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Holy Cow Survey and Holy Conversation Updates
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Three weeks left to respond to the Holy Cow Survey! We are inviting all clergy and lay members in the diocese to provide us with your input. Take the survey, today! Help us reach our goal of hearing from all of you!
And if you have yet to participate in a Holy Conversation, please see the list of locations remaining and select one that is most convenient for you. We don’t want you to miss out on the opportunity to provide us your input into the bishop search.
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Convene 2023: Share What You Know – Call for Workshops at Convene!
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September 30 | Everett Community College
Apply now to present a 50-minute workshop on something you or your congregation know well and can share with others. We are excited to gather in-person at Convene on September 30 and are looking for local experts on everything from outreach to finances to the flower guild! This is an opportunity for our congregations to resource each other, and we want you to apply to present! Follow the link below for a workshop application, and if you have any questions, please contact Canon Alissa Newton at anewton@ecww.org.
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Find more information about Convene and register as an attendee or an exhibitor at the links below!
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The Diocese of Olympia Vocations Day – Registration Now Open!
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September 16, 9:00 am | Diocesan House
Curious about whether you have a vocation to the diaconate or to the priesthood? Interested in speaking with others who’re wondering the same? Want to hear from deacons and priests about what their vocations are really like day-to-day? Come to the Diocese of Olympia’s Vocations Day!
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Convention 2023 – Save the Date!
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October 28 | Online
Join us for a streamlined, online only Convention this year as we focus on the essential business of the Diocese. We’ll hear required reports from previous conventions including Equity, Inclusion & Justice in Diocesan Clergy Pay Scale and Diocesan Research on Indigenous Boarding Schools. We’ll also have a Convention Address from Bishop Provisional Melissa Skelton.
So save the date and prepare to join us for this special online-only business session of Diocesan Convention. Elected members of the convention, clergy, lay delegates from congregations, and delegates at large will attend via our dedicated Convention Platform, while alternates and guests will be able to view the live-stream.
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We have a transition to announce here at the Office of the Bishop. Deacon Brian Wright will be resigning as Missioner for Veterans’ Ministry in the Diocese of Olympia, effective immediately. We are all incredibly grateful to Deacon Wright for his years of service and ministry to veterans and to the Diocese.
Please join us in wishing all the best to Brian in his retirement.
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Preparing for a Season of Creation
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Diocesan Convention 2022 approved a Season of Creation, extending from September 1, the ecumenical Day of Prayer for the Creation, through October 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. To assist preachers, intercessors, musicians, and teachers who will use the Season of Creation framework as their guide for homiletical, liturgical, musical, and catechetical preparation, the Commission on Liturgy and the Arts is providing a number of resources.
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National Make-A-Will Month
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In the spirit of National Make-A-Will Month this August, the Diocese of Olympia invites you to engage in thoughtful future planning and stewardship of the blessings God has entrusted to you. Utilize this time to prepare for the future, secure your legacy, and affirm your commitment to your loved ones, community, and faith.
To simplify this crucial process, we’ve partnered with FreeWill, a free online estate planning resource. It’s an excellent tool for crafting your will and can be used to include a legacy gift to the Diocese or another ministry close to your heart, sustaining our faith community for years to come.
Let’s honor God with our plans this National Make-A-Will Month.
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September 13 Deadline
Convention resolutions are statements that reflect the vision and values of the diocese on a host of matters, from social and justice issues to ministry and business practices. There are no unimportant resolutions. In the Diocese of Olympia, resolutions are adopted through the legislative process. Any member of the Diocese may submit a resolution for consideration by the Convention, and it is recommended that each Convention resolution be submitted with the endorsement of a congregation and/or region/groups of congregations or the endorsement of a diocesan commission, committee, or program. The deadline for the submission of resolutions is September 13. For more details on formatting, writing, and submitting resolutions, see the link below.
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Global Mission Grants Open
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September 30 Deadline
Do you have a parish-based partnership in a developing country somewhere around the world? The Global Mission Grants committee is now seeking proposals from parishes and related diocesan institutions to support their efforts in global mission. Find out more at the link below.
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Ky Chen & Bishop’s Cross Award Nominations
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Deadline for Nomination Submissions: September 15
The Office of the Bishop has issued a call for nominations for two diocesan awards: the Ky Chen for outstanding employees and the Bishop’s Cross for those whose lives embody the spirit of Christ. If you know of a person deserving of either award, talk with your church office or leadership about submitting a nomination. The awards will be announced virtually during the 2023 Diocesan Convention on October 28. Nomination submissions are due no later than September 15. Nominations must be submitted using the form linked below.
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Refugee Resettlement Office Cookbook Fundraiser
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The Diocese of Olympia Refugee Resettlement Office Cookbook is a culinary guide to dishes from around the world. Proceeds from this book will go to our private grant fund to cover extra costs for refugees in our programs. Our staff have submitted their favorite homemade recipes and cooking tips to share with people wanting to try cuisines from other countries. Put your apron on and dive in!
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Congregational Development Grants Undergoing Strategic Change
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The Congregational Development (CD) Grant program in the Diocese is currently undergoing a strategic evaluation and change process.
