Senior Pastor News
Blaine Church members meet-and-greet with Bishop Cedrick D. Bridgeforth. From (L-R): Sharon Maeda, Bishop Cedrick D. Bridgeforth, Ron Nobuyama and Rev. Karen Yokota Love


We are resurrection people!

By Rev. Karen Yokota Love, additional photos by Lawrence Paltep and Jesse N. Love

Hallelujah! Christ is risen. Hallelujah! Christ is risen, indeed! I greet you with the miracle of Easter during this Eastertide season.

Members and friends of Blaine wrap the rice balls with anko. The rice balls were prepared the night before. Anko is a sweet red bean paste made from adzuki beans and sugar.

I’m thrilled because Blaine Memorial’s Sukiyaki Take Out benefit ministry event was an absolute success. After three years of being suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a great team of leadership resurrected Sukiyaki this year. Thank you for your generous support. This event can only be successful when folks like yourselves are willing to give your time, energy and commitment. Take a look at “Sukiyaki Photos 2023” to see all of the fun.

The Blaine Youth Group prepared a delicious breakfast for Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023.

To top that off, Easter Sunday at Blaine Memorial was magical this year. Our Blaine Youth Group (BYG) resurrected the Easter Breakfast! The BYG prepared and cooked a delicious Easter breakfast with all the fixings – scrambled eggs, mini sausages, fruit, cinnamon rolls, haupia, and so much more!

Steve Sofronas and Joseph Adriano set the flowered cross in the sanctuary.

The Worship Committee decorated the sanctuary on Holy Saturday. The altar was covered in lilies with white and gold touches. Joe Adriano, Steve Sofronas and Michael Corsilles carried in the flowered cross during the processional which magnified the sanctuary. Our Church School Teachers and BYG filled and hid 300 Easter Eggs in the Social Hall and Kono Chapel for our children. Even though it rained all morning, Easter was still special with Christ’s love surrounding us with breakfast, the flowering of the cross, a dynamic worship service and an Egg Hunt. Thank you for a special Easter, Blaine Memorial. Christ Is Risen, Indeed!

George Yates and Shig Nishida serve breakfast on Mother’s Day as Rev. Karen Yokota Love partakes in a hearty meal.

Speaking of eggs, our Mother’s Day Breakfast made a comeback! We honored the women and those who identify as women at Blaine Memorial UMC on Sunday, May 14. We showed love to our mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, aunts, sisters, cousins, wives, teachers, mentors, and all the women in our lives that have influenced and shaped us into the people who we are today. The men of Blaine Memorial prepared breakfast early at 6am. Thank you to Howard Nakase for chairing this year’s Mother’s Day breakfast!

Team Blaine represents at the ACRS Walk for Rice!

May signals the importance of Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. On Sunday, May 21, we will celebrate our long-standing relationship with Asian Counseling and Referral Services. Executive Director Michael Byun will join us in our worship service and share stories with us about ACRS’s long history with Blaine Memorial. ACRS promotes social justice and the well-being and empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other underserved communities – including immigrants, refugees, and American-born – by developing, providing, and advocating for innovative, effective, and efficient community-based multilingual and multicultural services. We’ll also hear from Audrey Hwang and Justine about the upcoming Walk for Rice event in June. Visit “Walk for Rice 2023” for more info.

The Rev. Karen Yokota Love presents a Reconciling Ministries Moment during Sunday Worship on May 7, 2023.

Also on Sunday, May 21, we will take a straw poll after worship. This poll is to identify if we can become a reconciling congregation. It will also give us an opportunity to measure our progress and to discuss further scripture texts, intentionally facilitate dialogue, and answer any questions that one might have to become a reconciling congregation. Please look at “God’s Radical Love: Diversity”, where Lynne Onishi discusses the process more in depth.

Earlier last month, I had the honor of meeting our new Greater Northwest Resident Area Bishop, Cedrick D. Bridgeforth at a Meet-and-Greet with the SeaTac District. We also had the chance to meet his spouse, Christopher. Bishop Cedrick expressed his great passion with a wide range of social justice issues, including restorative justice, homelessness, and hunger. He articulated in his sermon that one of his goals while he serves the Greater Northwest Area is to eradicate racism and discrimination of all kinds. I look forward to Bishop Cedrick’s leadership and where he will take this conference with his vision and innovative ideas.

As we move towards Pentecost, which signifies the birthday of the church, may you feel and know the power of the Holy Spirit this season. May you celebrate and be renewed with God’s Spirit. May you use this time of deep reflection and a renewal of faith. May God be with you. Blessings to you during this season!


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