Episcopal Diocese of Olympia


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. It comprises 25,490 members in 92 congregations.
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, Seattle the cathedral church of the diocese. The diocese is led by the Right Reverend Greg Rickel, the 8th Bishop of Olympia.

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 Nedi Rivera, then the diocese's suffragan bishop. Rickel was confirmed by a majority of bishops with jurisdiction and standing committees, his consecration was on September 15, 2007 at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue.

Previous bishops

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

Missionary Bishops

Bishops of Oregon and Washington territories

  1. Thomas Fielding Scott
  2. Benjamin Wistar Morris

    Bishops of Washington state

  3. John A. Paddock
  4. William Morris Barker
  5. Frederick W. Keator

    Diocesan Bishops

  6. Frederick W. Keator
  7. S. Arthur Huston
  8. Stephen F. Bayne, Jr.
  9. William F. Lewis
  10. Ivol Ira Curtis
  11. Robert H. Cochrane
  12. Vincent Waydell Warner, Jr.
Sanford Zangwill Kaye Hampton
Bavi Edna Rivera, Suffragan Bishop
  1. Gregory Rickel

    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.