Who We Are

Our Vision

To be creative and compelling witnesses to Jesus Christ in the Inland Northwest

Our Mission

To form, nurture, and develop disciples of Jesus Christ in strong communities of faith for the transformation of ourselves, our communities and the world

Living Our Vision and Mission

Lifelong Christian Formation | Worship | Camp Cross | College for Congregational Development

Our Beliefs & Practices

Our Focus is On

Discipleship: faith formation and faith in action

Developing faithful, healthy, and effective communities of faith

As members of the larger Anglican Communion we believe the Mission of the Church is the Mission of Christ. We recognize with gratitude that the Five Marks of Mission, developed by the Anglican Consultative Council between 1984 and 1990, have won wide acceptance among Anglicans, and have given parishes and dioceses around the world a practical and memorable “checklist” for mission activities.

To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
To teach, baptize and nurture new believers
To respond to human need by loving service
To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation
To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth

Our History

The Episcopal Church arrived in the Inland Northwest in the mid 1860s. In fact, our story parallels that of the settlement of the American West; with all the triumphs, tragedies and difficulties that implies.

One of the earliest missionary priests, the Rev. Lemuel H. Wells, established 23 missions in the late 19th century and became the first Bishop of Spokane in 1892.

The early part of the 20th century saw the growth of Christian education programs. This included the establishment of a summer camp for youth on Lake Coeur d’Alene in northern Idaho. Named after Bishop Edward M. Cross, Camp Cross has become a camp and conference center serving the needs of young and old alike.

By the mid 20th century, the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Spokane was begun and completed. A striking example of American neo-gothic architecture, the Cathedral dominates the southern skyline of Spokane as it sits high upon a hill overlooking downtown.

Timeline

For a complete timeline of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane, you may download our timeline here. It spans from 1854 to our current date.

Congregations for which the date of organization could not be found:

St. Luke’s in Davenport, WA – disbanded in 1937, building sold.
St. Matthew’s in Sprague, WA – mission closed in about 1910.
Calvary Church in Waitsburg, WA – never had a building and a very small group of people.
St. John’s in White Bluffs, WA – a preaching mission in Spirit Lake, ID – a summer-only chapel.