Mothered by God: Divine Feminine and the Black Madonna
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2023, 9 A.M.–2:30 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom
The Divine is not limited to one gender or race, but for many people the dominant image of God they’ve experienced is that of a white male. Such a poverty of metaphor limits not only our understanding of the Holy One who overflows all human categories but also reinforces white supremacy and patriarchy. Join Dr. Christena Cleveland as she explores the Divine Feminine, especially in the context of her 400-mile walking pilgrimage across central France in search of ancient Black Madonna statues.
Cost: $65 (for both online and in-person participants). Scholarships available. Includes a light lunch and snacks for those participating in person.
Dr. Christena Cleveland is a social psychologist, public theologian, author, and activist. She is the founder and director of the Center for Social Justice and Renewal as well as its sister organization, Sacred Folk. She is the author of Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces that Keep Us Apart (2013), and God is a Black Woman (2022). Learn more about Christena here.
NOTE: In preparation for Dr. Cleveland’s workshop, The Rev. Canon Carla Robinson offered a two-part Cathedral Commons series about Cleveland’s book God is a Black Woman on Wednesday, May 10 and Wednesday, May 24. Free event, offered in person and online via Zoom. Find video of both parts 1 and 2 here.
UPDATE: A complete video of Dr Cleveland's event is now posted here.
The Wisdom of Your Body:
Finding Healing, Wholeness, and Connection Through Embodied Living
SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2023, 9:30 A.M.–3 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom; registration required for either option
with Hillary L. McBride, Ph.D.
Many of us have, unknowingly, been sold the story that our minds are superior to our bodies, and that our bodies are barriers to “pure” or “true” spirituality. Together, we will examine how these ideas continue to keep us from wholeness. We’ll explore practices that help us repair the fragmentations we carry inside of us, so that we can truly remember our bodily selves.
Cost: $65 (for both online and in-person participants). Scholarships available. Includes a light lunch and snacks for those participating in person. Registration required.
Hillary L. McBride is a therapist, researcher, speaker and writer. She holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of British Columbia, with a focus on women’s experiences in and of the body, particularly at significant transitions points. She is the author of Mothers, Daughters, and Body Image: Learning to Love Ourselves as We Are (2017), Embodiment and Eating Disorders (2018), and, most recently, The Wisdom of Your Body (2021). Learn more about Hillary here.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to contractual agreements and the sensitive nature of the discussions at this workshop, a recording of this event cannot be made available publicly.
Sacred Listening as a Transformational Practice
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 6:45–8:15 P.M., presenters online via Zoom. Optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($6/child; $8/adult; $25/max. family).
Please note: The presenters, Rev. Stahlecker and Canon Rosario-Cruz, will be leading this forum online via Zoom. The Wednesday evening community dinner will be served in Bloedel Hall 6–6:30 p.m. as usual. Those who wish to attend the dinner and then participate in the forum will join together in Room 210.
Facilitated by The Rev. Linzi Stahlecker & The Rev. Canon Eliacín Rosario-Cruz
Sacred listening is more than the hearing of words and sounds. Sacred listening is an invitation into relationship and an honoring of the ways in which the Divine presence is felt and responded to in our lives as a source of transformation. In this forum, we will learn about—and practice—various ways to cultivate sacred listening, how to notice and recognize the resistances and avoidances that may hinder our transformation, and we will create spaces together that honor the sharing of our stories and the fostering of transformative relationships as a way to enhance and expand our relationship with God.
UPDATE: A complete video is now posted here.
A Women's Retreat: Our Lives as Sacred Stories
FRIDAY–SUNDAY, APRIL 21–23, 2023, at St. Andrew’s House Retreat Center, Union, WA
Facilitated by The Rev. Canon Jennifer king Daugherty & the Rev. Linzi Stahlecker
The theme for our time together will be: Our Lives as Sacred Stories. This two-night retreat will take place at St. Andrew's House, a lodge-like setting, with warm and comfortable accommodations on the beautiful Hood canal. All meals are included in the cost of the retreat, and are locally sourced and chef prepared. There are a few single rooms available, but most rooms are doubles, we hope many will be open to sharing, please specify your preference when you register. The cost for two nights' accommodation, dinner on Friday, all meals on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday is $340 for a single room; $250 for a double. Scholarships are available.
