Cathedral Commons—The Art & Craft of God’s Praise: the Hidden Life of Pipe Organs

by on April 30, 2026 with No Comments

This two-part forum offers a glimpse into the inner workings of the pipe organs. In part one on May 13, participants took apart and reassembled a miniature pipe organ. This Wednesday, equipped with insight gained through that experience, you’ll be introduced to the art, science, and history of organ building on a cathedral-sized scale. Why do pipe organs sound the way they do? Why do they look the way they do? Why, for centuries, have human beings found them useful in acts of public worship? Why might an instrument with such ancient origins be relevant to us today, and to all those who will come after us?

📺 Watch the recording here

Program is free; no registration required. Optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($8/adult; $25/family max.)

Cathedral Commons—The Art & Craft of God’s Praise: Hidden Life of Pipe Organs

by on April 30, 2026 with No Comments

This two-part forum on May 13 and 20 will be like that dissection lab in high school in which you got an unforgettable glimpse into a small creature’s inner workings and learned how they are manifest on a larger scale in your own body. Here, guided by Canon Kleinschmidt, you will get to participate in taking apart and reassembling a miniature pipe organ! Equipped with insights gained through that unusual experience, you will then be introduced to the art, science, and history of organ building on a cathedral-sized scale. Why do pipe organs sound the way they do? Why do they look the way they do? Why, for centuries, have human beings found them useful in acts of public worship? Why might an instrument with such ancient origins be relevant to us today, and to all those who will come after us? Come and see!

The forum on May 13 will not be available via Zoom; we will share a brief video of Canon Kleinschmidt with the miniature pipe organ before the forum on May 20 for those who can’t join in person for the first session.

🔗 Zoom link for May 20

Program is free; no registration required. Optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($8/adult; $25/family max.)

Cathedral Commons—Prophet of Justice, Prophet of Life

by on April 23, 2026 with No Comments

Join our curate, the Rev. Adam Conley for an introduction to the life, writings, and prophetic witness of William Stringfellow. Stringfellow was a civil rights lawyer and lay Episcopalian who called the church to action in the 1960s and 1970s in the face of historic injustices. This 20th century Christian prophet has piercing words of moral clarity to speak directly to our present day. Come gain insights into Stringfellow’s insistence that the church’s commitment to social justice must always remain rooted in the Word of God and the corporate worship of the church.

Program is free; no registration required. Optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($8/adult; $25/family max.)

Forum Recording

📽️ Download presentation slides

Cathedral Commons—Anglican Identity

by on April 14, 2026 with No Comments

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2026, 6:45–8:15 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall or online via Zoom.  

All are welcome, even if you aren’t participating in the Contours process

In the final session of Contours of the Christian Life, come explore the gifts of our Anglican heritage. We’ll telescope back in time to the early days of Christianity in Britain and hold up to the light the treasures of this ancient faith we still hold and cherish. Canon Wendy Claire Barrie will debunk some of the myths (No, we do not owe our beginning to Henry VIII’s desire for a divorce!) and celebrate some of the highlights (Yes, we are part of a global family with 85 million members, now led by a woman as “first among equals”!) as we prepare for confirmations, receptions, and reaffirmations on Cathedral Day.

🔗 Zoom link

Program is free; optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($8/adult; $25/family max.)

Cathedral Commons—Debriefing Holy Week

by on April 14, 2026 with No Comments

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2026, 6:45–8:15 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall or online via Zoom.  

All are welcome, even if you aren’t participating in the Contours process

This session of Contours of the Christian Life is an opportunity to unpack and review the sensory-rich, story-full liturgies of Holy Week with Saint Mark’s canons and curate, giving special focus to the Triduum of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Great Vigil of Easter. We’ll look at the ancient origins of some of our observances and those who participated in person or online in the liturgies at the cathedral or elsewhere will be invited to reflect on their experiences.

🔗 Zoom link

Program is free; optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($8/adult; $25/family max.)

Cathedral Commons—Eucharistic Living

by on March 19, 2026 with No Comments

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2026, 6:45–8:15 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall or online via Zoom.  

Facilitated by the the Very Rev. Steven Thomason — All are welcome, even if you aren’t participating in the Contours process

As part of the Contours of the Christian Life series, Dean Thomason will offer some reflections on the Eucharist and how we embrace sacramental living in our daily lives. We will then reflect on the four principal acts in the Eucharist—take, bless, break and give—before sharing an Instructed Eucharist. All are welcome. In-person attendance is encouraged, but Zoom will be available.

🔗 Zoom link

Program is free; optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($8/adult; $25/family max.)

