Lunch and Learn: How to Run a Great Annual Meeting Nov 17 at 12:10pm At this, our first of many Lunch and Learns, we will gather on Zoom to learn helpful tips and tricks for running effective and meaningful annual meetings. Our annual meetings are not just business meetings, but rare touchpoint opportunities for our congregations to get in better touch with themselves, to live more fully into each of our unique callings, and to build communal trust through listening and action. We will give guidance on agenda design and facilitation and provide ideas for incorporating the collective voice of your people. We encourage any clergy and lay leaders who are interested to attend! Register here. |
Confirmation for Youth and Adults You are invited to participate in our Youth and Adult Confirmation Series, a weekly Episcopal class for those who would like to know more about the church and are seeking to better understand the tenets of this faith tradition. We will have both a Youth Cohort (ages 13-18) and an Adult Cohort. Beginning Sunday, February 14, we will meet weekly via Zoom from 7:00 to 8:30 pm until Cathedral Day (we will not meet on Easter). Each session will feature a different teacher—a mix of clergy, lay leaders, and our Bishop. Our goal is to give you a deeper sense of the rich traditions and diverse perspectives that make the Episcopal Church vibrant and dynamic. At the conclusion of the series, you will have the option to be confirmed or received during Cathedral Day, May 1, 2027 at Saint Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle. The program is designed for those who would like to be confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church, but anyone who would like to join the educational series is welcome to participate. Learn more and register here. |
Preaching Among Friends: A Course for Lay Preachers and Deacons Are you interested in becoming a licensed lay preacher, or are you already preaching and looking to grow in confidence and deepen your preaching practice? Preaching Among Friends, a seven-week online course offered by Backstory Preaching, helps participants discover their unique preaching voice, engage Scripture more deeply, and craft sermons that communicate a clear message of Good News. Led by the Rev. Dr. Lisa Cressman and Backstory Preaching mentors, the course combines practical preaching skills with spiritual practices, including Lectio Divina, to help participants develop a sustainable approach to sermon preparation. The course concludes with an opportunity to prepare and preach a sermon in a supportive small-group setting. The course meets Sunday evenings beginning January 17, with additional sessions February 28–March 4. Tuition is $475 per participant. Interested? Attend the online information session this Sunday, November 8, at 4:00 pm Pacific! Zoom registration here! Prospective participants and interested clergy are welcome. Attendance is encouraged but not required. For more information, visit www.backstorypreaching.com or contact the Rev. Dr. Lisa Cressman. For questions about licensing consult your congregational leader. For questions about registration or partial scholarships, contact the Rev. Courtney Jones. |
Certificate in Congregational Spiritual Direction Through our membership in the Iona Collaborative, interested clergy and laypersons are eligible to enroll in a new and exciting offering – a Certificate in Congregational Spiritual Direction. What is it? Congregational spiritual direction helps a church listen to its shared life and discern where God is at work. The Certificate in Congregational Spiritual Direction prepares lay and ordained leaders to guide congregations in listening, reflection, and discernment through online study, an in-person intensive, and supervised fieldwork. Who Can Apply? Priests, deacons, lay leaders, diocesan staff, and others who work with congregations are welcome to apply. The cost of the program is $1500, but because the Diocese of Olympia is a member of the Iona Collaborative, Diocese of Olympia attendees are eligible for a full scholarship. For more information, visit this page and plan to attend one of the informational sessions on either October 22 at 2pm (PDT), or November 5 at 4:30 (PDT) to learn about the certificate and the application process. More details (and links to the Zoom meetings) can be found at this linked info page. |
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Convention Recordings Thank you again to everyone who helped make convention happen! Convention recordings are available here. You can access documents and materials from convention here. |
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Important Dates & Upcoming Events 2026 November 17 – Lunch and Learn: Planning Engaging Annual Meetings with Cn. Ivar Hillesland December 2 – Lunch and Learn: Holy Week Liturgies with Rev. Samuel Torvend December 15 – Lunch & Learn: Creation Care with Cn. Adrienne Elliott December 19 – Ordinations at St. Mark’s Cathedral 2027 Jan 5 – Lunch and Learn: Observing Black History Month with Cn. Carla Robinson Jan 14 – Lunch & Learn: Parochial Reports with Cn. Cristi Chapman Jan 30 – Congregational Leadership Conference at St. John the Baptist, West Seattle Feb 18 – Lunch and Learn: Discernment Process Rev. Jennifer Daugherty & Rev. Scott Deasy March 3 – Lunch and Learn: Social Media & Digital Evangelism Rev. Elizabeth Riley March 16 – Lunch and Learn: Health Change in Congregations Cn. Ivar Hillesland April 17 – Exploring Discernment Retreat May 1 – Cathedral Day June 20-25 – CCD Summer Session August 15-20 – CCD Summer Session |
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For more upcoming diocesan events, visit our Diocesan Events Page at the link below. |
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More than 18,000 people in King County are estimated to experience homelessness. You can help. Starting at 11:00 am, buy a handmade bowl, enjoy soup and bread, and help tackle hunger and homelessness in our community. This fundraiser is being hosted at St. Thomas, Medina and benefits PorchLight, which provides safe shelter, essential services, and compassionate support to men in Bellevue and the surrounding Eastside communities. |
During the holiday season, the Seattle Seafarers Center (The Mission to Seafarers) gives away over 1,000 “ditty bag” care packages to merchant seafarers. These small gifts are one way we welcome and care for seafarers during the holiday season, especially while seafarers are far away from their homes and families. On Saturday, November 14, from 10 am to Noon, join us at St. John the Baptist in West Seattle to stuff ditty bags, share stories about seafarers ministry, and bless the bags to be given away. |
November 14, 10:00 am – The event features unique gifts, handmade items, and a bake sale with gluten-free treats available. Santa Paws will return for holiday photos with pets, children, families, and individuals. |
The holidays are coming, the season is near, and Maggie’s Christmas Market is spreading good cheer! Handmade treasures and gifts that delight, Sweet treats and surprises to make spirits bright! Shop local makers, discover something new, Find one of a kind gifts for your favorite folks, too! Saturday, November 14, 2026 from 10 AM–4 PM at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Bellevue. |
Nov. 15 – A Family Series: How Do We Weave Faith at Home? A Conversation on Woven Author Meredith Miller joins us virtually for “How Do We Weave Faith at Home?: A Conversation on Woven,” followed by time for parents and caregivers to reflect and shape simple faith practices that fit their own homes. |
Nov. 22 – Seattle ProMusica in Concert Celebrate the winter solstice with soul-warming music from Canada, Mexico, and the United States with Seattle Pro Musica’s “The Year’s Midnight,” performed at St. John | San Juan Episcopal Church in Olympia on November 22. Featured composers are Reena Esmail, Morten Lauridsen, Sarah Quartel, Caroline Shaw, David Garcia Saldana, Tomás Pascual and David MacIntyre. |
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UPCOMING BISHOP VISITATIONS - November 22, St. Andrew’s, Tacoma
To see a full schedule of Bishop Phil’s visitations, click here. |
In this week’s Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, we pray for: - Diocesan Council
- Board of Directors
- Standing Committee
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