evensong on Palm Sunday. April 2, 4:30 p.m.
    2. Holy Saturday Contemplative Service. April 8, 12:15 p.m.
    3. Easter Sunrise Service on the labyrinth. April 9, 6:30 a.m.

The full list of services with description follows. I invite you to join in the procession that is Holy Week at Saint Mark’s.

Peace and prayers,

The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector

The liturgies of this most sacred time are an invitation to enter more fully into the mystery of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Please participate as you feel called. Consider joining in an experience new to you. The entire community is blessed by your presence, whether in person or online.

 

Sunday, April 2: PALM SUNDAY—The Sunday of the Passion

8 a.m.  •  Palm Sunday Liturgy •  Thomsen Chapel

9 a.m. •  Palm Sunday Liturgy •  cathedral nave

11 a.m. •  Palm Sunday Liturgy •  cathedral nave and livestreamed

The Holy Week journey to the Cross begins with Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem, greeted by shouts of "Hosanna!" At 8 a.m., palms are distributed and blessed, and at 9 & 11 a.m. an outdoor procession follows (weather permitting). In some traditions, these Palm Sunday processions are a solemn affair, but at Saint Mark's it has been our practice to make this procession as boisterous and noisy as the original would have been. This year we welcome back The Super-Krewe, a New Orleans-style brass band, to lead the parade and rhythm instruments are available for the young and young-at-heart.

Once inside the church, the liturgy makes an abrupt turn, as we hear the entire narrative of Jesus' crucifixion as it is told in one of the Gospels. (This year, the Passion according to Matthew is read.) The reading of the Passion Gospel will be punctuated by reflective instrumental interludes. "Palm Sunday" and "Passion Sunday" were at one time observed on two separate days, one week apart, but are combined into one liturgy in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. The dramatic shift in tone marks the beginning of the solemnity that will follow in the remainder of the week. Canon Eliacín Rosario-Cruz will preach.

At the 9 a.m. service, an extended Children’s Chapel will be offered with a gentle, age-appropriate journey through the stories of Holy Week. Children are invited to follow the cross to Thomsen Chapel during the sequence hymn prior to the reading of the Passion Gospel and will return to their families at the Peace.

If you are participating online, you may wish to cut a leafy branch from your own garden in place of the palms, as people throughout the centuries have used what is indigenous in their own context to link them to the story of welcoming the King of Kings.

 

12:15 p.m.  •  Bilingual Stations of the Cross Liturgy - Liturgia del Vía Crucis bilingüe  •  cathedral nave

Following the 11 a.m. Palm Sunday Liturgy, we offer a communal walking of the Stations of the Cross in English and Spanish, as we contemplate the Way that Jesus walked by meditating on scripture and the sculptural interpretations by artist Virginia Maksymowicz. Readings and prayers will alternate languages, and a leaflet with both languages will help you locate yourself in the structure of the liturgy. This will be a moving, prayerful experience, whether or not you speak Spanish yourself. Experiencing these familiar scriptures and prayers in this format may provide a new perspective and fresh insight.

 

4:30 p.m. •  Choral Evensong on Palm Sunday  •  Thomsen Chapel

Mark the beginning of Holy Week with the cathedral's monthly offering of Choral Evensong on Palm Sunday. The mood of the service will be austere, with an emphasis on plainchant and unaccompanied singing, but the Evensong Choir's anthem will be Antonio Lotti's soaring and hauntingly expressive 8-part masterpiece, Crucifixus. The liturgy will conclude with all singing the beloved hymn, Abide with me.

 

7 p.m. •  Contemplative Eucharist on Palm Sunday  •  Thomsen Chapel

The Contemplative Eucharist will be offered as usual on Palm Sunday, with music offered by Rebekah Gilmore. Dean Thomason will preside.

 

9:30 p.m. •  The Office of Compline for Palm Sunday  •  cathedral nave, livestreamed, and broadcast on Classical KING

Compline on Palm Sunday follows the pattern of the other Compline liturgies in Lent, except that this is the only day of the year when the plainchant responsory Into thy hands, O Lord, is replaced by a polyphonic setting. This year the choir will present a version by the English Renaissance composer John Sheppard. The anthem which concludes the service will be We adore you, O Christ, by Richard Proulx (1937–2010), a sometime member of the Compline Choir.


Monday, April 3: Monday in Holy Week

7 p.m.  •  Contemplative Eucharist  •  cathedral nave

On the first weekday of Holy Week, experience a special version of the Contemplative Eucharist liturgy that is offered every Sunday at 7 p.m. in Thomsen Chapel. This is a liturgy of silence and stillness, following the familiar structure of the Holy Eucharist, with generous time for reflection and listening to the still small voice within. If you have never experienced the Sunday 7 p.m. service, you are especially encouraged to attend. There is no homily. Instrumental music helps create the meditative mood and will be offered this year by acclaimed composer and improvisor (and cathedral community member) James Falzone.

 


Tuesday, April 4: Tuesday in Holy Week

11 a.m.   •  Chrism Mass   •  cathedral nave and livestreamed

Bishop Provisional of the Diocese of Olympia Melissa Skelton and Bishop of the Northwest Washington Synod of the ELCA Shelley Bryan Wee join together for a service in which holy oil (chrism) is consecrated for use by faith communities throughout the Episcopal Diocese and Lutheran Synod in the coming year. Bishop Skelton will preside, and Bishop Wee will preach. The service includes an opportunity for priests and deacons to renew their ordination vows. All are welcome.

New this year: Bishop Skelton will remain in McCaw Chapel after the service to offer prayers and anointing for any clergy desiring that.

