The Diocese of Spokane is accepting names through March 15 in its search for Spokane’s ninth bishop. The Rt. Rev. James Waggoner has served as Bishop of Spokane since 2000.
On a “Who We Seek” page, members of the diocese address these points:
What we say we like about being Episcopalians. We see ourselves as:
- Valuing liturgy and worship; we see ourselves as a sacramental people, united through the liturgies of the Book of Common Prayer
- Welcoming, accepting, and collaboratively, we seek ways to care for those who are broken and hurt
- Drawing comfortably on both contemporary and traditional theologies and worship styles, and as grounded in our foundation of Scripture, tradition, and reason
- Valuing the ability to think critically about the church and the world—we’re glad we aren’t asked to “check our brains” at the church door
- Having a strong sense of community, inclusion, and openness, and as socially progressive—we “strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being”
What we do well in the Diocese. We think we:
- Are engaged locally in our communities through outreach and ministry, especially to those on the margins
- Share mutual affection and support
- Are improved, as a Diocese, by the Regional structure we’ve implemented, and the opportunity to gather — lay leaders and clergy — at the Regional Gathering Days
- Communicate well and listen to each other, fostering a strong sense of community
- Offer quality formation opportunities for congregational leaders through the College for Congregational Development
What challenges do we think we face in the Diocese?
- We need people and energy: We want more people to share in worship, to engage in leadership, and to be willing to help build up our church communities
- We need vision and imagination: We want to discern ways to help nurture all congregations, but especially smaller congregations, that they may survive and thrive, to continue serving in their communities
- We need hope: We want to find ways to instill and foster a sense of hope for the future, especially among smaller, more isolated congregations
- We need money and resources: We want to be able to pursue needed ministries in our communities; to adequately compensate lay and clergy leaders; and to keep our buildings and grounds operating sustainably
- We need inspiration: We want to be engaged in fulfilling a unifying Diocesan vision, with a sense of mutual support for our varied gifts and missions, as we work in the contexts of our own communities
