The Rt. Rev. Dr. Diana D. Akiyama Ordained and Consecrated as the 11th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Diana D. Akiyama was ordained and consecrated as the 11th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon on Saturday, January 30, 2021 at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon. Bishop Akiyama was the first Japanese-American woman ordained to the Episcopal priesthood, and she is the first Asian-American woman consecrated as Bishop in The Episcopal Church. She is the first bishop to be consecrated at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in over a century.
“I am very excited to begin the work of building up the Beloved Community – the body of Christ,” Akiyama said. “Our call, in this time, is to heal, reconcile, and love each other as Christ loves us.”
The Rt. Rev. Gretchen Rehberg, Bishop of Spokane and the Vice President of Province VIII, served as the Chief Consecrator. Joining Rehberg as Co-Consecrators were the Rt. Rev. Michael Hanley, the former bishop of the Diocese of Oregon, the Rt. Rev. Robert Fitzpatrick, Diocese of Hawai’i, and the Rt. Rev. Laurie Larson Caesar, Oregon Synod-ELCA.
“The good news though today is the church sees you,” the Rt. Rev. Brian N. Prior, resigned bishop of Minnesota and personal friend of Akiyama, preached. “The Church sees you in ways that they should have seen you long ago, and now through the work of the Holy Spirit, because of you, and through you, and from you, others will be seen. This is a good day for the church.”
The sermon was followed by a prayer written by the newly ordained and consecrated bishop, it was sung by Mila Polevia, the Music Director of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in Kapau’au, Hawai’i, where Akiyama previously served as Vicar before being elected bishop on August 29, 2020.
Other bishops in attendance were the Rt. Rev. Patrick Bell, Diocese of Eastern Oregon, the Rt. Rev. Greg Rickel, Diocese of Olympia, and the Rt. Rev. Megan Traquair, Diocese of Northern California. The Very Rev. Nathan LeRud, Dean of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral greeted the guests present in the Cathedral and online, and local Oregon Interfaith leaders offered a message of welcome to the new bishop through a video message.
Due to the health restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance was limited to service participants, and close family and friends of the bishop, and was live-streamed online for the whole diocese and the greater church, which can be found on our website www.diocese-oregon.org.
The bi-lingual service bulletin is available here. Included in the bulletin is a full description of Akiyama’s vestments, designed and constructed by Karen Illman Miller, Corvallis-based artist and a Katazome master, a traditional Japanese stencil dying technique. The vestments incorporate themes and elements special to Oregon and Hawai’i, particularly the element of water.
“Thank you, the people of Episcopal Diocese of Oregon, for calling me to walk with you in this next season of our life together working to build up the beloved community.” Akiyama addressed the small gathering in the nave and hundreds of viewers online. “I look forward to meeting each and every one of you and being in community, particularly after this pandemic.”
In the midst of a devastating pandemic, this service was an afternoon of joy and celebration, overflowing with the love and presence of the Holy Spirit.