 

7 p.m.  •  Healing Eucharist  •  cathedral nave

This service of Holy Eucharist is offered in the cathedral nave, but with the chairs and altar rearranged to create a more intimate experience. To the familiar Eucharistic liturgy, special prayers for healing (for yourself or others) are added. There is the option to participate in the ancient practice of anointing and laying on of hands by a priest. Music will be offered by Rebekah Gilmore and Canon Michael Kleinschmidt. The Rev. Linzi Stahlecker will offer a homily.

 


Wednesday, April 5: Wednesday in Holy Week

7 p.m.  •  Tenebrae •  cathedral nave and livestreamed

Tenebrae is, for many, a highlight of the liturgical year at Saint Mark's, with its plainchant psalms and laments and a cappella meditations. The liturgy for Wednesday of Holy Week as we have it today was created by combining elements of three prayer offices, originally appointed for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, containing unique elements that have inspired composers through the centuries. These elements include the chanting of portions of the Book of Lamentations, with its distinctive Hebrew letters at the beginning of each verse, sung responsories which serve as small windows into the Passion narrative, and a complete rendition of Psalm 51, known as the Miserere. It is, in the words of The Book of Occasional Services, "an extended mediation upon, and a prelude to" the events of the Triduum.

The word tenebrae means "shadows," and the most memorable element of the liturgy is the transformation of the space itself, without electric light: we begin in twilight and are gradually engulfed by darkness as the service progresses.

If you are participating online, consider dimming the electric lights and experience the shadows in your own setting.

Music is offered by the adults of Evensong Choir. A new element for 2023 is the setting of Psalm 51 which concludes the service, adapted from music by Gregorio Allegri, but quite different from the well-known "Allegri Miserere."


TRIDUUM—The Sacred Three Days

The Liturgies of the Triduum—that is, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in Holy Week—are often considered to be a single liturgy stretched over three days. They trace Jesus' journey to the tomb, gradually increasing in intensity, until the proclamation of the Resurrection at the climax of the Easter Vigil, late Saturday night.

 


April 6: Maundy Thursday

7 a.m.  •  Morning Prayer on Maundy Thursday  •  in person in Thomsen Chapel 

 

7 p.m.  •  Maundy Thursday Liturgy  •  cathedral nave and livestreamed

On this night we remember the Last Supper and Jesus' final teachings to his friends. The word "Maundy" comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning "commandment," referring to "The New Commandment," that is, Jesus' commandment to us to love one another. (The famous text Ubi caritas—"Where charity and love are, God is there"—has its origin in this liturgy, and will this year be sung by the Cathedral Choir in a setting by Morton Lauridsen.) Saint Mark's Deacon, The Rev. Emily Austin, will preach.

This Gospel is followed by a Liturgy of Foot Washing, an enactment of Jesus' gesture of humble service to his followers. At Saint Mark's, it is the tradition to invite the entire congregation to participate in this powerful and intimate act, both washing the feet of others, and allowing your own feet to be washed. It is your choice whether to participate or not.

A service of Holy Eucharist follows the foot washing, after which the ritual Stripping of the Altar is performed. Fundamentally, this ritual is simply preparing the worship space for the next "act" of the Triduum liturgy, since on Good Friday the altar is always kept completely bare. In the context of the Maundy Thursday, the act takes on profound symbolic resonances, reminding us of the stripping of Jesus before his scourging in the final hours before his death, the preparation of Jesus’ body for his entombment, even the stripping bare of our own hearts. At Saint Mark's this ritual contains unique elements—you are invited to find your own meaning in this powerful, ambiguous, and unsettling act.

Music for this liturgy is offered by the Senior Choristers of the Choir School and (for the first time this year) the Cathedral Choir.

If you are watching online, you may wish to prepare a basin of warm water and have a soft towel ready to use with your household for the foot-washing portion of the liturgy.

 

~8:30 p.m.  •  Night Watch at the Altar of Repose (in the cathedral nave by reservation and livestreamed)

After Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday, some of the consecrated bread and wine of the Eucharist are placed on the altar in McCaw Chapel, where they are a focus for prayer and meditation through the night. We remember the agony of Jesus' final night before his crucifixion, and we remember his challenge to the disciples: "Could you not keep awake one hour? Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:37–38)

Volunteers will be present from the conclusion of the liturgy until 8 a.m., and the livestream will be available all night. The livestream will be streamed to the cathedral’s YouTube channel, and available on the usual livestream page of the cathedral website. (You may need to wait a few minutes and refresh the page before the video will appear.)

All are invited to spend some time in prayer and stillness, in whatever way feels meaningful to you: meditating, reading scripture or poetry, journaling, knitting, or sitting in silence.


April 7: Good Friday

11 a.m.  •  Communal Walking of the Stations of the Cross  •  cathedral nave

This is a final opportunity to experience this liturgy together with others this year. When we reach Eastertide, the cathedral's Stations will be put away until next year.

 

12 p.m.  •  Good Friday Liturgy  •  cathedral nave and livestreamed

7 p.m.  •  Good Friday Liturgy  •  cathedral nave and livestreamed

Recalling the suffering and death of Jesus Christ, the Good Friday liturgy is out-of-joint. On this day, no service of Eucharist is permitted. The Passion—the complete story of Jesus' trials, crucifixion, and entombment—is proclaimed. While on Palm/Passion Sunday the crucifixion narratives of Matthew, Mark, or Luke are read, depending on the year, on Good Friday it is invariably the Passion according to John. At the liturgy at noon, the Passion is read; at 7 p.m., it is chanted by members of the Cathedral Choir. Dean Thomason will preach.

The Passion is followed by a long series of ancient prayers known as The Solemn Collects. These prayers are traditionally accompanied by a distinctive pattern of standing and kneeling, which becomes a sort of sacred dance. Like the Passion, the Solemn Collects are read at noon and chanted at 7 p.m.

Finally, a large cross is brought into the worship space. All are invited to use this cross to meditate on Jesus' redemptive self-sacrifice. At Saint Mark's, this is known as The Contemplation of the Cross.

