News

From Don Fornoff, the Bishop’s Taskforce on Homelessness: It is quite evident that homelessness is a national issue, an issue showing up in every state and local jurisdiction. It is complicated and not simply involving people without a place to live. Income disparities, poor and inadequate housing stock, addictions, social disconnections; the list goes on and on. Everything is related. The Bishop’s Task Force exists because we are faith-based, looking to assist the down and out in our communities. We

During this year’s Clergy Conference in Bremerton, our Canon to the Ordinary, The Rev. Canon Arienne Davison, sent our diocesan clergy on a scavenger hunt around the city, asking them to take pictures of themselves in front of landmarks and notable locations. Take a picture at the Roxy. Take picture of yourself taking a flying leap. Take a picture of you cooking out with Esther. Take a picture with the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard War Record. Take a picture at

It is a time of transition within our diocese, and we have new clergy transitions to announce. The Rev. Canon Alissa Newton has accepted a call into full time Congregational Development and Leadership Formation ministry within the Office of the Bishop, and her last Sunday as Vicar at St. Columba’s, Kent will be Pentecost, May 28. The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey, St. Columba’s Associate Vicar, has accepted a call to become St. Columba’s Vicar and will be installed on June 18.

From Don Fornoff of the Bishop’s Task Force on Homelessness: The Bishop’s Task Force on Homelessness recently discussed the need for cooling centers in our communities. These are the basics, as presented by Task Force member Brett Bowten-Meade. Added information will be forthcoming as the Task Force reviews ideas and experiences for this fairly new idea. Early May is a good time to get started on planning, as summer heat domes are a likely occurrence this year and every year.

From Sharalyne King of St. Stephen’s, Longview: St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church of Longview, WA has developed a congregational goal to reconnect with each other from the limitations and isolating effects of the 2020-2022 COVID-19 pandemic. The theme of our goal is Cultivate. John 15:8 is our guide. Our parish wanted to try a new event within Food and Fellowship for the Lenten Season. The new event was our first Lenten Fish Fry that was held March 31, 2023. The Holy

From Don Fornoff, member of the Bishop’s Task Force on Homelessness: A poem called “This Time of Year.” In the cold of winter 2022-23, a loyal and active member of the Task Force, John Hoyte wrote a poem which was published in the ‘Whatcom Watch,’ the local Bellingham news. He has given permission to print the poem in our diocesan e-news. This Time of Year This time of year, when darkness comes by stealth, in a land where twilight blunts

The community of deacons has gathered every year for a weekend retreat with the bishop since 2010. The retreat came into being to become a stronger community and to spend time with the bishop. It also was a requirement for the deacons and those in process to attend the annual retreat during Lent as well as the single day gathering in the fall. The purpose of these gatherings is to build community, to network, to learn and to be able

Greetings people of the Diocese of Olympia. I speak to you today from the traditional and hereditary lands of the Duwamish people. I don’t know if you’ve noticed it or not, but the visuals that Greg Hester here on the staff has been coming up with for the different moments of the liturgical year are different than they’ve been in the past. This has been at my request, and I thank Greg for accommodating me on this, for you see,

St. John the Baptist, West Seattle was featured in the most recent churchwide Racial Justice & Healing newsletter! You can read more about their work, and especially the relationships they’re building with their Indigenous neighbors at the Duwamish Longhouse, here. READ MORE To learn more about St. John’s work, contact The Rev. Elise Johnstone at elise@sjbwestseattle.org. Also, if your church is interested in Sacred Ground or has moved into action after participating in Sacred Ground, the office of Multicultural Ministries

From Don Fornoff, member of Bishop’s Task Force on Homelessness: The Washington State Legislature has provided some movement towards dealing with homelessness and the housing crisis in the State. And as usual, some push back. But still, many parishes keep motoring on, as is the case at St. Dunstan’s in Shoreline. The Bishop’s Task Force on Homelessness has some thoughts for the diocese about these places. First, in Olympia, neither HB 1389 (rent stabilization) nor HB 1124 (6 month’s notice