"Is Christianity Worth Saving?"
A One-Day Interactive Event with Brian McLaren
FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2023, 9:30 A.M.–4 P.M., in cathedral nave; registration required
Join renowned leader Brian McLaren for a dynamic interactive event exploring the future of Christian faith in the 21st century.
Is Christianity Worth Saving? is a six-and-a-half hour interactive experience featuring author Brian McLaren. Throughout the three-part event McLaren will be joined by a circle of Seattle-area practitioners, experts, advocates, critics, and audience members who will ask clarifying questions and respond to his insights and observations.
- SESSION 1—“NO”
- SESSION 2—“YES”
- SESSION 3—“NOW WHAT?”
Is Christianity Worth Saving? is produced by Off The Map, who've gotten lost so many times they're no longer much afraid.Cost (updated!): Regular, $39 | "Bring a Friend," $69 | "Team" (up to five people), $139.
Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, public theologian, and interrogator of 21st Century American Christian expression. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for “a new kind of Christianity”—just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. He is the author of many books, including A Generous Orthodoxy (2004), A New Kind of Christianity (2010), The Great Spiritual Migration (2016), Faith After Doubt (2021), and, most recently, Do I Stay Christian? A Guide for the Doubters, the Disappointed, and the Disillusioned (2022). In 2005, Time magazine called him one of the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America. Learn more about Brian here.
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Lent 2023
MARCH 3–13, 2023
Led by The Very Rev. Steven L. Thomason & The Rev. Katherine Sedwick
Our Christian tradition holds dear the practice of making pilgrimages as holy experiences of learning, conversion, and transformation, and none is more significant than walking the ways of Jesus. Both of us have found that pilgrimage experiences have profoundly shaped our ministries and our understanding of what it means to follow Christ. We are excited by this opportunity to lead a pilgrimage together, with approximately 30 members of our congregations, during Lent 2023. Learn more here.
UPDATE: Participants in the pilgrimage presented their experiences and reflections at a forum on March 29, 2023. A video of that forum may be seen here.
A Not-So-Quiet Day
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 9:30 A.M.–2:30 P.M., in person only, in the cathedral nave and outdoors.
Facilitated by Wendy Claire Barrie, Cathedral Canon for Intergenerational Ministries
This offering for children, youth, and adults is an intentionally intergenerational exploration of embodied spiritual practices.
The doors will open at 9 a.m., and we'll begin at 9:30 a.m. with prayer, song, and an introduction to the day's activities. Feel free to come and go as you desire; we'll break for a light lunch at noon and the day will end at 2:30 pm. All activities take place in the cathedral nave and on the labyrinth, weather permitting. The day includes facilitated experiences as well as self-guided activities, and includes options for all ages and abilities. You are invited to choose among the offerings that interest you. Facilitators include Betsy Bell, Emily Meeks, Deborah Brown, Will Matthews, and Sarah Hyde.
Schedule of the Day:
9 a.m. | Doors Open
9:30 a.m. | Opening Circle
10 a.m. | Qi Gong
10:30 a.m. | Body Prayer
11 a.m. | Drum Circle
12 p.m. | Lunch
1 p.m. | Collage
1:30 p.m. | Yoga
2:15 p.m. | Closing Circle
Self-guided activities available throughout the day include:
Praying in Color
Outdoor, indoor, and finger labyrinths
Ignatian Imaginative Prayer
Children's activities inspired by Sing, Wrestle, Spin: Prayers for Active Kids
Don't miss this day of prayer and connection for all ages! (Registration is appreciated but not required.) Suggested donation: $10. Contact Canon Barrie with any questions: wbarrie@saintmarks.org
The Art of Pilgrimage: A Workshop on Sacred Journey
SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2023, 9:30 A.M.–3:30 P.M. (note change in time)
in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom; registration required for either option
Facilitated by Phil Cousineau
A pilgrimage is a spiritually transformative journey to a sacred place. This workshop will focus on seven spiritual practices intended to augment your travels, whether sacred or secular. Each practice is designed to help the traveler be present in the moment, to experience the miracles of the world with all the senses, to show respect and reverence for the sites you visit, and to honor those who walked there before you. Richard Neibuhr once said: “Pilgrims are poets who create by taking journeys.” Using photography, brief film clips on pilgrimage, contemplative music and other media, participants will explore this sacred work together. Please bring a journal, pen or pencil, and a favorite spiritual poem or passage pertinent to an upcoming journey.
