FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2026

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SUNDAY OFFERINGS

Sunday, October 18, 2026: The Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost

8 a.m. • Holy Eucharist

Thomsen Chapel

9 a.m. • Holy Eucharist

cathedral nave

10:10 a.m. • Intergenerational Godly Play

Bloedel Hall

11 a.m. • Holy Eucharist

cathedral nave & livestreamed

12:30 p.m. • The Inquirers' Class, Session 4

Leffler House Living Room

6 p.m. • 20s/30s & Third Acters Potluck

Leffler House

6 p.m. • Queer Anglicanism: Five Centuries of LGBTQ+ History

on Zoom

7 p.m. • Contemplative Eucharist

Thomsen Chapel

9:30 p.m. • Compline

cathedral nave & broadcast on KING FM

10 p.m. • Organ by Night

cathedral nave & organ loft

HEADLINES

Cover photo by Kevin Johnson shows Saint Mark's Cathedral jutting out from Capitol Hill.

Stewardship 2027

At Saint Mark’s Cathedral, as Christians, we boldly proclaim, not only with our lips but in our lives, that…

• There is good news here for everyone.
• The humble will be exalted.
• God’s Kingdom breaks out in unexpected places.
• Every stranger is beloved of God.
• The Holy Spirit is alive in every moment.
• Our table always has room for more.
• We long to be transformed by mystery as the body of Christ.

A REFLECTION FROM SANDY NELSON

Being part of the Saint Mark’s community brings me so much joy, and sharing my time, skills, and financial support is my way of giving back. Together, our ministries are making a difference in people’s lives. I’m especially grateful for the gift of watching my daughter, Elsie, grow in her faith through twelve wonderful years in the choir school, as well as Confirmation. My own spiritual journey continues to deepen here, too. I enjoy serving as an acolyte at the 9 a.m. service, occasionally bringing the incense as thurifer at an Evensong service, and serving on the Visual Arts Ministry team. Participating in such a vibrant variety of programs and events continually nourishes my faith. Saint Mark’s is a remarkable spiritual place, and I am deeply thankful.

INGATHERING SUNDAY: OCTOBER 25

Next Sunday, we will present all the commitment cards at the altar during the morning services. If you have already submitted your financial commitment for 2027, it will be there—thank you! If you have not yet made your pledge of support, click the button below.

QUICK LINKS: LEAFLETS | READINGS | VIDEO ARCHIVE | SERMONS | CALENDAR

SAINT MARK'S MUSIC SERIES PRESENTS
All-Night Vigil

Cappella Romana
John Michael Boyer, conductor

TODAY, OCTOBER 16, 7:30 P.M. in the nave

Cappella Romana presents Sergei Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil, a luminous bridge between ancient Slavic spiritual traditions and late-Romantic expression. With bass notes that challenge the limits of the human voice, it is an outpouring of profound emotional and spiritual vision.

The concert will last 60-65 minutes with no intermission. Parking is available for free in the cathedral's lot. The box office opens at 6:30 p.m. and the house opens at 7 p.m.

Intergenerational Godly Play

THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 10:10 A.M. in Bloedel Hall

Children and adults alike are invited to an Intergenerational Godly Play sessionthis Sunday. We’ll hear a Godly Play story about moments in the Apostle Peter’s life when he boldly proclaimed his faith in Jesus. After the story, we will engage in conversation and art to help us consider how we all, at any age, might also boldly proclaim our faith to the world.

The Inquirers' Class: Session 4

THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 12:30 P.M. in Leffler House Living Room

This five-week series is facilitated by clergy and canons and explores the basics of the Christian faith through the lens of the Episcopal Church. Many people who go through the whole series decide to receive the sacrament of baptism or are confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church. However, all are invited to attend one or a few sessions as you are able. Session 4 will be led by Canon Rich Weyls and will cover "Prayer and Spiritual Practices."

Register for the series.

