THE RUBRIC
STO R I E S O F M I N I ST RY
SAINT MARK’S EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL, SEATTLE, WA SPRING 2017, VOL. 74, NO. 1
GREETINGS from the DEAN
WELCOME INSPIRE TRANSFORM SERVE Wherever you are on your journey of faith, you are welcome here. THE VERY REV. STEVEN L. THOMASON, DEAN & RECTOR; LIZ BARTENSTEIN, EDITOR PHOTOS BY KEVIN C. JOHNSON AND LIZ BARTENSTEIN (UNLESS NOTED)
The Rubric is a publication of Saint Mark’s Cathedral which celebrates who we are as a community: as a parish, as a cathedral for the Diocese of Olympia, as Episcopalians, and as Christians. Please send an email to info@saintmarks.org or call 206.323.0300 if you have an idea for an article or are interested in volunteering. Subscribe by email at www.saintmarks.org. Click on "Sign Up" at the bottom of the page under the heading “Stay in Touch.” To receive The Rubric in the mail, send your address to: info@saintmarks.org.
On a recent holiday to Mexico, Kathy and I went for a long walk from the beach into the nearby desert our first morning there and stumbled upon a restaurant off the beaten path which served mole—an Oaxacan mole negro sauce per a recipe the chef had inherited from his forebears before moving to the Mexican coast. It was remarkable for its depth and complexity of flavors, and we enjoyed the meal, not only for its gustatory delight but for its invitation to consider all that found its way into the sauce—nuts, fruits, spices, seeds and peppers, tropical chocolates, and undoubtedly much more. Having tried my hand at making mole, I also had a deep appreciation for the work it takes to render such a coulis. It must truly be a labor of love to deliver something so sublime, and to find joy in sharing it with others.
(see page 10-11), there are several nascent or refocused ministries into which you are invited (in addition to the many good ones already established). Contact info for conveners for each of these new groups is listed in hopes that many who read this journal might find the invitation a timely one for their engagement in this important work at this time. Again, we would be the richer if you choose to do so. I would also be remiss here if I failed to mention the construction project on the cathedral set to begin in April. Scores of people have been at work for quite a while laying down the plans for this important work which is designed to preserve the building for generations to come. And hundreds of people have contributed their financial support to the cause. My heart is full of gratitude in all this, even as we have more work to do—more fundraising to pay for the construction and more planning as we live faithfully together amidst the construction. I bid you join us, in community, on Saturday May 13 for Cathedral Day as we celebrate the bonds of mutual affection that bind us together, with a holy meal at which we trust God is our host, and a day of festive fun together. I am,
On the flight home to Seattle, as I considered re-entry into this wonderful cathedral community after a time of respite, the analogy was not lost on me—how the full flavor of the community only comes together when the various souls who call this their spiritual home render the fruits of their lives into our common life. Each person has something to contribute, and we are the richer for their sharing. Your Brother in Christ, It is, for so many, a labor of love to be a part of Saint Mark’s Cathedral, and I continually stand in awe of the organic, ever-evolving nature of the mission and ministries that take shape in and from The Very Rev. Steven L. Thomason this place. In the pages that follow in this issue of The Rubric one has the opportunity to get a sense of the multidimensional life of ministry in this community. The work of social justice has always been an integral part of our identity, and with the cathedral vestry’s adoption of the statement, Renewing our Covenant
Dean and Rector
SUNDAY SERVICE TIMES 8 a.m. Eucharist in Thomsen Chapel 9 a.m. Eucharist in the Nave 11 a.m. Eucharist in the Nave 4:30 p.m. Choral Evensong in the Nave (First Sundays, October-May) 7 p.m. Contemplative Eucharist in Thomsen Chapel 9:30 p.m. Compline in the Cathedral Nave,
chanted by the Compline Choir and broadcast live on King 98.1 fm
A chorister holds a candle during the 2016 Pageant of the Nativity at Saint Mark’s.
WEEKDAY SERVICE TIMES Monday through Friday 6:30 p.m. Evening Prayer in McCaw or Thomsen Chapel Mondays, 7:15 p.m. Centering Prayer in Thomsen Chapel Wednesdays, 12 noon Holy Eucharist in Thomsen Chapel Thursdays, 7 a.m. Holy Eucharist in Thomsen Chapel For more information about Worship and Prayer at Saint Mark’s visit saintmarks.org.
CONTENTS 4
LENT HOLY WEEK & EASTER Worship, music and more for the season of preparation for the Resurrection.
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PHOTO ROUND UP
Blessing of the Animals, departure of Becky Morrill, 2016 Ministry Fair, All Saints’ Sunday and Baptisms
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CENTERPIECE
Renewing Our Covenant, a sermon preached by the Very Rev. Steven L. Thomason, Dean and Rector
10 RENEWING OUR COVENANT A Statement of Commitment and Action, and what you can do to take action now.
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BAIL FUND GIVES HOPE
An update from Northwest Community Bail Fund.
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CONSTRUCTION BEGINS
Saint Mark’s Capital Campaign construction breaks ground in April.
