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.
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. Philip N. LaBelle was consecrated as the Diocese's ninth bishop on September 14, 2024.
The diocese reported 25,328 members in 2015 and 18,356 members in 2023; no membership statistics were reported in 2024 parochial reports. Plate and pledge income for the 90 filing congregations of the diocese in 2024 was $24,954,975. Average Sunday attendance was 6,091 persons.

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

  1. John A. Paddock
  2. William Morris Barker
  3. Frederick W. Keator

Bishops of Olympia

  1. Frederick W. Keator
  2. S. Arthur Huston
  3. Stephen F. Bayne, Jr.
  4. William F. Lewis
  5. Ivol Ira Curtis
  6. Robert H. Cochrane
  7. Vincent Waydell Warner, Jr.
Sanford Zangwill Kaye Hampton, assisting bishop
Bavi Edna Rivera, bishop suffragan
  1. Gregory Rickel
Melissa M. Skelton, bishop provisional
  1. Philip N. LaBelle

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.