Queer Anglicanism: Five Centuries of LGBTQ+ History

THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 6 P.M. on Zoom

Celebrate Queer History Month with the Diocese of Olympia! Join Canon Carla Robinson and other diocesan leaders as we are joined by The Rev. Dr. Patrick Cheng as he presents Queer Anglicanism: Five Centuries of LGBTQ+ History. This talk will provide an overview of the history of same-sex-attracted and gender-variant individuals and movements within the Church of England, the Episcopal Church, and the Anglican Communion from the 16th century to today. The workshop will also explore the work of key LGBTQ+ Episcopal and Anglican theologians with respect to queer theology, queer of color theory, and queer postcolonial thought.

Register for the workshop.

20s/30s & Third Acter Potluck Dinner

THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 6 P.M. in the Leffler House Living Room

This potluck dinner is a collaboration between the 20s/30s Ministry and the Third Acters (60+) and an effort to continue building intergenerational relationships in the cathedral community. Anyone in their 20s or 30s and those aged 60+ are welcome to gather for this potluck. After filling plates and sharing conversation, Canon Emily Griffin will offer a Godly Play-style presentation on Speaking the Truth in Love, and we will wonder together about how we can create space for wisdom to emerge across generations. Please bring a main dish, side dish, or dessert to share or just your dear self.

Contact Elizabeth Clark-Stern, Kathy Minsch, or Else Trygstad-Burke with questions.

Organ by Night

THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 10 P.M. in the nave & organ loft

Geoffrey Liu will offer this month's Organ by Night music following Compline on Sunday, October 18. He serves as organist at Kent United Methodist Church. He will play Compline-inspired works by Gerald Near, Johann Gottfried Walther, Fritz Kreisler, and Carl Haywood.

On every third Sunday of the month, organists offer 20 minutes of music on the mighty Flentrop organ, and encourage listeners to join them in the gallery to see and hear the organ and organist up close. They are also happy to answer questions about the music and the organ itself.

Register for Radix 17—The Book of Job

CATHEDRAL COMMONS: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 6:45 P.M. in Bloedel Hall and on Zoom

For the seventeenth iteration of The Radix Project, Saint Mark's series of small group discussions, we are focusing on the Book of Job.

If you have ever argued with God, or wondered if you could, if you’ve questioned how human suffering and God’s justice can co-exist, if you have asked yourself how to be with someone who is grieving, you’re invited to explore these questions in the context of scripture and prayer with a small group. Radix participants practice active listening and respectful communication as they form and deepen relationships with one another.

Whether you have participated many times in the past, or have never joined a Radix group before, we encourage you to take this opportunity to engage some of the most beautiful and challenging passages in the Bible. Participants are asked to prioritize the meeting dates in your calendar so you are present for all (or most) of the meetings.

Small groups meet once a week for six weeks, starting Thursday, October 22 in person or online via Zoom. Registration is required by Sunday, October 18 at 3 p.m. If you have any problems registering, contact Canon Wendy Claire Barrie.

SUNDAY FORUM

Wholehearted Companions: Becoming a Dementia-Friendly Congregation

with Emily Meeks

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 10:10 A.M. in Bloedel Hall

Dementia raises profound questions of identity, personhood, and faith. Many of us know or will know someone experiencing a form of dementia. Join seminarian Emily Meeks to explore how congregations can companion people with dementia on their spiritual journey through liturgical and spiritual practices and intergenerational relationships.

Emily is a third year student at Virginia Theological Seminary and a candidate for Holy Orders to the priesthood sponsored by Saint Mark's Cathedral. At VTS, her research has focused on the intersectionality of our Baptismal Covenant and different expressions of spiritual memory.

Cathedral Tour

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 12:30 P.M. meet at the back of the nave

A cathedral docent will offer a guided tour of the nave, Thomsen Chapel, and the Cathedral House. The tour highlights the cathedral’s history and architecture as participants move throughout the building. An elevator is available for those who need it. 

Midway Gathering: Where the Heck is My Village?

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 12:30 P.M. in Room 210

We are always hearing “it takes a village” to do basically anything: raise a family, heal from illness or surgery, process trauma, live life. But our current society is not really conducive to this village model. Can the church be that? Do we want it to be? If so, how do we foster that in our faith community today? How do we show up for each other beyond Sundays? Join the Midway Group for an engaging and thoughtful discussion accompanied by a potluck brunch.