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ANNUAL MEETING
Saint Mark’s Annual Meeting Report
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AROUND CAMPUS
Checking in with the Seattle Service Corps; A special exhibit comes to the Cathedral Nave; Staff Changes at Saint Mark’s
ON THE COVER: Three Senior Choristers help to fill the Baptismal Font at the Baptism of our Lord on January 8, 2017.
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LENT, HOLY WEEK & EASTER
AT SAINT MARK’S Ash Wednesday
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1 The Holy Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes 7:00 a.m. Thomsen Chapel 12:00 noon Cathedral Nave 7:00 p.m. Cathedral Nave
Sunday Worship
MONDAY, APRIL 10 7 p.m. – Holy Eucharist – Cathedral Nave A quiet service of reflection, holding the tension between “doing” and “being.”
Tuesday in Holy Week
SUNDAYS IN LENT 8 a.m. Rite I Holy Eucharist in Thomsen Chapel 9 a.m. Holy Eucharist in the Nave 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist in the Nave 6 p.m. Cathedral Yoga 7 p.m. Contemplative Eucharist in Thomsen Chapel 9:30 p.m. Compline in the Cathedral Nave
TUESDAY, APRIL 11 11 a.m. Bishop’s Chrism Mass and Renewal of Clergy Vows Bishop Rickel and Bishop Unti invite Episcopal and Lutheran clergy to renew their ordination vows in this special Eucharist. All are welcome. A simple soup lunch follows. 7 p.m. – Healing Eucharist – Cathedral Nave Laying on of hands and anointing for healing will be available.
Evensong
Wednesday in Holy Week
MARCH 5, 4:30 P.M. & APRIL 2, 4:30 P.M., CATHEDRAL NAVE Evensong on the First Sunday in Lent will be quiet and intimate, with the choir offering chant and other unaccompanied music from behind the altar. On the Fifth Sunday in Lent, Evensong will have a more boisterous urgency, with the choir in the gallery offering impassioned music by Howells and Parry.
Compline
EVERY SUNDAY, 9:30 P.M. Ancient nighttime prayers, sung by the Compline Choir. A Seattle tradition since 1956.
Palm Sunday
SUNDAY, APRIL 9 When we step into the liturgy of Palm Sunday, we step over the threshold into Holy Week. We move beyond limitations of here and now; the curtain between the sensory world and the world of eternity dissolves and we pass through it. Liturgy of the Palms, Procession, Reading of the Passion, Eucharist 8 a.m.- Thomsen Chapel. 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. – Cathedral Nave The Palm Sunday Liturgy begins with a raucous, exuberant procession. We will gather on the front lawn (weather permitting). Bring trumpets, tambourines, and any kind of percussion instruments and noisemakers that you have.
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Monday in Holy Week
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12 12 noon – Holy Eucharist – Thomsen Chapel 7 p.m. – Tenebrae – Cathedral Nave Chanted psalms and lamentations interspersed with readings while darkness gradually overshadows the assembly. Sung by the Adults of the Evensong Choir.
Maundy Thursday
THURSDAY, APRIL 13 7 a.m. – Morning Prayer – Thomsen Chapel. 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Sacrament of Reconciliation (sometimes known as “private confession”) Thomsen Chapel Priests will be available to hear private, confidential confession during this time, no appointment required. For other times, please contact a member of the clergy to schedule an appointment. 7 p.m. – Holy Eucharist with Maundy Thursday Liturgy – Cathedral Nave The Maundy Thursday Liturgy invites us into the intimacy of Jesus’ last meal with his disciples, his loving care for them in the foot-washing, his self-offering for them in the Bread and Wine. These enacted signs reveal sacrificial love and service as Jesus’ desire for the Eucharistic community of his disciples. Footwashing, Eucharist, Stripping of the Altar Music by the Saint Mark’s Singers and the Senior Choristers Everyone is invited to participate in the footwashing. Be sure your footwear makes preparing at the time of the washing easy.
Good Friday
FRIDAY, APRIL 14 Good Friday’s liturgy is out of joint. We are in the desolate valley of our three day journey, the valley of the shadow of death. 11:30 a.m. Communal Walking of the Stations of the Cross 12 noon – Good Friday Liturgy 7 p.m. – Good Friday Liturgy – Cathedral Nave The Passion, Solemn Collects, Contemplation of the Cross Music by the Cathedral Choir
Holy Saturday: The Great Vigil of Easter
SATURDAY, APRIL 15 12:00 noon Holy Saturday Liturgy (Chapel of the Resurrection) 8:30 p.m.* Easter Vigil~Lighting of the New Fire and Paschal Candle; Exsultet; Baptisms, First Eucharist of Easter. Bring bells to ring to mark the Resurrection! Music by the Senior Choristers, Cathedral Schola and Cathedral Choir *Incense will be used.
Easter Sunday
SUNDAY, APRIL 16 Easter is the great feast of the Christian year, stretching across fifty days from the Easter Vigil through the Day of Pentecost. 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. Festival Choral Eucharist with renewal of baptismal vows The Easter Egg Hunt follows the 8:30 a.m. liturgy. *incense will be used at the 11 a.m. Easter Day Liturgy Music by the Cathedral Choir with organ, brass, percussion, and handbells. Childcare available 7:00 p.m. Contemplative Eucharist on Easter Evening (Thomsen Chapel)
paradigm shifts through a threefold process of recovery: 1) by confronting our pain; 2) waking to our true selves; and 3) reclaiming our innate creative powers. It is a move from “bondage into freedom” to be ourselves, unfolding into the discovery of our truest identity, as beloved of God, good and generous of spirit. Free and open to all.
