an advent Quiet morning
Between Two Worlds: Thresholds of Expectant Hope in Advent
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2025, 9 A.M.–12:30 P.M.
in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom
with The Very Rev. Kate Moorehead Carroll
Using the witness of sacred scriptures, the wealth of wisdom gleaned from life’s experiences, and the grace given in prayerful waiting, participants will be invited to explore meaning found amidst the ambiguity of life in these remarkable times.
Registration required for in-person or online participation (register to receive Zoom link). Suggested donation: $25.
New Year’s Eve Labyrinth Walk
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2025, 6 P.M.–12 A.M.
in the cathedral nave; Holy Eucharist in the center of the labyrinth at midnight
Offered each year since 1999, “Seattle’s most peaceful New Year’s tradition” celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. As the old year passes and a new one begins, take time in the quiet, candle-lit space of the cathedral nave to pause, look inward, and experience walking a large indoor labyrinth laid out in the nave. Invitations to other contemplative practices will be offered, and musical accompaniment will be provided by guest musicians throughout the evening.
At the stroke of midnight, a special, intimate service of Holy Eucharist is offered in the center of the labyrinth, observing the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus—a beautiful way to begin 2026.
All are welcome; freewill donations gratefully received.
Wilderness Spirituality
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025, 9 A.M.–12:30 P.M.
in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom, registration required.
with The Rt. Rev. Phil LaBelle, bishop of olympia
For centuries, Christians have been following Jesus’ lead and heading into the wilderness to find God. Wilderness experiences—both those intentionally taken in the natural world and those unplanned and taken metaphorically —strip away what’s unnecessary in our lives and give us an opportunity to pay attention to the inner workings of the soul. Belden Lane suggests that while there are times when we descend into difficult times in our lives, it is then that we “may discover our greatest joy in having survived the night, in finding resources we did not know we had, falling back on a strength that was more than ours.” During this day, we’ll discuss the realities of being in the wilderness—whether a hiking trail or a difficult season of life—and contemplate how to prepare for those times with spiritual practice, discovering how we can cross the threshold from a time of descent to one of delight.
Program is free, but registration is required for in-person or online participation (register to receive Zoom link).
a LENTEN Quiet morning
Silence and Honey Cakes: Lessons from the Desert for Modern Communities
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2025, 8:30 A.M.–12 P.M.
in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom, registration required.
with the Rev. Sr. Miriam Elizabeth Bledsoe, OSH
From the beginning, we were created for belonging and community. And yet, community also comes with many challenges, including the temptations of individualism, conformity, competition and power. How do we discern and nourish the truth of who we are and who our neighbor is? How do we manage the variations of gifts, limitations, calls and vocations within our communities while also nurturing the persons in those communities and in the margins? The desert mothers and fathers of the 3rd and 4th centuries understood that the heart of the Christian path was communion with God and with one another. They also knew the challenges of belonging and community. These ammas and abbas will be our teachers as we explore belonging, loving, and navigating the blessings and temptations that can manifest in community.
Suggested Donation: $25. Registration is required for in-person or online participation (register to receive Zoom link).
The Amazing Grace of Celtic Spirituality and Its Relevance in Our World Today
SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2025, 9 A.M.–2:30 P.M.
in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom. Registration required.
with Deirdre Ní Chinnéide
Join renowned spiritual guide and retreat leader from the Aran Islands of Western Ireland in a journey through the heart of the Celtic Christian tradition. Resting in the arms of God, we will explore the call to listen through scripture, music, reflection and prayer—and together, create a healing space with amazing grace and compassion for ourselves and others
Fee: $65, includes materials, light breakfast, snacks, and lunch. Registration required for in-person or online participation (register to receive Zoom link). A link to register will be posted here when it is available.
Celtic Passage: Music, Song & Poetry from Ireland
NOTE: Deirdre Ní Chinnéide and colleagues will also perform a concert titled Celtic Passage: Music, Song & Poetry from Ireland in the cathedral nave on Friday, March 20, 2026, 7 p.m., in a special event co-sponsored by Abbey Arts. Look for more details as the date approaches. Ticket sales will open early 2026.
Grief as a Threshold Experience
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2026, 6:45-8:15 P.M.
in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom
Facilitated by the Rev. Canon Rich Weyls
Grief is the human response to any sort of loss in life. The experience of grief is a liminal space, a threshold between what was and what is, between presence and absence, between the known and the mysterious. In this session, we will explore various forms of grief and move beyond classical stage theories to examine the cognitive, social, cultural and spiritual dimensions of grief and recovery. We will concentrate upon the profound spiritual growth that can happen as people learn to live with their grief in a new way.