Saint Mark’s is devoting intentional focus to the spiritual practice of pilgrimage in 2023 and beyond with an invitation to see how travel, near and far, can be a sacred enterprise.
Phil Cousineau is an award-winning writer and filmmaker, story consultant and editor, travel leader and inspirational speaker on myth in the modern world. He has published more than 40 books, including The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work, The Oldest Story in the World, and The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker's Guide to Making Travel Sacred. Learn more about Phil here.
Fee $65, includes light lunch Saturday and snacks (scholarships available). Pre-registration required for in-person or online participation.
UPDATE: A complete video and other resources are now available here.
Addiction and Love: Reclaiming Our True Identity
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2023, 6:45–8:15 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom. Optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($6/child; $8/adult; $25/max. family).
Facilitated by Killian Noe
Most of us suffer from mistaken identity. We identify as the trauma we have endured or the behaviors that emerge from that trauma. The spiritual journey is the life- long journey of reclaiming our truest identity, which is Love. We will reflect on the many ways we numb our pain instead of staying present to and being transformed by our pain and we will celebrate the hope/joy of living from Love.
Killian Noe is the Founder of the Recovery Café Network, and is the author of Finding Our Way Home and Descent Into Love. Read more about Killian here.
Program is free. Optional community dinner served at 6 p.m. ($6/child; $8/adult; $25/max. family).
UPDATE: This forum was inadvertently not recorded. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Becoming and Belonging:
Embodied Spirituality in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
NOTE: This presentation had been postponed from its original date and will instead be offered DECEMBER 7 & 14, 2022.
TWO WEDNESDAYS, DECEMBER 7 & 14, 6:45 p.m.–8:15 p.m., in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom. Optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($6/child; $8/adult; $25/max. family).
Facilitated by Dean Steve Thomason
We are in a paradigm shift of seismic proportions. Drawing on the evolutionary theology of Teilhard de Chardin and the ground-breaking postulations by Ilia Delio, we will explore what embodied spirituality means in a post-human world where climate change, artificial intelligence, and modern medicine converge to create an altered dynamic in which humans exist and evolve. What is the role of spirituality in this increasingly complex and complicated world?
Liturgy and Intersectionality: Appropriation or Appreciation?
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 9:30 A.M.–3 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom; registration required for either option
with The Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining, Saint Mark’s 2022 Theologian-in-Residence
How do we pray and worship in a way that fully reflects the fullness of the Kin-dom of God while also honoring the integrity of identity? How can our liturgies be shaped with appreciation of all people vs. appropriation without true integration? Reconciling liturgical traditions that were shaped from a primarily white viewpoint takes the ability to have open and honest conversations around creativity and change, and requires alliance on the Holy Spirit’s call to be one in Christ. Learn more about this event, including a tentative schedule, here.
The Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining is an Episcopal priest, liturgical scholar, educator, and author. She is a citizen of the Sault Ste Marie Band of Chippewa Indians of Michigan. This is her final offering as Saint Mark's 2022 Theologian-in-residence; she has previously led a series of workshops on intergeneration trauma and intergenerational blessing, spiritual practices, and Mary Magdalene and spiritual healing.
Fee $35 (for both online and in-person participants). Includes a light lunch and snacks (scholarships available).
UPDATE: A complete video is now available here.
The Paradoxical Friendship of Grief and Joy
TWO WEDNESDAYS: OCTOBER 19 & 26, 6:45–8:15 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom. Optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($6/child; $8/adult; $25/max. family).
Facilitated by Canon Jennifer King Daugherty
Grief and joy can seem like opposites—experiences of sadness and loss are profoundly different from those of happiness and delight. Yet, both grief and joy reveal our vulnerability and capacity to love; they both soften our hearts and make us aware of our dependence on God. In this two-week series, Canon Jennifer King Daugherty will explore the paradoxical kinship of grief and joy and how the wisdom and grace we gain from either experience deepens our understanding of the other—and our relationship with God.