Cathedral Commons—Reflections on Hiking in Nepal

by on January 21, 2026 with No Comments

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2026  

Reflections on Hiking in Nepal with Canon Kleinschmidt

Canon Kleinschmidt will share stories, photos, and videos from his sabbatical project last October: a trek in the Himalayas of Nepal. The Sherpa people, Buddhist monks, yaks, helicopter pilots, fellow trekkers, stormy weather, and some of the most famous peaks and glaciers in the world will be featured, along with modest personal insights about the spiritual practices of sabbath-keeping and pilgrimage.

Cathedral Commons – Film Screening: SUGARCANE

by on January 4, 2026 with No Comments

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2026, 6:45–8:30 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall only.
Post-film discussion and dessert 8:30-9 p.m. with Rev. Adam Conley

Film Screening: SUGARCANE, A Documentary About the Indian Residential School System

Join the Saint Mark’s community for a compelling opportunity, a screening of SUGARCANE, the award-winning feature documentary. SUGARCANE is a groundbreaking investigation into an Indian residential school, shedding light on years of forced separation, assimilation and abuse that Indigenous children experienced at the hands of Church and government. This urgent and timely film brings the hidden story of cultural genocide while celebrating the resilience of Native people as they work to overcome cycles of intergenerational trauma.

This screening is part of Saint Mark’s continued commitment to addressing the legacy of Indigenous Schools within the Episcopal Church and for building deeper and ongoing relationship with Indigenous people. Learn more: saintmarks.org/justice/land-acknowledgment

Program is free; optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($8/adult; $25/family max.)

Cathedral Commons: Letters from Prison

by on December 30, 2025 with No Comments

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2026  

Letters from Prison—St. Paul, Bonhoeffer, and King

FACILITATED BY DEAN STEVE THOMASON

St. Paul wrote at least four of his New Testament letters while in prison. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a prolific writer in the concentration camps of WWII, and Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is considered by many to make the compelling case for civil rights. Something about the crucible of confinement prompts prophetic figures to write more prolifically. There are themes that run through all three writers’ reflections, and they offer theological riches worth mining in our own time, in a world beset by chaos and suffering. Dean Thomason will guide an exploration of the points of convergence. No preparation is needed to participate fully, but if you want to read some samples in advance, read Paul’s Letter to the Philippians (esp ch. 2-4), any of Bonhoeffer’s writings compiled posthumously by his friend Eberhard Bethge, excerpted here, and/or King’s Letter.

🔗 Download slideshow.

WATCH

Cathedral Commons—Forum on The Council of Nicaea

by on November 20, 2025 with No Comments

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2025

A Cathedral Commons Forum with the Rev Canon Rich Weyls

This past summer marked the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea (325). Martin Luther considered it "the most sacred of all councils." The decrees of the Council helped us find language to describe what we mean when we say "God." We will explore the historical context of the Council while reflecting upon its rich theology in order to discover significance for today. Rather than being a list of intellectual propositions, the Council is a gift to the church and an act of praise to God.

UPDATE: The slides for this presentation can be seen here. 

The handout with the original text of the Creed as adopted at the Council of Nicaea in 325 can be seen here.

Canon Rich closed the forum with a prayer to the Holy Spirit written by Pope Leo XIV in his Apostolic Letter on the occasion of the 1,700th Anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. Here is that prayer: 

Holy Spirit of God, you guide believers along the path of history. We thank you for inspiring the Symbols of Faith and for stirring in our hearts the joy of professing our salvation in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, consubstantial with the Father. Without him, we can do nothing. Eternal Spirit of God, rejuvenate the faith of the Church from age to age. Help us to deepen it and to return always to the essentials in order to proclaim it. So that our witness in the world may not be futile, come, Holy Spirit, with your fire of grace, to revive our faith, to enkindle us with hope, to inflame us with charity. Come, divine Comforter, source of harmony, unite the hearts and minds of believers. Come and grant us to taste the beauty of communion. Come, Love of the Father and the Son, gather us into the one flock of Christ. Show us the ways to follow, so that with your wisdom, we become once again what we are in Christ: one, so that the world may believe. Amen.

Pope Leo's remarks at the joint liturgy in İznik (Nicaea) with Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I can be heard here.  

A complete video of the forum is now available below. 

Cathedral Commons—Reflections on the Evensong Pilgrimage

by on October 30, 2025 with No Comments

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2025

Join Canon Michael Kleinschmidt, Rebekah Gilmore, and members of the Evensong Choir for reflections and discussion on their summer pilgrimage to serve as choir-in-residence for a week each in Lincoln and Durham Cathedrals, England. The forum will be led by Evensong Choir Members James Wilcox and Molly Porter, and some choir members will share some music that was sung during the pilgrimage.