Program is free; no registration required. A Zoom link to join online will be posted here when it is available. Optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($8/adult; $25/family max.)
Write Around the Corner
SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2026, 9 A.M.-12 P.M.
in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom, registration required.
Facilitated by The Rev. Mary Lindberg
How do we write our way into the unknown during times of change in our lives? How can writing alone and with others give us clues about what lies beyond our thresholds, and empower us to take steps forward in faith? This writing workshop offers us the chance to discover wisdom, imagination, and connections to others through the written word. Pastor Mary Lindberg believes in the power of the pen as a spiritual tool. She serves as a Spiritual Director and leads writing groups, particularly with underserved groups, using the supportive Amherst Writers and Artists (AWA) method. Mary has published books for adults and children.
Fee: $25. Registration is required for in-person or online participation (register to receive Zoom link). A registration link will be posted here when it is available.
OPENING PLENARY
Crossing Thresholds as Sacred Journey
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 17, 2025, 6:45–8:15 P.M.
in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom
WITH THE VERY REV. STEVEN L. THOMASON
In the practice of medicine, the liminal point marks the bounds of perception—below it, one does not experience a discernible physiological or psychological response. In mythology, the crossing of a threshold marks the protagonist’s journey from routine (unaware) to sacred (new awareness). The ancient tradition of religious pilgrimage takes similar shape. The “in-between” space is often marked by uncertainty or a sense of suspension; one must muster courage, vulnerability, and a willingness to let go of what was in order to embrace the new beginning. Sacred rituals and practices help us orient to these transformative moments so that, even in the routine, we see the sacred.
Naming Our Thresholds
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2025, 6:45–8:15 P.M.
in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom
Facilitated by the Rev. Canon Emily Griffin
Thresholds are places for entering and leaving—for moving from one kind of space or time to another. We make these kinds of transitions throughout our lives but often don’t know how to prepare for them, mark them, or discern the shape of our lives in light of them. In this session, we will share tools for narrating our own life stories and explore how our shared story as Christians helps us make meaning of our endings that are also new beginnings.
Slides and video from this forum are now available here.
The Somatic Enneagram: Listening to the Wisdom of the Body
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2025, 6:30–8:30 P.M.
and SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2025, 9:30 A.M. - 2:30 P.M.
in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom
Facilitated by Alicia Divers
This two-day workshop invites participants to explore the Enneagram not only as a tool for understanding personality but as a pathway to deeper spiritual awareness through the body. Through gentle practices, reflection, and shared inquiry, we’ll consider how our habitual patterns live within us physically—and how tuning into the body can open us to healing, presence, and the sacred. No prior experience with the Enneagram or somatic work is needed—just a willingness to slow down and listen. Learn more here.
Resources and videos from this workshop can be found here.
Following in the Footsteps of Paul—A Pilgrimage to Greece and Turkey
OCTOBER 8–19, 2026
Led by The Very Rev. Steven L. Thomason, Dean of Saint Mark’s Cathedral, and local archaeological guides
UPDATE (November 2025): The pilgrimage is currently AT CAPACITY, but contact Dean Thomason to put your name on a wait list in case of cancelations.
Greece has often been called the birthplace of democracy and the cradle of Western Civilization. It, together with Turkey, is also the earliest home of Christianity outside of the Palestine/Israel. This 12-day pilgrimage traces the footsteps of Paul in Greece and Turkey as he engaged the early Christian communities there. Our journey will take us to the well-preserved ruins of Athens, Corinth, Philippi, and Thessaloniki in Greece. Along the way, we will visit the byzantine monasteries perched on the cliffs of Meteora. In Turkey, we’ll visit Smyrna and Pergamum, two of the churches to whom Revelation was written to encourage them during troubled times, and on our last full day we’ll explore Ephesus, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Letter to the Ephesians is a remarkable witness to Paul’s courage and encouragement to the beleaguered Church.
The Center for Spirituality and Action
Our life in Christ is grounded in community and mutuality, and we need companions along the way as we seek to deepen our relationships with God, others, self and creation. Drawing on tried-and-true monastic rhythms of prayer and service, Saint Mark’s is launching a new venture inviting individuals who seek to go deeper in their spiritual practices to form intentional community. Participants will form mutual commitments to daily prayer, regular gatherings for worship and spiritual formation, occasional retreats, and spiritual direction—all of which informs our service in the world, which in turn informs our prayer life.
Leffler House on the Cathedral campus will serve as base camp for The Center for Spirituality and Action: a place of gathering, space for individual retreats, spiritual direction, and intentional community.
If you’d like more information about this new offering visit: saintmarks.org/csa