Embracing the Enneagram as a Map for Spiritual Unfolding
FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 7-9 P.M. & SATURDAY MARCH 11, 9 A.M.-3 P.M., BLOEDEL HALL The inner observer knows the difference between when we are thinking, feeling and acting out of patterned responses and when we are living in grounded presence. Contemplative prayer cultivates the capacities of the inner observer. But we become discouraged when we find ourselves reacting in our same old patterned ways in love, work and family life. The Enneagram provides a map for understanding the dynamics of the human condition and the barriers to living our spiritual freedom. This narrative tradition class is introductory in nature, relying on group participation in the panel method and introducing practices for working with the Enneagram in daily life. Read the course requirements and register online at saintmarks.org/wisdomschool.
Lenten Quiet Morning
APRIL 1, 9 A.M.-12:30 P.M., CATHEDRAL NAVE All are invited for this morning of communal and individual silence, prayer, and reflection facilitated by Cherry Haisten. The morning will consist of Morning Prayer, two periods of Centering Prayer, as well as shared unstructured time in silence where you may choose among a number of contemplative activities. This event is co-sponsored by Saint Mark’s Cathedral and The Center at Saint Andrew’s. Reservations are appreciated. Donations ($10-$15 suggested) will be gratefully accepted. For more information or to register, please contact Cherry, cherryh@saintandrewsseattle.org.
Trinity: The Soul of Creation FORMATION OPPORTUNITIES DURING LENT
Inquirers Classes
FEB 26; MARCH 5, 12, 19; AND APRIL 2 All are welcome to these classes, which cover the basics of the Christian faith through the lens of the Episcopal Church. Following these classes, many decide they want to become an Episcopalian through confirmation or reception into the church. Some who attend are experiencing a revival of the soul and may desire to reaffirm their baptismal vows. Inquirers classes roughly parallel Lent and are the oldest form of Lenten practice—preparation for baptism or confirmation. Contact Canon Martin for more information or to register, nmartin@saintmarks.org.
APRIL 6-8, 2017, BLOEDEL HALL A Live Webcast with Richard Rohr, Cynthia Bourgeault, and William Paul Young The Shack who join together to discuss the dimensional mystery of the Trinity as the foundation and template for the entire universe. This event will allow space for local table conversations, time for personal reflection and prayer, and meals on your own. Fee $15 with optional meal add-ons. Full schedule will be available as date approaches. Register online at saintmarks.org/wisdomschool
ON THE WEB: Find and share this schedule on Saint Mark’s website at saintmarks.org/holyweek.
Spirituality and Leadership: Leading from Within WEDNESDAYS, FEBRUARY 15 – APRIL 5, 7-8:15 P.M., BLOEDEL HALL (DINNER AT 6 P.M.) Facilitated by Dean Steve Thomason How do we exercise leadership as spiritually-centered people? This six-week series draws on selected resources from a variety of authors including Parker Palmer, Walter Brueggemann, Killian Noe, Bennett Sims, Margaret Wheatley, Richard Rohr, and Gerald May. We participate in
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WINTER 2017 AT SAINT MARK’S CATHEDRAL PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS
“O” Antiphons service. On November 27, 2016, Saint Mark’s held this beloved annual service, which celebrates the beginning of Advent. The liturgy included music from the Cathedral Choir, the Compline Choir, and the Senior Choristers of Saint Mark’s Choir School.
Pageant of the Nativity: A Celtic Telling. On Monday, December 19, the children of Saint Mark’s joined together to proclaim the story of the Nativity in song, speech, and visual pageantry. The liturgy included a torchlight procession accompanied by Celtic instrumentalists, scripture readings, and scenes of Jesus’ birth illustrated on the altar platform.
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The Baptism of our Lord. On January 8, 2017, The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ, candidates for baptism were received and celebrated by the congregation.
The Arts at Saint Mark’s
2016-2017 MUSIC SERIES Coming up: Concert on the Flentrop organ: Janette Fishell, organist FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 7:30 P.M.
Concert on the Flentrop organ: John Stuntebeck, organist FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 7:30 P.M.
Membra Jesu nostri by Dietrich Buxtehude FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 7:30 P.M.
All Bach concert on the Flentrop organ: Bálint Karosi, organist FRIDAY, MAY 5, 7:30 P.M.
The Cathedral Trio
FRIDAY, MAY 19, 7:30 P.M.
