Therubricwinter2014

The

Winter 2014, Vol. 71, No. 2 Seattle, Washington

ubric

tories of ministry.

S aint Mark’s

Episcopal Cathedral Photo credit Kevin C. Johnson

Welcome > Inspire Serve > Transform

Photos in this issue were primarily taken by Kevin Johnson and Liz Sloat

The Very Rev. Steve Thomason, Dean; Liz Sloat, Editor The Rubric is a publication of Saint Mark’s Cathedral that looks at who we are as a community: as a parish, as a cathedral for the Diocese of Olympia, as Episcopalians, and as Christians. We take time to look at and celebrate all aspects of who we are.

Please contact Liz Sloat, at lsloat@saintmarks.org or 206.323.0300, ext. 219 if you have an idea for an article or are interested in volunteering.

Subscribe by email at www.saintmarks.orgclick on the link "Join Our Email Lists".

Subscribe by: US Mail: send your address by email to rubric@saintmarks.org or contact Liz at 206.323.0300, ext. 219.

CONTENTS

On the cover: Christmas Eve, and the Saint Mark’s Youth Ensemble sang under the direction of Brian Fairbanks.

A new banner on the front of the Cathedralan invitation to come inside and see.

A New Strategic Vision Recent Feasts and Festivities Time Saving Device Centerpiece: A Glimpse of God Special Winter Forums Foundation Report Building for Ministry: Feasibility Study A New Deanery for Saint Mark’s Cathedral Yoga Compassionate Seattle

4 5 8 10 13 10 14 17 17 18

Greetings from the Dean

Sunday Service Times 8 a.m. Eucharist in Thomsen Chapel 9 a.m. Eucharist in the Nave 11 a.m. Eucharist in the Nave 5 p.m. Choral Evensong in the Nave 7 p.m. Contemplative Eucharist in Thomsen Chapel 9:30 p.m. Compline in the Nave, chanted by the Compline Choir and broadcast live on KING 98.1 FM

Weekday Service Times Tuesdays, 7:15 pm Centering Prayer in Thomsen Chapel Wednesdays, 12 noon Holy Eucharist in Thomsen Chapel Thursdays, 12noon Contemplative Prayer in the McCaw Chapel Thursdays, 7 a.m.

Holy Eucharist in Thomsen Chapel 6:30 p.m. Evening Prayer Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday in McCaw or Thomsen Chapel For more information about Worship at Saint Mark's, please go to http://www.saintmarks. org/Worship/ worship.php

In early January, twenty-five people ranging from their early 20s to their 70s converged on a Capitol Hill bar to join in the inaugural “Theology on Tap” event hosted

by Saint Mark’s Cathedral. I had the pleasure of facilitating the conversation in which we engaged the question: Will the Church be relevant in the 21st Century? It was, to say the least, a lively affair, and I am delighted we are exploring creative ways to “be the Church” beyond our walls.

As we mined the question and our personal experiences of the Church, it became increasingly clear that for the Church to live faithfully into the future will require that we continually discern two things: first, we must discern who we are, and then we must discern what we do (i.e., how we live and move and have our being).

It is no coincidence that we’ve been about the intentional work of that discernment in recent months, yielding into a newly updated Strategic Plan for Saint Mark’s Cathedral. There is an article by co-leaders of the process, Maria Coldwell and John Neitzel, in this issue, and I commend it and their work to you. Hundreds of people took part in the process, and the document leads with these important two statements: Who We Are Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral strives to be: A house of prayer for all people, where we worship God and proclaim the reconciling Gospel of Jesus Christ A loving, welcoming, inclusive community that nurtures faith, encourages service, and integrates social and environmental justice into our lives A sacred gathering place for the Diocese of

Olympia and the broader community in times of crisis, sorrow, and celebration What We Do We gather in prayer to experience God and to seek spiritual renewal and direction We offer diverse worship services that engage people through liturgy, spoken word, and music We create faith formation opportunities that invite people to grow, wherever they are on their journey of faith We build a vibrant community life by sharing our stories and nurturing our relationships We practice Christ’s message of justice in all of our ministries through service to others From there, the strategic plan plots a course with details about our daily life as a community of faith—a map of sorts by which we will find our way. Of course, we are guided along the way by the light of Christ that burns brightly within us and around us. As Christians, our identity is born in a buoyant hope that God is at work in the world and in the Church, which is the Body of Christ—and that is the truest source of relevance and purpose and meaning as we move forward in faith, trusting that God is calling Saint Mark’s Cathedral into its future with a full measure of grace. Our responsibility is to respond to that call with courage and authenticity.