Midway is the Cathedral’s affinity group for those in middle adulthood—after young adulthood but before retirement. All who see themselves in this description are welcome. Contact Jen Younggren with questions.

Pre-Election Interfaith Vigil for Unity & Peace

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 7 P.M. in the nave

Ahead of the midterm elections, local religious leaders and members of Seattle’s faith community are gathering for an interfaith prayer vigil. Together, we will demonstrate unity and express our shared values of peace amidst global conflict and solidarity with our migrant neighbors and other victims of mass violence, displacement, or othering. The service will include communal singing, brief readings from Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr. and others, time for silence and reflection, and the opportunity to light candles.

This event is co-sponsored by Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle, St. James Catholic Cathedral, Temple De Hirsch Sinai, First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Seattle, and the Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement at Seattle University.

Constitutional Observer Training

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 7 P.M. in Bloedel Hall

Do you know what to do if you see ICE in your community? ICE abductions are at record levels in Washington State. Immigration agents are everywhere, using license plate readers and other methods to pick up people on major roads, in retail parking lots and neighborhoods. This 1-hour class, led by Beth Donahoe from Eastside Indivisible and retired immigration attorney Jay Stansell, will show you what to do if you happen upon immigration enforcement activity. It’s like taking CPR training: you hope you’ll never need it, but it’s good to know what to do in case of an emergency. Constitutional Observer trainings prepare people to observe, document, and report what they witness—centering the people being targeted—in service of accountability, safety, and our shared democratic values.

Register for the training.

All Hallows' Eve Family Playdate

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 9:30-11 A.M. in Bloedel Hall

All families and kiddos (infants through elementary school) are invited to join for an All Hallows' Eve Family Playdate on Halloween in Bloedel Hall. Kids and their parents will enjoy fall themed snacks (friendly for all ages and dietary needs), crafts, games, and music. We will have story time at 9:45 a.m. Costumes are welcome!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Submit All Saints' Day Commemorations

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF NAMES: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25

On Sunday, November 1, we will celebrate the Feast of All Saints. On that day, names of those who have died in the past 12 months (since last All Saints’ Day) will be printed in the service leaflets and lifted up collectively in prayer.

Please submit the names of anyone you would like to be included by emailing Cathedral Worship Coordinator, David Poortinga, by Sunday, October 25.

Discerning Leadership Opportunities

Serving on Vestry or as a Convention Delegate are significant leadership ministry opportunities that help define and articulate the mission of the church, steward our resources, and share ministry with Saint Mark’s clergy and staff.

At the Annual Parish Meeting January 24, 2027, we will elect four new vestry members from the Parish and 12 delegates to Diocesan Convention. 

Each Sunday in October, after the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services, members of the Nominating Committee will be present in the Coffee Corner to answer questions and offer material that clarifies the role and responsibilities of these roles. Parish members can nominate themselves or another member for consideration by the committee by submitting a form (available at the table) or by email to nominations@saintmarks.org.

Nominating Committee Members: Christopher Breunig, Carrie Davis, Greg Hamm, Hilary McLeland-Wieser, Peter Snyder, Nancy Valaas, Julia Logan and Martha Craig (Co-Chairs), Dean Steve Thomason (ex officio)

Become an Oblation Bearer

The Oblation Bearer ministry is looking for volunteers. At the Eucharist, oblation bearers serve by carrying the bread and the wine from the back of the nave to the altar during the offertory. Oblation bearing is a simple ministry, but a vital one for our worship. If you would like to learn more about this once-a-month opportunity to serve, contact Michael Perera.

Help with Wednesday Night Dinners

On most Wednesday nights, everyone is welcome to enjoy a delicious dinner served in Bloedel Hall from 6-6:30 p.m., and we are looking for people willing to help serve dinner and clean up afterwards. There are two shifts: set up and serving (5-6:30 p.m.) and serving and clean up (6-7:30 p.m.) No special skills are required, other than the ability to be on your feet for one to two hours. Ideally, we are hoping to find individuals willing to help at least once a month, but all levels of participation are welcome—feel free to sign up once and try it out. If you are interested in learning more, contact Deborah Person.

