Pre-Convention Webinars
An update from your Diocesan Personnel Commission on the recommended cost of living adjustment for 2025, research and thoughts on a more broad revision of the diocesan clergy salary scale, the status of the Olympia resolution presented to General Convention 2024, the overall state of the church in terms of transitions, and our research and potential testing of a geographic differential to the salary scale.
Members of the Budget & Finance Committee gave an introduction to the 2025 operating budget which will be ratified by Convention. Participants also had the opportunity to meet members of the Committee and to ask questions. If you are interested in learning more about the budget, the process, or the team that develops the budget, please view the recorded webinar here.
Session 1 – 10:00 – 11:00 am
Canon Robinson will lay out and discuss the four commitments of Becoming Beloved Community which is the Episcopal Church’s lens for understanding and organizing its work of racial justice and reconciliation. She will then offer a number of specific programs, ideas, presentations, and other resources to help congregations do the work of Becoming Beloved Community in their local contexts. Attendees are encouraged to view the document “Becoming Beloved Community Where You Are”, found on the website of the Episcopal Church.
Presenter: The Rev. Canon Carla Robinson
Diocese of Olympia, Office of Multicultural Ministries and Community Transformation
Budgets are about so much more than numbers. Ultimately, they are moral documents that reflect the core values and mission of a place. That is true for a congregation. It is also true for the Diocese. During this session, you will have the opportunity to learn how the 2025 Diocesan Operating Budget supports the broader vision and mission of the Diocese of Olympia. Presenters from some of the mission critical ministries supported by the diocesan budget will share stories about the work they are doing. Members of the Budget and Finance Committee will also be on hand to talk about this year’s process and answer your questions.
Presenters: The Rev. Cristi Chapman, The Rev. Myra Corcoran, The Rev. Bonnie Malone, the Rev. Lindsay Ross-Hunt & the Rev. Dr. Janet Waggoner
Budget and Finance Committee, Diocesan Council
Come engage with the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Olympia’s “Climate Shepherds,” to learn how to create a community-wide Eco Fair asking “What on Earth Can YOU Do?” We had 600+ attendees from four churches and the extended community with speakers, eco vendors, organizations, and artists. Plus, thanks to a grant, we added 330 solar panels to our church roof. Let’s discuss how YOU can do this in your congregation/community… because ALL life depends on a livable climate.
Presenters: Rhonda Hunter, Amanda Dlugo
Good Shepherd Lutheran, Olympia
As fire department chaplains, we are on-call 24/7 serving all people in Pierce County, regardless of their faith background. Chaplains have a two-fold mission. They provide immediate aid and emotional support to people who have lost a loved one. They also provide spiritual care to the first responders at Tacoma Fire Department. This workshop will provide an overview of this significant ministry.
Presenters: Dr. James Warnock, Dr. Russ Peters
All Saints Episcopal Church, Tacoma
We are living in a time of profound social divisions. When we come together across differences, we build the trust necessary for our common future. Many Christians hold back from this work. Through his work to counter the bias and bigotry, and with the 2024 publication of his book, Go and Do Likewise: Following Jesus into Our Common Humanity, The Rev. Terry Kyllo has been on a journey out of the culture of supremacy into our common humanity. He writes: “I was born into White Christian Supremacy. But I was not born for it. You weren’t either. The Creator has more beautiful ways for us to live and is restoring what was taken from us.”
Presenter: The Rev. Terry Kyllo
Paths to Understanding
The beauty of art echoes God’s creation all around us. Art can be one way we experience God yet is often underutilized in our churches for adult ministry. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to develop an arts ministry in their church beyond Sunday morning. Along with practical tips, participants will get to do a little creating of their own!
Presenter: Sister D. Bracher
St. James Episcopal Church & The Little Sisters of St. Clare
“What,” Mum asked us one Sunday afternoon, “was God’s greatest creative act?”
Anna gasped, “It was the seventh day–course it was–the seventh day… When he finished making all the things, Mister God had undone all the muddle. Then you can rest, so that’s why rest is the very, very biggest miracle of all. Don’t you see?”