I believe we are about that work, and I invite you to read on to see snapshots of how we are stepping forward into our future. These are exciting times, and I am so delighted with the vitality and good spirit that abounds here. And we welcome others, knowing we will be richer for their presence and wisdom.

Blessings and peace,

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A New Strategic Vision for Saint Mark’s —by Maria V. Coldwell and John Neitzel, co-chairs, Strategic Visioning Committee

At the January Annual Meeting, a new 3-year Strategic Plan will be offered to the congregation of St. Mark’s. The Plan is the result of 6 months of intensive work by the Strategic Visioning Task Force, which met every two weeks from June – October, 2013. Task force members included Cochairs Maria Coldwell and John Neitzel, Dean Steve Thomason, Senior Warden Walter Stuteville, Junior Warden Jo Ann Bailey, Carmen Brady, Mac Brown, Mel Butler, Lynne Markova, Cara Peterson, Anjelica Sloan, and Kathleen Tyrrell.

Mark’s web site Strategic Visioning page. We hope that the various committees and ministries will use the detailed reports they created, in addition to the Strategic Plan itself, as planning tools for their groups as they move forward over the next few years.

The Plan is a “grass-roots” vision that comes from the people of St. Mark’s, rather than a “top down” vision from the leadership. The Task Force made a conscious decision to preserve as much of the original wording as possible of comments and suggestions made at meetings and forums, so that readers may hear the voices of various individuals in the plan. The level of detail that came up in meetings, however, was much higher than we could include. All of the comments recorded at various meetings and forums are preserved in individual reports posted on the St.

This is a time of great change and activity at St. Mark’s, and as a result, this Plan will most likely be out of date a year from now. It is our hope, therefore, that the Plan will be updated by the Vestry once a year, at the time of the new Vestry’s formation (generally the February Vestry retreat).

We sincerely hope that this document will be used and referred to regularly, and not placed on a shelf to gather dust. We are a dynamic congregation moving forward, and the plan is dynamic also, a practical guide to navigate and organize the changes that will come.

The Plan starts out with a new Vision/Mission/ Values/Major Goals page. It preserves some of the ideas and wording of the previous strategic plan, particularly in the area of Values: Welcome, Inspire, Transform, and Serve. The Plan is then divided into five major sections, corresponding to the five major ministry areas at St. Mark’s (Prayer, Worship, Faith Task force members facilitated discussions with Formation, Justice, and Community Life). However, the various active ministries, committees, and staff we hope that the implementation of the Plan will not groups at St. Mark’s over the summer months, and take place in “silos,” with committees and ministry two congregational forums were held in September groups paying attention only to 2013 to gather input. The Vestry their particular areas. Rather, we reviewed the first draft of a plan at Copies of the Strategic hope that all members of the its workday in October; the revised congregation will familiarize Plan was sent out to committee Visioning Plan (2014-2016) are available on our website, themselves with the Plan as a chairs for further review and edits whole, and recognize how their in November, and the final draft of in the narthex, or by request to info@saintmarks.org particular area of interest fits in the Plan was approved by the and overlaps with other areas.

Vestry on Dec. 17, 2013.

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Oktoberfest!

Feasts & Festivities

Greening of the Cathedral

Fall Family Festival— pumpkins, games, fellowship!

Porridge breakfast on Thursday mornings after the 7 am Eucharist. A community meal open to all!

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The Great ‘O’ Antiphons

People Look East! A different kind of pageant.

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Christmas Eve— Bishop Greg Rickel preaching

The New Year’s Eve Labyrinth Walk which concluded with a Eucharist to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Name at midnight.

Twelfth Night Celebration Evensong, the Harvard Glee Club and the burning of the Christmas greens

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TIME SAVING DEVICE - by the Rev. Michael Carroccino, curate

It is a convenient fiction that somehow all of our fascinating technology somehow saves us time or labor in daily life. Granted, I can often get the same amount of work done in a shorter time by using the navigation app on my smart phone than by stopping to dig out my map and study it – in this sense, yes, time is saved. But with each quantum leap in our technological capacity to be productive comes a concurrent and nearly universal expectation that now we will get more done. If ever there were a vicious cycle, this would be one!

It seems that – rather than clearing our schedules – our technology fills our time ever more fully with the tyranny of the urgent.