Saint Mark’s Choir School Spring Concert WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 7 P.M. More at saintmarks.org/music
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CENTERPIECE
Renewing our Covenant SERMON PREACHED BY THE VERY REV. STEVEN L. THOMASON, DEAN AND RECTOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 8, 2017 STHOMASON@SAINTMARKS.ORG Matthew 3:13-17 [Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”] A year ago this week several of us from Saint Mark’s stood on the banks of swollen and muddy Jordan River as it flowed gently southward from Galilee into Judea. Our stop is believed to be in the vicinity where Jesus and John would have met centuries ago, and so as we went down to the river to pray, there was a keen sense that this was holy ground, sacred space which might mark the riverside experience as special. In a twist of worldly irony, armed Israeli soldiers stood guard above one bank, while Jordanian soldiers matched them on the other side. All who would reach the water’s edge would have to pass by these symbols of mistrust and power. The contrast was a vivid one to behold. I chatted with the two 19-year-olds standing guard on our side, Israelis conscripted into this sentinel duty which was less about a militarized presence and more about making
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sure some fanatical Christian didn’t swim from one side of the river to the other, a mere ten yards. They would be illegal immigrants if they did. The soldiers were bored, disinterested even, surfing their i-phones while telling us of their dreams to visit family in America when their duty was done. But there they were, reminding us that we might make our way to the river and breathe in the serene holiness that pervades the place, but then we would climb again into the world in all its brokenness. The pivot was not lost on me. Our work at the river’s edge was to renew our baptismal covenant, to hear these words from the gospel about Jesus’ baptismal experience, to be anointed with oil and prayed for, and to pray with one another. We dipped toes or hands into the water while others nearby were baptized in full immersion. You may have noticed on your way into the cathedral this
morning that we’ve nailed to the doors the Statement of Commitment and Action adopted by the Vestry last month. And in a few moments, on this baptismal feast day, in this sacred space, you will be invited to renew your baptismal covenant. The parallels to the pilgrimage experience on Jordan’s banks are not lost on me, that we pass from all the symbols of worldly brokenness, many cited in the Statement, into the safe haven of a church, set apart as holy ground in which the waters of baptism shape us to become the body of Christ out there. The font stands at the entry for you to touch the waters of baptism and be reminded that the pattern exists right here, right now. The Statement (printed on page 10) declares a lot of things, and has gained a lot of attention. We have been asked by many in this diocese, across the country and around the globe if they could replicate it in their own congregations, which of course they can. But I’ve also had a few exchanges with those who infer things about the Statement that simply are not there. Some have charged it as an anti-Trump statement, but nowhere is any politician referenced nor is any political party. A few have said it’s just another form of the church’s sanctimonious “better-than-others” liberal brow-beating (all words used in emails to me in recent days), and I’d say if we just publish it but do nothing more, then they will be proven right. In truth, the Statement is simply restating our long-held values, grounded in our baptismal covenant, with references to real-time, rubber on the road matters of justice. The great theologian Karl Barth once famously said that to be relevant one must preach with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. He said this in the late 1920s as nationalism swept across his Europe and delivered fascism into power. The Statement is modeled on that directive—Bible in one hand, newspaper in the other. This is our time; this is our world; the Church has something to say about it; the Church has something to do about it. And our baptismal covenant guides us in it all: First, we orient to God who claims us. God is the source and inspiration for all that follows, and it is with God’s help that we might be given courage and grace to do it—to gather in community, pray for ourselves and the world, break bread together, repent when we fall short, proclaim the goodness of God in Christ, seek Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself, strive for justice and peace and respect the dignity of every human being. The work is three fold, and in that order: orient to God, reflect on our own lives and how we live in community, then turn out into the world to be Christ’s hands and heart and feet of justice and peace. We may be tempted to jump to the third part of our work, energized by the wrong-headed hubris of those who victimize others with salacious disregard for human dignity. We can see it as the wrong it is, the evil it is, and we can call it out, we can demand things be different, using all our means to make it so.
But if we do that, without first ordering our lives on the first two elements—framing it all in context of God’s yearning for the world (including you and me), and cleaning our own doorstep as we become clear about what sharing the gospel really means for you and me—then our work in the world will be unhinged from its foundations, and those who think this is just more sanctimonious crap from the Church will be proven right. We have work to do, and the covenant calls us into it once more, here today, as we touch the waters of baptism, and participate in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers. It is the prayer for the newly baptized that perhaps gathers it all up for us, and is a worthy petition for us all: “Sustain us, O Lord, in your Holy Spirit. Give us an inquiring and discerning heart, the courage to will and to persevere, a spirit to know and to love you, and the gift of joy and wonder in all your works.” Touch the water in the font as you leave today, and when you enter again, and know that the holy ground exists in here, but also out there, fertile ground for you and me to be the body of Christ, and murmur a prayer to yourself “I will, with God’s help.” Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.
SERMON RECORDINGS & transcripts are available on Saint Mark’s website at www.saintmarks.org/sermons.
