Spiritual Formation – Page 2 – Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church

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Asian Camp 2024

Posted by Web Team on Aug 12, 2024 in Blaine Youth Group, Church News & Events, Prayer, Small Groups, Spiritual Formation

BYG Update Camping Edition: Asian Camp 2024

Why Asian Camp is Important for the Future

By Edwin Santos, additional photos by the Rev. Karen Yokota Love

This year’s Asian Camp in California prepares youth for their faith journeys, “Yesterday, Today, and Forever”.

The 2024 Asian Camp was held at Camp Gilmore in Calabasas, CA from July 14-19, 2024. Asian Camp had youth from various states such as Washington, Colorado, and the majority being from California. As a first-time attendee, it was great to be part of the Asian American community, especially when observing the Blaine Youth Group (BYG) as part of worship, outdoor activities, and faith moments.

The theme of Asian Camp “Yesterday, Today, and Forever” focuses on the growth of our identities. Fellow campers were each part of a “Growth Group” that included a counselor throughout the duration of the camp. The program tied very well with current life and identity themes with Christ in an ever changing world. As we recognize where God showed up in our past, we can anticipate his presence today, and plan for it in our tomorrow.

Compared to other youth camps that I have attended, the food at Asian Camp was delicious and nutritious! Youth camp meals tend to be bland, but Asian Camp checked all the boxes in flavor, nutritional value, and variety!

Having an excellent experience for youth is important because of their dwindling numbers in the church. If the youth do not have a welcoming experience in a camp, then they won’t return for future events. Not only are youth the future, they are the present and they need to be provided a space for all youth in order for them to grow in Christ for the future.

***Emma and Katelyn pop balloons over their fellow competitors after a victorious win during the water balloon toss!***

Parents are also important in the camp experience. They can help keep the lessons learned from Asian camp relevant by making sure that their children attend future camps so that they can stay up to date with what’s going on in their community. It’s crucial to have camps based on affinity/culture so that the youth can stay connected to their history and culture. I also believe that it is very important that people of color be part of other camps because in the eyes of God we are one family; we are God’s family.

Lastly, the theme of faith is part of daily life for our youth. Growing up, many of them are experiencing the hardships of being part of the world but not fully responsible or in control of it. Being reminded of the importance of faith in life is vital for youth in their walk as a believers of Christ.

Edwin Santos attends Blaine Memorial UMC in Seattle, Washington.

Asian Camp 2024 Reactions

This year’s AC provided great experiences for our young people. Let’s hear what they had to say about camp!

“I really enjoyed Asian Camp. I attended Junior High Camp for the past two years so going to Asian Camp was really “reconciling-ish.” My favorite moment was being part of the (community with the) same faith and similar background. The theme of the camp was “Yesterday, Today, and Forever”. It was very centered on the future and how you can still change it and let God lead the way. It’s not set in stone yet.”

-Mia I.

“It was a fun and welcoming experience. We had a lot of fun activities like water day and a banquet. I’ll remember those moments.”

-Annabelle A.

BYG will not meet on Sunday mornings throughout the summer. We encourage youth and families to attend worship together at 10:00am 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. BYG has a space for any person who is interested and all are welcome.

Contact Information

Director of Youth Ministry (Outgoing)

Lynne Onishi

Associate Directors of Youth Ministry

Kai Yamamoto and Kaylee Yokoyama

Announcements

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Prayers and Coffee on Zoom • Wednesdays at 9am

Join Rev. Karen for prayer and community on Wednesdays at 9:00 AM on Zoom. Our time together consists of brief check-ins, devotionals, and prayers. This is a great way to start your morning, clear and center your mind, all while connecting with God and your prayer community. Feel free to bring a cup of coffee, tea, and a bite to eat. Hope to see you on Wednesday.

The Beacon is now available!

Bookmark blaineonline.org for more infomation!

Vacation Bible School 2024 Continues!

August 18

Theme: Operation Restoration – Mending God’s World Time: 10am to 12pm, including lunch

Location: BMUMC Church School Classrooms

Registration: $20 per Sunday per child, Additional Campers from same family $15. We will register your kiddo on the day of VBS. If you have not registered it is still not too late. We will continue to accept new registrations all the way up to the last day of VBS Sunday! Visit blaineonline.org for registration!

Email: blainevbs@gmail.com to enroll now!

2024 Guatemala Mission Trip

From August 16 through August 24, a Blaine mission team (20 from Blaine Memorial and 3 from Mt. Vernon First UMC) will be going on a trip to Guatemala in Central America. We will be working mostly with the indigenous Mayan people near the town of Panajachel by Lake Atitlan with a UMC related organization, Mission Guatemala (www.missionguatemala.com). Mission Guatemala is “a faith-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a mission to help meet the basic needs and improve the quality of life of under-served and impoverished Guatemalan peoples through health, education and nutrition initiatives and missionary service”. We will have a Vacation Bible School with crafts, games, lots of laughter and fun.

Our construction crew will help build a kitchen at the junior high school in Godinez. Our dental team will be serving Mission Guatemala’s scholarship children at the medical clinic in San Andres, Semetabaj. Most of all, we will be building friendships with the missionaries and staff at Mission Guatemala, with the local families living in the area, and with our team members. We are excited about the opportunity to share and receive God’s love with people of a different culture.

We ask Blaine church members to please pray for safe travels, building relationships with those we meet and showing Christ’s love through our actions and words. Thank you for your prayers and support!

