Episcopal Diocese of Olympia

Diocese of Olympia

Dioecesis Olympianae
Location
CountryUnited States
TerritoryClallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, Whatcom, and Wahkiakum counties in Washington state
Ecclesiastical provinceProvince VIII
Statistics
Congregations90 (2022)
Members19,143 (2022)
Information
DenominationEpiscopal Church
RiteEpiscopal
EstablishedSeptember 14, 1910
CathedralSt Mark's Cathedral
LanguageEnglish, Spanish
Current leadership
BishopMelissa M. Skelton (provisional)
Map
Location of the Diocese of Olympia
Location of the Diocese of Olympia
Website
www.ecww.org

The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, also known as the Episcopal Church in Western Washington, is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in Washington state west of the Cascade Range. It is one of 17 dioceses and an area mission that make up Province 8. The diocese started as a missionary district in 1853 and was formally established in 1910.[1]

The name of the diocese refers to the region of "Olympia" and is not related to the state capital Olympia. The see city is Seattle, with St. Mark's the cathedral church of the diocese. Following the resignation of Greg Rickel (the eighth bishop of Olympia) on December 31, 2022, the diocese is led by Melissa M. Skelton as bishop provisional.[2]

Bishops[edit]

St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Seattle
Eliza Ferry Leary House (a.k.a. Diocesan House), headquarters of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia

These are the bishops who have served the territory now known as the Diocese of Olympia:[3]

Missionary Bishops[edit]

Bishops of Oregon and Washington territories[edit]

  1. Thomas Fielding Scott (1854–1867)
  2. Benjamin Wistar Morris (1868–1880)

Bishops of Washington state[edit]

  1. John A. Paddock (1880–1894)
  2. William Morris Barker (1894–1901)
  3. Frederick W. Keator (1902–1910)

Bishops of Olympia[edit]

  1. Frederick W. Keator (1910–1924)
  2. S. Arthur Huston (1925–1947)
  3. Stephen F. Bayne, Jr. (1947–1960)
  4. William F. Lewis (1960–1964)
  5. Ivol Ira Curtis (1964–1976)
  6. Robert H. Cochrane (1976–1989)
  7. Vincent Waydell Warner, Jr. (1990–2007)
    Sanford Zangwill Kaye Hampton, assisting bishop
    Bavi Edna Rivera, bishop suffragan (2006–2009)[4]
  8. Gregory Rickel (2007–2022)[5]
    Melissa M. Skelton, bishop provisional (2023–present)

Huston Camp and Conference Center[edit]

The Diocese owns a summer camp located in Gold Bar, WA next to the Wallace Falls State Park. Director Bill Tubbs for the last 20 years has overseen operation of both the Conference and Summer Camp seasons.[6]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Olympia, Diocese of". Episcopal Church. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  2. ^ "Bishop Provisional Announcement". Episcopal Church in Western Washington. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  3. ^ The Episcopal Church Annual. Morehouse Publishing: New York, NY (2005)
  4. ^ "Well, this is rather embarrassing..... | Diocese of Olympia". Archived from the original on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2011-05-09.
  5. ^ "Gregory Rickel elected bishop of Olympia" Archived 2007-05-14 at the Wayback Machine, Episcopal News Service, May 12, 2007
  6. ^ "Huston Camp and Conference Center Website", Huston Camp and Conference Center, August 3, 2007

External links[edit]

47°36′N 122°20′W / 47.600°N 122.333°W / 47.600; -122.333