Registration is now open for the Seattle conference! Click on the big red button to register. Please note: there are two steps to register. When you click the red button, you'll be taken to web form to complete your conference registration. After you submit the web form, you will be shown a link to the payment site for the conference. There is also a link to the payment site in the confirmation email you will receive. You are not fully registered until you complete both the web form and submit your payment to Saint Mark's Cathedral.
Registration fee is $225 per person (includes the meals covered during the conference as noted in the agenda below, Saturday afternoon transportation for excursion, and a few other items during the conference. This does not include lodging.)
Once you submit the registration form, don't forget to submit your payment on the Saint Mark's Cathedral Donation page. You can also click here to be taken to the payment page if you did not remember to do this when you registered. On the Saint Mark's Online Donation page, scroll down and find "Verger Conference" to select your registration quantity and proceed to payment.
Scholarships are available for first-time conference attendees, which cover a portion of the conference fee. There is a limited number of scholarships available each year, so if you are interested, apply soon. To apply, complete the scholarship application here. Once you submit the scholarship application, someone from the guild will be in contact with you soon!
The people of the Diocese of Olympia, the Episcopal Church in Western Washington, welcome you to Seattle for the 2020 Vergers Conference! We continue to try new things to make the conferences more cost effective, more beneficial, and more rewarding for everyone.
The Seattle conference will be the first conference that will not include required lodging for participants. Those who attend the conference will be able to book their own lodging, at any hotel or bed and breakfast they choose. All conference activities will take place at one of two Seattle parishes: Saint Mark’s Cathedral and Epiphany Parish.
Both Saint Mark’s and Epiphany are located along main transportation thoroughfares, and are within reasonable distance of numerous hotels and other lodging options.
Additionally, the Vergers Guild has decided to engage all members of the guild in shaping the content of the conference. Your feedback is helping us decide what the content will be!
Highlights of the Seattle conference include:
Opening Choral Evensong and banquet at Epiphany Parish, located in the Madrona neighborhood of Seattle.
Keynote address by the Very Reverend Dr. David Ison, dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London.
Seminars led by the Right Reverend Gregory Rickel, bishop of the Diocese of Olympia; the Rev. James Farwell, professor of Theology and Liturgy at Virginia Seminary; and many others.
Saturday afternoon excursion to downtown Seattle (transportation included).
Livestream of all seminars, including the concluding business meeting on Saturday, which includes the election results for 2020. This will allow members of the broader guild to participate remotely!
The closing Eucharist on Sunday morning at 11am Pacific Time is also livestreamed!
Getting to the Conference
Those flying will arrive at either Seattle-Tacoma (SeaTac) International Airport (SEA), or Paine Field (PAE). There are multiple transportation options from SeaTac to downtown Seattle, including:
Light rail (which costs about $5). Depending on where you hotel is, your stop may vary. If you are staying in downtown Seattle, you will likely want to get off at University Street station or Westlake Center station. Those who may choose to stay in the University District (near the University of Washington) would get off the light rail at the University of Washington Station.
Light rail from SeaTac to Westlake Center takes around 30 minutes
Uber or taxi (costs vary, but expect around $30)
Car rental
Bus
Once you arrive at your hotel or other lodging accommodation, you can get to either Epiphany Parish or Saint Mark’s via numerous transportation methods.
Participants of the conference are responsible for their own lodging. There are a number of hotels near Epiphany Parish and Saint Mark’s that we recommend, including the following (listed in alphabetical order below). Please note, we are currently working on securing a few blocks at the hotels below for potential group rates. More information to come on that soon.
Click here for group rate info for the Silver Cloud Hotel - Broadway (info below).
Click here for the group rate info for The Paramount Hotel (info below).
Graduate Hotel, 4507 Brooklyn Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105
Located in the University District (just north of Capitol Hill and across the canal)
Click here for directions on Google Maps from this hotel to Saint Mark's Cathedral
Click here for directions on Google Maps from this hotel to Epiphany Parish
Silver Cloud Hotel - Broadway, 1100 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122
Located in Capitol Hill, just about a 1.5 mile walk south on mostly flat ground from Saint Mark's Cathedral.
There is a street car that can take you a third of the way from this hotel to Saint Mark's, and then you could walk or take the bus the rest of the way.
Negotiated group rates for this hotel for the Vergers Guild can be found here.
Click here for directions on Google Maps from this hotel to Saint Mark's Cathedral
Click here for directions on Google Maps from this hotel to Epiphany Parish
