News | The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia

Using A Covenant to Root Out Racism in Liturgy

As we approach the anniversary of Mr. George Floyd’s murder, May 25, Bishop Rickel is asking that all congregations of the diocese incorporate “A Covenant to Root Out Racism” in their worship and in their Christian formation plans for Pentecost and/or the Season after Pentecost. The Commission for Liturgy & the Arts anticipates that using this litany may inspire congregations to desire deeper engagement with the commitments of the Covenant. In consultation with the Circles of Color, they are developing

Spring Update from Chaplains on the Harbor

Dear friends, family and supporters in the struggle and in Christ, What a spring this is! To see new life, sunshine, and hope breaking through in the midst of a world still very much on fire with injustice and grief can almost give you spiritual whiplash. And yet this is how it’s always been for our ministry at Chaplains on the Harbor, and for poor and oppressed people everywhere on earth—in the middle of a cruel slew of overdoses and

New Clergy Calls

It is a time of transition within our diocese, and we have a new clergy transition to announce. The Rev. Dr. Beth M. Echols has accepted a call as Priest in Charge of St. Benedict’s, Lacey and will begin April 18, 2021. The Rev Dr. Beth Echols, BCC, Is the Manager of Clinical Pastoral Education, Providence St. Peter Hospital (PSPH) since 2020. In this role she manages the Chaplain Residents and Interns in Clinical Pastoral Education. She is an Episcopal

One Service for Turtle Island

In the cosmology of North and South American peoples, Turtle Island is the geographic region covering Canada, United States, Central America, and South America. Join together online Sunday, April 25, to worship Jesus with Episcopalians from all over the Diocese of Olympia led by our Circles of Color and focused on the languages, cultures, and experiences of the First Peoples of Turtle Island, with a specific focus on communities from within Province 8. This online service is a chance for

Diocese of Olympia Seeks Canon for Finance

Come work with us! The Office of the Bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia is seeking a Canon for Finance. The Canon for Finance reports directly to the bishop and is a member of the bishop’s Executive Team. The Canon for Finance oversees all fiscal and accounting activities of the Diocese of Olympia including budgeting and forecasting processes, financial analysis, reporting and financial planning, accounting operations, insurances, compliance with IRS and applicable federal, state and local regulations, and risk

A Covenant to Root Out Racism

Dear People of the Diocese of Olympia and beyond, At our Diocesan Convention last October you overwhelmingly passed a resolution supporting the Anti-Racism Covenant put forth initially by the Rt. Rev. Deon Johnson, Bishop of Missouri, and co-sponsored by many other bishops. My name has been on this covenant since just after its posting, however, I have now, on your behalf, added not just my name and office but the entire Diocese of Olympia. I provide a link below

A Statement on the Atlanta Spa Shooting from Bishop Rickel and Bishops United Against Gun Violence

Dear Ones, As many of you know, I am part of Bishops United Against Gun Violence, group of more than 100 Episcopal bishops working to curtail the epidemic of gun violence in the United States, and together we have issued the followed statement regarding Tuesday’s hate crime and horrific act of violence and terrorism which claimed the lives of eight persons of Asian descent. On Tuesday, another white man who should not have had a gun shot and killed seven

“Pull Up the Gangplank, I’m Onboard”: A Reflection from Bishop Rickel

“So much of what has helped the US become the 9th worst per capita death rate in the world, out of 201 countries, is, what I like to call, the ‘pull up the gangplank, I’m onboard’ syndrome. Or ‘I got mine, you get yours if you can, I’m good!’ We will live, in the next few months, in a real liminal space, an ‘in-between space’ with those vaccinated, and those not. Please be careful with the syndrome I lay out

Update from the Bishop’s Task Force on Homelessness

From Cris Blair, member of Bishop’s Task Force on Homelessness: Dear Diocese of Olympia, This week is the deadline for the following bills – they will die if not moved out of their House of origin by March 9. The eviction moratorium is quickly approaching – March 31. If a renter has ever been evicted, it is almost impossible to ever rent again. If these bills don’t stay alive, we risk adding to our already massive unhoused population in Washington.

Transition Announcements in the Diocese of Olympia

It is a time of transition within our diocese, and we have a new clergy transition to announce. The Rev. Rachel Endicott has accepted a call as Interim Priest of St. Paul’s, Bellingham and will be leaving her position as Rector of Christ Church, Puyallup, effective April 19, 2021. Rachel was born in the U.K. to a priest father and musician/teacher mother. After receiving a BA in Psychology from Scripps College and an MBA from National University, Rachel worked doing

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