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Renewing Our Covenant:
A Statement of Commitment and Action Saint Mark’s Cathedral Parish reaffirms its commitment to respect the dignity of every human being, strive for justice and peace among all people, and seek and serve Christ in all persons. We are concerned about the increase in statements and actions in our nation that target particular groups of people based on their skin color, their religious affiliation, their gender or orientation, their disabilities, or their country of birth. These are artificial divisions that we vehemently denounce as discriminatory and disrespectful. We believe our nation can do better, and we pledge to work toward that better vision here and now. We commit to being a network of activists, in God’s name, joining others who similarly pledge to actively pursue justice. Here’s how we will engage this work: 1. We will go deeper in faith. We commit to read, study, and live the words of Jesus. The prophet Micah’s words provide a mantra for us as people of faith: “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” We must seek both courage and humility as we respond. 2. We will listen. We will listen to those with whom we may disagree as we seek safe and sacred spaces for hearing each other’s stories, pains, fears, and hopes. We will foster such dialogue so that our children might learn the meaning of the diversity and pluralism that is America’s best future. 3. We will lift up truth. We will strive to replace fear with facts when it comes to public discussions about immigrants, refugees, Muslims, racial diversity, and national security. Our times require a moral compass, and truth-telling is an important part of this. 4. We will reject White Nationalism. We will name racism, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia as sins. We believe all people are made in God’s image, and we affirm diversity as a gift, blessing, and opportunity for our nation. 5. We will love our neighbors by protecting them from hate speech and attacks. We will identify, report, and confront hate speech and behavior - against all ethnic and religious groups, women, LGBTQ people, immigrants, people with disabilities, and all marginalized groups. Our church stands as a sanctuary and safe haven for people threatened by those who would attack them.
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6. We will welcome the stranger, as our Scriptures instruct. We will advocate for immigrants and their families, and we will block, interfere, and obstruct the mass deportations of immigrants who are members of our communities. 7. We will expose and oppose racial profiling in policing. We will join with other local faith communities in monitoring the relationship of our police to our communities, calling out racial injustice when we see it. 8. We will defend religious liberty. We embrace Muslims as fellow Americans and stand with our local mosques in congregational solidarity. We will denounce the defamation and banning of Muslims, and will seek to disrupt any attempt to require registration of Muslims. 9. We will work to end misogyny that enables sexism and a culture of sexual violence. We will work to replace misogyny with mutual respect. We will name sexual assault for what it is-a sin and a crime. Gender fairness and equality must be fundamental principles in our workplaces, schools, and political systems. 10. We will fight for climate justice and protection of our environment. As stewards of our land, air and water, we will stand with others in broad coalition to preserve these precious resources while working to reverse the troubling trends of human-caused climate change. 11. We will protest with our best values. We will defend constitutional values and workplace fairness, striving to respect the dignity of every human being. Whether in our streets, with our schools or in our workplaces - we will protest with dignity, discipline, and non-violence, not with hate for hate. 12. We make these commitments to you, and with you. The days and weeks and years ahead will surely require much of us. Saint Mark’s Cathedral will be here to provide sustenance for the journey, resources for learning, safe space for dialogue, and opportunities for prayerful resistance and action. Join us as we engage this work, as community, in God’s name. Adopted unanimously by the Vestry of Saint Mark’s Cathedral Parish, Seattle, Washington. December 20, 2016. Wording adapted from an article issued by Jim Wallis of Sojourners.
Bail isn’t working
Northwest Community Bail Fund provides hope
TAKE ACTION Next Steps on the Statement Saint Mark’s held two forums in January to launch into our work of translating the Statement of Commitment and Action into action, and we have an initial path laid out. Whether you were part of the forums or not, all are welcome to join the effort by contacting the convener(s) listed below. They will then communicate next steps for the focus group (and a lot is already happening!). This is our time, this is our Church, and this is our work to engage together, renewing our covenant, and we hope you take part. Ready to take action? Contact one or more of these conveners to take part. Engaging in worship and dialogue with First AME Church Contact: Leslie Miller, lrmil@msn.com Explore a dedicated space on the Saint Mark’s campus for those experiencing homelessness Contact: David Wagner, akdavid710@gmail.com Explore being part of a new Prison Ministry Contact: Mary Lonien, marylonien@yahoo.com Become involved in the Northwest Community Bail Fund Contact: Mary Lonien, marylonien@yahoo.com Engage others in conversation and action related to Racial Profiling in Policing Contact: Malcolm McLaurin, mmclaurin@saintmarks.org Be part of a team to develop, plan and host de-escalation and intervention of hate speech/crimes Contact: Bob Chapman, searnbob@aol.com Be part of the ministry of hospitality for immigrants and refugees Contact: Marla Dittloff, mdittloff@gmail.com Serve on a team from Saint Mark’s for Advocacy with Faith Action Network (FAN) and Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN) Contact: Lauren Witt, laurenwitt@gmail.com Be part of a group that visits local Mosques Contact: Brett Bowton-Meade, brettb@sunriseid.com
BY MARY LONIEN MARYLONIEN@YAHOO.COM Bail isn’t working. Bail is supposed to accomplish one purpose—to make sure that people charged with crimes return to court to face justice. The idea is that people who have to put some money down will not flee the court’s jurisdiction in an effort to avoid a trial. But that’s not the reality. The truth is that bail creates two systems of criminal justice in Washington: one for people who can afford bail, and one for people who can’t. Unable to make as little as $1000 bail, poor people accused of crimes in King County face a stark choice: stay in jail and fight the case, or plead guilty and go home. This creates a situation in which innocent people plead guilty because they can’t afford bail. Even if pleading guilty gets someone out of jail, serious damage has been done. Pleading guilty gives people a criminal record, which seriously hinders job prospects, ability to get a loan, and access to housing. Other people face the loss of custody of their children, crushing legal debt, or even deportation. Bail is a primary driver of mass incarceration, wastes public funds, and intensifies the racial and economic inequalities existing in Western Washington. We post bail for people who are accused of misdemeanor crimes so that they can be out of jail prior to their trial. This allows them to defend themselves from a position of freedom, and increases their chances of keeping their job, their housing, and their children. We also provide support to navigate the legal process with the aim of reducing pre-trial incarceration and its consequences, reducing the pressure to plead guilty. Accomplishments of the Northwest Community Bail Fund in 2016: 1. We began posting bail for clients in November, and based on donations received were able to post bail for four people in total before the end of the year. One of our clients has had her case closed, and so that money is returned to the fund and available for use for other clients. 2. Our Advisory Board, consisting of public defenders, lawyers and other advisors, has been convened and meets on a monthly basis. 3. The process of public defender referral of bail candidates has been developed and is in use. 4. Volunteer training and roles have been developed, and a volunteer manual written. 5. Participation in the National Network of Bail Funds is underway 6. Collaboration with UW Communication Leadership Master’s program has been established. The partnership provides the bail fund with students and faculty who will advise on the communication plans, and storytelling of the fund, and our clients.
