News

The Diocesan Joint Finance Panel and members of your diocesan staff have put together the following set of financial recommendations and resources for all of our congregations during this extremely difficult and anxiety-inducing time. Please read the following carefully as there are important webinars, application deadlines, and other actions that the JFP are recommending that churches take to help ensure that you can continue your ministry in your communities. Financial Actions Recommended for immediate Consideration Cancel all non-essential spending. Cancel

During this time of crisis across our region and throughout the country, stories of hope and moments of light are coming to us from every corner of the diocese. The Office of the Bishop is pleased to begin sharing these “Moments of Light” with you.

God is speaking. Our job is to listen. As we all pitch in to combat the spread of COVID-19, we in the Diocese of Olympia are still listening for what God would have us do. For congregations seeking clergy leaders, this listening process has been deeply impacted by: changes to the role of supply and interims while worship is conducted remotely; the organizational challenge of doing work on behalf of the whole congregation when we can’t gather; the shifting financial

From the Rev. Canon Arienne Davison, Canon to the Ordinary: As the Office of the Bishop, we are committed to resourcing and networking our congregations and forming leaders through sacrament and service. The work we continue to do in this time of crisis is very important, and with the recent stay at home orders from Govern Inslee, I wanted to make you aware of the ways that your diocesan staff will still be available and working on your behalf through

The following list of resources are for anyone in need who has been affected by the COVID-19 crisis in our region. Name: Online COVID-19 Assessment offered by Providence Medical Hours: 24 hours daily. Description: Maintains an online assessment tool where users can answer questions that will help determine whether they may have COVID-19. Eligibility: No restrictions. Intake Process: Visit website. Website: https://www.providence.org/patients-and-visitors/coronavirus-advisory Name: Deferred Utility Payment Plans for People affected by COVID-19 offered by City of Seattle’s Human Services Department Address:

From the Rev. Canon Alissa Newton: My congregation ran our first live-stream service on the Second Sunday of Lent. Most of us will remember that as the last Sunday we were allowed as a congregation in our worship spaces. We used my cell phone, a tripod, and a wireless mic that hooked to my alb and plugged directly into the phone. St. Columba had 65 human beings in the sanctuary that day for our main service, the emerging crisis delivering

As we continue to live, work, and have our being during the spread of COVID-19, a number of questions have been asked concerning online giving. We have put together a list of online giving options for churches. While this is not exhaustive, it is a good start to finding an online giving platform for your church. Most of the systems listed below are designed for churches or work with church organizations. When you consider implementing a new online giving platform,

As we continue to navigate the challenges of self-isolation and the need to stay connected with our churches and our communities, the Office of the Bishop has received quite a few questions regarding best practices for offering direct video messages from clergy to their congregations. So the Communications Office is producing this Best Practices guide for clergy who would like some simple solutions for recording video messages to remain connected with their communities. Note: Before we begin, please note that