At noon, the liturgy will be accompanied by instrumental music by composer and improvisor James Falzone. At 7 p.m. music will be offered by the Cathedral Choir and the Schola of the Cathedral Choir School.

 

(It is the tradition at Saint Mark's to offer The Sacrament of Reconciliation, also known as “private confession,” on Good Friday. If this is something you would like, please contact any member of the clergy.)

 


April 8: Holy Saturday

12:15 p.m.  •  Holy Saturday Liturgy  •  cathedral nave

A short but moving liturgy is appointed for Holy Saturday in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. For many years, the service was offered in the Chapel of the Resurrection, but since the pandemic it has been moved to an unfamiliar corner of the cathedral nave. This placement prompted an expansion and enrichment of the liturgy, with scripture, a brief homily offered by community member Emily Meeks, and silence holding space to contemplate both the grief and promise of the tomb. Note that the time from 12 to 12:15 p.m. is set aside for silent reflection in the nave.

 

8:30 p.m.  •  The Great Vigil of Easter  •  cathedral nave and livestreamed

This is most solemn night of the Christian year. We begin in darkness, then the Bishop kindles the New Fire with flint and steel—a primal act of creation and a symbol of the return of light and life. From the New Fire is lit the Paschal Candle, and from the Paschal candle the light is spread to the candles held by each participant. In this way a tiny spark grows to illuminate the entire cathedral.

A deacon or cantor standing next to the Paschal candle chants the Exsultet, the church's ancient proclamation of Easter. Then, by candlelight, a Service of Lessons from the Hebrew scripture recounts the mighty saving acts of God in history and God’s promise of redemption and salvation. In the candlelit space, the scriptures take on some of the quality of stories told around the campfire.

When the sequence of readings is completed, Baptisms are performed—the Easter Vigil has been an occasion for baptizing new Christians since the earliest centuries of Christianity, connecting the sacrament of new birth to the commemoration of Christ's triumph over death.

At last, we reach the climax of the Great Vigil, the culmination of the Triduum, and the goal of our entire Lenten journey—the Proclamation of the Resurrection. The cathedral is flooded with light, and we sing Gloria in excelsis! At Saint Mark's, this moment is accompanied by the opening of the great doors that were closed on Shrove Tuesday—another liturgical element that can experienced nowhere else. In the now-transformed space, we hear the Gospel story of the empty tomb, and celebrate the first Eucharist of Easter. The service concludes with hymns of rejoicing.

Incense is used at this service, and music is offered by the Senior Choristers, the Schola, and the Cathedral Choir.

If you are participating online, you may wish to kindle a fire of your own by having a fire in the fireplace or simply lighting a candle, Have a bell ready to ring, or a pan to bang on at the Easter Proclamation, and fling on all the lights!

Following the service, all are invited to join together for a midnight breakfast at Lost Lake Café, a 24-hour diner located between Pike and Pine on Capitol Hill.


April 9: Easter Sunday: The Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ

6:30 a.m.  •  Easter Sunrise Eucharist  •  outdoors on the labyrinth

First offered in 2021, this simple outdoor Eucharist is offered as dawn breaks on Easter morning.

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8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m.  •  Easter Day Liturgy  •  cathedral nave; livestreamed at 11 a.m. only

The Easter Sunday liturgy is one of light and joy. The service includes a Renewal of Baptismal Vows. Music will be offered by the Cathedral Choir with organ, brass, percussion, and hand bells. This year, the Cathedral Choir will offer Charles Villiers Standford’s thrilling Te Deum in B-flat, as adapted by the composer for the coronation of Edward VII in 1902. The 8:30 and 11 a.m. services are identical in most ways, although incense will be used at 11 a.m. only. Our new Bishop Provisional, The Most Rev. Melissa Skelton, will preach.

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9:45 a.m. & 12:15 p.m.  •  Easter Egg Hunt  •  labyrinth/front lawn

This year an Easter Egg hunt for kids will be offered on the front lawn immediately after both the 8:30 and 11 a.m. Easter Sunday services. Children turn in their eggs for small prizes, and then may wish to hide eggs for others to find! Please bring your own basket.

 

7 p.m.  •  Contemplative Eucharist on Easter Evening  •  Thomsen Chapel

This evening Eucharist offers periods of silence for reflection, beautiful meditative music, and candlelight. Anointing and healing blessings are offered after the service. Music will be offered by James Falzone, and Canon Rosario-Cruz will preside.

 

9:30 p.m.  •  The Office of Compline on Easter Sunday  •   cathedral nave, livestreamed, and broadcast on Classical KING

Compline on Easter Sunday always begins with the canticle Pascha nostrum, sung by the Compline Choir in procession with hand bells. The joyous musical setting, with its Alleluia refrain, is by the choir's founder, Peter Hallock. This year the anthem will be Christus surrexit, a Latin motet by Jacob Handl based on the Lutheran chorale Christ ist erstanden.

 

Celebrating 10 Years of Steve and Kathy Thomason’s Ministry at Saint Mark’s Seattle

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Steve and Kathy Thomason's first Sunday at Saint Mark's, Seattle, was September 2, 2012. The community of Saint Mark's Seattle recognizes with joy and gratitude ten years of their presence in this place, and of Steve's leadership of the cathedral community.

Everyone is invited to add their voice to the community's expression of thanks by leaving a comment of any length, at the bottom of this post.

Your email address will not be shown. If this is your first time leaving a message on saintmarks.org, your comment will be held temporarily for moderation.

