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Ethnic Ministries
Circles of Color
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Diocese of Olympia
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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
April 8, 2023
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What do you see when you wake up at the start of your day and catch that first glimpse of yourself in the mirror? Do you see a disheveled version of you, newly come from your nightly rest? Do you see a you that needs some work before being presented to the world?
You may not realize it at that moment, but you are also looking at someone who has committed an act of resurrection. Each time you arise to face a new day, you are committing an act of resurrection. After all the word used in the scriptures for “resurrection” literally means “getting up again.” The Risen One lives in us, making our lives resurrection lives. So in a way, we are what resurrection looks like.
| That being the case, each new day presents an inviting question: “Having already committed one act of resurrection, what other acts of resurrection might you do today?” | |
In love and service,
Carla+
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Celebrating Carla+'s 1st Year as Canon
Thanks to all who contributed words, prayers, pictures, and financial gifts to our effort to thank and bless Carla! We were able to get a little something for her office (coming next week!) and a gift card that allows her to mix and match what she'd like to use it for. All of your love was so felt!
Our community is very grateful for the incredible love and service that Carla+ has led us with this last year. Since April 1st, 2022, Carla has ensured she and Circles have been "in the room where it happens" on many important fronts.
She's led and ministered in a variety of ways and places...some of which include:
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pastoral care (especially around the mass murders in Buffalo and Uvalde)
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UBE PNW chapter conference and reorganization as Interim President
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the historic number of POC ordinations and introductions of BIPOC priests
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Convention resolutions - implementing recently passed and proposing new
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LGBTQ+ reflections and partnerships within the diocese, region, and larger church
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Welcome Liturgy at Saint Matthew San Mateo
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driven God-knows how many miles to visit, preach, commune with, and share the work of the Circles and racial reconciliation with many churches in the diocese
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& so much more to forge relationships across the Circles and with the larger Diocesan family
If you go back and scan our newsletters and consider all of Carla+'s meetings, emails, visits, and prayers from the last year, this short list is just scratching the surface! Thank you, Carla+ for all you do and who you are. We are grateful for you and excited to witness and be apart of this vital work in our diocese and community.
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Edie Weller and family
Our community continues to lift prayer for the Rev. Edie Weller and her family as they settle into this next chapter following John's memorial. Edie shares her gratitude and love for Circles' support. We are grateful that it was a time of fullness and love, and pray for their community's continued embrace. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Fred and Kris Jessett
Our community continues to lift prayer for the Jessetts, their daughter Victoria who passed in December, and her children. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
If you'd like to send a card of sympathy, the Jessetts' address is 5309 South Myrtle Ln. Spokane, WA 99223.
Vinh Do and family
Our community lifts prayer for Vinh's mother who is recovering from pneumonia. We pray for Vinh's mother and the rest of the family as they navigate insurance and future care needs during this difficult time. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
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Timi Vann and family
Thank you for your faithful prayers for Timi and her family. Timi is back gradually getting back to work and other elements of life and we continue to pray for an excellent recovery and smooth transition for her and the whole family.
If you'd like to send a card, the Vanns' address is 5056 36th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105. You can find more updates and ways to support the Vanns via their Meal Train.
Carlos and Julianna Caguiat
Our community lifts prayer for Carlos and Julianna as they continue to deal with various health concerns. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
If you have additional prayer requests, please send them to Adrienne.
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Check this space as we highlight Clergy of Color, Circles members, and other offerings from the community!
If you would like to spotlight yourself or others, or would like to highlight resources, books, events, liturgies, or anything else, please send them to Adrienne.
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Circles of Color Retreat: Save the Date!
We're very excited to announce that our long-awaited retreat will be Friday, June 9th, through Sunday, June 11th, at the Rainbow Lodge Retreat Center in North Bend (about 35 mins southeast of Seattle).
Besides fellowship, relaxation, and recreation, we'll take time to celebrate what we've done, and dream together about where we're going. This is especially crucial as support of the Circles in this interim period was named as a major diocesan focus (and the only consistent focus area named across all governing bodies, clergy, diocesan staff, and Circles themselves).
