St Stephen's Episcopal Church : Clergy

St Stephens Church

The Rev. Rilla Barrett

Priest-In-Charge

(360) 770-8061

The Rev. Rilla Barrett has served as Priest-in-Charge at St. Stephen’s since September, 2013. She was ordained on November 19, 2009, and worked for a time in the Komo Kulshan Cluster (a group of five Episcopal and ELCA Lutheran congregations in Skagit County), and later at Church of Our Saviour, Monroe, before coming to Oak Harbor. Prior to her ordination, she worked as a teacher in the public schools of Washington for 29 years. She holds a BA in Education from Western Washington University, an MA in Education from Seattle Pacific University, and an MA in Divinity from Vancouver School of Theology. Rilla has been a Third Order Franciscan since 2004.

Rilla is married to Michael Barrett, a writer and editor and lives on Reed Lake in Whatcom County with Michael and their miniature dachshund, Daisy. She has three grown children and three grandchildren. In her spare time she enjoys time with her family, cross stitch, quilting, crocheting, gardening, traveling, and music of all types.

Rilla’s theology is greatly wrapped in the words of Isaiah read by Jesus in the temple and proclaimed in Luke, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4: 18-19) Christianity calls each of us, following our baptismal vows, to serve all people, particularly those in need. Additionally, the words of Micah 6:8 inform her actions. “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”