Conversations About Gratitude

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This year's annual Stewardship campaign will occur in October as usual, but as a "prelude" to Stewardship season the members of the Stewardship Committee, led by Junior Warden for Stewardship Chris Rigos, invite all to participate in a five-week conversation about gratitude.
Each week, a broad question to stimulate mindfulness of and reflection on gratitude will be posted. In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul writes: “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus towards you.” —let's explore this mindset together. The Stewardship Committee believes that a heightened awareness is the best way to thoughtfully begin our formal stewardship season in October. Everyone in the community is invited to write replies to each week's prompt.
The members of the Stewardship Committee—Greg Simon, Amanda Davis, Wayne Duncan, Deborah Person, Canon Eliacín Rosario-Cruz, and Junior Warden for Stewardship Chris Rigos—are looking forward to these conversations, and thank you for your willingness to be part of this exercise. If you have any questions, please write Chris Rigos at: crigos33@gmail.com

WEEK 5—GRATITUDE FOR THE CATHEDRAL

For the last several weeks, the Stewardship Ministry has invited everyone to reflect on what gratitude or thankfulness means to you and how you experience it. We talked about how you express gratitude to yourself or others, and how you nurture that sense of wellbeing and goodwill. These abstract conversations are almost over, and we now focus hearts and minds on the here and now—Saint Mark’s formal Stewardship campaign for the year 2023 will begin on Sunday, October 2. Soon you will receive a package of Stewardship materials in the mail, and you will hear reflections from parishioners in person and on video throughout the month of October.

So, our final question involves how your developing sense of gratitude applies to this beloved spiritual home, Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral. For what are you grateful, here at Saint Mark’s? Do you experience that feeling towards the clergy, staff, preaching, liturgy, or music? Ministries of restorative justice, creation care, or intergenerational connections? The sense of community, or particular community members? Perhaps it is the core beliefs and ethos of this place. If you have been attending Saint Mark's for some time, have these feeling changed over time? Remember: “wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome here.”

As we launch into our formal Stewardship campaign, continue to reflect on the ideas shared here. As we bring this series to a close, we thank you for your thoughts and prayers, and we end with our final question: Where are you on your gratitude journey with Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral?

Please offer a response of any length in the comments at the bottom of this page, or send an email to stewardship@saintmarks.org. (Note that the first time you leave a comment, it will be held in moderation before appearing.) Thank you for participating in this conversation.

WEEK 4—SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

Every week the presenting clergy member at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral invites us by saying: “Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome here.” On Sunday, September 11, Dean Steve Thomason continued this blessing by asking us in his sermon on Sunday morning: “Where are you on your spiritual journey?”

1 Corinthians 13:11 reminds us that we are born with a developing sense of self, our world, and our place in that world. When we become adults, we “put an end to childish ways.” The same observation may apply to our developing sense of gratitude or thankfulness. In our youth, perhaps we are grateful in a purely transactional way—for an unexpected gift, a fine report card, or a dream job. Sometimes our praise and prayers of gratitude are only for the “positive” or “pleasant” things, and we nurture, perhaps unconsciously, the belief that our prayers are being answered because of our “good” behavior.

So, where are you on your spiritual journey with gratitude? Are you prayerful for the events that benefit your life and family? Are you able to give thanks for positive things that happen to others but not to you? Are justice advances in far-off places part of your gratitude list, or progress in protecting our endangered creation, or nourishing meals provided to those who are experiencing hunger?

Where are you on your spiritual journey with gratitude?

WEEK 3—DAILY PRACTICE

The Saint Mark’s Stewardship Committee continues its five-part Gratitude Conversations with a question from community member Greg Simon:

In my day job, I reply to a lot of emails—200 or more most weeks.  I’ve noticed that nearly every one of my responses begins with “Thanks.”  And I really do mean that.  Setting aside all of the marketing spam, the messages I respond to really do deserve my gratitude.  Often, someone is telling me something that I need or want to know.  Or someone is telling me they’ve finished doing something that I asked for or just hoped for.

I did have the thought that I could just automate the first word of every email response.  It would be simple to have every reply start with “Thanks.”  In my email software, that’s under “Options>Mail>Replies and Forwards>Preface Comments With”.  Starting every reply with an automated “Thanks” would look exactly the same to the person receiving my message.  But it wouldn’t be the same for me. And gratitude really isn’t a transaction.  While it is important for people I correspond with to feel thanked, it’s much more important for me to feel thankful.

So I still type out those letters T-H-A-N-K-S every time.  Those six keystrokes add a few seconds for me to feel gratitude and consider what I’m grateful for.  I hope my gratitude will grow to be ever-present – but never automatic.

What things do you do every day to cultivate gratitude?  How do you make gratitude ever-present but not automatic?


WEEK 2—EXPERIENCE

The Saint Mark’s Stewardship Committee continues its five-part Gratitude Conversations with a focus how we experience gratitude and what we do with that experience.

Franciscan Father Richard Rohr talked in May 2020 about our need for a new vision when he wrote:

G. K. Chesterton spoke of the “mystical minimum” which he defined as gratitude. When we stand in the immense abundance of the True Self, there is no time or space for being hurt. We are always secure, at rest, and foundationally grateful. The grateful response for what is given—seeing the cup half full—requires seeing with a completely different set of eyes than the eyes that always see the cup as half empty. I don’t think it is an oversimplification to say that people basically live either in an overall attitude of gratitude or an overall attitude of resentment. The mystical minimum is gratitude. Everything that is given—that we are breathing today—is pure gift. None of us have earned it. None of us have a right to it. All we can do is kneel and kiss the ground—somewhere, anywhere, everywhere.

Several questions immediately rush into our consciousness. Does Rohr’s view or that of G.K. Chesterton resonate with you? How does a sense of thankfulness come upon you? Does it come to you slowly and quietly, or with a burst of speed, clarity, and whistles and bells?

What you do when gratitude fills your heart, mind, or soul? Do you rest quietly, “kiss the ground,” or rush to “go tell it on the mountain?”


WEEK 1—DEFINITIONS

The Saint Mark’s Stewardship Committee continues its five-part Gratitude Conversations with a focus on the broad importance of gratitude and its meaning to each of us.