In all of this focus on the individual moments and tasks of our work, it becomes increasingly easy to lose track of the larger movements of time – seasons, years, and significant life transitions. We can find ourselves wondering where the summer went, or how our nieces and nephews suddenly look so much older as we lift our gaze from the screen just long 8

enough to sip a little life and ponder. “Time-saving” begins to have a hollow ring as we fill our moments with the cacophonous drumbeats of all our various roles and expectations. Rather than letting the clock and the traffic report call the shots in our lives, how can we truly – not save, but savor – the passage of our years?

Ancient wisdom across cultures holds that time – rather than being a linear progression from point A to point B – is actually cyclical in nature.

From this perspective, our temporal movement is rather more like a wandering spiral than a taut line. As trees grow ever taller and broader through a recurrent cycle of winters and summers, so too does life become fuller – growing in complexity with each passing year, with each new relationship. And as trees add their rings of increase, we also can mark the seasons and the years with our times of preparation and celebration.

This is why our church calendar is so important. With every revolution of season and year, we come together and take time to mark the generous abundance and Continues on next page.

Continued from previous page.

MARDI GRAS PARTY Tuesday, March 4 6:00-8:00 pm

communal loving-kindness so central to our tradition. With odd-sounding waypoints like Pentecost, Epiphany, Lent, and Trinity, our journeys and trails become ever more intertwined, weaving us together into a tapestry that – with each turn of the season, each trip of the shuttle through the loom – has the capacity to look a little more like the kingdom that Jesus laid out in his teachings.

And with each pass, we find our intrinsic connection with all who have made these thanksgivings before us, with our own prior experiences, and with all who will follow after us.

As we turn together toward Ash Wednesday – on what seems barely the heels of our Christmas preparation in Advent – this is a time to ponder how we set aside our moments: how we orient the cycles of our lives to be in community, to share our abundance, to bear one another’s burdens, and to reflect on our personal journeys. In lives filled by conflicting voices and visions, it can be an act of resistance to regularly and (in the eyes of our world) unproductively spend time. As this next round of liturgical seasons approaches, set apart some of your schedule to participate in the grand and eternal cycle of our communal spirituality.

Perhaps you will discover that attending to the church’s seasons of preparation and celebration may be the best time-saving device there is!

Masks, food, dessert auction, and live music.

Bring your old palm branches for the burning of the palms, get ready to bury your alleluias and join us for a night of fun for all!

If you‛re interested in helping plan this wonderful party for all ages, please contact Cindy Spencer, Children & Family Ministries coordinator: cspencer@saintmarks.org or 206.323.0300, x 225.

A LENTEN QUIET MORNING Saturday, March 8, 9 am- 12:30 pm Skinner Auditorium, Saint Mark’s Cathedral All are invited for this morning of communal silence, prayer, and reflection facilitated by Cherry Haisten, Program Director of the Center at St. Andrew's .

Sign-up in advance appreciated; donations ($10-15 suggested) gratefully accepted at the door.

RSVP: Jo Ann: jbailey@saintmarks.org or Cherry: CherryH@saintandrewsseattle.org Co-sponsored by the Center at St. Andrew’s and Saint Mark’s Cathedral.

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CENTERPIECE

A Glimpse of God Excerpts from a Sermon preached by The Right Rev. Jeffrey Lee, Bishop of the Diocese of Chicago, December 17, 2013 at the marriage of Dent Davidson and Jim Paddleford Through most of Christian history what we have gathered

with marriage (at best) a close second for those who could

here to do today could not possibly have taken place –

not bear the demands of the higher and holier calling. It

there wasn’t enough hope. Not just this public witnessing

wasn’t until the Reformation that what we have come to

and blessing of the union of two men ...

regard as “traditional” marriage started to get into our bloodstream – the Victorians and Ozzie and Harriet

What we think of as traditional marriage itself has a very checkered history among Christians. Today most of what people have come to assume about marriage is an

supplying most of the blood supply for today’s overheated romantic expectations of it … and the fodder for arguments on the floor of statehouses and Congress. No,

accumulated product of the last couple hundred years. In the Bible, Jesus says that the Kingdom of God is more important than devotion to husband, wife and children.

Right through the Middle Ages, marriages took place not in the church proper, but like Chaucer’s Wife of Bath, only out there at the door, in the porch … marriage was regarded as largely a civil matter,

not

quite

properly celebrated in the principal holy space.

