Congratulations, Class of 2025! (L-R, top row): Justine Ing, Joshua Akiyama, Emma Hearn, Joshua Santos, Kobe Yamamoto (L-R, bottom row): Michelle Yokoyama, Sydney Mochizuki, Katelyn Nakase, Kaylee Yokoyama, Marcus Corsilles, and Malia Yamamoto.

Senior Pastor Reflection:

Embracing Summer Celebrations!

By the Rev. Karen Yokota Love

Congratulations to the Class of 2025! Students are out of school, graduation commencement ceremonies are transpiring, and summer break is just about in full swing. This month, we’re celebrating the end of many different chapters in our lives with slide shows, cakes, balloons, celebrations, all while making great memories.

Earlier this month, we celebrated the joy of 12 of our own youth and young adult graduates from high school and college! I’m elated that we have 12 hard working, amazing young people to celebrate. 

Congratulations to Blaine’s high school graduates: Annabelle Akiyama, Joshua Akiyama, Marcus Corsilles, Emma Hearn, Justine Ing, and Katelyn Nakase.

Congratulations to our 2025 university graduates: Kobe Yamamoto, Kaylee Yokoyama, Michelle Yokoyama, Malia Yamamoto, Sydney Mochizuki, and Joshua Santos.

As the daughter of parents who were both teachers, I remember this being a time of cheer for the family – the excitement and enthusiasm I felt for summertime as a child is only surpassed by the excitement and enthusiasm, I saw in my parents longing for a well-deserved respite. The change of routine, the chance to read and reflect, time to tackle outdoor projects, and the occasional afternoon nap sound like a small taste of retirement. 

As we prepare for the summer, there will be many positive transitions on the horizon. First, I want to thank BYG Associate Director Kaylee Yokoyama for her leadership and guidance and the ways in which she nurtured our youth during the school year. Everyone appreciates Kaylee’s hard work and dedication. Kaylee’s positive attitude and support has made a real difference on the entire team. Kaylee recently graduated from the University of Washington and is moving onward towards the next chapter of her life. I am grateful that she served in this capacity for two years. Thank you so much, Kaylee. 

On July 1, Pastor Job Pangilinan, our new Associate Pastor, will start his first day at Blaine. Pastor Job will be commissioned as a provisional member of the Pacific Northwest Conference in June at Annual Conference. He is an active member and a candidate for ministry at Fairwood Community United Methodist Church in Renton, WA. Pastor Job will oversee our Children’s, Youth and Family Ministries. With extensive work and life experience in corporate, education and legal fields and professions, he brings to the church strong gifts in administration, systems analysis and implementation, and efficiency evaluation. My hope is that together we will create a dynamic, fluid and creative team where we can continue to grow our existing ministries and breathe new life into other areas of the church!

In May, we announced that Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church are the proud recipients of a Washington State Commerce Clean Energy grant for more than $1.1 million for solar plus battery storage for our Beacon Hill community resilience hub. Our goal is to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and help support the planning and implementation of clean-energy technologies. During the summer, we will begin working on the physical installation process. This work will take a couple of years to implement. There will be a series of changes that occur on our church campus, so I’m asking in advance for grace and understanding as we transform areas of our campus to become a beacon of hope and resilience on Beacon Hill. A ginormous thank you to Steve Sakahara who has spearheaded and took the initiative to apply to multiple grants. Thank you for your ministry, Steve!

Finally, I just want to give a shout out to everyone who showed up to the Nisei Veterans Committee’s 80th Annual Memorial Day Service at the Nisei War Memorial Monument in Lake View Cemetery on Monday, May 26, 2025. The service honored the loyalty, bravery, and valor of fallen Nisei soldiers who gave their lives during World War II. Nearly 150 people attended the event to solemnly reflect on and honor the those who gave their lives for our country — the fallen soldiers from our community.  This special day brought together dignitaries and representatives from Japan, U.S. Government, branches of the U.S. military, numerous community organizations, business leaders, faith leaders (including Blaine Memorial), and local Capitol Hill neighbors taking the opportunity to respectfully participate in one of the longest running memorial services in the country. Colonel Kay Wakatake, was this year’s keynote speaker. Blaine Memorial UMC Church Member and Veteran Bruce Yamamoto provided a moving Christian Reflection and said the names of the Blaine Memorial church members who died while fighting in World War II. I provided this year’s Invocation and George Yates presented a colorful wreath from Blaine Memorial UMC. As the community wreaths from many organizations were carried to the Nisei War Memorial Monument, one could solemnly associate the petals of flowers as symbols of the many individuals, families, and organizations who lost loved ones during war or conflict and their ardent beauty as elements depicting honor, reverence, and remembrance. The playing of Taps and the retiring of the colors concluded the formalities of the 80th Annual NVC and NVC Foundation Memorial Day Service.

How will you renew yourself this summer? Are there season specific activities that bring you joy and feed your spirit? Or is summer one part of an ongoing flow of actions that sustain you year-round? Whatever the date may be, I believe we all benefit from being intentional to nurture our spirits in the ways that are meaningful to us. In the same way the farmers pay close attention to the inputs of water, sun, and nutrients to the plants they grow all summer, so too we can actively seek to cultivate our own spiritual well-being. May taking a long loving look at the summer days ahead yield you many meaningful insights that carry you through all the seasons, that strengthen the work of your hearts and hands, and that ultimately bring benefit and blessing to all.

The Rev. Karen Yokota Love serves as the Senior Pastor of Blaine Memorial UMC

Announcements

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Our Story Continues!

• Senior Pastor Reflection: Embracing Summer Celebrations!
• Please join us for upcoming events at Blaine Memorial UMC!
• In Photos: Mother’s Day
• In Photos: Holy Week, Easter unite community
• Blaine’s 120th Anniversary Aprons & Sling Bags
• BYG Update: To New Beginnings
• Spiritual Formation Center: A Time to Transition, It’s a New Season

Juneteenth Office Closure • June 19

In recognition of the Juneteenth federal holiday, our Church Office will be closed on Thursday, June 19, 2025. We will be open on Friday, June 20, from 10am-4pm.

1,000 Paper Crane Project • Due July 20, 2025

The Archives Committee is asking church members to come together to pray for peace by folding 1000 paper cranes as we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the end of World War II, and the closing of the World War II US incarceration camps which imprisoned Japanese Americans.

The folding of 1000 origami cranes has come to symbolize a prayer for peace.

We would like members to fold the origami cranes during social hour after service, in Sunday School, in your small groups, and at your homes and other spaces. We can give you some origami paper or you can use your own origami paper (6-inches by 6-inches).

Please give or send your origami cranes to the church office as soon as you finish or by July 20, 2025.

35th Annual ACRS Walk for Rice @ Seward Park • June 28, 9:00 am

This year ACRS will hold the Walk for Rice at 9:00 am on Saturday, June 28, 2025 at Seward Park. Team Blaine raised over $11,000 last year (2nd place) and this year’s fundraising goal is $8,000. We’re off to a great start, but still have a way to go to reach our goal.

Help ACRS feed AAPI community members who are experiencing food insecurity by donating to and/or registering to walk with Team Blaine:

Donate Online through Team Blaine:
Team Blaine at ACRS

Mail your donation to the Blaine office:
Checks to “Walk for Rice”, memo: “Team Blaine”

Thanks for your support!
Justine I., Team Captain

View the June 2025 Calendar

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