Before the end of World War II the birthrate began to rise, kicking off a period of rapid growth, 1944 – 1965. Congregations sprang up in new suburbs radiating outward from cities, notably in Vancouver, Tacoma, and Seattle. The Rt. Rev. Stephen Bayne Jr. served during the explosive growth of congregations and members, from 1947 to 1959.
We have inherited, thanks to our ancient roots in England, much of the “feel” and bearing of the Church spirit. We act theologically, as if everybody were an Episcopalian, which is an attitude we come by naturally from the time when most everybody in England was, at least officially. It is part of the Church spirit to be inclusive and generous—if there is only one Church, then the emphasis must be not on how to keep people out of it, but how to make room for them, with their varying opinions and problems, within it. It is the hardest thing in the world to define what an Episcopalian is. There is almost no doctrinal test; you don’t have to do anything except be baptized; the way you become an Episcopalian, by our laws, is by going to an Episcopal Church and paying your freight. You will be asked no questions about your morals or your mind. It is not a school of thought or a party or a set of orthodoxies you are joining but a community of people…. That is the “feel” of our Church. –Bishop Bayne, 1949.
Bayne’s leadership and communication skills led to his appointment as the first Executive Officer of the Anglican Communion.
The need to house new congregations required capital, and Treasurer James Hodges, a leader in the plywood industry, guided the diocese in building a good credit record with banks.
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Bayne moved diocesan headquarters from the American Bank Building downtown to the Leary mansion near the cathedral.
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Canon Peter Hallock, Music Director at St. Mark’s Cathedral (1951 – 1991) won international recognition for composing, performing, and recording distinguished church music. As creator of the Compline Choir, he became the Episcopal equivalent of a rock star.
As refugees streamed into the U.S. from Southeast Asia and other areas, the diocese joined the resettlement effort that continued through several foreign wars. Moved as a teen by the internment in 1942 of Japanese-Americans, including a third of his fellow students at Seattle’s Broadway high school, the future priest John Huston became a tireless advocate for Japanese and other immigrants.
Greg Hope (pictured above) has directed the Refugee Resettlement Office, a diocesan ministry, for over 30 years.
Baby Boomers brought about a new church with new priorities. Members embraced new interests and practices. The 19th century aim of “extending” the Kingdom of God gave way to many forms of spiritual community: Benedictine discipline, healing touch, Kairos prison ministry, labyrinth, ethnic ministry, earth ministry, and many other ministries of service. The Boomer generation, as it entered retirement from about 2010 on, continued to hold many leadership positions.
The Rt. Rev. William Fisher Lewis (1959 – 1964), previously missionary bishop of Nevada, succeeded Bishop Bayne. Known for his pastoral skills, Lewis served at the tail-end of the Baby Boom “bump.” He arranged to have consultants study the diocese. In their report, completed in 1962 just as the Baby Boom peaked, the Booz, Allen, Hamilton firm projected continued growth. Lewis succumbed to leukemia as the “boom” came to an end. A turn-around would soon shift attention to declining membership.
