Our delegation in Africa is traveling home today! They have spent two and a half weeks traveling in South Sudan and Kenya. Our partners there have been deeply grateful for the aide brought and relationships built. There will be more opportunities in the future to hear about their work and explore ways to get involved in this ongoing work. Thank you to the diocese for your prayers and generous giving towards the birth kits and medical kits and medicine delivered. Your gifts have made a significant impact for our partners in need. Please extend your prayers for safe travels home for our returning and weary travelers! |
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Volunteers from St. Paul’s Church, Bellingham, Help Bring Safe Sanitation to Families in Comalapa A group of 10 volunteers from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Bellingham recently traveled to Nicaragua to work alongside families in the rural community of El Cebollín, supporting a sanitation project that is transforming daily life for local families. |
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New Clergy Calls in the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia |
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| The Rev. Vince Booth has been called to serve as Curate at St. John the Baptist, Seattle. They will begin that call on July 1, 2026. |
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| The Rev. Alison Leary has been called to serve as Curate at Trinity, Seattle. Allison will begin that call on July 1, 2026. |
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| The Rev. Gabe Oakes has been called to serve as Curate at Holy Cross, Redmond. They will begin that call on July 1, 2026. |
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| The Rev. McKenzi Roberson has been called to serve as Curate at St. Paul’s, Bellingham. McKenzi will begin that call on July 1, 2026. |
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| The Rev. Elizabeth Holland has been called to serve as Curate at St. George, Maple Valley. Elizabeth will begin that call on July 1, 2026. |
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Keep Vince, Alison, Gabe, McKenzi, and Elizabeth in your prayers as they prepare to begin their new calls, along with all congregations and clergy in transition. |
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Show Your Pride in the Diocese of Olympia! Help us live into our mission of celebrating Beloved Community throughout our diocese by registering Pride events your congregation is taking part in! Events will be displayed on the Pride landing page on our website below. You can also register to join in Seattle Pride events at our Pride landing page and find resources for your communities! |
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Iona School Applications Open for 2026–2027 Applications are now open for the 2026–2027 academic year at the Iona School for Ministry in the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia. In addition to continuing our clergy formation pathway for postulants preparing for ordained ministry, Iona is also launching a new Lay Ministry Certificate Track designed to equip lay leaders for collaborative ministry in their congregations. This track may be especially helpful for: - People currently in positions of lay leadership who would like to deepen their theological education or sense of Episcopal Identity
- Members of Total Common Ministry (TCM) congregations discerning a call as a lay member of a Circle or other leadership team
- Folks discerning a possible call to ordained ministry (i.e. folks participating in discernment conversations at the parish level, in Exploring Vocations, or in Diocesan Discernment).
This 10-month program includes supportive gatherings among a like-minded group of fellow Episcopalians, coursework from Seminary of the Southwest professors, in-person and synchronous online instruction with local faculty, and one-on-one mentoring with Iona staff. The core Lay Ministry Certificate Track costs $390 for the 2026-2027 academic year, and scholarships are available. Your questions about this new program are warmly welcomed. Please check our Frequently Asked Questions page, or reach out to The Rev. Courtney Jones. Learn more by following the link below! |
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Encountering Hope, Embodying Love: The 116th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia October 23-24 | Doubletree by Hilton Hotel – Seattle Airport, Seatac Join us October 23-24 at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel – Seattle Airport in Seatac for the 116th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia – Encountering Hope, Embodying Love. Save the Date! |
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2026 College for Congregational Development June 21-26 (Year A) & August 16-21 (Year B) | Sacred Waters Retreat Center, Union Only a few spaces left for our two weeklong Summer sessions of The College for Congregational Development at the beautiful Sacred Waters retreat center. Spots are limited and almost full, so please register as soon as possible! There are two options to choose from: June 21-26 (Year A) or August 16-21 (Year B). It doesn’t matter which year you begin with. Cost is $900 per person with a $50 per person discount if coming as a team. Scholarships are available. If you can’t make either of the summer sessions, we have also scheduled our five Saturday option beginning in the Fall. The dates for those are: September 19, October 17, November 21, January 9, and February 6. We will open registration for those in the near future. For more information, please click on the button below. |
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| Sacred Waters Work Weekend May 22-24 | Sacred Waters, Union Come to Sacred Waters for a great time of food, work, fellowship and fun! There are tasks for all levels of ability. |