When the 12th century philosopher

Abelard

offered to marry his pregnant

mistress

Heloise, she insisted that it would be a scandal for him to submit to what she called such “base servitude.”

10

Dean Thomason presides at The preferred kind of the wedding of mayor-elect Ed life for a great deal of Murray and his partner Christian history has Michael Shiosaki. been vowed celibacy,

for most of Christian history what we have gathered here to do would have been unthinkable ... for a lot of reasons.

And all this, I believe, because there has not been enough hope. We have not dared to hope that God could really be the kind of God we confess God to be. A God who has entered the muck and muddle of our human existence, a God who has taken on human life so completely that that life has been transformed into the vehicle of God’s very presence. A God who has refused to abandon us to our own devices.

A God who has

redeemed and is redeeming every single aspect of human existence, including our relationships, our sexuality, our

conventionally religious come to him again and again with questions about observing ritual details, obsessing about what a friend of mine calls "Don't step on the cracks religion."

Those kinds of questions, that kind of religion comes from a deeply anxious suspicion that God is not quite satisfied with our real humanity, with its limitations and particularity. It's why so much church life seems so artificial. A lot of religion is fueled by the anxiety that abstracted right behavior is the key to God's love. But the Dean Steve Thomason, Bishop Greg Rickel (Diocese of Olympia), Jim Paddleford, Dent Davidson, and Bishop Jeff Lee (Diocese of Chicago)

good news of Jesus is that it is in our full humanity, in our failures, in the broken places of our lives, in our vulnerabilities that God is known. It turns out that love really is

hopes and longings and deepest desires. A God whose

all you need, all that God needs. And human love shows up in

love and longing for us will not be satisfied until we are all

the most wonderful array of forms.

safely returned to his embrace. We have not dared to hope that even failure and death can not stop God’s love.

This is the sacramental principle: God is not somewhere

That the one sitting across the dinner table could be the

else. God is in all those ordinary things. God is right here,

one who died and was raised and who lives beyond death

right now, in whatever here and now we find ourselves, even

and the grave.

when we are not exactly our best selves. I think of that wonderful story of the husband and wife engaged in some

Through most of our history as a community of faith we

argument over some misdeed of the husband – an argument

have not been able to grasp the implications of that death

the two had engaged in many times before. The husband says

and resurrection … it has been simply too much to hope

despairingly to his wife, “I thought you said you had forgiven

for. Too much to hope that God's love flows fully and

and forgotten all about that. And the wife comes back, “I

freely from the wounded hands of Jesus, as Isaiah shouts

have forgiven and forgotten all about it … I just don’t want

to us, no strings attached, no price to pony up. That love

you to forget that I’ve forgiven and forgotten all about it.” Oh

binds all reality together into an ultimately coherent

yes, it is out of such stuff that marriage is made. It is even out

whole. That the Lord of heaven and earth could come to

of such stuff that God will make himself known.

us and make us simply and life-changingly his friends. The

The earliest versions of the Book of Common Prayer intend

notion that the most ordinary human realities could be

that weddings be celebrated within the context of the

God’s preferred means of coming to us has been too much

Eucharist. In this I think Archbishop Cranmer was at work to

to hope for. The stories of Jesus in the gospels confront us

restore our hope, to bring our full humanity, our loves and

with the poverty of our lack of such hope.

most intimate relationships right back into church, to rekindle

The

Full text of sermon available on our website at www.saintmarks.org/Sermons/sermons.php

11

the hope that God is not elsewhere as the saints and mystics

we prepared for this or that particular relationship to signify?

have always taught us. The bread of this eucharistic meal is

How much are we prepared for a given relationship to mean?

the bread of our dinner tables and the bread of the hungry who are living out there on the streets. The promises and

I believe what we intend this marriage to mean, what we

bodies and lives of Dent and Jim are the promises and bodies and lives of all of us who long for love and acceptance and grace.

This union is a sign of what all marriages are meant to be: this union is itself an act of worship, a bowing down before the mystery of God in the other.

hope for it, what we intend for it to signify is

...to bring our full humanity, our loves and most intimate relationships right back into church...

just this: God is with us. God is here. God is coming to you and me in the word we have broken open together, in the meal we will share and in these two extraordinary, gifted, flawed, generous, lovely human beings who stand before us radically amazed at the glimpse of God they have discovered in each other.

In a wonderful essay, the former Archbishop of Canterbury,

Watch them. Touch them. Cherish them. Imitate them.