UPDATE: Video and slides from parts 1 and 2 are now available here.
Mary Magdalene—A Tower of Lineage
SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2022, 9:30 A.M.–2:30 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall or online via Zoom
A Saturday gathering led by The Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining
Mary Magdalene has rightly been called “the Apostle to the Apostles” because of her important witness to the life, ministry, and resurrection of Jesus. However, few people today truly understand the sheer magnitude of her contribution to the Jesus movement itself. Recent scholarship counts her as one of the shapers of many of the rites and rituals of Christianity thanks to her deep firsthand knowledge of Jesus’ healing ministry. Indeed, she is often called “The Magdala” or “The Tower” by those who understand her to be the lineage-bearer of some of Jesus’s most important teachings on healing, anointing, exorcism, and giving witness.
Join this engaging workshop, in which The Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining, Saint Mark’s 2022 Theologian-in-Residence, will share some of the latest research on Mary Magdalene’s lasting impact and engage in spiritual healing practices based on her towering lineage.
Fee $35 (for both online and in-person participants). Includes a light lunch and snacks for those participating in person (scholarships available). Pre-registration required.
NOTE: Dr. Raining will also offer a guest sermon at the 9 and 11 a.m. services on Sunday, August 21.
UPDATE: A complete video of this event is now available here:
CAPSTONE
Following in Celtic Footsteps: A Pilgrimage to Iona and Ancient Missions of Britain
JULY 17–29, 2022
Led by The Very Rev. Steven L. Thomason & Canon Jennifer King Daugherty
Rescheduled from August 2020 due to the pandemic, but open to anyone at this point, the shape of this 11-day trip is contemplative and communal, drawing on the ancient wisdom of Celtic spirituality and the monastic rhythms of worship, prayer, and life in community, while also delighting in the serene beauty of the landscape. We will fly to Glasgow where we will spend one night before heading to the island of Iona, known as a “thin place” of holy presence. Four nights on Iona will create the space for the contemplative spirit to awaken. From there we travel to Edinburgh for two nights, attending Sunday worship in the great cathedral and visiting historic sites in the region. We depart early to time our visit to the Holy Island of Lindsfarne and the tidal rhythms that allow safe passage before heading to Durham for four nights, with lodging just down from magnificent Durham Cathedral, containing Cuthbert’s shrine and Bede’s tomb. With Durham as our base, we will move about the ancient missions of Northumbria. Inspiration along our journey will draw on the lives of early saints like Columba, Aidan, and Bede as well as writings by modern spiritualists like John Phillip Newell, John O’Donohue, and Esther de Waal. There will be two pre-pilgrimage gatherings for those who make the trip.
Men’s Retreat: In Returning and Rest We Shall Be Renewed
FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY NOON, JUNE 10–12, 2022, at St. Andrew’s House Retreat Center on beautiful Hood Canal
Registration required. Capacity is limited to 25, first-come, first-served.
Facilitated Dean Steve Thomason
All great spirituality is about letting go. Instead, we have made it about taking in, attaining, performing, winning, and succeeding. —Richard Rohr, Adam’s Return
We hear a lot these days of “toxic masculinity” and the ways men are raised to behave in culturally-expected ways. We are taught to perform, but it’s a show God does not need, and it does not sustain us. Nor is it life-giving to those whom we love and serve. God is calling us to something else, to be someone else—to be our true selves.
This weekend retreat is designed to create the space for quiet reflection, time away from the burdens of daily life, spacious time in nature, conversations with other men of faith, and worship. It will be a time of spiritual reflection and renewal. Drawing on wisdom set forth by Fr. Richard Rohr and others, Steve Thomason, Dean of Saint Mark’s Cathedral, will facilitate the weekend to which men of all ages are welcome.
Fee: $250; includes two nights lodging (single rooms in the conference center) and all meals. Partial scholarships are available. Space is limited to 25. There are a few spots remaining, available first-come, first-serve. A $100 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your space. Payment in full is due May 1, 2022. Contact Erik Donner (edonner@saintmarks.org) to reserve your spot.
