Episcopal Diocese of Olympia

The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, 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. It comprises 32,000 members in 96 congregations.

Its offices and cathedral seat are in the see city of Seattle, not in Olympia, the state capital, despite the name. St. Mark's, Seattle is the cathedral church of the diocese. The diocese is led by the Right Reverend Greg Rickel, Bishop Diocesan. Serving with Rickel is Bishop Suffragan Bavi "Nedi" Rivera.

Eighth bishop elected

On May 12, 2007, the Rev. Gregory Rickel, 43, rector of St. James' Episcopal Church, Austin, Texas, was elected 8th bishop of Olympia. He was elected on the third ballot with four others on the ballot, including Rivera. Rickel was confirmed by a majority of bishops with jurisdiction (mostly Diocesan Bishops) and standing committees, his consecration was on September 15, 2007 at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue. [ [http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_85888_ENG_HTM.htm "Gregory Rickel elected bishop of Olympia"] , Episcopal News Service, May 12, 2007]

Previous bishops

These are the bishops who have served the territory now known as the Diocese of Olympia: ["The Episcopal Church Annual". Morehouse Publishing: New York, NY (2005)]

Missionary Bishops

Bishops of Oregon and Washington territories

# Thomas Fielding Scott (1854 - 1867)
# Benjamin Wistar Morris (1868 - 1880)

Bishops of Washington state

# John Adams Paddock (1880 - 1894)
# William Morris Barker (1894 - 1901)
# Frederick W. Keator (1902 - 1910)

Diocesan Bishops

# Frederick W. Keator (1910 - 1924)
# S. Arthur Huston (1925 - 1947)
# Stephen F. Bayne, Jr. (1947 - 1960)
# William F. Lewis (1960 - 1964)
# Ivol Ira Curtis (1964 - 1976)
# Robert Hume Cochrane (1976 - 1989)
# Vincent Waydell Warner, Jr. (1990 - 2007)
Sanford Zangwill Kaye Hampton (Assisting)
Edna Bavi Rivera, Suffragan Bishop (2006 - present)
# Gregory Rickel (2007-present)

Huston Camp and Conference Center

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. [ [http://www.huston.org "Huston Camp and Conference Center Website"] , Huston Camp and Conference Center, August 3, 2007]

References

ee also

* List of Succession of Bishops for the Episcopal Church, USA

External links

* [http://www.ecww.org Episcopal Diocese of Olympia website]
* [http://www.saintmarks.org St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral]
* [http://www.episcopalchurch.org Official Web site of the Episcopal Church]