All are Welcome!
- Transfiguration Sunday
- Feb. 15, 2026, 10 a.m.
- View the livestream
Sermon Questions
- Mountaintop moments
Think about a time when you experienced clarity, joy, or a sense of God’s presence — a “mountaintop moment.”
What made that moment meaningful for you?
How did it shape what came next, if at all? - Light in the valley
Jesus says, “You are the light of the world.”
What does that idea stir in you — comfort, challenge, uncertainty, hope?
Where do you see darkness or heaviness in your own life or community, and what might it look like to bring light there? - Moving forward with courage
In the sermon, the disciples, Kenneth Walker III, and Simba all face moments where they could stay safe — or move forward with courage.
Where do you feel tempted to stay comfortable right now?
What is one small, realistic step you could take this week to follow Christ’s call and shine light in a tangible way?
Order of Worship
| Prelude Kathy Onishi |
| Welcome of Grace and Greeting Rev. Karen Yokota Love |
| Land Acknowledgement Rev. Karen Yokota Love |
| Call to Worship Written by Rev. Karen Yokota Love Stephen Sumida |
| Opening Hymn “Thy Word is a Lamp” UMH #601 Eugene and Kathy Onishi |
| Opening Prayer Stephen Sumida |
| First Scripture Reading Exodus 24:12-18 (CEB) Tsutomu Nagoya, Stephen Sumida |
| Children’s Message Sai Hanaoka |
| Special Music “Every Time I Feel the Spirit” UMH #404 Blaine Memorial Choir |
| Second Scripture Reading Matthew 17:1-9 (CEB) Tsutomu Nagoya, Stephen Sumida |
| Sermon “Who Speaks on the Mountain?” Rev. Karen Yokota Love |
| Hymn of Reflection “Swiftly Pass the Clouds of Glory” TFWS #2102 Eugene and Kathy Onishi |
| Special Offering Music Kathy Onishi |
| Prayer of Dedication Stephen Sumida |
| Announcements Ron Nobuyama |
| Closing Hymn Kathy and Eugene Onishi |
| Benediction Rev. Karen Yokota Love |
| Postlude Kathy Onishi |
| Altar Flowers Carol Kastrup |
Daily Lectionary Readings*
| Sunday, February 15, 2026: Transfiguration Sunday Exodus 24:12-18; Psalm 2 or Psalm 99; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-9 |
| Monday, February 16, 2026: Psalm 78:17-20, 52-55; Exodus 33:7-23; Acts 7:30-34; |
| Tuesday, February 17, 2026: Psalm 78:17-20, 52-55; 1 Kings 19:9-18; Romans 11:1-6; |
| Wednesday, February 18, 2026: Ash Wednesday Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 or Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 51:1-17; 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 |
| Thursday, February 19, 2026: Psalm 51; Jonah 3:1-10; Romans 1:1-7; |
| Friday, February 20, 2026: Psalm 51; Jonah 4:1-11; Romans 1:8-17; |
| Saturday, February 21, 2026: Psalm 51; Isaiah 58:1-12; Matthew 18:1-7; |
*Daily Lectionary Readings are provided by Bible Gateway and Vanderbilt University.
Blaine Memorial UMC Announcements and Upcoming Events
Dates to Remember
| Wednesdays, 9 a.m. • Prayer and Coffee on Zoom | |||
| Sunday, Feb. 15, 1 p.m. • Minidoka Pilgrimage Committee — Day of Remembrance | |||
| Wednesday, Feb. 18, 1 p.m. • Ash Wednesday Service | |||
| Thursday, Feb. 19, 9:30 a.m. • Press Gathering at King County Airport | |||
| Saturday, Feb. 21, 1 p.m. • Solidarity Day at Northwest Detention Center | |||
| Saturday, Mar. 7, 1 p.m.-7 p.m. • Sukiyaki Benefit Event! |
Minidoka Pilgrimage 2026: EO 9066 Japanese American Day of Remembrance
When: Sunday, Feb. 15, at 1 p.m.
