Bishop Rickel’s Statements

From Bishop Rickel’s Blog: Dear Ones, Since the beginning of this year, there has been a disturbing rise in the number of anti-Semitic threats and incidents of anti-Semitic vandalism across the country. Tombstones have been overturned in Jewish cemeteries and anti-Semitic graffiti has defaced the walls of schools and community centers. Across the nation, Jewish Community Centers have been subjected to, at last count, 80 threats of bombing and intimidation. While many of these incidents have occurred in other parts

Today, President Trump issued an executive order severely limiting the immigration of refugees from predominantly Muslim countries. I cannot support the president’s order placing restrictions on refugees based on their nationality and religion. This executive order is a violation of the foundational principles of our nation. As a member of the Jesus movement, I believe the United States has a moral responsibility to receive and help resettle refugees from the more than 65 million people who have been displaced by

Dear ones, It is with great sadness that I write to you today. Early Saturday morning, an arsonist set fire to the Islamic Center of Eastside, horribly damaging a place of worship and a spiritual home for our Muslim brothers and sisters in Bellevue. A suspect has been arrested, and while we don’t yet know the motive of this terrible act of violence, we do know how important it is for us to come alongside this community and offer whatever

Dear President-Elect Trump, We are the people of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, and we join our voice with the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania and other faith communities. We value our nation’s heritage and affirm that the United States of America was founded on the principles of equality and justice for all. As our new President-Elect, we want you to know that we are now praying and will continue to pray for you. We will pray for you in our

Dear ones, Like many of you, I was shocked and heartbroken by the horrific shooting that took place over the weekend at the Burlington Mall. Once again, gun violence has erupted in our region and has claimed the lives of five innocent individuals. Once again, we mourn the tragic and senseless loss of life within our community. Once again, we return to the all-too-familiar rituals of grief – our memorials and vigils and prayers. The suspected shooter has been arrested

Bishop Greg Rickel offers a Psalm of Lament put together by Kathryn Rickert and the Rev. Nigel Taber-Hamilton. He also adds his thoughts on the recent violence. A Lament for our Nation: Psalm 11 2-3, 129: 1-5, Psalm 142: 1-2, adapted We cry to You / with our voice; * to You, O God, we make loud supp / lication. We pour out our complaint / before God * and tell You all / our distress. Greatly have they oppressed

Once again our generation is witness to senseless killing from hands that should not have had such simple and easy access to guns, especially guns built for war with excessive killing power.  Such guns have no place on our streets. We witness yet again radicalized and misused religion as well, focused on hate and violence toward a specific group. I ask your prayers for the victims in Orlando, those who mourn for them, and for the injured as well.  In