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| A Century of Faith, A Future of Hope: Celebrating St. Luke’s Seattle May 24, 3:00 pm | St. Luke’s Church, Seattle We invite you to join St. Luke’s, Seattle as Bishop LaBelle deconsecrates the Chapel on the Feast of Pentecost. They will celebrate the saints who have gone before us, give thanks for God’s presence through the years, and lift their prayers for the generations to come. A reception with archival photos and shared stories will follow in Bennett Hall (fully accessible). |
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| Summer Camp Registration Open! Camp Huston Spots are filling up, so register today! Come spend a week (or two! or three!) having all kinds of summer fun at Camp Huston. We have camp experiences for youth ranging from rising 1st graders to rising 10th graders. Visit our site below for information on dates, rates, and to view our parent handbook. |
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| Anti-Racism Training June 13, 9:00 am | Saint Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle This one-day training experience is based on “Seeing the Face of God in Each Other: The Antiracism Training Manual of the Episcopal Church.” |
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| Juneteenth Service June 20, 9:30 am Program, 12:00 pm Liturgy | St. Margaret’s, Bellevue Join the Circles of Color for a special program, liturgy, and lunch as we celebrate freedom, history, and the gifts of our Black community! |
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Spots Still Available! – Counselor Training June 22- July 1 | Camp Huston If you are looking to have a transformational summer, learn transferable skills, and create a fun and safe camp experience for campers of all ages, please consider applying for Session Staff and registering for Counselor Training! Our 10-day Counselor Training is Camp Huston’s own leadership development program, where you will spend time cultivating a camp environment, growing into your own strengths, and learning how summer camp is created! Counselor Training Participants will be invited to work as Session Staff counselors based on successful completion of CT and responsible behavior. |
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| Ordinations to the Priesthood July 18, 10:30 am | Saint Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle Please join us for this year’s priestly ordinations on July 18, at 10:30 am, at Saint Mark’s Cathedral. All are invited to worship with us and celebrate the ordinations of five new priests. More information will be made available in the weeks leading up to the ordination liturgy. |
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| St. Anne’s 75th Anniversary Celebration July 26, 10:00 am | St. Anne’s Church, Washougal St. Anne’s is celebrating our 75th anniversary! The Rt. Rev. Phillip LaBelle will be presiding. Reception and BBQ to follow. |
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| Province VIII Youth Pilgrimage: 2026 July 28-31 | Cathedral of St. Andrew, Honolulu, HI Come along for a youth pilgrimage to the Diocese of Hawai’i as we hear their stories of community and immigration history. |
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| Celtic Culture in Scotland w/ Revs. Hillary Kimsey & Ruth Anne Garcia October 7-17, 2026 | Scotland | $6,000 Registration Only a few spaces left on this 11-day journey that explores Celtic culture, spirituality, and the Episcopal history of Scotland. |
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| TENS Stewardship Resources In God’s house there is always room for more: more ideas, more people, more ways to share, more stories to tell. And in the world that God created, there is more needed: more love, more connection, more peace, more creativity. Plenty Good Room reminds us that there is always room in God’s house; we just need to make ourselves at home and invite others to join us. The ways we steward our relationships, resources, and responses to grow ministry and serve our neighbors are the ways we connect our gratitude to our generosity. There’s Plenty Good Room in God’s House; pull up a chair and sit down. To access your annual stewardship resources, please visit the TENS website below and enter this year’s password: Matthew22:4 |
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For more upcoming diocesan events, visit our Diocesan Events Page at the link below. |
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Join our congregations across Western Washington for events and activities, including: Taste of Spring Fundraiser and Auction at St. Dunstan’s Church, Shoreline; An Evening with Elaine Pagels: Miracles and Wonder at St. Stephen’s Church, Seattle; Choral Evensong for Pride Month at St, Luke’s Memorial Church, Tacoma; Who Is My Neighbor Summer Camp at St. Thomas Church, Medina; and Vacation Bible School, “Road Trip: On the Go with God,” at St. Andrew’s Church, Seattle. Learn more about all of these events and more at the link below. |
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Our diocesan staff will be traveling across the Diocese in the coming months. Here is where you can find them next. - May 24 | St. Andrew’s Church, Seattle | The Rt. Rev. Phil LaBelle
- May 31 | Emmanuel, Mercer Island | The Rt. Rev. Phil LaBelle
- May 31 | Holy Apostles & Resurrection, Bellevue | The Rev. Canon Carla Robinson
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In this month’s Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, we pray for: - St. Paul’s Church, Mount Vernon (May 24)
- Resurrección, Mount Vernon (May 24)
- St. Stephen’s Church, Oak Harbor (May 31)
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