Rowan Williams asks the rhetorical question of the moment:

They're a sign to us, today and beyond, a sign that God comes

Is there a Christian sexual ethic? Is there, he asks, an answer

to us all, to you and me and every man, woman and child who

to the questions of our time about what kinds of relationships

lives.

are acceptable for Christians or not. Is there a definitive

comprehension and at the heart of creation God's love is at

Christian sexual ethic? He asks. And then he answers his

work to make us and all things quite unimaginably new.

own question: Yes, several.

God delights in us, God loves us beyond

The question, says the

Archbishop, is not whether this or that variation of human orientation is right or wrong. The question is: How much are

THEOLOGY ON TAP - CAPITOL HILL th

met for the first time on January 9 at The Six Arms Pub and had an impressive 23 people for the kick-off event! Adults, both young and old(er), gathered to listen to Dean Steve’s thoughts on the relevance of the church in the 21st century and then broke into small groups to discuss before concluding by sharing with the whole group.

The event was hosted by Saint Mark’s but attracted community members from other religious experiences as well. We hope going forward to continue engaging in discussions about Theology in an open manner that is accessible to everyone and provides a space for deep thought and conversation.

Please join us on 2nd Thursdays at the McMenamins Six Arms Pub at Pike and Minor for Theology on Tap and invite your friends. In February, Deacon Earl Grout will talk about Resurrection and in March Rev. Michael Carroccino will lead the conversation.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know: FAQs about God, the Episcopal Church, and More Sundays, March 2—April 13, 12:30 –2:30 pm Bloedel Hall This series, led by Dean Thomason, is designed to be a lighthearted but intentional venue to: Should I Sip, Dip or Dunk? (Eucharistic theology and practice) Episcopal Gymnastics (standing, sitting, crossing, & more) How Do I Get A Key to the Church? (Ministries at Saint Mark’s) All are welcome, including newcomers, old-timers, and anyone with an inquiring mind. Childcare available by advanced reservation. For more, email sthomason@saintmarks.org or call 206.323.0300, x 222.

Adult Faith Formation: Special Winter Forums Sundays 10:10 am—10:50 am in Bloedel Hall (Unless noted) More information at http://www.saintmarks.org/ComingEvents/SundayMorningForums.php February 2, 16, & 23: Dean’s Forum: Theology of Health Care Do we as Christians (and the Church) have some obligation to approach this societal issue of health care access from a theological and ethical point of reference? What would a Theology of Health Care Access look like, and how might it gain traction in the current debate that has been so dominated by demagoguery? All are welcome.

February 9 : Special Forum: The Journey of Alzheimer’s Caregiving A panel discussion led by author Collin Tong.

Collin is the editor of Into the Storm a newly published anthology of caregiver stories from families affected by Alzheimer’s. The book will be available. Collin is a member of Saint Mark’s and a freelance writer for crosscut.com and The New York Times.

February 23: Special Forum*: Meet Dr. Cynthia MoeLobeda, Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Study at Seattle University, and author of Resisting Structural Evil: Love as Ecological-Economic Vocation.

This book will be studied as one of the Lenten series offered beginning March 12. Dr. MoeLobeda will introduce her book and intrigue you with her view of the entire world as a moral community and with her ethical concepts for Christians. Contact Doug Thorpe, 206-789-7335, dthorpe@spu.edu *This forum will be held in Leffler Living Room.

Foundation Annual Meeting reviewing an extraordinary year — by Kathy Thompson, Foundation Board The Cathedral Foundation of the Diocese of Olympia, founded in 1995, supports the future of Saint Mark’s Cathedral by receiving, raising and managing capital and endowment funds for the its buildings and grounds. Since 2011, the Foundation has been affiliated with the Bishop’s Office of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia.

The Foundation will hold its annual meeting on Monday, Feb. 3, beginning at 4:30 pm with a wine and cheese reception to follow at Leffler House. All are invited to attend. The business meeting will include the introduction of new members, election of officers and an update of the past year’s accomplishments.

There is much to celebrate about 2013! It will be remembered as the year when the Foundation received the largest single gift in its history -- an extraordinarily generous bequest by long-time parishioner Rosa Claringbould that nearly doubled the size of the funds managed by the Foundation. At year’s end, those funds totaled $2,504,219. Other contributing factors to a positive outcome for 2013 were robust returns on investments, an additional bequest and a successful new fundraising effort. Please join us at the annual meeting to hear a detailed financial report by Treasurer Steve Reid and learn more about the work of the Foundation.