Stay tuned for more info and get in touch if you'd like to recommend facilitators, help with planning, or have any questions!
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Celebrating Doreen Tudor's 101st Birthday
Doreen is a longtime Saint Mark's parishioner and church "mother" to many in Seattle, particularly in the BIPOC community. Doreen is living history and her stories about Black Episcopalians in Seattle and her experiences within that community and the larger church demonstrate such deep faith and resilience.
Stay tuned for ways to celebrate her upcoming birthday (5/31)!
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What We're Listening To
This week, we commend a few podcasts to your listening. Share with us what you think and what you're listening to!
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On Being feat. Ruth Wilson Gilmore
"Where life is precious, life is precious."
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Ruth Wilson Gilmore is a professor of Earth & Environmental Sciences, and American Studies, at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, where she is also director of the Center for Place, Culture, and Politics. Her family's history of organizing and union work informs much of her praxis. She's co-founded several organizations, including the California Prison Moratorium Project, Critical Resistance, and the Central California Environmental Justice Network. She has authored and co-edited several books, including Golden Gulag, Abolition Geography, and the forthcoming Change Everything.
This episode dives into the work of Ruth Wilson Gilmore and the transformative future that abolition envisions. Abolition is presence, not absence!
You may also enjoy this Race & Healing "care package" which is an assortment of podcasts, art, and other conversations with a variety of folks on this topic.
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Called with Complexity: The Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton | |
Thank you Becky Clark for sharing, and Rachel+ for continuing to offer your extraordinary gifts across our church! Read more and find the lecture at the link below.
The Rev. Taber-Hamilton's lecture, "The Barbie & Pocahontas Dialogues: Healing the Cultural Divide Between Indigenous Episcopalians and the Church" provided the Sewanee community an opportunity to reflect on the intersection of Indigenous cosmologies, gender identity, and cultural expression.
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NNIRR's Statement on the Tragedy at the INM Detention Center in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico | |
For Immediate Release: March 28, 2023 El Paso, Texas - English y Español
The National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights expresses its deepest condolences for the families of the 39 migrants who lost their lives, and for the 29 migrants who were injured in a fire at a migrant detention center in Ciudad Juárez on Monday night.
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KING 5's 'Cultivating Culture' series to highlight Black culture in western Washington | |
Deborah Moore has been watching this series. We just might see our local Canon on here soon!
KING5 has launched a new series called "Cultivating Culture," which will air monthly. The series will shine a light on the rich Black culture throughout western Washington. The latest census showed the Black population in Washington only stands at 4.5%. For many, it's hard to find Black culture.
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Local Sacred Ground Action | |
St. John the Baptist, West Seattle was featured in the most recent churchwide Racial Justice & Healing newsletter! You can read more about their work, and especially the relationships they're building with their Indigenous neighbors at the Duwamish Longhouse, here. To learn more about St. John's work, contact The Rev.
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Cross-Cultural Ministry in El Salvador
Stay tuned for additional updates as well as invitations to learn and support ongoing partnerships with the Episcopal Diocese of El Salvador and Cristosal!
Jo+ also uplifts the work of the SHARE Foundation which strengthens solidarity with and among the Salvadoran people in El Salvador and the United States in the grassroots struggle for economic sustainability, justice, and human and civil rights.
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UBE Easter Message
We pass along this video message from Union of Black Episcopalians President The Very Rev. Kim Coleman.
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Rev. Carla is taking a Lenten break from her preaching schedule and will be back on the road for Easter season.
4/16
Christ Church, Puyallup
4/30
St. Peter's, Seattle
5/7
Church of the Redeemer, Kenmore
5/14
St. John the Baptist, West Seattle
5/28
St. Margaret's, Factoria
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Want to share events from your parish or community?
Email details to Adrienne by Friday.
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Diocesan Youth Confirmation Program: 2023
Sundays, February 5 - April 16 @ 6:30 - 8:00 pm | Online
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The Diocesan Youth Confirmation Program is back for a second year!
