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From Washington-
The Sunday after Pentecost is called Trinity Sunday in many denominations. It’s the Sunday dedicated to affirming Christian faith in the one and only God made known to us in the three persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
When it comes to talking about what Christians believe, nothing is more difficult to explain than the Trinity. How is it possible Christians can believe in one God subdivided into three parts? It just doesn’t make sense. Indeed it doesn’t, and for many reasons.
Years ago I was part of an ecumenical discussion group of budding theologians from various Christian and Jewish traditions. Whenever the Trinity came up, the Jews threw up their hands in exasperation while the Russian Orthodox waved theirs proclaiming it a Holy Mystery.
More here-
http://www.union-bulletin.com/local_columnists/here-s-an-explanation-of-trinity-sunday-sort-of/article_ab473274-5f95-11e8-8d74-cb30c3de65cf.html
From Spokane-
Last Saturday, Spokane’s Episcopal Diocese installed its first female bishop. Gretchen Rehberg is a Pullman native who went back east to go to college. She earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry and taught at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania.
Eventually the call to a religious vocation took her away from academia. She went to New York City and studied to be a priest. She was ordained and served her first parish in York, Pennsylvania.
In 2005, she heeded another call, this time to come back to the Northwest, closer to family. She went to work at the Episcopal church in Lewiston, Idaho. Last fall, she heard that Spokane’s Episcopal bishop, James Waggoner, was going to retire, and so she applied.
Doug Nadvornick with Gretchen Rehberg 5:22 “So what’s the process…we just stay in debate.”
Gretchen Rehberg is the new bishop for the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane. She is the spiritual leader for 36 churches in eastern Washington and northern Idaho. You can hear Doug's story from her ordination ceremony at the SPR website. Click on the regional news tab.
More here-
http://spokanepublicradio.org/post/spokanes-new-episcopal-bishop-talks-inland-journal
From Spokane-
Donning a plain white robe, Gretchen Rehberg stood before five consecrating bishops, and with 650 witnesses packed into the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, promised to lead the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane as its ninth bishop.
Rehberg, 52, was elected as the Diocese’ first female bishop last year and in an elaborate and musical ceremony, was ordained Saturday.
“The gladness we share today is sacramental. It’s the outward expression of being in tune with God,” said The Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, former presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church. “When we sing and rejoice and give thanks, we’re sharing the love and hope of God for all that is being legalized here. Singing and joining in this great drama atunes us to the great harmony God intended before creation.”
For the past 11 years Rehberg served as rector of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity in Lewiston, Idaho and before that worked as a professor of organic chemistry at Bucknell University. She’s also served as a volunteer EMT and firefighter for more than 20 years.
More here-
http://spokanefavs.com/episcopal-diocese-of-spokane-ordains-new-bishop/
From Walla Walla-
Not long ago I made a comment on a page favored by atheists. It was not well received. The conversation had been about prayer, particularly about the silliness of naive people making wishes they hoped would be granted by a make believe fairy godfather in the sky. I didn’t ask them to believe in a God they had no intention of recognizing.
What I said was that prayer is something else altogether. It’s conversation, much like the conversation you might have with your closest, most trusted friend about the things most important to you.
I don’t know why that’s such a hard idea to grasp, but it is. Maybe it stems from childhood lessons that taught a formula for prayer: adoration, thanksgiving, petition. It was never a very good formula, even for children, and it’s certainly not appropriate for adults. Still, even lifelong persons of faith sometimes let their prayers descend into repetitive lists of things they want God to do. Admittedly, it has gained popularity among some through the work of religious hucksters promising that if one uses the right words in the right way for the right amount of time (and money), all their wishes will come true.
More here-
http://www.union-bulletin.com/local_columnists/pastor-asks-what-is-prayer-anyway/article_1ffc6c8c-fab7-11e6-885a-ff4ec5f765b1.html
From Spokane-
After 16 years leading the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane, this spring Bishop James Waggoner will pass the crozier to the Rev. Gretchen Rehberg.
Rehberg, 52, will be the first female bishop in the diocese’s 52-year history, although she says her gender is irrelevant. She’s simply been elected as the ninth bishop of the diocese she grew up in, she said.
“My family all lives here, this is where I’m called to be,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to getting to know the community better and the people better.”
She grew up on a small farm in Pullman, where her mother still lives, and has family scattered throughout Eastern Washington.
More here-
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/nov/18/spokanes-new-episcopal-bishop-brings-varied-experi/
From Spokane-
The Rev. Gretchen Rehberg has been elected bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane.
It is the first time a woman has been chosen to lead the 40 Episcopal churches in Eastern Washington and North Idaho.
“I am incredibly humbled and honored to be elected bishop of our diocese,” she said in a prepared statement. Only one person is elected bishop, but the work is all of ours.”
More here-
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/oct/16/first-woman-elected-bishop-of-episcopal-diocese-of/
From ENS-
The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane has announced a slate of four nominees to stand for ninth bishop of the diocese.
They are:
The Rev. Canon Lucinda Ashby, canon to the ordinary in the Diocese of Idaho;
The Rev. Canon Neysa Ellgren Shepley, canon to the ordinary in the Diocese of Oregon;
The Ven. Christopher Athan Pappas, archdeacon for congregational development, Anglican Diocese of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; and
The Rev. Canon Gretchen M. Rehberg, rector, Episcopal Church of the Nativity, Lewiston, Idaho, in the Diocese of Spokane.
Further information about the bishop search and the nominees is available here.
The candidates, as well as any additional names received through the nomination by petition process, will be presented to the diocese the week of Sept. 26-30.
The bishop-elect will succeed the Rt. Rev. James E. Waggoner, Jr., who is retiring after serving the diocese as its bishop since 2000.
The election is scheduled to take place Oct. 14-16 during the 52nd Diocesan Convention in Lewiston, Idaho.
More here-
http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2016/06/16/spokane-diocese-announces-4-nominees-for-bishop/
From Yakima-
No one is quite sure when the tower bell stopped ringing.
But they did solve the mystery of why the sermon from the First Baptist Church across the street suddenly blared over their public address system one Sunday (sound wave interference).
They’re also certain of the year when incensed church leaders protested “vulgar vaudeville” at the Capitol Theatre (it was 1919).
And they know very well how much tradition is immersed in St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. At 130 years, it’s the oldest church building in Yakima.
“There’s a lot of history here,” says Ann Davidson, senior warden of the church.
On Sept. 29, 1885, the parish of St. Michael’s was founded here, four years before Washington became a state. A committee of five townspeople then put their dreams into action, as well as into rock and mortar. After the Northern Pacific Railway donated two lots at the southeast corner of Yakima and Naches avenues, church members arranged to have basalt hauled by horse and wagon from near Gleed, ordered cathedral glass from Cincinnati and began the task of building a house of worship.
More here-
http://www.yakimaherald.com/lifestyle/faith/years-of-faithful-service-at-yakima-s-oldest-church/article_bc5bfa80-5e5e-11e5-a788-57662a36fa55.html
From Washington-