Start planning now!

Cathedral Day 2014 Saturday May 17!

Fun for all ages!

Workshops & demonstrations from all around the diocese.

Eucharist and a a grand procession!

Contact Heather Hodsdon hodsdon@fastmail.fm

For further information, contact cathedralfoundation@ecww.org.

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Building for Ministrythe Feasibility Study

In August of 2014, the Enrichment Group was recommended for service by the Saint Mark’s Cathedral Capital Campaign Steering Committee and officially engaged by the Saint Mark’s Vestry. The Enrichment Group – a professional fund development consulting service – was founded in 1987 to serve Christian churches and organizations by inspiring stewardship, developing resources for ministry, and providing leadership for capital campaigns. While we serve nationally, we are based in Tacoma and have considerable experience in the Pacific Northwest, particularly within the Diocese of Olympia.

Working together with the Capital Campaign Steering Committee and Jean Leed, the committee chair, and Dean Thomason, we began the process of assessing the readiness of the community for a capital campaign through a Feasibility Study which unfolded this past Fall.

The study was designed to elicit feedback from a sampling of members actively involved in participation and giving to Saint Mark’s Cathedral. We began by seeking confidential and personal interviews with 50 households.

Interviews were held with a total of 52 households. Questionnaires were also mailed to an additional 134

“85% of those responding agreed or strongly agreed that it was important for Saint Mark’s Cathedral to realize its mission by embarking on a building renovation program.”

households. 92 written questionnaires were returned – at 70% this is a very strong participation rate.

Additionally, study questionnaires were made available in the church office for any member to complete and five were submitted in this way.

All participants had the opportunity to review Building for Ministry, the Case Statement document prepared by the Enrichment Group working with the committee, Virginia Lenker and Liz Sloat, both from Saint Mark’s.

The Study elicited information about each respondent’s background, their connection with Saint Mark’s, and their perceptions of Saint Mark’s Cathedral and a possible Capital Campaign to fund building renovations. Please see the charts included here for information about the makeup of those who responded.

The feedback from the Feasibility Study indicated that there is overwhelming support for a Capital Campaign at this time.

• 85% of those responding agreed or strongly agreed that it was important for Saint Mark’s Cathedral to realize its mission by embarking on a building renovation program.

• 78% agreed or strongly agreed that it was important for Saint Mark’s Cathedral to begin renovation projects soon, moving forward sometime during 2014.

• 89% agreed or strongly agreed that Saint Mark’s should move forward with a Capital Campaign to fund the building plans.

• 73% agreed or strongly agreed that they knew enough about the mission of Saint Mark’s and this project to make an informed decision regarding their financial commitment.

• 83% supported or strongly supported the building projects that are being recommended.

We also asked for respondents to indicate a potential level of financial support toward a Capital Campaign (above and beyond their financial support for the annual operating program or “regular offering” to Saint Mark’s). The total explicit commitment estimate that respondents gave was $3.9M from which I would project a potential range of $5 -$7M from within the Saint Mark’s congregation over a three-year gifting period.

Additional questioning through the Study revealed further information: • There is good knowledge of the ways and mean of making asset gifts (e.g., stock/bond, appreciated property, etc. gifts) to the Cathedral which is a vital part of Capital Campaigns (as distinct from annual stewardship); • Many members are either knowledgeable about making gifts to Saint Mark’s from their estates, or have actually already made plans to do so; • There is a good base of leadership from within the membership to mount a successful Capital Campaign, and also a sufficient 15

volunteer core of members to serve in an appeal; Given the positive perceptions and responses reflected in this Study -- people’s love of the Cathedral, the sense of urgency and need, the readiness to support a Capital Campaign, the affirmation of pastoral leadership, and the presence of strong gifting support – Saint Mark’s Cathedral is well positioned for mounting a Capital Campaign to fund its building renovation projects.

It is my recommendation that Saint Mark’s begin planning for a Campaign that will unfold in the coming months, with the following advisement: • Base the Campaign on the internal strengths of the congregation, capturing current capacity, interest and momentum.

• Divide building initiatives and related Capital Campaign funding targets into tiered, obtainable objectives.

• Utilize the internal capacity of the congregation and a successful congregational campaign to invite the participation of additional community partners into financial support.