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LIVING STONES
Capital Campaign & Construction Update BY MARIA COLDWELL, CANON FOR OPERATIONS MCOLDWELL@SAINTMARKS.ORG
January’s big news was that The Norcliffe Foundation (a private Seattle-based nonprofit family foundation) awarded a $500,000 grant to the Living Stones Capital Campaign. Saint Mark’s is extremely grateful for this support! Then, in February, the Cathedral Foundation of the Diocese of Olympia generously voted to give an additional $250,000 to the capital campaign, bringing our total of funds raised to over $8 million! The Diocesan Phase of the campaign, which is being led by Bishop Greg Rickel, is ongoing; the Bishop has requested 100% participation by all parishes in the diocese. Many parishes have made or pledged gifts already, and the Bishop and the Dean will be visiting several churches in different parts of the diocese throughout the spring, to lead workshops/discussions about the campaign. The expectation is that we will be able to raise an additional $1.5-2 million in gifts and pledges by mid-2017 to fully fund this $10.5 million project. Turner Construction representatives met with the Living Stones Steering Committee on January 9, to begin talking about construction planning specifics. On March 19, there will be a Parish Forum at the 10:10am education hour, to discuss plans with the whole congregation. We will officially break ground for the project on April 17, the day after
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Easter. General construction work hours will be M-F, 7am3pm. The construction office (site trailers) and staging area (material laydown) will be on the front lawn of the cathedral. That area will be fenced off, and the driveway in front of the cathedral will be closed during construction work hours. (It will be open evenings and weekends.) We expect to keep worshipping in the Nave throughout construction. We will lose access to some parking spaces during construction, specifically those spaces which are adjacent to the north and south walls of the cathedral. We have told our tenants in the Saint Nicholas Building (Gage and Brightwater schools) that they will not be able to use the south side parking lot during the construction period, so there should be adequate parking for parishioners in the south lot. In general, construction will proceed from North (Zone 1) to East (Zone 2) to South (Zone 3), although work will begin on the south side Elevator addition in May. To quote from the Turner documents, “Using a Fraco hydraulic scaffolding system, the sequence will progress in lifts. Each vertical section will be complete in succession as we move around the building. Each elevation will take about 90 days to complete. This creates a nice smooth flow of trades that is safe and efficient. Simultaneously, work will begin on the elevator
RECENT GIFT HIGHLIGHTS The Cathedral Foundation of the Diocese of Olympia has awarded an additional gift of $250,000, bringing their total contributions to the Capital Campaign to $1.25 million. The Norcliffe Foundation has also awarded a grant in the amount of $500,000 to the campaign. We are grateful to these foundations for their generous contributions. addition. New foundations and exterior structure will be complete by the time that exterior cladding activities have reached the South elevation. Interior finishes and elevator installation will occur in the final phases of the job.”
In other words, exterior and interior scaffolding will go up in May on the north side, and then be sequenced around the building to the east and finally to the south, as work proceeds. The limestone will not start arriving until June 28, so the first few months will focus on site clearing and demolition, and the installation of windows on the north side, as well as excavation for the elevator addition on the south side. There will be a “ceremonial ground-breaking” on Cathedral Day (May 13, 2017), when members of all diocesan parishes will be welcome to participate, along with Saint Mark’s members. We hope to complete construction by November 30, 2017, and we’ll celebrate completion in December 2017. We’re already starting to talk about a “capstone event” to be held in the Nave at the end of the project—stay tuned!