All youth, ages 13 to 18 (seniors in high school), are invited to come along on this Confirmation journey as we explore, learn, grapple, and discover what we believe and why. This is a 10-week series.
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Cathedral Commons: Exploring Racial Justice in the Episcopal Church
April 12 @ 6:45 - 8:15 pm | in-person in Saint Mark's Bloedel Hall, online via Zoom
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Facilitated by Vinh Do and The Rev. Canon Carla Robinson. Hosted by Saint Mark's Cathedral; open to all in the Diocese of Olympia and beyond.
In 2021, the Episcopal Church released its Racial Justice Audit documenting the experience of race, racism, and racial identity within church leadership. At the Diocese of Olympia’s Diocesan Convention last fall, a task force presented its findings and proposed ways we in this diocese might engage this important work. This forum is designed as part of that work.
Registration required, use this link.
Optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($6/child; $8/adult; $25/max. family).
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Cathedral Day 2023: Living Water
April 22 @ 10:30 am (liturgy), 12:00 - 2:00 pm (lunch and activities) | Saint Mark's Cathedral
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Cathedral Day is a celebration of the community of the Diocese of Olympia--a "family reunion" for Episcopalians from across western Washington, when confirmations, receptions, and reaffirmations are celebrated, followed by a festive food truck lunch and afternoon activities for all ages.
This year, Cathedral Day is also Earth Day. Share you what kind of Creation Care activities or food trucks you would like to see this year in this short survey.
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Western Region UBE/Province VIII Black African Ministries Conference
Envisioning a Spiritual Mosaic: The African Diaspora Ablaze in our Beloved Community
April 20 - April 22 | Church of the Epiphany, Tempe, AZ
| Please join the AZ Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) and Province VIII Black African Ministries for the Western Regional Conference, April 20-22, 2023, in Tempe, AZ. There will be special guests and featured speakers, and the opportunity to connect and fellowship. More information is below, register ASAP! | | | |
AAPI Leaders Retreat
April 26-29 | Austin, TX
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The retreat has reached its capacity and registration is now closed.
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Dr. Christena Cleveland and the Black Madonnas: The Pilgrimage of a Womanist Theologian
May 10 & 24 @ 6:45 - 8:15 pm | in person at Saint Mark's Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom
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The Rev. Canon Carla Robinson will lead a discussion of the book God Is a Black Woman by Dr. Christena Cleveland, as seen through the lens of pilgrimage.
This two-part series is intended to help people prepare for the material Dr. Cleveland will present when she comes to Saint Mark's in June.
Optional community dinner at 6 p.m. ($6/child; $8/adult; $25/max. family).
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The 42nd Annual Clergy Institute with Jonathan Greenblatt
May 25 @ 9:30 am - 1 pm | Temple De Hirsch Sinai, online | $18
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The Clergy Institute for Interfaith Learning is an annual opportunity for interfaith study and discourse, made possible through the generous support of The Alfred and Tillie Shemanski Trust, the family of Mila and Henry Eisenhardt, and The Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement — Seattle University.
We are pleased to welcome Jonathan Greenblatt as the 2023 Clergy Institute scholar. Mr. Greenblatt is the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and will deliver the keynote, “Antisemitism Today: Building Understanding and Allyship.” Special thanks to ADL Pacific Northwest.
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Mothered by God: Divine Feminine and the Black Madonna: A Saturday Workshop with Christena Cleveland, Ph.D.
June 3 @ 9:00 am - 2:30 pm | in person at Saint Mark's Bloedel Hall and online via Zoom; registration required
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The Divine is not limited to one gender or race, but for many people the dominant image of God they've experienced is that of a white male.
Such a poverty of metaphor limits not only our understanding of the Holy One who overflows all human categories but also reinforces white supremacy and patriarchy. Join Dr. Christena Cleveland as she explores the Divine Feminine, especially in the context of her 400-mile walking pilgrimage across central France in search of ancient Black Madonna statues.
Cost: $65. Scholarships available. Includes a light lunch and snacks for those participating in person. Registration required.
