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The Rt. Rev. Diana D. Akiyama

A Letter from Bishop Diana Akiyama

Dear Friends,

Since becoming your bishop in 2021, I have had the privilege of traveling throughout Western Oregon, visiting congregations in our rural and urban communities and spending time with parishioners, clergy, lay leaders and community partners. In each place, I have listened to your hopes, concerns, and visions for the future of the Church. I have prayed with you, shared meals and conversations, and witnessed firsthand the faith, creativity and commitment that sustain our congregations and ministries.

What I have heard and experienced has deepened my conviction that our future is one we must build together.

Across our diocese, congregations are finding faithful and creative ways to serve their communities. At the same time, many smaller congregations face real challenges in sustaining consistent priestly leadership. Some rely on supply priests, while others are blessed by retired clergy who generously continue to serve. These arrangements can sustain a congregation, but they can make it difficult to build the consistent relationships and pastoral leadership that help a community grow and thrive.

I have also seen the remarkable opportunities before us. Young people are seeking places to belong, to ask questions, to explore their faith and to find community. Our campus and youth ministries are already creating those connections, and we have an opportunity to extend their reach and deepen their impact. And throughout the diocese, our congregations rely on the resources, relationships and support provided by the wider diocesan community.

These experiences have shaped the priorities of this campaign. Together, we will invest in three areas that are essential to the future of Episcopal ministry in Western Oregon:

  • Supporting Congregations and Clergy: Establishing a permanent fund to provide long-term support for congregations that need consistent priestly leadership.
  • Youth & Campus Ministry: Expanding ministry with young people and college students, particularly at the University of Oregon, Oregon State University and Western Oregon University.
  • Shared Infrastructure: Creating a new Diocesan Support Center in Oregon City to strengthen the resources, connections and support available to congregations and ministries throughout the diocese.

This campaign is also an opportunity to honor the legacy entrusted to us. For generations, people of faith have given generously to create and sustain places where the Church can gather, serve and grow. We stand on the foundation they built, and now it is our turn to prepare the way for those who will come after us.

This is the first significant diocesan-wide fundraising campaign in roughly 30 years. It is not simply an effort to raise funds; it is an invitation to imagine what we can accomplish together when we listen to one another, build on our strengths and invest in the future God is calling us toward.

I invite you to join me in this shared effort. With gratitude for all that has brought us to this moment, and with faith in what lies ahead, let us prepare the way for our shared ministry.

Faithfully,

+Diana

The Rt. Rev. Diana D. Akiyama

Preparing the Way for Our Shared Ministry

A Shared Investment in the Future of the Diocese

For nearly 30 years, the Diocese has not undertaken a major diocesan-wide fundraising campaign. This moment calls us to build on the legacy we have received while investing boldly in the ministry and leadership needed for the years ahead.

Through this campaign, we will focus on three priorities that will help congregations thrive, nurture the faith of young people, and strengthen the foundation for ministry throughout Western Oregon.

The needs before us

  1. Supporting Congregations

    Across Western Oregon, some congregations face challenges in maintaining a consistent clergy presence. This campaign will help provide more reliable support to congregations that need it most—strengthening faith communities and ensuring that they can continue to worship, serve, and grow together and spread the good news.

  2. Investing in Future Leadership

    The campaign will expand and strengthen youth and campus ministry, with particular focus on ministry at the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, and Western Oregon University.

    The future of the Church depends on engaging and forming the next generation. We have an opportunity to meet youth where they are and help them discover a lasting connection to the Episcopal Church.

  3. Strengthening the Foundation for Ministry

    Our Christian ministry requires a strong foundation. The Diocese provides essential support to congregations throughout Western Oregon, helping them carry out their ministries and serve their communities.

    The campaign will strengthen this diocesan infrastructure through a renewed Diocesan Support Center in historic Oregon City—a home for the resources, relationships, and support that enable congregations and ministries across the diocese to flourish.

Building on Our Legacy.

Together, we can prepare the way for a stronger, more vibrant future—one where congregations have the support they need, young people find a place in the life of the Church, and where our diocese is equipped to respond to where God is calling us next.

This is our moment to build together.

We give thanks to the generations who have built and sustained the Episcopal Church in Western Oregon, and we recognize that we are now entrusted with carrying that legacy forward.

Preparing the Way Campaign Committee

The Rt. Rev. Diana D. Akiyama
The Very Rev. Brendan Barnicle
Dr. Bill Bennetts
Mr. Rick Grimshaw
The Rev. Jeanne Kaliszweski
Dr. Michael L. Jackson
Mr. Mike Penfeld
Mrs. Leigh Wilson