Team Members: Anne Arakaki-Lock, Joshua Akiyama, Milo Choe, Nina Choe, Judy Kuo, Laura Gilbert, Kenji Guess, Alice Ikeda, Howard Nakase, Jill Nishi, Katelyn Nakase, Zachary Nakase, Janet Sekijima, Margaret Sekijima, Bob Sekijima, Donna Sekijima, Lourdes Tifre, Pastor Zulma Tifre, Stacy Lopez, Martin Yagi, Teresa Yagi, Pearl Yamamoto, Rev. Karen Yokota Love

Tsuru for Solidarity Presents: Liberation Obon!

September 1, 2024, 1:00pm to Dusk

Outside the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC) 1623 E J Street, Tacoma, WA 98421

Shut down NWDC! Liberation Obon will celebrate ancestors and resilience to end immigrant detention! Join La Resistencia and Tsuru for Solidarity as we protest wrongful imprisonment.

Activities will include:

Traditional circle and street folk dancing
Children’s art making
Giant Daruma!
Community food trucks Healing ceremonies
Speakers from inside NWDC

Wear your heritage clothing! Blaine will organize a group to go to the obon after worship! Please contact Rev. Karen is you’re interested in participating!

Afghanistan and Ukrainian Refugee Donation Ministry

Items being collected: At this time, we have an abundance of some items and so we are NOT in need of clothing or children’s toys. Especially needed items include women’s products, toothpaste, personal care items, rice cookers, blenders, mixing bowls, microwave ovens, toasters, mixers, irons, dish sets, towels, and blankets.

Blaine Memorial UMC Collection Hours: Collection items can be dropped off at the Blaine Memorial Social Hall from Tuesday-Friday between 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Please call the Church Office at (206) 723-1536 prior to dropping off your items.

South King County Response Center Collection Volunteer Hours: The Donation Center is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, same time as the Tukwila Pantry at 3118 S. 140th St. Seattle. Please text Kim Parks at (206) 683-1707 when you would like to help. Please wear a mask and bring a marking pen and measuring tape if possible. Other Questions? Please contact Donna Sekijima or Anne Arakaki-Lock.

Learn More

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Junior High Camp 2024

Posted by Web Team on Aug 12, 2024 in Blaine Youth Group, Church News & Events, Prayer, Small Groups, Spiritual Formation

***Junior High Camp (incoming 6th-9th grade) was held on June 23-28, 2024 at Camp Lodestar in Wilseyville, California.***

BYG Update Camping Edition: Junior High Camp 2024

Finding Your True Self

By Kai Yamamoto

Those with sound thoughts you will keep in peace, in peace because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord is a rock for all ages.

–Isaiah 26: 3-4

The theme for Junior High Camp this year was “Trust”. We followed Isaiah 26: 3-4, a song about Trusting in God. But what does it look like to trust in God?

During camp, the Rev. Keith Inouye presented his sermon on how Peter trusted the Lord – when he stepped off the boat and walked on water. The water was turbulent, and he had many fears, yet he trusted in the Lord and the Lord took care of him. After listening to his sermon, I reflected on the journey that took me back to JHC this year.

I had not attended Junior High Camp or Asian Camp for several years prior, and this was my first year back. As a camper, JHC was not for me. I did not enjoy attending JHC; it was hard to make friends at camp. But like Peter, I stepped off the boat. I decided that I would make the trip alongside Aidan Lew, who also had not attended JHC or Asian Camp for a few years. Aidan decided that this year he would counsel JHC, even though he had not seen many of his fellow counselors in a while. But we trusted that the Lord would take care of us for the week and allow us to have a great time –and we did!

***Tyler and Jordan alongside Counselor Aidan dressed up and ready for etiquette dinner.***

“Counseling JHC was honestly one of the best experiences of my life! I felt my connection with God grew through experiences that both my campers and fellow counselors taught me. Being able to spend time with and learn from my campers in my growth group was an incredible experience. JHC has been so important in how I’ve developed as a Christian for years. Even though camp is transitioning into a new era, the same values and traditions that have made it special for people of so many generations are still very strong. I got to witness camp magic firsthand…I encourage everyone to keep supporting camping ministries as a whole so we can grow our camp community even more. I look forward to counseling and creating more memories in the future!”

-Aiden Lew

***Jordan enjoying the night on the dance floor.***

Although there were many familiar faces, there were also many new ones, too, and I had a great time. Connecting with the fellow adult staff, campers, counselors, and directors was a great experience! I was able to feel the camp magic for the first time, although from a different perspective. I saw our youth, Jordan and Tyler, connect with friends they had not seen since last year and have so much fun! I was also able to see a bond between Aidan and the other counselors, and how tight knit the entire group was! It was hard for everyone to say goodbye at the end of the week. But in trusting God, I know They will bring us all back together next year!

***Leadership from this year’s Junior High Camp gather for a photo including adult staff, JHC directors, and our own BYG co-associate director Kai Yamamoto.***

Now going back to the question, what does it look like to trust in God? Pastor Yoshi Kuramoto discussed how we must know that “God wants goodness for you and to find your truest self—not just for you, but for the person next to you, and the person next to that”.

To Trust in God is to find ourselves and to be ourselves. We are going to be loved and cared for, no matter who we are and our past experiences.

Kai Yamamoto serves as a co-director of the Blaine Youth Group.

Upcoming Events

August 24, 2024: Asian Camp 50th Anniversary Basketball Tournament

BYG will not meet on Sunday mornings throughout the summer. We encourage youth and families to attend worship together at 10:00am in-person and via live stream!