In his 1984 book Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer: An Approach to Life in Fullness, Brother David Steindl-Rast writes: “All prayer is essentially an act of gratitude. Even the prayer of petition that boils up from some agonizing personal need includes, if it is authentic, a stated belief that ‘God’s will be done’—an expression of our utter dependence on God’s mercy.” Another author states that “gratitude is the ultimate spiritual practice.”

But what is gratitude? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary offers a definition for gratitude as a strong feeling of appreciation to someone or something for what the person has done to help you.” Researchers writing in a 2019 article published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology propose that “gratitude stems from the recognition that something good happened to you, accompanied by an appraisal that someone, whether another individual or an impersonal source, such as nature or a divine entity, was responsible for it.”

So, what does gratitude mean to you? How it is different in different contexts?

Easing COVID-19 Requirements at Saint Mark’s—August 17, 2022

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A MESSAGE FROM DEAN THOMASON

AUGUST 17, 2022

Dear friends,

As you may have seen in the news in recent days, the CDC has promulgated new guidelines related to COVID precautions and interventions. More importantly for us locally, King County public health officials have observed a dramatic decrease in infection rates and have reduced the risk level to LOW. That change, along with the trending infection rate of less than 200 new cases daily per 100,000 population, means that Saint Mark’s Cathedral will once again make mask-wearing optional, effective today for ministry groups and for worship beginning Sunday, August 21, 2022.

Please note: we will retain the “masked and distanced” section in the south pews and transept for any who want to continue those precautions. We do so, mindful still, that there are some for whom such safeguards are important measures for their comfort in worship. We want all to feel welcome. Of course, you’re welcome to mask and sit wherever you like. For ministry groups, I hope you will extend the courtesy of asking one another your comfort level and be guided by a consensus that takes everyone’s needs into account. I know you will be gracious and gentle with one another.

Liturgical ministers will continue to show proof of vaccination and boosters since they move about in the space and interact with many persons. Of course, vaccination remains an important element of caring for ourselves, and others. I hope you will get your next booster when they become available this fall. Be assured I will do so as well.

These changes mark a shift in approach to the virus as an endemic reality with which we must learn to live over the longer term. Having just returned from Britain, where similar adjustments were made weeks earlier, I can tell you we can do this and remain a vibrant worshipping community and a beacon of hope for all who yearn for the good news we have to share. We will remain nimble, flexing in our precautions as needed, always guided by our public health officials and the data with which informed decisions can be made. But for now, let’s celebrate this as a welcome relief and an opportunity to gather as we press on faithfully. I look forward to seeing your beautiful smiles once again!

Blessings and peace,

The Very Rev. Steven L. Thomason, Dean & Rector

Responding to the Supreme Court’s Dobbs Decision

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JUNE 24, 2022

Dear friends,

Today our nation received the news we’ve been expecting for several weeks now—that a divided Supreme Court has overturned Roe v Wade and Casey decisions which had for nearly fifty years ensured the constitutional right to reach an informed decision about termination of pregnancy and safe access to act upon those decisions.

As I said in a recent sermon [pdf] addressing the topic of reproductive rights, this is a matter of human dignity, and as such it is a first and foremost pastoral issue, even as it has been politicized. Since preaching that sermon on May 8, 2022, I have heard from several who have shared very tenderly of their life experiences and the difficult decisions they faced as crucial moments. I stand by what I said that day, and I share here once more that the Episcopal Church has, since 1976, unequivocally and repeatedly adopted formal position statements affirming full and equal access to health care for all genders, and that access to decisions surrounding reproductive rights must be reserved to the individual in consultation with their health care providers. [source]

Here is the statement from the Episcopal Church shared today:

Since 1976, The Episcopal Church has maintained its “unequivocal opposition to any legislation on the part of the national or state governments which would abridge or deny the right of individuals to reach informed decisions [about the termination of pregnancy] and to act upon them.” We uphold the conscience rights of pregnant women and other pregnant persons to determine whether they want to continue a pregnancy. The Episcopal Church views reproductive rights as “an integral part of a woman’s struggle to assert her dignity and worth as a human being.”

In light of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case, we reiterate our opposition to any legislative, executive, or judicial action at all levels of government that would restrict or limit a woman’s right to choose, or that would limit the rights of women and other pregnant people to access a safe abortion procedure. For us as Episcopalians, this is a matter of faith. Respecting the dignity of every human being means respecting the rights and freedoms of women to control their own bodies, destinies, and future.

 

I would refer you to the resource page of the Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations for additional information about how to respond in light of this judicial ruling. I would also say I am grateful to live in a state where reproductive rights are ensured by legislative action.

As I said in the sermon on May 8, we will make our way together, even when we won’t agree on every detail of such complicated matters. We do so as people of faith who hold dear the human dignity for all people; we do so as people committed to a way of life that is at its core a pastoral way of being with one another; we do so as people who cast a vision for a more just world, bringing hope into a world which is parched and thirsts for good news. I am willing to work for that, and I trust you are too.

Blessings and peace,

The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector

A Video for Good Shepherd Sunday

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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!

Belden Lane at Saint Mark’s: Ravished by Nature’s Beauty

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UPDATED WITH VIDEO

FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2022, 6:30–8:30 P.M.
and SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 9:30 A.M.–3 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall or online via Zoom. Registration required.

An offering from The Wisdom School at Saint Mark's

Ravished by Nature’s Beauty—Longing for God

A two-part workshop led by Belden C. Lane

The Christian mystical tradition can be deeply earthy and sensual in its yearning for union with the Divine. Hildegard of Bingen and Teresa of Avila found a wondrous God in trees and flowing water. Catherine of Siena and Ignatius Loyola were drawn by the wild energy of fire and the darkness of the cave. These mystics call us back to a “Great Conversation” with the natural world, reconnecting our spiritual lives with the earth. Renowned theologian and best-selling author Belden Lane will guide this wholesome exploration through images, storytelling, poetry, and guided meditation.