Special Parish Forum: Affordable Housing Project Updates

by on October 16, 2025 with No Comments

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2025

At a special Cathedral Commons forum on Dec. 10, the Affordable Housing Committee, along with partners Redwood Housing, Uncommon Bridges, and Kendall Clawson, shared key updates regarding the affordable housing project on the cathedral campus. Highlights include announcing a finalized joint development agreement between Saint Mark’s and Redwood Housing, previewing insights into design considerations, deepening community engagement, and discussing Saint Mark’s emerging community-based organization (CBO).

Learn about the history of the project up to this point here.

UPDATE: The slides from this forum are now available here. 

A video will be posted on this page when it is available.

Cathedral Commons – Forum on the Archbishop of Canterbury

by on October 9, 2025 with 1 Comment

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 6:45–8:15 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom

WITH THE REV. ADAM CONLEY

The recent election of Sarah Mullaly as the first woman to serve as Archbishop of Canterbury is an historic event. What is the Archbishop of Canterbury all about? How did this clerical role gain such primacy? What does the recent election mean for the Episcopal Church, the Church of England, and the worldwide Anglican Communion? Fr. Adam will guide an exploration and discussion of the role, meaning, and impact of the Archbishop of Canterbury for Anglicans across the globe. He will offer stories of his personal experiences at an enthronement of a past archbishop and share perspectives on the current archbishop from different corners of the Worldwide Anglican Communion.

UPDATE: Download the slides from this presentation here.

The following references and resources were shared at the forum:

  • An NPR interview about the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the next Archbishop of Canterbury
  • An episode of the Holy Smoke podcast, "What can we expect from the first Female ABC?" (Oct. 3, 2025) [NB: Fr. Conley recommends this single episode, not this podcast as a whole.]
  • This article from The Living Church, which outlines the diversity of responses to Sarah Mullaly’s appointment
  • The Anglican Communion at a Crossroads (2018) by Christopher Craig Brittain and Andrew McKinnon
  • Anglican Theology: Postcolonial Perspectives (2024) by Stephen Burns and James Tengatenga
  • The Anglican Tradition from a Postcolonial Perspective (2023) by Kwok Pui-Lan
  • Christianity and Social Order (1942) by William Temple (Archbishop of Canterbury,1942–1944)
  • Love's Redeeming Work: The Anglican Quest for Holiness (2003), ed. Geoffrey Rowell, Kenneth Stevenson, and Rowan Williams
  • Anglicanism: A Very Short Introduction (2006) by Mark Chapman
  • The Book of Common Prayer [...] According the Use of The Episcopal Church (1979)

Cathedral Commons – Naming Our Thresholds

by on October 2, 2025 with No Comments

Part of the Wisdom School at Saint Mark's 2025-26 season 

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.

Download the slides from this presentation here. 

St. Francis, Honeybees, and Caring for Creation

by on September 11, 2025 with No Comments

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2025

Rick Samyn is the Pastoral Assistant for Social Justice at St. Leo Church in Tacoma. A former Capuchin Franciscan Brother, he has been beekeeping for 24 years. In this forum, Rick will invite us to expand our view of what it means to live incarnationally. We'll learn and talk about how to renew our bond with creation, taking St. Francis of Assisi as our guide and honeybees as our model.

Watch a recording of this forum:

Undaunted Joy!—A Cathedral Commons Forum with Shamaiah Gonzalez

by on August 21, 2025 with No Comments

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 6:45–8:15 P.M., in person in Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom

Does joy just seem too difficult to come by these days? Does it seem irresponsible or naïve? Maybe you don't feel like you can be joyful, don't know how to, or don't deserve to?

Local author Shemaiah Gonzalez shares stories from her new book Undaunted Joy: The Revolutionary Act of Cultivating Delight. In her collection of short essays on defiant joy, Shemaiah reflects on how she gradually learned to see joy not as an indulgence but as a necessity—a way of life and the fruit of faith. Shemaiah will led us in conversation to notice God in the mundane and magnificent.

Once you start looking for joy, you might start finding it everywhere. It's time to live joyously.

UPDATE: A complete video is now available below.

Find links to purchase the book here.

The prayer with which Shemaiah closed the forum can be read here. 

About the presenter

Shemaiah Gonzalez is a writer with degrees in English Literature (BA), Intercultural Ministry (MAPS) and Creative Non-Fiction Writing (MFA). She thrives in moments where storytelling, art, literature, and faith collide. Her work has appeared in America Magazine, Image Journal’s Good Letters, Ekstasis, The Curator, and Loyola Press, among others. A Los Angeles native, she now lives in Seattle with her husband, whom she has known since she was 14 years old, and their two teen sons.