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Why Serve 2023
June 22-25 | The School of Theology at the University of the South: Sewanee, TN, $75
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Young Adults (ages 18-30) from the African Descent, Asian, Indigenous and Latino communities of The Episcopal Church, are invited to attend three days of fellowship, training, discernment, self-care, fun, and laughter as they explore this question: Why Serve?
Whether you feel called to leadership as an ordained person, a vestry member, a nurse or a parent; whether you're in school, working, or just in-between, we hope you'll join us for this transformative experience. Share widely!
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55TH UBE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING & CONFERENCE (ABMC)
June 24-26 | Montgomery, AL
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UBE is headed to Montgomery, Alabama!
Join us on an unforgettable journey through history as we walk the path of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., down the streets where the Civil Rights Movement began.
The Conference takes place in Montgomery, Alabama, from July 24-26, 2023. Our theme is So Flows Our River: NIA – Purpose, IMANI – Faith and UMOJA – Unity. We will visit the National Lynching Museum and the Legacy Museum, as well as offer an optional trip to Selma for crossing the Edmund Pettis Bridge.
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It's All About Love: A Festival for the Jesus Movement - The Episcopal Church
July 9 - 12 |Baltimore Convention Center, register by May 8 for Early Bird rate of $185
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Across the church and around the world, we are hungry for revival and renewal. Join in Baltimore for "It's All About Love," a churchwide festival of worship, learning, community, and action for the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement.
"It’s All About Love” features three Jesus Movement festival “tents” – Evangelism, Creation Care, and Racial Reconciliation. Each tent will offer an evening revival worship service and major plenary speaker, plus dozens of day-time workshops, panels, practice opportunities and other ways to engage.
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Next Full Circle Meeting
Wednesday,
May 3, 2023
3:00 pm
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Alzheimer's Support Group
If Alzheimer's has touched your life in some way, you're not alone. A group of Circles members meets Saturday mornings to share in community together.
Contact Jerry Shigaki for more info.
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Joint Standing Committee on Nominations invites referrals, shares videos, extends application deadline to April 30 | |
Encouraging Episcopalians to apply and make referrals for churchwide positions, committees, and boards, the Joint Standing Committee on Nominations introduces six informational videos—in English with Spanish subtitles—about what each group does and what qualifications new members should have.
The committee opened nominations in February for the following positions, committees, and boards—and recently extended the application deadline to April 30. Application forms are available online in English, French, and Spanish.
- Executive Council
- Church Pension Fund trustee
- General Board of Examining Chaplains
- Court of Review
- Disciplinary Board of Bishops
- Joint Committee on the Nomination of a Presiding Bishop
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New Spanish, French prayer book translations now available | |
New, certified Spanish and French translations of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer are available online. Created using dynamic equivalence, with an eye toward inclusive language throughout, the translations support the liturgical and pastoral needs of Spanish- and French-speaking Episcopalians.
There are three editions: a pew edition for church use and a personal edition, that are currently available. A bilingual edition featuring selections from the Book of Common Prayer in English and Spanish, will be available in May.
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St. Thomas Gospel Choir members singing praise in Overbrook Park for three decades | |
After receiving widespread survey response about a new project to support LGBTQ+ forced migrants, Episcopal Migration Ministries is seeking 10 to 20 "Rainbow Initiative" congregations to discern ways to help migrants during Pride activities and World Refugee Day in June.
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Episcopal Migration Ministries shares 'Rainbow Initiative' survey results, seeks participant congregations | |
After receiving widespread survey response about a new project to support LGBTQ+ forced migrants, Episcopal Migration Ministries is seeking 10 to 20 "Rainbow Initiative" congregations to discern ways to help migrants during Pride activities and World Refugee Day in June.
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Volunteer Search Committee for Episcopal Church LGBTQI+ and Women's Ministries Staff Officer
The Episcopal Church, the Department of Reconciliation, Justice, and Creation Care
| The Episcopal Church Office of Reconciliation, Justice, and Creation Care invites volunteers for the search committee for a new staff officer for LGBTQI+ and Women's Ministries, as mandated by the 80th General Convention. If interested, learn more about the process and how to apply below. | | | | | | |