READ MORE AT: saintmarks.org/construction
Annual Meeting at Saint Mark’s BY MARIA COLDWELL, CANON FOR OPERATIONS MCOLDWELL@SAINTMARKS.ORG
The Annual Meeting at Saint Mark’s Cathedral took place on Sunday, January 29, 2017, after the 11am service. About 150 people attended, and they enjoyed a potluck lunch before the actual business meeting, which ran from roughly 1-2:30pm. One of the chief pieces of business transacted was the election of 4 parish representatives to the Vestry and 12 delegates/ alternates to the Diocesan Convention. The four new Vestry members are Amanda Davis, Andrew Himes, Kelly Moody, and Joe Wright. Diocesan Convention delegates/alternates are: Neshia Alaovae, Marla Dittloff, Mel Flannery, Michael Garrett, Tamara Kincaid, Vinnu Komanapalli, George Moore, George Pro, Brian Sellers-Petersen, Sandra Smith, Doug Thorpe, and David Wagner. Retiring Vestry members Betsy Bell, Ruth Mulligan, Timi Vann, and Roland Yancey were thanked for their service. Another much-anticipated part of the Annual Meeting is the awarding of Pro Christo et Ecclesia medals to faithful servants/volunteers at Saint Mark’s. This year, the awards went to Senior Warden Lynne Markova, who led the Strategic Planning process in addition to her duties as Warden; and the Reverend Pat Taylor, one of our Assisting Clergy, who leads grief and caregiver support groups, and volunteers regularly as a receptionist in the office and in many other capacities. Reports were made by the Senior Warden, the Stewardship
The Very Rev. Steven L. Thomason presents The Rev. Pat Taylor with the Pro Christo et Ecclesia award.
Ministry, the Cathedral Foundation, the Treasurer, and the Dean of the Cathedral. The financial reports showed that Saint Mark’s is in good shape, with a small surplus of about $38,000 in 2016 (on a $1.75 million operating budget). Dean Steve’s remarks focused on the many good things happening at Saint Mark’s, including the Statement of Commitment and Action (published elsewhere in this issue), the new initiatives of Seattle Service Corps and the Wisdom School, and the recently approved 3-year Strategic Plan for 2017-2019, copies of which were distributed at the Annual Meeting. Steve announced the receipt of a $500,000 grant from The Norcliffe Foundation, which brings the total raised for the Living Stones Capital Campaign to over $8 million. Steve specially thanked Marshal McReal, chair of the Major Gifts committee, for his work on the campaign, and Steve and Alice Reid (who are moving to Florida) for their work on the Cathedral Foundation and the Vestry, respectively. Steve also introduced the whole hardworking staff at Saint Mark’s, and asked them to come to the front of the room, where they were recognized with applause.
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Living in intentional community Checking in with the Seattle Service Corps BY CARRIE SURBAUGH, SEATTLE SERVICE CORPS MEMBER
carrie.surbaugh@gmail.com
It’s been almost six months since I drove across the country with all my worldly possessions in the back of my car, and walked into the nave of Saint Mark’s in search of my new community. Six months of youth ministry, of self-discovery, of community dinners, of trying to decode Episcopal language and Pacific Northwest culture, of crying and laughing until I cry. It’s been six months of falling in love. In my application for the service corps, I wrote, “This is what I believe intentional community is: soil in which to plant roots. It’s a place to grow and be filled up, but not a place to hide. It’s a home to come back to, a place where people are known and loved without reservation. Community is a place where the Lord is invited in and everyone is trying to grow together around that central vine.” When I rolled up with my Texas-shaped waffle maker at the end of August, I didn’t know all the ways this community would fit together. I didn’t know that soon my best friends would be a future priest with a penchant for IPAs, a Canadian camp counselor, and a ukulele-playing political scientist. I didn’t know that I would be in charge of a youth group full of smart, awkward, thoughtful, ridiculous middle schoolers, or how wonderful it would be to bring my roommates to youth group and watch my communities intersect. There was a night, a few days after we moved in, where all six of us stayed up late talking and eating ice cream. Maybe I did know it then; maybe I caught the tiniest glimpse of everything this community would become. It felt like roots stretching into fresh soil. The service corps created our community through hard work, and prayer, and more than a little bit of grace. It hasn’t always been easy, or fun. We don’t always do the dishes. We rub up against each other’s insecurities. But every Tuesday, Jon, Hilary, Tim, and I still gather together and worship. We still welcome each other back into the home we’ve created. These are the moments I will never forget: running with Jon as the sun comes up; listening to Hilary play the ukulele in our room; bike shopping with Timothy. When it snowed in December, we walked through the park at midnight. Once, I set off the fire alarm while trying to make grilled cheese and the fire department came. When two of our members left, we sat in a circle and blessed them as they went.
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In Romans, it says true Christians love sincerely, hate evil, and hold fast to what is good. My roommates have taught me what it looks like to love sincerely in the quotidian rhythms of life. They are constantly teaching me that hatred of evil looks more soft, less biting and sarcastic, than I would like it to. We are learning together how to hold fast to what is good: how to lean into pain when it is easier to numb it with platitudes, how to love each other when we are tired, and how to love and serve the Lord with our whole selves.
FOLLOW THE CORPS Read more from Carrie and the other Corps members on their blog, seattleservicecorps.com.