Women’s Retreat—Desire and Holy Longing
UPDATE! NEW DATES: APRIL 29–MAY 1, 2022, at Camp Casey on Whidbey Island
Facilitated by Canon Jennifer King Daugherty
What is God’s desire for you and how might you live more fully into God’s holy longing for you? Spend a weekend away with Saint Mark’s clergy women to connect with each other and listen for the movement of the Spirit in our lives. Time will be set aside for prayer, reflection, creative expression, worship, and enjoying each other’s company.
Learn more here.
Fee: $250; includes two nights lodging (single rooms in the conference center) and all meals. Partial scholarships are available. Space is limited to 25 and is first-come, first-serve. A $100 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your space. Payment in full is due April 15, 2022. Contact Erik Donner (edonner@saintmarks.org) to reserve your spot.
Ravished by Nature’s Beauty—Longing for God
A two-part workshop led by Belden C. Lane
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.
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:
- The Great Conversation: Listening to Trees
- Wilderness, Storytelling, and the Power of Place
- Catherine and Teresa, Women of Spirit: Fire and Water (Feeding one’s Desire for God)
- 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.
UPDATE: A complete video recording and other resources are now available here
Spirituality of the Meal
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
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.
Fee: $25, includes resources and food. Registration required. Capacity is limited to 20 attendees, so register early!
Celtic Spirituality: Delight, Wonder, & Reverence
TWO WEDNESDAYS, FEBRUARY 16 & 23, 2022, 6:45 p.m.–8:15 p.m., in Bloedel Hall and via Zoom
Facilitated by Canon Jennifer King Daugherty
Join Canon Daugherty over the course of two Wednesday evenings to explore the riches of creation-based spirituality in the Celtic tradition. She’ll share some of what she learned while on sabbatical in Ireland and Iona, and we’ll practice rhythms of embodied prayer and openness to daily encounters with the holy.
No registration required.
The pdf of scripture that was distributed at Part 1 may be found here: Celtic Prayers and Scripture Passages
The complete slides from Part 1 may be found here: Celtic Spirituality part 1 2.16.22
A video of part 1 is now posted here.
Following Jesus to a New Counter-Cultural, Post-Pandemic Normal
SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 2022, 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
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.
Slides and a complete video of this offering are now available here.
OPENING PLENARY
A Spirituality of Desire
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021, 6:45 P.M.–8:15 P.M., Bloedel Hall and via Zoom
Facilitated by Dean Steve Thomason
Drawing on art, poetry, science, and theology, including writings of the mystics, we explore desire as a deeply-seated (and perhaps divinely hard-wired) spiritual gift that enables us to engage the Other in life-giving union while also reflecting on ways we fall prey to false attachments meant to fill the spiritual whole that only God can fill.
No fee. In-person attendees must be vaccinated.
UPDATE: A complete video and materials from this presentation are now available here.
THE FIRST WISDOM SCHOOL OFFERING OF THE 2021–22 PROGRAM YEAR
UPDATE: Due to safety considerations around gathering in one space for eight hours at a time, the cathedral has made the difficult decision to cancel the in-person gathering for CONSPIRE. All registrants will be invited to participate virtually. Please note that those who have registered through Saint Mark's will not be able to experience the interactive elements of the weekends events. (Previous years' CONSPIRE offerings have not had interactive elements.) For the full interactive experience, you will need to register through C.A.C. directly. Please contact Dean Thomason with questions.
CONSPIRE 2021: The final in a seven-year series
SEPTEMBER 24–26, 2021
A livestreamed conference hosted locally at Saint Mark's
PLEASE NOTE: Bloedel Hall has reached capacity and registration is now closed for in-person participate. Register at the link below to join in virtually from home.
Join Richard Rohr and friends in this capstone experience building on Richard Rohr’s alternative orthodoxy to create a gateway into practical and authentic contemplation—a way of life rooted in radical openness to God’s loving presence. Saint Mark’s Cathedral serves as a host site for the virtual conference, or you can register through saint Mark's and join from your own. Learn more at the website of the Center for Contemplation and Action here.
Advance registration required. Fee: $20, includes refreshments across the three-day conference.