(Excerpt from Mister God, This is Anna by Fynn)
Join us for a time of reflection and immersion into God’s great gift of rest, hosted by the directors of the Diocesan retreat centers who will draw from their many years of making space for sacred rest and rejuvenation.
Presenters: Alida Garcia, Director, Huston Camp and Conference Center & Dan Oberg, Director, St. Andrew’s House Retreat and Conference Center
Let’s have a real-time conversation via Zoom with Father Fadi Diab, a priest at St. Andrew’s Church in Ramallah, Palestine. He will provide a live report about current conditions in the West Bank and will answer questions from the audience. Following that, there will be a discussion of what steps our churches and individuals can and should take to bring about security and self-determination for both Israelis and Palestinians.
Presenters: Father Fadi Diab with Stacy Andersen, Haynes Lund & Mary Pneuman
Bishops Committee for Justice & Peace in the Holy Land
Records matter. However, caring for records can be a challenge. For most of us, gaining control of our paper records is difficult enough, but adding email, websites, wikis, blogs, X (Twitter), and Instagram, among others, can be overwhelming. In this presentation, Diocesan Archivist Erik R. Bauer will discuss why meeting this challenge – including the challenge of electronic records – is so essential. He will provide practical records management advice and answer any specific records questions.
Presenter: Erik Bauer, Archivist & Records Manager
Diocese of Olympia
Session 2 – 11:15 am – 12:15 pm
AI usage is growing exponentially, bringing amazing new possibilities: finding new mineral resources, predicting cancer risks, and discovering new medications. But AI is also raising serious concerns – causing massive environmental impacts, encouraging human exploitation, and creating political deepfakes. And some researchers are arguing that certain AIs are already sentient. This workshop will be a theological reflection on artificial intelligence and the church: how do we respond to the changing landscape of AI?
Presenter: Grace La Torra
St. Luke’s, Ballard
For many, encountering deeper reality through contemplative practice is the beginning of, or a turning point in, their spiritual journey. Enabling this encounter is a subversive act – challenging society’s values. As Tricia Hersey says, “rest is resistance.” In this workshop, we’ll briefly experience the enfolding peace of sitting together and have a conversation about best practices in contemplative offerings such as centering prayer, Taizé, yoga, labyrinth, and compline, and we’ll talk about Underhill House – a unique contemplative ministry in the Diocese offering a quiet space for people, regardless of their personal situation and their spiritual tradition, or lack of one, to come in off the street and pray, meditate, or just enjoy stillness.
Presenter: Phil Fox Rose
Underhill House
Participants will have an opportunity to listen to two Skagit Tribal elders telling the stories, ancient and modern, of the Skagit Nation. A time for Q&A will be provided. One elder, the hereditary chief, is Jay Bowen, renowned artist, author and speaker. The other is his sister, Kay Knott, who actively works to build bridges between the peoples of the Northwest.
Presenters: Skagit Tribal Elder Jay Bowen; Skagit Tribal Elder Kay Knott; Dr. Paul Moore, St. Paul’s/Resurreccion Episcopal Churches
When everyone else in Lazarus’s life had given up hope, Jesus called his friend back to life. But that was not the end of the story. Jesus called the community to remove the stone that blocked Lazarus from life and then told them to get even closer in order to take off the graveclothes covering his face and restricting his body. People leaving prison face this reality every day. By connecting people exiting incarceration to churches and building communities of care, we begin to practice this resurrection in our lives, our churches, and our world.
Presenter: Candice Baughman
One Parish One Prisoner
How might preachers encourage parishioners to cultivate a connection with the natural world, to learn the concerns of the environment, and still have hope? In this workshop we will explore ways to read Scripture through a green lens, to find the good news for and with creation in the lectionary cycle, and begin to develop an approach to sermon writing that offers meaningful connection with the more-than-human world. By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to recognize ecological markers within Scripture, identify key ecological projects within their own watershed, and start to build a library of resources.