Textile art connects to the sacred Western Bridge brings the work of Josh Faught to Saint Mark’s BY LIZ BARTENSTEIN, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR LBARTENSTEIN@SAINTMARKS.ORG
About two years ago, Dean Steve Thomason approached Bill and Ruth True to begin a conversation about the commissioning of an art piece. As patrons of Western Bridge, Bill and Ruth True have helped bring a wide array of fine art to the Seattle community in myriad ways. This new partnership with Saint Mark’s led to the commissioning of a massive textile work to be hung in the sacred gathering space of the Cathedral Nave. The piece, by acclaimed artist Josh Faught, is titled Sanctuary, was installed in the Nave in January 2017. For Sanctuary, Faught creates a textile that extends the length of the cathedral’s massive southeast pillar. Through woven texts, sheet music, DVDs, and archival documents affixed to the textile’s face, the work integrates popular and sacred music, a supernatural soap opera, and records of gay politics, sexuality, and culture in Seattle. Bringing together craft, sociopolitical, and personal histories, Sanctuary also links expressions of love with songs of praise and prayers.
The work was hand-woven by Faught over the summer and fall of 2016, using hand-dyed cotton, hemp, and gold lamé. This abstract, painterly surface serves as a matrix and support for other found objects: novelty pin-badges, sheet music, magazines, and advertisements. Sourced from the artist’s personal collection and Seattle archives, these objects refer to cultural touchstones, political histories and pop culture. Among the many elements in this 50-foot long textile are reproduced manuscripts from the late Peter Hallock, founder of the Compline Choir. A manuscript of Hallock’s composition “A Song of Deliverance” connects the themes of Passions and Heaven on Earth to a more local, specific, and ecclesiastical context. These disparate elements run through Faught’s monumental weaving, setting up a complex chain of associations. Connecting various histories and objects in the matrix of a loom, Sanctuary opens a conversation between high and low, corporeal and insubstantial, secular and sacred. At an opening reception held for the work on January 31, Faught said “We’re living in a dark, scary moment in our country’s history, and although this work doesn’t speak as urgently as the protests in the street, in the end I hope this project starts to suggest that political rhetoric is at its core a desire to communicate. The ability to speak through textiles allows us to
Anne Fenton, The Very Rev. Steven L. Thomason, Ruth True, Josh Faught, Bill True, Eric Fredericksen and The Rt. Rev. Greg Rickel.
embrace the personal and political continuum, that is at once inclusive, fragmentary, experiential, physical and radical.” Sanctuary will be on view at Saint Mark’s Cathedral through July, 2018.
From left: Emily Austin, Cristi Chapman, Chris McPeak, Greg Bloch, Nancy Ross
New Clergy and Staff Members at Saint Mark’s On January 29, we welcomed to our team Emily Austin, a postulant studying to become a vocational deacon. She has been assigned to serve her field education at the cathedral over the next eighteen months. She comes to us from Church of the Redeemer in Kenmore, WA, where she was active in outreach ministries, particularly in providing foot care to those experiencing homelessness. She works full time during the week at an employee benefits brokerage in Bellevue, and she is attending the Diocese of Olympia’s Iona School. Bishop Rickel has appointed The Rev. Cristi Chapman to serve her Curacy-in-training at Saint Mark’s Cathedral beginning September 1, 2017. She is currently completing her Master of Divinity degree at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas, and she was sponsored by her home parish, Church of the Ascension in Magnolia (Seattle). Cristi was ordained a transitional deacon in December, and is scheduled to be ordained a priest at Saint Mark’s Cathedral on June 20, 2017.
The Rev. Nancy Ross will increase to half-time Curate beginning Feb. 1, 2017. She joined the staff in a limited role in December 2015 after being ordained to the transitional deaconate in California. She was ordained a priest at Saint Mark’s last June. She also serves as part-time chaplain at Wesley Retirement Community and Care Center in Auburn. Greg Bloch is our new part-time Liturgical Assistant—he will produce the bulletins for our many worship services, and serve as a member of the Worship Planning Team. He will also continue to serve as a Shop Associate in the Cathedral Shop. Greg is a member of the Cathedral and Compline Choirs; he has a B.A. from Williams College and M.A. in Music History from University of California. Christopher McPeak is our new part-time Worship Coordinator, attending to the logistics of Sunday morning worship services and other cathedral liturgies. He is also a member of the Worship Planning Team, and will work closely with vergers, sacristans, and other liturgical ministers to ensure the smooth flow of worship. He is completing an M.Div. degree at Seattle School of Theology and Psychology; he holds B.S. degree from Seattle Pacific University and Doctor of Physical Therapy from University of Washington.
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Cathedral Day 2017 SATURDAY MAY 13, 2017 – SAVE THE DATE! It’s our annual all-ages celebration of the community of the Diocese of Olympia. Once again, Saint Mark’s will host our diocesan brothers and sisters from Bellevue to Bellingham, Puyallup to Port Orchard. The morning starts with a grand procession, beautiful banners and lots of confirmations. There will be a ceremonial ground-breaking for the Capital Campaign construction. Lunch will again be provided by food trucks. We are already dreaming about the afternoon’s activities. With scaffolding covering the cathedral’s outside walls, and construction trailers covering the front lawn—no more dunk tank! Want to help with hospitality or suggest some fun new activities? Please contact Virginia Lenker, Cathedral Day Coordinator, at vlenker@gmail.com.