The Episcopal Church in Western Washington
Greetings, Diocese of Olympia and all who may be watching. It is indeed hard to believe that this will be our third Lent in which one of our main overarching themes and topics of daily life is this ongoing pandemic. These last three years have been a rollercoaster, to say the least, up and down, feeling that this long disruption will soon end, only to have it not end, but even worsen. All the while we learn, we grow, we
Greetings, Diocese of Olympia and all who may be watching, and most especially on this day, Merry Christmas to all of you. I hope you all are with those you love and who love you, but if you can’t be with them, I hope you will make connections with them today in some way. I know this can be for many, a season of wild extremes. For some, the most joyous and happy time of the year, and for some,
Greetings, Diocese of Olympia and all who may be watching. And as I’ve said just about every year, let me also say “Happy New Year.” For our planet, we won’t be saying that for another month or so, but as Christians, we say it now. Our new year starts with the first Sunday of Advent, which this year is Sunday, November 28th. So Happy New Year, church. Advent may be my favorite season, just four Sundays. It’s also the season
During this time of remote gathering, the Diocese of Olympia has been holding a series of webinars on a wide range of topics, including stewardship, faith formation, and specific topics related to regathering once our buildings open once again. Here you can find an archive of our past webinars, grouped by topic, if you would like to revisit the material, or if you missed the webinar the first time around. ReGathering Webinars <span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden;
Bishop Rickel’s Christmas Message Merry Christmas, Diocese of Olympia and everyone watching! For those of you who love Christmas, I have good news for you, it’s a season, not a day. It runs from this day to January 5, and then to the Feast of the Epiphany, the arrival of the Magi, the 6th of January, so enjoy it, keep celebrating. Christ arrives, that’s what Christmas is all about. Christ coming into our lives, coming into our world, incarnating love
Bishop Rickel’s Advent Message Happy New Year, everyone! It may seem a bit early to you, but in the church, Advent begins the New Year. That’s when we say, “Happy New Year.” Advent marks the end of the longest “season,” if you will, in our church year, Ordinary Time. Ordinary Time is just nearly half the entire calendar year, about six months long. By now you know, I really like the rhythms of our liturgical calendar. We have Ordinary Time,
In Bishop Rickel’s Easter message, he reflects on an Ash Wednesday spent ministering to mariners in the Port of Seattle and learning of the horrific shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. And, of course, he reflects on the resurrection we find in Jesus Christ.
Bishop Rickel offers a personal invitation to Cathedral Day 2018, on April 28, at Saint Mark’s Cathedral, as well as some reflections on the role of a cathedral in the life of our community. For clergy who have candidates to submit for confirmation, reception, or reaffirmation, please visit: http://bit.ly/ecww-cathedralday2018 For anyone who would like to attend, please register here: http://2018-cathedral-day.eventbrite.com
In the first of our ongoing series of interviews with diocesan staff, Bishop Rickel sits down with Brian Sellers-Petersen, our new Missioner for Agrarian Ministry. Brian talks about his work with community gardens and beekeeping, and offers support for churches looking to start their own agrarian ministries.
In 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 which laid the groundwork for the wrongful internment of countless Japanese-American citizens. The parishioners of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Seattle, a historically Japanese-American parish, were taken from their homes and placed in internment camps. Bishop Rickel introduces our upcoming series of interviews with the current parishioners of St. Peter, Seattle who survived the internment camps and this tragic chapter of American history. In this first installment of interviews with parishioners