Position Open: Director of Communications

Saint Mark's Cathedral is now accepting applications for the Director of Communications. This role is responsible for the overall communications and messaging of the Cathedral and for timely content creation across various channels (digital and print) - cultivating a sense of belonging among parishioners and the broader community through effective storytelling and consistent brand identity. Read the job description and application instructions.

Grief Process Group

Saint Mark’s will offer a six-week Grief and Loss Process Group on Friday afternoons from November 6 to December 11, 3-4:30 p.m. in Leffler House. A Licensed Professional Counselor will facilitate the process using contemporary scholarship and secular ritual, and the group will be limited to four participants.

If this group sounds like it could be of benefit to you, please send an email inquiry to the Rev. Mary Petty Anderson.

Call for Entries: Quilt Exhibit at Saint Mark's Cathedral

presented by the Visual Arts and Quilt Ministries

We invite quilters from across the Episcopal Church in Western Washington to submit their original works reflecting our theme: “The Joy of Creating.” Quilts will be hung in the cathedral nave, January 3 -31, 2027.

The submission deadline is November 21, 2026. More information and the entry form is here.

FROM OUR NEIGHBORS

Seattle Weavers' Guild Show & Sale

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 5-7:30 P.M.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 10 A.M. - 7:30 P.M.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 10 A.M. - 4 P.M.

The Seattle Weavers' Guild Show & Sale in Bloedel Hall will showcase one of the northwest’s largest selections of fine handwoven textiles by regional fiber artists with artist talks and demonstrations. This is more than just a sale—it's a chance to find that exceptional, one-of-a-kind item for your home, your wardrobe, or someone special in your life.

Take a peek at the offerings here. Admission and parking is free.

PASTORAL CARE

To submit a prayer request for the Prayer Chain or to be added to the spoken Prayers of the People on Sunday, send an email to prayers@saintmarks.org or call 206.323.0300 x314.

We also invite your prayers as informed by:

• The Anglican Cycle of Prayer
• The Diocese of Olympia Diocesan Cycle of Prayer
• The Saint Mark's, Seattle, Cathedral Cycle of Prayer

THIS WEEK'S RECURRING OFFERINGS

Below are recurring offerings at Saint Mark's this week. Click the photo to learn more, or visit our cathedral calendar.

Sunday, October 18

during the 9 a.m. service

in Thomsen Chapel

All children are invited to join the Gospel procession and gather around the Deacon as the Gospel is proclaimed. Parents are welcome to join; otherwise they will return to their families in the nave at the Peace.

Sunday, October 18

10:10 a.m., Bloedel Hall

Children and adults will gather for a Godly Play story and a discussion and craft exploring the story and the stewardship theme: boldly proclaim.

Sunday, October 18

10 p.m., in the nave

Geoffrey Liu will offer 20 minutes of organ music following Compline. Join him in the organ loft to hear more about the music and the organ itself.

Monday through Friday 
on Zoom

Daily Morning Prayer is offered online via Zoom, Monday through Friday at 7:30 a.m.

Daily Evening Prayer is offered via Zoom, Monday through Friday at 6 p.m.

Monday, October 19

6:30 p.m. in the cathedral nave

Cathedral Yoga will be led by Annabell Dumex-Matheson, followed by a soundbath. Doors open to welcome participants at 6 p.m. and close at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, October 20

12 p.m. on Zoom

This group provides a weekly conversation around the scripture readings for the following Sunday.

Email Bible Study leaders for the Zoom link.

Tuesday, October 13

6:30 p.m. in the nave

Contemplative Prayer gatherings begin with a time of silent meditation, followed by a discussion of contemplative experience and practices.

Wednesday, October 21, 5:30-8:15 p.m.

Cathedral Commons begins with Evening Prayer at 5:30 p.m., a community dinner from 6-6:30 p.m., and a forum from 6:45-8:15 p.m.

Saint Mark’s Cathedral acknowledges that we gather on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People, who are still here, and we honor with gratitude the land itself and the life of all the Coast Salish tribes. [Learn more]