The confluence of Earth Day, the Easter Season, and springtime delight affords a spectacular opportunity to engage in conversation with nature, and through it, with God. Dr. Lane will offer four reflections:

  1. The Great Conversation: Listening to Trees
  2. Wilderness, Storytelling, and the Power of Place
  3. Catherine and Teresa, Women of Spirit: Fire and Water (Feeding one’s Desire for God)
  4. Ignatius Loyola and the Cave as Teacher

Space and time are integrated to allow contemplative time in the urban green space, journaling, and plenary conversations. Fee is $60 which includes snacks and light breakfast and lunch Saturday for those in Bloedel Hall.

Advance registration required. Fee: $60. 

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Resuming the Common Cup

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MARCH 3, 2022

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.

Please watch, and email the Dean at sthomason@saintmarks.org with any questions you may have.

Blood Memory and Spiritual Inheritance: A Forum with The Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining

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(Click to enlarge)

UPDATED WITH VIDEO

TWO WEDNESDAYS, MARCH 9 & 16, 2022, 6:45–8:15 P.M. PACIFIC TIME, via Zoom only, registration required. 

In the last few years, scientists have discovered what indigenous communities have known for countless generations: that the emotional and physical lives of our ancestors will fundamentally affect our emotional and physical lives as well. Yet, this concept of generational spirituality is underexplored in our faith communities. In this two part series, The Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining, Saint Mark’s 2022 Theologian-in-Residence, will explore the role of our ancestors in shaping our lives as well as how we might help heal ourselves and others. Join us for a combination of scholarship and experience in community!

Participants are invited to read Rev. Raining’s article on spiritual inheritance and gratitude here. Learn more about Rev. Raining here.


SPIRITUAL GENOGRAM

Rev. Raining has invited participants to construct their own "Spiritual Genogram" before the second session on March 16. Here some resources to guide you:

The Spiritual Genogram Participant Handout

Spiritual Genograms

Standard Genogram Symbols

Genogram Relationship Symbols

 

A complete video of Part 1:

A complete video of Part 2:

“Lent is a Good Time for Life Planning Work”—A Message from Dean Thomason

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MARCH 2, 2022 (ASH WEDNESDAY)

Dear friends,

For Christians, the Season of Lent offers a certain wisdom—that death is understood not merely as an event that occurs at the end of life, but also as an ever-present character in the story of our lives. Death is a mystery to be contemplated while we live.

For the past few years, I’ve made an annual appeal at the beginning of Lent for each adult at Saint Mark’s to undertake the work of planning your own funeral. Scores of people have done so; many have expressed how deeply meaningful this work is. If you have done so already, take time this Lent to dust off your plan, review and update it if needed. If you’ve not yet taken this work on, I exhort you to include this work this year in your observance of a holy Lent. It is indeed holy work. The clergy are happy to assist you in any way you find helpful.
Here are the documents that will serve as resources for you:

These documents are also available at saintmarks.org/funeral. Ideally, you would complete this planning form (or as much as you’d like to complete) and provide a copy to the Dean’s office, where it will be kept on file, and held in confidence, until the time it is needed (hopefully a long time from now!) Of course, you can retrieve it, amend it, or replace it at any time (and many of us do).

This year, I want to broaden this invitation to include preparation (or review) of your will. My granddaughter was born earlier this year, and her birth has prompted my daughter and her wife to prepare their wills. They are in their 30s; Kathy and I did much the same when our first child was born. It is never too soon to give thought to that part of end-of-life planning, including provision for heirs and designating legacy gifts for charitable agencies to which you are committed. Again, Lent is a particularly poignant time to undertake this work, or to conduct an annual review of your estate documents. For some with complex estates, an attorney will be needed. For others, this can be a straightforward exercise, and the Cathedral Foundation and the Diocese of Olympia have partnered with Freewill, a free online resource designed to help guide your decisions around estate planning and will preparation.

Kathy and I rewrote our wills a few years ago—maybe the fifth time in our lives—and we will review them again this Lent as a spiritual practice that evokes gratitude—for the blessings in our lives, for our children, and for Saint Mark’s, our alma maters, and other organizations we want to support with planned gifts.

This is holy work, my friends, wherever you are on the spiritual journey of life, wherever you are in the course of life. I hope you will embrace it as part of your Lenten observance.

Blessings and peace,

The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector

Treasures of the Cathedral: Virginia Maksymowicz’s Stations of the Cross

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Since Lent 2018, the Stations of the Cross by artist Virginia Maksymowicz have been displayed in the nave of Saint Mark's Cathedral, Seattle. Although they were originally commissioned by St Thomas Episcopal Church in Lancaster, PA—a very different kind of church interior than Saint Mark's—their elemental quality and stark appearance resonate visually and spiritually with the nave of Saint Mark's. Many are surprised to learn that they were not created specifically for this space! In fact, they have only been on loan to the cathedral since their first appearance here in 2018.

Now, Saint Mark's Cathedral is happy to announce that these artworks are now a permanent part of the cathedral collection. They have been given as a gift by The Rt. Rev. Gregory Rickel, Bishop of Olympia, and Mrs Marti Rickel, to the glory of God and in loving memory of Bishop Rickel's father, Morris E. Rickel Jr. These Stations of the Cross will serve the cathedral community, the diocese, and wider community as a beautiful and prayerful aspect of our Lenten observances for years to come.


About the Stations of the Cross

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Coffee with the Curate!