On behalf of The Enrichment Group, I’m grateful for this opportunity to serve Saint Mark’s Cathedral through this Feasibility Study. I remain available and open to answering any questions that may arise from your membership regarding the Study, and I look forward to the possibility of continuing our partnership in the process of a Capital Campaign to fund your facilities needs.

In Christ, Marc Rieke, Senior Consultant The Enrichment Group 16

Excerpts from the Case Study: In order to truly live out our mission and provide a strong and serviceable church home for the years ahead, several construction projects are needed, including: Enhancements to our building’s sustainability and reduction of its carbon footprint:

•

Sealing the exterior of the building and cladding it in limestone as used previously on the West wall;

•

Designing and replacing windows in the nave with new insulated glass that matches the aesthetic of the Cathedral;

• •

Repairing the Cathedral roofing and soffits;

•

Installing a new radiant in-floor heat system and new flooring in the Nave and Narthex;

•

Installing solar panels.

Replacing the original boiler system with a more efficient one;

Enhancements to make our building more accessible, welcoming, beautiful and functional:

•

Installing an elevator to connect the Nave with Bloedel Hall in Cathedral House;

•

Redesigning the Narthex and entry to provide a more spacious enclosed area to gather before and after services and Cathedral programs;

•

Replacing the existing pews with more flexible cathedral seating;

•

Upgrading the sound system while preserving the acoustics of the Cathedral;

• •

Constructing a labyrinth; Improving the grounds and parking.

The cost for accomplishing these construction projects is estimated to range between $8,000,000 and $10,000,000.

A new Deanery

—by Walter Stuteville, Senior Warden I have great news. We have a deanery!

In September, after long and serious discussion, the Finance Committee recommended using money from restricted assets to purchase a deanery. Phil Lloyd, treasurer, and John Hoerster, chancellor, and the Vestry agreed that a real estate investment would be a wise use of our assets, appreciate over time, and be attractive to a future candidate. In addition, there are numerous intangible benefits to the community in having our dean living nearby.

Thanks to the diligent work of Maria, Jo Ann, (our junior wardens), Steve and Kathy, and our fast-acting real estate agent Sharon Carlsen, we closed on a house at Federal Avenue and Aloha Street, five blocks from the Cathedral. It is a brick house with three floors of living space, three or four bedrooms, hardwood floors, three bathrooms, and good space for entertaining. The house and the main floor are a 1920s vintage with leaded glass, but the other two floors have been recently remodeled.

We think that this house will serve us well into the future as a home for our deans and as a gathering place for us to work and socialize. Steve and Kathy are pleased to call this their home, and they immediately were able to see the value of the house, its layout and location, in terms of hospitality to the cathedral community.

What a great way to start the new year.

You Are Invited to Cathedral Yoga on the Altar Platform Come any Sunday evening at 6:00 pm for a restorative one hour yoga session on our altar platform.

The sessions are open to all, just bring a yoga mat and your willingness to stretch, breathe deeply and bring yourself into a quiet and meditative sense of wellbeing. (A few extra mats are available.) No fees are charged, but donations are welcome.

A practice thousands of years old, yoga coordinates the integration of body, mind and spirit. Currently more than 20 million Americans do yoga. In fact, in the past forty years yoga has become an immensely popular form of centering , stretching and relaxing. Students range in age from pre-schoolers to seniors.

inside the body with various asanas (poses) and also focuses on coordinating the movements with deep breathing. By the end of class, you will have stretched most major muscles groups in a slow and relaxing format.

Cathedral Yoga was a concept introduced to the congregation by Dean Steve Thomason last summer. After a couple of planning meetings, classes starting in September.

Teachers Brenna Kramer and Wendy Townsend are certified yoga instructors and regularly attend services at the Cathedral.

The practice includes bringing awareness 17

COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITIES CONFERENCE: Compassionate Cities are Uncomfortable Cities March 14, 2014, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral

Why: A compassionate city will not rest if there is inadequate access to food, shelter and clothing, quality education, affordable healthcare, protection from violence and the opportunity to earn a living wage.

Purpose: To provide a forum for representatives of our diverse community to learn, listen, share and experience the courageous efforts of people acting to resolve their unmet basic needs.

Program: Karen Armstrong will keynote the conference, which will feature community leaders facilitating dialogue on complex social issues.

Price: $30.00 by March 1; $35.00 at the door. Lunch included.

Scholarships Available. www.compassionateseattle.org.