Where: Seattle University, Pigott Auditorium
Seattle University and the Minidoka Pilgrimage Planning Committee invite you to the 2026 Day of Remembrance, “No Choice but to Resist: EO 9066 Japanese American Day of Remembrance,” on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
The afternoon will begin at 1 p.m. with a powerful taiko performance by Hidaka Taiko, joined by guest groups Inochi Taiko and Tobe Daiko. At 2:15 p.m., the program will continue with screenings of three new documentaries exploring the experiences and resistance of Japanese Americans during World War II:
- “To Heal, to Hold, and to Fight” — a short film about the Minidoka Pilgrimage
- “Dust: Poems for the Vanished” — a visually striking short by local artist Glenn Mitsui, featuring poems by Brandon Shimoda
- “Defiant to the Last: Resistance at Tule Lake” — by filmmaker Emiko Omori and Barbara Takei
A filmmaker panel discussion will follow the screenings.
The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required, though guests are encouraged to register in advance.
Beginning at noon, the Seattle University School of Law will also host an exhibit in the Pigott Atrium on the life and legacy of Gordon Hirabayashi.
A special $8 event parking rate is available with advance reservation by completing this survey:
https://tinyurl.com/2026DOR
Registration and parking details are available through the Day of Remembrance event page.
NEW! Tsuru for Solidarity Day of Remembrance gatherings
Thursday, Feb. 19, 9:30AM: Press Gathering at King County Airport
7277 Perimeter Road S, Seattle 98108 (in front of the main terminal)
Join us as Tsuru for Solidarity, La Resistencia, and local artists lift our voices together, calling for a halt to all deportation flights and the closure of the Northwest Detention Center. Last year, over 5,000 souls were sent away from this airport, a heart-wrenching rise since the start of the second Trump Administration. Let us come together to speak for those whose voices are too often silenced.
Saturday, Feb. 21, 1:00 PM, Solidarity Day at Northwest Detention Center
1623 E J St., Tacoma 98421
Following the Puyallup DOR morning program at the Fairgrounds, we will gather outside the gates of the Northwest Detention Center for a day of solidarity. Hear the rhythms of Taiko, stories from JA incarceration survivors, and the voices of our neighbors inside the prison. Your presence matters as we call for freedom and dignity for all who are detained.
With gratitude to the Blaine community for standing with us (Tsuru for Solidarity) through the years, we invite you once again to show that our Japanese American community cares deeply — and will stand beside our immigrant neighbors in hope and solidarity.
NEW! Ash Wednesday service set for Wednesday, Feb. 18, 1 p.m.
You’re invited to an intimate Taizé-style Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday, February 18 at 1:00 PM in the Sanctuary.
Join us for a peaceful, reflective time of prayer, music, and contemplation as we begin the season of Lent. Rev. Karen will share a short homily. Receive the ashes as a meaningful symbol of repentance and renewal.
Please note that this service will not be live-streamed due to copyright restrictions.
We look forward to sharing this sacred moment with you — let’s enter Lent together in heart and spirit.
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Annual Sukiyaki Benefit Fundraiser Dinner — Saturday, Mar. 7, 2026
Time: 1–6 p.m.
Where: Blaine Memorial UMC
Details: Sukiyaki will be $20 per order. Cooked and uncooked options will be available, along with takeout and limited dine-in seating.
Beneficiary: The Pacific Northwest Conference of The United Methodist Church’s Disaster Fund, supporting survivors of the December 2025 floods in Washington state.
Volunteer Opportunities: Sign-up sheets are available in the Social Hall. Volunteers are needed for ohagi (Friday and Saturday), vegetable, meat, and tofu prep; setup; dishwashing; takeout; rice cooking; bakery booth; and more.
Wednesday Morning Coffee and Prayer — Feb. 18, 2026
You are invited to join Pastor Karen for Wednesday Morning Coffee and Prayer on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 9 a.m. on Zoom.
Our time together includes brief check-ins, a devotional and prayer. We will continue reading from the January/February 2026 edition of The Upper Room Daily Devotional Guide. This gathering is a meaningful way to begin your morning—centering your mind, connecting with God and sharing fellowship with your prayer community. Feel free to bring a cup of coffee or tea and a light snack. The Zoom link will be emailed on Tuesday.
Migrant and Refugee Donation Ministry at Riverton Park UMC
Riverton Park UMC is currently in need of:
- Diapers (sizes 3–7)
- Diaper wipes
- Kitchen pots and pans
- Paper plates
- Toothpaste
- Long-grain rice
- Cooking oil
Blaine Memorial UMC Collection Hours: Donations may be dropped off at the Blaine Memorial Social Hall Tuesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please call the church office at 206-723-1536 prior to dropping off items.