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SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 10:10–10:50 A.M., Bloedel Hall or via Zoom

Rev. Linzi, the newest member of Saint Mark’s clergy team, is excited for the opportunity to gather with the people of the parish for this Sunday forum - her spouse, Troy, will be here too. Linzi will share some of her surprising story, which begins as an outspoken and committed atheist living and working in London, England, and she will also introduce the Cathedral Commons she’ll be leading later this month. Learn more about Linzi here. Bring your coffee and your questions!

Intergenerational Hike to Tradition Lake

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2 P.M., meet at the Tradition Lake trailhead

For the second intergenerational hike, intrepid hiker Betsy Bell has chosen a route that’s friendly to seniors and preschoolers. We’ll meet at the Tradition Lake trailhead at the end of the road at High Point exit off I-90. This includes the Swamp Trail which has a fun series of story boards about Zoe and the creatures in the area, the Ruth Kees Big Tree and Tradition Lake trails, about 2.5 to 3 miles with almost no elevation gain and a couple of good places to stop for prayer and song.

See a map of the trail route here.

Check out photos and materials from the previous Intergenerational Hike to Twin Falls here.

Questions or RSVP to Canon Wendy Claire Barrie: wbarrie@saintmarks.org

Please note: If you are interested in going, please email Canon Wendy Barrie in advance, and she will reply with her cell phone number. 

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Shrove Tuesday 2022

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TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 6–7:15 P.M., in the cathedral nave. Register here. Suggested donation: $5/person, $20/family.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and Closing of the Doors

Please join us on Shrove Tuesday, March 1, in the cathedral nave, to end the season after Epiphany in the traditional way—by gathering in community, eating pancakes, and having fun! There will be live music, crafts, and games. Chef Marc Aubertin and the youth will be preparing our meal, and the members of the Seattle Service Corps will be decorating and assisting in the celebration.

The evening will conclude with a brief liturgy to bury the Alleluias and close the great doors until Easter. (This is a tradition to unique to Saint Mark's—see a glimpse of what the Closing of the Doors has looked like in previous years below!)

Please register in advance here. Children 5 and under are very much welcome! Everyone older than 5 must be vaccinated or provide a recent negative PCR test. When you register, you will be encouraged to provide your proof of vaccination in advance, simply by emailing an image to Canon Barrie at wbarrie@saintmarks.org

(Registration will also be available at the door, but advance registration will aid in planning, and providing proof of vaccination in advance will speed up check-in.)

The Closing of the Doors, 2019
The Closing of the Doors, 2020
(If the player above doesn't work, try this link.)

Annual Parish Meeting, 2022

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Click the cover to read the report.

UPDATE: A COMPLETE VIDEO OF THE MEETING MAY BE SEEN BELOW.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 12:30–2 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall or online via Zoom.


The slate of candidates for Diocesan Convention Delegates were elected by acclamation.

The new Vestry members elected to three-year terms at this meeting were:

  • Scott Hulet
  • Wayne Duncan
  • Kristen Kelly
  • Justin Mills

In addition, Doug Thorpe was appointed to serve a one-year term filling a vacant position.

The Dean announced the appointment of Emily Meeks as Senior Warden for this year.

The Pro Christo Et Ecclesia Award was presented to:

  • Virginia Lenker
  • Molly Henderson

The video presented at the meeting introducing the members of the staff and clergy may be seen below:

This year, in the interest of time (and considering that there will be no food served), two reports that would normally be presented at the meeting have been pre-recorded. Please view them at your convenience.

Complete video of the Annual Meeting:

The Spirituality of the Meal

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SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2022, 9:30 A.M.–12 P.M., in person only. Registration required—limited to 20 attendees.

Facilitated by Chef Marc Aubertin & Dean Steve Thomason

An offering from The Wisdom School at Saint Mark's

Food is a profound portal into spiritual growth even as it often carries trappings of stress and shame for many. It doesn’t have to. Sharing a meal is a holy experience, if we avail ourselves of the opportunity to practice presence and to see the bounty before us as opportunity to practice gratitude. Brief reflections across the day will include history of the meal, reflecting on food as spiritual metaphor, and participants will engage in sensate tasting and will share a meal prepared by all present.

Register by submitting the form below, or at this link.

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Choral Evensong observing the Feast of Presentation of Christ in the Temple

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 4:30 P.M.

In this service, we join our voices with those of Anna and Simeon when the boy Jesus was presented to them by Mary and Joseph in the Temple: "For mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared for all people." The Evensong Choir will offer an effervescent setting of the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in G major by the English composer, Herbert Sumsion; and a contemplative setting of the beloved spiritual, "This little light of mine," by the African-American composer, John Wesley Work III.

Learn more about the Evensong Choir here.

Following Jesus to a New Counter-Cultural, Post-Pandemic Normal

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UPDATED WITH VIDEO

SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 2022, 9:30 A.M.–3 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall OR online via Zoom

A Saturday gathering led by Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows

The year 2022 is already being called “the year of all things,” as the world attempts to catch up on two years of pandemic postponements. But Jesus, ever attentive to the present moment, calls us to liberation from the tyranny of being overcommitted and offers us the invitation to rest, heal, and be well. This workshop will explore the resources of our faith tradition for grounded and connected life and ministry for all of God’s people.

Besides Saturday's Wisdom School forum, the visit to Saint Mark's of the Bishop of Indianapolis, The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, also included a workshop for clergy, Sunday morning preaching, and a "Friends Talking" Sunday Forum in Bloedel Hall.

UPDATE: Watch the Video of Bishop Baskerville-Burrows' Wisdom School Forum below.

View the Workshop Slides here. (Thanks and credit for workshop slides to @blackliturgies)

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Saint Mark’s at the 2022 Seattle MLK Jr. Day Rally & March

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UPDATED WITH TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION

MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022, 11 a.m. Rally; 12:30 p.m. March Starts

At the Garfield High School Front Parking Lot on 23rd

Grab your walking shoes and join us at the 2022 MLK Jr Rally and March in Seattle on Monday, January 17. This year will mark the 39th year of the event honoring Dr. King's legacy.