Presenter: Dr. Kristen Daley Mosier
St. Luke’s, Seattle/St. Dunstan’s, Shoreline
Refugee resettlement has never been easy, and in recent years it’s further complicated by misinformation, selective reporting, and opportunistic politicians, especially during election seasons. This short workshop cannot cover every aspect of such a vast and important topic, especially since the Episcopal Church has been involved in refugee resettlement in the United States since the end of World War II. However, we aim to shed light on the thousands of refugees resettled by the Diocese of Olympia in recent years, the positive contributions they’ve made to their communities, and how individuals or volunteer groups can support both the Refugee Resettlement Office (RRO) staff and the newcomers we strive to welcome.
Presenter: Greg Hope
Refugee Resettlement Office, Diocese of Olympia
In this workshop, participants will explore the rituals of healing for use in church but also for use in the home, underscoring the often overlooked truth that all Christians can lead prayer. We will consider the rituals from the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Church of Canada, and members of the Anglican Communion. Liturgical and musical resources will be available for all participants as well as a guide for preaching and teaching on healing in the parish.
Presenter: The Rev. Samuel Torvend, Fred McIlroy
Bishop’s Commission on Liturgy and the Arts
Members of the LGBTQIA+ community have often felt like church outsiders. Some have grown up being told they’re not welcome in the church, that they aren’t valid, and that being gay is a choice. Some have grown up as Christian, but either left the church because of how they identify, or have had to suppress their sexual identity. Join our panel for personal reflections on negotiating gender identity in the context of the church and for insight into how the Episcopal Church is seeking to correct these injustices.
Presenters: MJ Barrett, Christ Church, Anacortes; The Rev. Canon Carla Robinson, Diocese of Olympia; and Aaron Scott, Gender Justice Staff Officer, the Episcopal Church
St. Paul’s, Seattle thrives when we understand and join God’s mission of justice, reconciliation, and peace. Over the last decade, we have deepened our mission in the Uptown neighborhood of Seattle, primarily with SPiN – St. Paul’s in the Neighborhood – our week-in, week-out, intergenerational ministry alongside our neighbors who seek reliable and safe shelter. This workshop will share our stories, including the stories of some of the youngest members of the parish, and offer step-by-step ways to discern your own mission in your congregation and in your neighborhood.
Presenter: The Rev. Stephen Crippen
St. Paul’s, Seattle
Session 3 – 2:45 – 3:45 pm
Members of the Bishop’s Task Force on Homelessness will share videos and programs that reflect the diversity of outreach to the unhoused by the parishes in our Diocese. Since 2019, the Task Force has shared about what works, what may not work, and how to put it all together with thought, prayer, sweat, and working together ecumenically and in local jurisdictions. Along with online resources, we’ll discuss feeding ministries, safe parking, cooling and warming centers, safety pouches for important documents, and advocacy.
Presenters: Jean Swift; Jeffrey Boyce; Cris Blair; Brett Bowton-Meade; Don Fornoff
Church of the Ascension, Seattle
Diocese of Olympia Bishop’s Task Force on Homelessness
Young adults from across the Diocese will share how their spiritual journeys have brought them to the Episcopal Church and also about their frustrations with where the church is falling behind in this place and time. You’ll learn about some of the things that 20s & 30s are looking for from today’s Episcopal Church, what they’re finding, and where there’s room for improvement.
Presenters: Michael Perera, Saint Mark’s Cathedral, facilitator; Isaac Bullock, Christ Church, Tacoma; Heidi Eckman, Trinity, Seattle; Blake Harper, St. Clement, Seattle; Adrienne Hubbard, Saint Mark’s Cathedral; & Sally Sundar, Trinity, Seattle
Diocese of Olympia 20s & 30s, Office of Faith Formation
From the Godly Play Foundation, Hannah Sutton-Adams and Joy Studer share insights into the research and findings around “Church Hurt and Religious Trauma” and take a look at how that is creating barriers for today’s parents and caregivers and what the church can do to help.
