BYG Update: Graduations, summer programs, and more!
By Kaylee Yokoyama, Associate Director, BYG
It’s already that time of the year again! It’s summertime! We’re looking forward to the warmer weather, and time to relax, reflect, and prepare for the upcoming youth ministries next year. This also means that summer camps, retreats, and activities are coming up. BYG will be packed full of exciting opportunities such as Vacation Bible School, Junior High Camp, Asian American Summer Camp, and getting prepared for the upcoming school year. During the summer break, the BYG leadership team will also take the time to debrief, reflect, and plan for the upcoming year.
This month is also special because we are celebrating graduates within BYG!
These graduates include:
- Allison Hall, graduate from Bellevue High School
- Michelle Yokoyama, graduate from Seattle Pacific University with a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics
- Malia Yamamoto, graduate from the University of Washington with degrees in Biochemistry and Sociology
- Jem Miyake, graduate from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo with a degree in Environmental Management and Protection.
We had the opportunity to celebrate some of these graduates’ wonderful accomplishments with a BYG graduation celebration on June 17th in the Social Hall, with BYG graduates, family, and friends.
We enjoyed playing trivia about the graduates, having a delicious meal together, as well as spending time with one another. We are proud of these graduates and excited to see what’s next in their journey! We wish the graduates well in their future endeavors and know they will do great things!
Another exciting part of summer youth ministries is the camping ministry, such as Junior High Camp and Asian Camp. Junior High Camp was held June 25-30, while the high schoolers are preparing to head to Asian Camp later this month. This month we are also hoping to clean up the BYG room to prepare for the upcoming school year. It is always nice to start the year off with a clean and organized room, so we are hoping to clean the BYG room before we begin again!
Thank you for your continued support of BYG, which has allowed the youth the opportunities to attend camp, grow their faith, and develop meaningful relationships. Thank you Blaine Memorial congregation for supporting the youth in their passions and growth. Long story short be sure to keep your eyes open for updated announcements, fundraisers, and news!
Important Dates for July 2023
- July 10-14: Vacation Bible School 10am-3pm
- July 23-28: Asian American Summer Camp
- TBD: BYG Room Clean up
We are looking forward to a spectacular summer! BYG will not meet on Sunday mornings throughout July and August. We encourage youth and families to attend worship together at 10:00 am in-person and via live stream! Blaine Youth Group (BYG) is a place where youth (6th-12th grade) are invited into a loving community and celebrated as they are. BYG provides a safe environment for youth to build lasting friendships, grow spiritually, learn acceptance of self and others, express compassion for the world, and develop a love for God and neighbor. BYG has a space for any person who is interested.
Directors of Youth Ministry: Lynne Onishi (lynneonishi@gmail.com), Kai Yamamoto (kai.yamamo@gmail.com), and Kaylee Yokoyama (kaylee.yokoyama1@gmail.com).
Read our latest issue of the Beacon!
The July edition of the Beacon features stories from our church in celebration of Summer! Download the PDF!
July 2023 Calendar