Find out more at the link below.
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Live-Streaming Services
Across the Diocese
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As more of our churches have moved to live-streaming their services, we’ve created a directory of our churches with services times and links to where you can join for Sunday morning and weekday prayer.
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Camp Huston Summer Camp 2023
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Through August 19 | Camp Huston, Gold Bar | $480-765 Registration
Join us at Camp Huston for summer camp 2023!
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A Holy Waste of Time Retreat
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August 18-20 | St. Andrew’s House, Union | $95/person on or before July 31; $110/person after July 31; $50/person – tent camping
Adults in their 20s & 30s from around the Diocese of Olympia are invited to our annual weekend of fun, friendship, faith, and blessed time-wasting at St. Andrew’s House, a comfortable, rustic lodge situated on the Hood Canal with the Olympic Mountains just beyond.
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Begins September 13, 6:00 pm | Online | $325 Registration
St. Margaret’s, Bellevue’s Zoom EFM class begins Wednesday, September 13.
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September 23, 9:00 am | St. Margaret’s, Bellevue
Come and join St. Margaret’s, Bellevue, for a Gospel Fest Workshop, followed by a 7:00 pm concert.
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Learning to be Kinder to Nature Public Lecture, Floral Design Demonstration, and Book Signing
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September 29, 2:00 pm | Saint Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle | $45-70 Registration
Shane Connolly, a world-class floral artist and international leader in sustainable and organic design practices, will headline a lecture, design demonstration, and book signing event at Saint Mark’s Cathedral on September 29, 2023, his only West Coast appearance this year.
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Sister Joan Chittister Visits Seattle
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November 5, 3:00 pm | St. Stephen’s, Seattle | $10-30 Registration (book and photo included)
On November 5, 2023, Sister Joan Chittister, OSB, one of the most influential religious and social leaders of our time and a passionate advocate for peace, human rights, women’s issues, and church renewal, will speak at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Seattle on her newest book, “The Time is Now: A Call to Uncommon Courage.”
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Sundays, September 10 through October 8; 2:00 to 4:00 pm
Zoom | $450 Registration for a Team of Three Members
Sponsored by the College for Bishops, Project Resource equips stewardship teams with strategic training and flexible resources to design and execute annual stewardship campaigns which can be replicated and adapted in future years. Project Resource is dedicated to fostering cultural and systemic advancements around stewardship as a ministry in the Episcopal Church.
The Office of the Bishop will partner with the first 10 churches that register three-member teams to attend this training and split the costs. Contact Canon Dede Moore at dmoore@ecww.org for more information.
Find out more about Project Resource and register at the link below.
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It’s Always Stewardship Time!
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Creating a habit of talking about stewardship of our whole lives makes it easier to link financial stewardship with all the kinds of stewardship in our congregational lives. The Diocese pays for an annual membership in TENS (The Episcopal Network for Stewardship) so that every congregation has access to a wealth of stewardship resources – downloadable, customizable letters, stewardship campaign timelines, webinars, bulletin inserts, and more! Check out the website at the link below and use the 2023 password to access this year’s campaign materials (in English and Spanish): Jeremiah17:8
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Holy Land Pilgrimage Based on the Life of Christ
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October 30-November 13 | $4,000 Registration
Deepen your understanding of the Bible and its context on a Holy pilgrimage!
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May 22-June 1, 2024 | $3,183 Registration
Walking pilgrimage from Porto, Portugal to Santiago, Spain on the Portuguese Camino Central Route, May 22 to June 1, 2024.
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Music That Makes Community
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August 19, 9:30 am | Resurrection, Roslyn
Join the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, Roslyn for a renewing day of building community through congregational singing, learning, and fellowship.
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Flourishing in the Field: Practices of Participation and Collaboration to Transform our Lives and Communities
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September 11-15 | Holden Village, Lake Chelan
Five-day retreat exploring topics of collaboration, connection, joy, purpose, rest, and repair.
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Listening with the Spirit
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September 20-April 30 | The Priory Spiritual Retreat Center | $4,300 Registration
The Priory Spirituality Center’s offers a two-year formation program, Listening with the Spirit, on zoom for clergy or lay people who feel called by the Spirit to be Spiritual Directors.
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Safe Church Online Update
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In accordance with The Episcopal Church’s Safe Church, Safe Communities program, Universal Training is now offered for certification for Children/Youth and Vulnerable Adults. Universal Safe Church training fosters a culture of safety and inclusion for all people and covers a broad overview of issues of vulnerability, power, and healthy boundaries. Universal Safe Church training is designed to equip all people to live out their Baptismal Covenant.
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The following job opportunities are now open at churches and organizations across Western Washington.
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The Office of the Bishop has more than 50 folding chairs available for free to any person or congregation who would like them. Please contact Tonja May at tmay@ecww.org for more information.
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St. Paul’s, Seattle has a pump organ and two fire-proof file cabinets that are no longer used and free to anyone interested. For more information, contact the parish office at parishoffice@stpaulseattle.org.
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