Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has appointed the Rt. Rev. Gregory Rickel, Bishop of Olympia, as liaison to National Episcopal Cursillo. He succeeds the Rt. Rev. Alan Scarfe, Bishop of Iowa, who has served since 2006.
Bishop Rickel attended Cursillo No. 41 in Arkansas and served as head spiritual director on two teams before accepting a call as rector of St. James Church in Austin, Texas. He has remained active in Cursillo since becoming Bishop of Olympia in September 2007.
“I am very honored to serve as Bishop Liaison for Cursillo in these upcoming years,” Bishop Rickel said.
“I give thanks for the ministry of Cursillo in deepening the faith and relationship of Episcopalians with God in Christ,” Bishop Jefferts Schori wrote in her appointment letter. “I made my Cursillo more than 20 years ago in Oregon and understand the importance of focusing one’s love of God as an agent of transformation in the world. I pray that Cursillo may continue to encourage and nurture faithful living as a disciple of Jesus.”
Rickel has served the wider church as a consultant for the Episcopal Church’s stewardship office and for the Episcopal Network for Stewardship. He also served on the Resolution B004 Mission Funding Task Force and as an Episcopal representative to the Earth Charter meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. He is a trainer for the Climate Project. He has received training from the National Organization for Victim Assistance and has worked on disaster debriefing for the Arkansas attorney general’s office.