Due to COVID, Garfield High School is CLOSED. There will be porta-potties (including an accessible unit), so please plan accordingly. Please dress warm and wear comfortable shoes.

More info here. Contact Canon Rosario-Cruz if you are interested in this event.

PLEASE NOTE: While this is an outdoor/outside event, as always, during this time of COVID, use your best judgment and wisdom in deciding how comfortable you are participating in large/crowded events.


How to get there:

At this point in the pandemic, the cathedral is not going to organize carpool/ride-sharing.

If you decide to use Public transportation, these are the directions for using public transportation from Saint Mark’s:

  1. Leave Saint Mark's at 10:10 a.m. on the #49 headed to University District station
  2. Get off at NE Campus Parkway and Brooklyn Ave NE
  3. Walk three minutes to 15th Ave NE & NE 40th St.
  4. Catch the #48 headed to Mount Baker Transit Center (departs from 15th Ave NE & NE 40th St. at 10:30 a.m.)
  5. Reach Garfield High School 10:50 a.m.

Returning to Saint Mark’s from Federal Building downtown (this is where the march have ended in the past).

  1. Walk 10 minutes to Westlake Station
  2. Catch the Northgate train to Capitol Hill station
  3. Catch the #49 headed to University District station, which goes past the cathedral on 10th and Galer

For public transportation fees and/or alternative routes check Metro website: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro.aspx 


If you would like to participate from home:

The Seattle Martin Luther King Organizing Coalition will offer online/Zoom workshops all through the day on Monday 1/17.

Use the link below to find  information and sign-up forms for the workshops.

https://www.seattlemlkcoalition.org/workshop-topics-2022 

Sledding & Snowballs & Snow Angels

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, 2:30–4:30 P.M.

Middle School and High School youth (and families) are invited to a sledding, snowball fight, snow angel extravaganza up in the mountains after church at the end of the month.

When: Sunday, January 30th, 2:30PM-4:30PM (We will meet at the Easton Reload Parking area).

Where: Easton Reload Sno-Park *subject to change based on conditions so RSVP! About 75-90min from Seattle

RSVP here (Even a "maybe" is helpful so we can communicate changing plans as needed with weather/Covid)

How to get there: At this point in the pandemic, the cathedral is not going to organize ride-sharing. Families can choose to drive their own youth up to the sno-park OR can make their own carpooling arrangements. This location is over Snoqualmie Pass so 4wheel/All Wheel Drive is recommended or have chains with you. Parents, just come hang out and chat with each other and maybe deck your kid with a snowball.

Release of Liability: Youth need to come with the release of liability form filled out by a parent. Emailing it to me ahead of time would be the BEST.

What to bring: Release of liability, sled or saucer, snow gear (boots, coats, hats, gloves, pants), warm change of clothes, snacks, water.

Sno-Park One Day Pass: To park at the Sno-Park you must either have a seasonal Sno-Park Permit or purchase a day use $25 Sno-Park permit for your vehicle. To purchase a permit early, you can do it here and print it.  I would recommend waiting until a few days ahead when the weather outlook is more stable. There is a pay-station in the State Park to buy one but that will be likely be out of your way.

Mark you calendars for the snowball fight of the decade...or snow angels if that's your speed.

Following the Magi: Exploring and Celebrating Dimensions of Culture

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UPDATED WITH VIDEO

TWO WEDNESDAYS: JANUARY 19 AND 26, BOTH 6:45-8:15 P.M., in Bloedel Hall and via Zoom

The season of Epiphany is a time of unveiling, light, and revelation. On Wednesdays, January 19 & 26, we will gather in the spirit of the Magi following the bright star, exploring and celebrating 9 dimensions of culture. The Rev. Canon Eliacín Rosario-Cruz will facilitate our conversation.

On Wednesday, January 19, we will explore the following dimensions of culture:

  • Power Distance
  • Uncertainty Avoidance
  • In-Group Collectivism
  • Institutional Collectivism

On Wednesday, January 26, we will explore the following dimensions of culture:

  • Gender Egalitarianism
  • Assertiveness
  • Performance Orientation
  • Future Orientation
  • Humane Orientation

A complete video of Part 2 may be seen below. (Part 1 was not recorded. We apologize for the inconvenience.)

The Radix Project Returns, January 2022

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UPDATED WITH VIDEO

OPENING PLENARY: SUNDAY, JANUARY 23, 6:30–8 P.M. via Zoom (Note: this link is for the presentation only. Groups will each have their own Zoom link, issued separately.)

GROUPS MEET: STARTING THE WEEK OF JANUARY 24.

The seventh series in The Radix Project is titled Doing Justice, Loving Mercy, and draws inspiration from selected scripture stories and accompanying artwork to invite reflection on current events and how we live and move and have our being in this time.

The six-week series will launch the week of January 24 and run through early March. Once again, we will set things up with an opening plenary, via Zoom, scheduled for Sunday, January 23 at 6:30 p.m. Join the plenary using this link.

Given the recent surge in pandemic infections, all groups will gather via Zoom this iteration. Groups begin meeting the week of January 24, and will meet once a week for six weeks. [Note: Sunday groups will begin January 30. Wednesday groups will skip March 2 (Ash Wednesday) and finish March 9]

Learn more about The Radix Project, and view materials and video from previous iterations, here.

Whether you participated in the past or not, you are welcome and heartily encouraged to join a small group this season. We do ask, if you sign up, that you prioritize these dates in your calendar so you are present for all (or most) of the meetings. The deadline to register is January 17, 2022.


UPDATE: Watch a video of the opening presentation below:

The first few minutes of the presentation were not recorded. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Download the slides from the opening plenary presentation here.

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