Holly Hughes Stoner, LMFT Scott Stoner, LMFT February 28, 2025 The Stories We Tell Ourselves Human beings are natural storytellers. This weekend, the Oscars will celebrate the gifted storytellers who have shared their stories through film this year. This column is about wellness, not movie reviews (although we both loved A Complete Unknown), so we would like to reflect on storytelling from a mental health perspective.  Have you ever found yourself convinced that someone was upset with you, only to later find out that they weren’t? Or maybe you assumed that a situation would go terribly wrong, […]

News from the Diocese of Olympia View as Webpage February 28, 2025           Lent, Holy Week, and Easter Services Across the Diocese Join our churches and worshiping communities from across the Diocese of Olympia this Lent, Holy Week, and Easter! More services will be added throughout the season, so check back for more updates! READ MORE 2025 Congregational Leadership Conference March 8, 9:00 am | St. Thomas, Medina and Zoom Have you put together your team to attend the Congregation Leadership Conference on March 8? In addition to compelling plenary sessions, there are 10 incredible workshops. […]

      Holly Hughes Stoner, LMFT Scott Stoner, LMFT February 7, 2025 Rooting for Ourselves There is so much in the world that needs our love and attention. It is easy to become overwhelmed. No one has enough time or energy to root for or get involved in all the good causes that need our attention and support. So it may be counterintuitive to advocate rooting for one additional thing on top of all the other pulls we may be feeling, but we need to add one more person to our list to root for–and that’s ourselves. We are […]

  February 12, 2025     Prayer of the Day Living God, in Christ you make all things new. Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. Synod Resources Administration, Compensation Guidelines, Constitutions, Financial, Personnel Policies, Pulpit Supply, Immigration, Transition Latest Letters and Press Releases from the Synod and Churchwide Upcoming Events links to event info embedded if applicable February 12 Region One Online Forum on Immigration – ZOOM February 18 Church + Trees Webinar February 22 […]

News from the Diocese of Olympia View as Webpage February 7, 2025           2025 Congregational Leadership Conference March 8, 9:00 am | Location: In-person (TBD, in Bellevue/Kirkland area) and Zoom Join other clergy and congregational leaders for the Congregation Leadership Conference – a combination of plenary sessions and breakout workshops. MORE INFO Executive Order 9066 Weekend of Remembrance: Never Again Is Now February 8-9 St. Peter’s and the Circles of Color invite the diocese and larger community into a weekend of listening, reflection, and conversation around Executive Order 9066’s forced incarceration of Japanese Americans and what […]

  January 29, 2025     Prayer of the Day Almighty and ever-living God, your only-begotten Son was presented this day in the temple. May we be presented to you with clean and pure hearts by the same Jesus Christ, our great high priest, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Upcoming Events links to event info embedded if applicable February 18 Church + Trees Webinar March 1 Call to Allyship @ Calvary, Federal Way June 13 – 14, 2025 Synod Assembly @ PLU New resources are now available from ELCA […]

News from the Diocese of Olympia View as Webpage January 31, 2025           Executive Order 9066 Weekend of Remembrance: Never Again Is Now February 8-9 St. Peter’s and the Circles of Color invite the diocese and larger community into a weekend of listening, reflection, and conversation around Executive Order 9066’s forced incarceration of Japanese Americans and what faithful resistance and solidarity might look like for us today.  MORE INFO A Year of Creation February 8, 8:30 am | Pacific Lutheran University | $30 Registration Join us for an engaging and enlightening conference on A Year of […]

Shareable Web Link Dear Beloved People of Olympia, The images and stories coming out of Los Angeles this week have been overwhelming. I’m sure many of you like me have family or friends in the area and have been both horrified and offering prayers. Earlier this week it was reported that an Episcopal Church in Altadena was destroyed, and Bishop John Harvey Taylor has updated us of the devastation being experienced and of the deep hope in God’s grace and goodness. First, I invite all of us to continued prayer for the people of Los Angeles, the Episcopal Diocese there, […]

  January 10, 2025     Prayer of the Day Almighty God, you anointed Jesus at his baptism with the Holy Spirit and revealed him as your beloved Son. Keep all who are born of water and the Spirit faithful in your service, that we may rejoice to be called children of God, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Upcoming Events links to event info embedded if applicable January 14 – 15, 2025 Bishop’s Convocation @ Seabeck June 13 – 14, 2025 Synod […]

News from the Diocese of Olympia View as Webpage January 10, 2025           Executive Order 9066 Weekend of Remembrance: Never Again Is Now February 8-9 St. Peter’s and the Circles of Color invite the diocese and larger community into a weekend of listening, reflection, and conversation around Executive Order 9066’s forced incarceration of Japanese Americans and what faithful resistance and solidarity might look like for us today.  MORE INFO FORMA: National Faith Formation Conference (Hosted by the Diocese of Olympia) January 27-20 | Brunett Retreat Center at the Palisades | $120 – $295 Registration (Scholarships Available) […]