Presenters: Joy Studer & Hannah Sutton-Adams, Godly Play Foundation
Diocese of Olympia Office of Faith Formation
In keeping with the theme of Convention, we’ve transformed a meeting room into a place where you can be present with God through prayer, art, and meditation. If you’re looking for some quiet respite, come experience interactive prayer stations with guidance from facilitators and find the peace, understanding, and hope that you seek.
Facilitators: Canon Wendy Claire Barrie, Saint Mark’s Cathedral, and Roberta Newell, Saint Mary’s, Lakewood, and President, Diocesan Daughters of the King (DOK)
Join other Creation Care enthusiasts for a time of connection and sharing! We will recap the Season of Creation and environmental efforts with our faith communities, hear updates on our Carbon Offset partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of the Southern Philippines, consider the potential of our Climate Pledge, Climate Justice as a path for Truth Telling and Reparation, and discuss upcoming diocesan climate-related opportunities (such as i-2117) and resources to enhance congregational faith formation. In particular, we will do an interactive portion of “Love God, Love God’s World,” a nine-session, film-based small group Creation Care curriculum recently released by the Presiding Bishop’s Office. Like Sacred Ground, this curriculum is ideal for Episcopalians anywhere on the journey with Creation Care/Climate Justice!
Presenter: Adrienne Elliott, Program Coordinator for the Diocese of Olympia Office of Multicultural Ministries & Community Transformation & John Kydd, Missioner for Climate Care and Climate Justice
The Education for Ministry (EFM) program is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Learn how the program is about creating spaces for curiosity, community, and looking at life through the lens of our relationship with God. Every baptized person is called to ministry; EFM is designed to open the doors to discover how to respond to the call to Christian service. As EFM moves forward for the next 50 years, learn about the new program opportunities starting in the fall of 2025. EFM is where you can “ask, and you’ll receive; seek, and you’ll find; knock, and the door will open.” Luke 11:9
Presenters: Dean Mielke, Education For Ministry, Diocesan Coordinator, the Rev. Kay Flores, St. Timothy, Chehalis, and Becca Shaw
Diocese of Olympia Office of Faith Formation
The Rev. Mary Bol will share the inspiring work that is happening in various African congregations in our Diocese. She will talk about the South Sudanese community and the Kenyan community and the essential work of African priests in our Diocese. She will highlight the international ties between the African congregations here and their homelands. There will be an update about the work being done with the orphans in South Sudan as a way to equip people and congregations with the knowledge they need to share in this work.
Presenter: The Rev. Mary Bol, St. Michael’s South Sudanese Episcopal Church, Auburn
Pan African Missioner, Diocese of Olympia
We’ll touch on how to recruit, train, coordinate, supervise, encourage, and reward volunteers. We will consider varied settings, sizes and programs. Also, we’ll discuss the impact of cultural trends and organizational shifts related to volunteering.
Presenter: Jim Schmotzer
St Paul’s, Bellingham
The workshop will focus on practical ways to find and cultivate joy and delight in our congregations even in the middle of all the unpredictability of church life! We will begin with storytelling, both our own as well as invited stories from participants about strange events in the life of the church. Then, we will walk through various practices, both logistical and spiritual, for holding onto joy, delight, and fun even when those things happen. The workshop will end with us practicing one of those spiritual practices together. Content will be applicable to both clergy and lay leaders.
Presenters: The Rev. Hillary Kimsey, St. Antony of Egypt Episcopal Church in Silverdale & The Rev. Canon Britt Olson, Vicar, St. Luke’s, Seattle
Session 4 – 4:00 – 5:00 pm
Why does digital evangelism matter, and how do you get started? This workshop will cover some of the basics about using online platforms to share the good news of our congregations and ministries. We’ll talk about what evangelism is and isn’t, explore how others are creatively engaging these tools, and help folks get started themselves.
Presenter: Elizabeth Riley
St. Dunstan’s, Shoreline
Join disabled people, allies, and ministry partners as we dream and live Disability Justice in our Diocese and wider Episcopal Church. Explore Disability Justice and Disability Theology in the context of what it means to be church, not just focusing on building accessibility, but the way we theologically mishandle disabled minds, bodies, and gifts in our worship and communal life.