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“Compassionate Cities are Uncomfortable Cities”, says Karen Armstrong, British author and commentator. Her point being that compassion is the virtue that compels action in response to the suffering of others. By extension, a compassionate community will not rest if there is inadequate access to food, shelter and clothing, quality education, affordable healthcare, protection from violence and the opportunity to earn a living wage.

COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITIES CONFERENCE 2014 is being organized by Compassionate Seattle to address major sources of discomfort in our region. It is open to the public and will be held March 14, 2014 at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle. Karen Armstrong will be present to deliver the keynote address, and community leaders will facilitate open dialogue on current issues associated with Homelessness and Housing, Education, Youth, Race and Ethnicity, Health and Wellness and Economic Justice. The intention of this conference is to promote authentic compassion consciousness. This will be done by sharing local stories of compassion AND by providing a forum for representatives of our diverse community to learn, listen, share and experience the courageous efforts of local heroes who are acting to resolve their unmet basic needs. Outcomes from this conference will be carried forward throughout 2014 to continue focusing and fueling community momentum for substantive compassionate action.

KAREN ARMSTRONG: Keynote speaker and founder of “The Charter for Compassion”.

Religious thinker Karen Armstrong has written more than 20 books on faith and the major religions, studying what Islam, Judaism and Christianity have in common, and how our faiths shaped world history and drive current events.

A former nun, Armstrong has written two books about this experience: Through the Narrow Gate,

Keynote speaker Karen Armstrong, TED Prize Winner 2008 and founder of the Charter for Compassion.

Read more and watch her TED Prize “wish” at charterforcompassion.org/ node/6555

about her seven years in the convent, and The Spiral Staircase, about her subsequent spiritual awakening, when she developed her iconoclastic take on the major monotheistic religions -- and on the strains of fundamentalism common to all. She is a powerful voice for ecumenical understanding.

Armstrong's 2008 TED Prize wish asked us to help her assemble the Charter for Compassion, a document around which all of us can work together for peace. In late fall 2008, the first draft of the document was written by the world, via a sharing website, and 160,000 people contributed ideas and language.

In February 2009 the words of the world were collected and given to the Council of Conscience, a gathering of religious leaders and thinkers, who crafted the final document. The Charter was launched in November 2009.

"I say that religion isn't about believing things. It's ethical alchemy. It's about behaving in a way that changes you, that gives you intimations of holiness and

Compassionate Seattle, a Washington State Non-Profit Corporation, is a sprout of the 2008 Seeds of Compassion. This 5-day communityfocused event, anchored by the wisdom of the Dalai Lama, Bishop Desmond Tutu, and other luminaries, attracted over 154,000 people who experienced and explored the relationships, programs and tools that nurture and empower compassion in everyday life. It was the Charter for Compassion, made possible by a TED Prize awarded to Karen Armstrong, that inspired our Seattle Mayor and Council to affirm the Charter and commit as a partner to the Ten Year Plan for Compassionate Cities.

Compassionate Seattle is the Community Steward of that commitment and is a partner with Charter For Compassion International which stewards the Charter throughout the world from their offices in Seattle. For more information, contact John Hale at jehale@earthlink.net or (425) 865-0659.

sacredness."

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The Cathedral Shop The "out of the ordinary" shop for all of your gift-giving needs. You'll be surprised at our wide selection. of books, CD's, jewelry, gifts and greeting cards all offered in a warm friendly atmosphere.

Shop Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Sunday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

206.323.1040 shopatsaintmarks.org

Episcopal Preaching Foundation And the Diocese of Olympia S CRIPTURE AND S ERMON : A NEW VISION FOR BIBLICAL PREACHING MARCUS BORG

WALTER BRUEGGEMANN

LAUREN WINNER Saint Mark's Counseling Service

February 25-27, 2014 Saint Mark’s Cathedral

Located on the second floor of Leffler House, we offer professional counseling:

Registration $100 after January 1; $150 day of the conference.

To Register: www.preachingfoundation.org, telephone 931-598-1471.

* Spirituality * Career issues * Relationship Concerns * Pre & Post Marital/Union Counseling * Major Life Cycle Transitions * Grief & Trauma * Anxiety/Depression Together we tailor therapy to meet your specific needs and goals.

Safe and confidential.

Sliding scale fee is available.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please call Kathleen Tyrrell M.S., L.M.F.T.,

206.323.0339

Saint Mark’s Cathedral 1245 10th Ave E Seattle, WA 98102