From April 14-17 our diocese welcomed about 70 participants to our region for the churchwide Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Leadership Retreat. The annual retreat rotates to a different diocese each year with participants coming from all over the country and as far away as Guam. This year, we were honored to have the Rt. Rev. Ernie Moral, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the Southern Philippines and our partner in carbon offset ministry, join us for the occasion.
The focus of the annual gathering has been about connecting and equipping younger or emerging AANHPI leaders for their ministry at every level of the church, while also holding space for elders and those who have been part of Asiamerica Ministries for many years. The community is a mix of clergy and lay, with empowered lay, discerners, seminarians, deacons, priests, and bishops joining. This year, the theme was “Let It Not Happen Again” and centered on pilgrimage by visiting places of AANHPI history and memory in the region and connecting it with solidarity for migrant communities today. Some highlights:
- Learning about St. Peter’s story and the Japanese incarceration’s impact on the church’s ministry
- Engaging with Seattle’s AANHPI history and art at the Wing Luke Museum
- Learning about the Filipino Community of Seattle‘s history and incredible programming
- Getting moved to tears by the stations of the crossat Chinese Reconciliation Park in Tacoma (written by Rev. Canon Arienne Davis and Rev. Carlos Caguiat)
- Visiting Holy Family of Jesus Cambodian Churchand hearing about their refugee resettlement story and ministry to the community
- Hanging some of the over 5,000 cranes sent from across the Episcopal Church (and as far away as Paris) at La Resistencia‘s altar honoring those who have died at the NW Detention Center, and learning about Aid NW‘s mutual aid work for those released
- Holding an incredibly meaningful prayer vigil for immigrant justice at Christ Church, Tacoma with All My Relations Coalition & Tsuru for Solidarity
- Bookending our time learning about at Bainbridge Island Japanese Exclusion Memorial
- Closing in worship and lunch at Grace, Bainbridge Island
You can read the full itinerary here. We hope to share this and other resources gathered from the retreat for use in the diocese for local pilgrimages.
We are so grateful for the support of so many in the diocese to make this offering memorable: to Diocesan House staff for folding and stringing at least a thousand cranes and helping with many check requests; to St. Peter’s, Holy Family of Jesus Cambodian, and Holy Apostles for participation and sharing of stories; to Christ Church, Tacoma and Grace, Bainbridge Island for generous hospitality; to Holy Cross, Redmond for church van lending, and all who prayed, folded cranes, and worshiped alongside us. Thank you again for all the ways you supported the AANHPI Retreat this last year!! It was a huge effort and we truly couldn’t have done it without you.
To learn more, you can read these ENS pre-retreat & follow up articles. We also commend the very moving prayer vigil for immigrant justice recording from April 16th. We also received countless notes and letters that came with the cranes (file 1, file 2)!Finally, here are a few sermons and written reflections that have come from our participants. You can also see the photos taken by the Rev. Janelle Hiroshige, who co-chaired the retreat with Adrienne Elliott, here.
Thank you all again for every way you or your churches supported the retreat. It was transformative (some have said life changing!) and truly a gift. For any questions or to join the diocesan AAPI Circle of Color, please email Adrienne Elliott.