Email from Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral

The Weekly Connector

December 15, 2025

UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS

Wednesday, Dec. 17, 6:00-8:00 pm, Advent Evenings: For Such a Time as This (see below)

Friday, Dec. 19, 2:00 pm, Longest Night service, Nave (see below)

Saturday, Dec. 20, 7:30 pm, A Great British Christmas concert. More information.

Sunday, Dec. 21, 8:00 pm, Compline for Advent with Mirandola Ensemble, Nave.

DECEMBER MONTHLY CONNECTOR:

Complete information on worship, events, and more can be found in the new Saint Mark's Monthly Connector, available in the Welcome Center, many places around the Cathedral, or on our website by clicking here.

Altar Guild Christmas Poinsettia Memorials -

Dec. 17 deadline

The Altar Guild invites you to purchase a poinsettia as a memorial to, or in honor of, a special loved one this Christmas.

To make a Christmas Flower contribution, fill out a Memorial Flowers card found at either entrance to the Nave. Ask an usher for an envelope if you need one, and include your $40 payment for each honor/memorial. Make check payable to Saint Mark's Epioscopal Cathedral. Place the envelope and payment in the collection plate or mail it back to Saint Mark’s.

The names of those to be honored/remembered will be included in our Christmas worship bulletins if they are received by the church office by December 17. If you have any questions, call Deacon Terry at 612-870-7800.

For Such a Time as This

Wednesdays in Advent: December 3, 10, and 17, 6 pm to 8 pm

Let’s join together in the Community Room on Wednesday evenings in Advent for fellowship, food, and creativity. This intergenerational gathering will include sharing stories and conversations based on the new book For Such a Time as This: An Emergency Devotional.

These evenings are for the entire family, no matter the number in your family, and for all ages. Similar to a worship service, we will:

· Gather for an intergenerational evening

· Communion together in a shared meal

· Listen to a reading or presentation

· Send the gifts of food warmth that we have created to those in need

December 17 will be a sandwich-making dinner for Agate Women's Shelter (ingredients provided).

Please come and join in as we prepare ourselves this Advent, with renewed inspiration and hope, for the approaching birth of Jesus Christ into our world!

Longest Night Service

Friday, December 19, 2025 - 2:00 pm

Cathedral Nave

Some Advents and Christmases are difficult, painful, and confusing. Something or someone may be missing. Life may be upended. It can be hard to grieve for what is missing in the midst of bright lights and Christmas cheer. It is fitting that on the longest night of the year, when our hemisphere is in its darkest phase, we make space for the dark places in our souls.

We invite you to the Longest Night Service in the Nave where you may bring your

losses, grief, confusion, and sadness to a place where they may be held gently and

sacredly. During this service, we honor our sufferings and enfold them in the promise of

the Incarnation. This is a quiet service of scripture, poems, prayers, and music.

We will have a candle-lighting ritual in recognition of the losses and griefs on our

hearts. You may share yours during a candle-lighting ceremony. All are welcome.

We invite you to send us, confidentially, the losses you would like acknowledged during

the candle lighting. These may include names of people, circumstances, griefs, or other

kinds of losses. Email Dr. Helen Hansen at helenh@ourcathedral.org.

Advent Prayers, Blessing of the Blankets along with Cocoa and Carols

December 21, 6:30 pm

Join us between Evensong and Compline on Sunday, Dec. 21, at 6:30 pm on the front steps, weather permitting. We will burn the Advent prayers collected on the outdoor wreath throughout the season, bless the crafts we will be making for our ministry partners on Advent Wednesday evenings, and enjoy carols and cocoa around the fire. It will be a lovely and festive time!

Sunday Ushers Needed

Saint Mark's Usher Ministry extends hospitality at worship services and special events, provides information and service, assists with emergencies during services, and are a part of the worship service.

We have a need for additional cathedral ushers for the Sunday 8 am, 10:30 am and 5 pm Evensong services. Ushers fit into two categories: scheduled ushers assigned to a specific service during the month, and alternate ushers who can be requested to fill in when regularly scheduled ushers cannot attend. We have a need for both.

If you can be available, even on a short-term basis, to be a regular or alternate usher, please contact David Albrecht here.

Thank you,

David Albrecht

Cathedral Co-Head Usher

Annual Giving Campaign Recap

Thanks to all the Saint Markans who have made generous pledges for the year ahead. Pledges totaled close to $900,000 and we are so grateful.

Our finance committee is hard at work, preparing the Cathedral’s budget for 2026, and your pledges comprise the large majority of the expected revenue we will rely on to manage our expenses. We will provide more details about the budget at our annual meeting in January.

Thanks to everyone who made a 2026 pledge to support the ongoing life of our parish and the work we’re called to do together.

WELLS FOUNDATION GRANT SPOTLIGHT

180 Degrees

The Wells Foundation is an independent non-profit charitable foundation managed by Saint Markans, granting funds to organizations serving the needs of our communities.

Here is one of the organizations supported:

180 Degrees protects youth at risk of sex-trafficking, offers services in emergency housing, and maintains activities at four Minnesota youth centers. Founded in 1971 by a man who spent 20 years cycling through the criminal justice system, it began as a haven for men exiting incarceration. At present, it offers two reentry programs prioritizing safe housing and case management for ex-offenders.

At Great River Landing in Minneapolis, a 72-unit apartment complex for recently incarcerated men, 180 Degrees provides meals, social opportunities, employment readiness and placement support, life-skills coaching, and mental health care.

180 Degrees' goal is to break down systemic barriers leading to unsafe living conditions, abusive relationships, and cycles of incarceration. In the past year, it served 2,533 Minnesota youth and adults.

For more information on 180 Degrees, visit www.180degrees.org. To learn about the Wells Foundation, visit www.wellsfound.org.

Dean Search Update

We are pleased to announce that Dean position at Saint Mark’s has been posted! We will be accepting applications until January 16th. You can visit our profile page here to see part of the package we’ve prepared: https://saintmarksmplsdeansearch.org/ You can also recommend clergy for the position: https://saintmarksmplsdeansearch.org/apply-or-recommend We hope to start interviewing candidates in January.

Now that the position is posted, the Committee will turn to Getting Organized. (For a refresher of the stages, please refer to the Dean Search page: https://ourcathedral.org/dean-search/) This involves putting together the interview process, including the questions, how each candidate will be evaluated, and how we will make decisions. Thank you for your continuing support!