Disabled voices have been left out of the church buildings, table, and pulpit for far too long. Join us as we follow in The Way of Love, to TURN and LEARN, recentering our focus on God’s Beloved People, bringing heart change so that ALL can fully find rest and belong in the body of Christ.
Presenters: Jessica Thompson, The Rev Canon Carla Robinson, Jina Howell-Forbes, John Forman, and Nan Holcomb
Office of Multicultural Ministries and Community Transformation
Hear from youth ministry leaders who have cultivated emerging and established youth groups. We’ll talk about how to program, how to invite teens to activities, and will take a look at the most engaging curriculum options that are readily available. Bring your questions, concerns, and best practices, and together, let’s figure out how to re-build a robust post-pandemic youth presence across the Diocese.
Presenters: Naomi Woodrum, Special Youth Ministry Projects, Diocese of Olympia (facilitator), with: Jackson Espeut, Family Life Minister, St. John the Baptist, West Seattle; the Reverend Edmund Harris, Associate Rector for Family Ministries and Evangelism, St. Thomas, Medina; and, Megan McInnis, Children, Youth and Adult Formation Director, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Diocese of Olympia, Office of Faith Formation
Learn from the staff of the Seattle Seafarers Center, a ministry of the Diocese of Olympia, about the significant challenges faced by international seafarers who visit our ports and ways you can be involved.
Presenters: Julia Cooper, Rich Shively, and Fr. Mac Murray
Seattle Seafarers Center (The Mission to Seafarers)
God is already present and active in our neighborhoods. Healthy and faithful grounding, authentic identity formation, and satisfying and mutually enriching ministry can be found in serious exploration of the area where a church is located. In this workshop, you will explore your congregation’s neighborhood via a mapping and reflection exercise as an aid in discerning possible ways to uniquely partner with God in experimenting, engaging, and being more powerfully a part of your parish community.
Presenter: The Rev. Canon Ivar Hillesland,
Congregational Development and Leadership Formation Office, Diocese of Olympia
Planning to attend Saturday’s Diocesan business meeting? Are you a first-time delegate or alternate? Been to convention before, but looking for a refresher on Robert’s Rules of Order or the work of the convention? Would you like a preview of how our new electronic voting system will work? Join members of the convention leadership as well as our elections official in this session to learn more about how convention operates so that you’ll be prepared to fully participate.
Presenters: Convention Leadership
Diocese of Olympia
During a time of social isolation, amidst trying times, practices of group Zoom Centering Prayer developed to provide a deepened sense community and deep rest in God. The simple, routine practice of Centering Prayer offers food for the soul and strength for the journey. In this workshop we will explore ways of forming in-person and remote groups and will offer tools and suggestions for creating meaningful Centering Prayer experiences whether praying alone or with others. “My soul for God in stillness waits…”
Presenter: The Rev. Dianne Andrews
Retired Clergy, St. Paul’s, Port Townsend
When tragedy strikes or life throws an unexpected curveball, people can be left feeling adrift and isolated. How can congregations reach out and provide authentic support for all ages in the midst of their grief? Join our panel of clergy, therapists, and resource specialists to learn the best ways to connect with children, youth, and parents through their faith community when they need it the most.
Presenters: The Rev. Danae Ashley, Soul Spa Seattle, LLC; The Rev. Jennifer Cleveland, St. Augustine-in-the-Woods, Whidbey Island; Wendy Claire Barrie, Canon for Intergenerational Ministries, Saint Mark’s Cathedral
Diocese of Olympia, Office of Faith Formation
This workshop / presentation is about what God is doing by sending me from living among you to the mission field to help build a prison ministry overseas in a country with a less than admirable human rights record. In the process there has been growth and renewal as people have come to Jesus. Come and hear what God is doing.
Presenter: Charles Smith
St. Antony of Egypt, Silverdale – Parara Missions
One Response