Steve Sofronas prepares charcoal in preparation for grilling.
The hands and feet of Blaine
By Anne Arakaki-Lock
Whether it’s rinsing out the coffee pot after Social Hour, folding newsletters for mail out, boiling noodles for Bazaar, trimming the overgrown trees in the parking area, working on the soundboard at worship, ushering, or counting the offering, God really likes it when we do things for Him and celebrate our blessings at the same time. Contrarily, the Spirit grieves when we complain and do things begrudgingly, reluctantly, critically. Even we enjoy it when someone does something for us with a happy attitude.
Volunteers shred chicken for udon.
Most recently, we all worked together on the Bazaar to help our Maui family. We did it willingly and had fun serving together. Sure, it was strenuous at times, and we learned what we want to do next year, but we kept our eye on the ball. Most importantly we knew our mission — that God needed us to be his “hands and feet” to sincerely greet and serve the community from which the pandemic had kept us apart for several years. God wanted us to acknowledge the person working on our sides. In fact, many people just came and said, “We are so glad Bazaar is back.” Then there were folks who said, “Here I am. I’d like to volunteer.” I have no doubt God was pleased.
Volunteers grill delicious chicken teriyaki during Bazaar.
So now I say, let’s carry this wonderful giving spirit into our Stewardship Campaign, Together for Joy. After all, not only are time and abilities gifts from God, but everything we have is really from Him — the cookies and blueberry pies, the plants, the air we breathe, our homes, the church, our jobs. Yep, even “our” money is really God’s. You may want to pause for a moment and quietly pray about this means. When you hear His voice and think about all that God has asked you to steward on this earth, you will know what you should give back to Him as a follower of Christ to help build His Kingdom. My prayer for you is that you return much of what you have with a cheerful heart. Amen?
“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” – 2 Corinthians 9:7-8
Anne Arakaki-Lock is a member of Blaine UMC’s Congregational Care Ministries team.
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Blaine Memorial Youth peel and chop apples to make apple crisps. Their work will help support families at Kimball Elementary School.
BYG focuses on gratitude and service
By Kaylee Yokoyama, photos by Kai Yamamoto
Upcoming Events
Thanksgiving Meal • Nov. 19
Apple Crisp Making • Nov. 19
Mashed Potato Making • Nov. 20
Kimball Delivery • Nov. 21
As autumn leaves are falling down, we are putting the pieces into place and focusing towards acts of service. As the Blaine Youth Group has been known to do in the past, we’ve begun honoring Thanksgiving as a time of gratitude and service. During mid-November, BYG will prepare and serve Thanksgiving meals for families at Kimball Elementary. We encourage the youth to extend grace to our community through acts of service.
This time of the year is a busy time for lots of families. As we approach the season of giving, Thanksgiving is a time for our youth to remember what they are most thankful for and how they can use their gifts to serve others.
With our youth balancing school and extracurriculars, it can be difficult to manage our priorities and maintain our faith. BYG intends to continually remind the youth to give grace to others, whether at church, school, or home. We should always give thanks. BYG wants to emphasize the fact that stewardship should not only be highlighted in our faith during the month of November, but year round. We plan to continually remind and offer opportunities to be stewards through various projects throughout the year.
Thank you Blaine congregation for continuing to support youth throughout various Blaine events! Please make sure to keep a look out for upcoming BYG events, news, and announcements.
BYG meets on Sundays at 10:00 AM. We will gather in the Sanctuary for the beginning of worship service before transitioning over to the Nishida Room for BYG time after the children’s message.
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.
With the help of those who donated time, talent, and hard-work, we were able to receive donations of plants, get good deals on meat and chicken for curry (as well as rice). Also, because of our volunteers, delicious menu items such as udon, ohagi and other delights were available. It’s these wonderful volunteers who really made this year’s Bazaar a success I hoped it would be.
Rev. Karen Yokota Love catches up with Judy and Bruce Yasutake and Wendall Watanabe.
Thank you, Rev. Karen, for making your first Blaine apple and blueberry pies, and for bringing your pastoral leadership and wisdom to us. Thank you, Rev. Mia, for shepherding our young people (which was kind of like wrangling kittens). Thank you, Yuki Sofronas, for taking care of the many inquiries, the posters, and for facility support.
Stephanie Nishida, Roberta Yoshioka and Julie Shioshita make pie dough.
Last but not least, I would like to give a big “Thank You” to our Blaine Family, specifically to our the list of volunteers. Listing all of our helpers would take six pages, so I will feature our “headliners” here and when possible, throw out hugs and pats on the backs for jobs well done in every committee. Your time and dedication are always welcome. You are absolutely necessary for success and your hard work is a heartfelt gesture toward UMCOR’s Maui Relief effort.
Leslie Okura and the gang prepare berries for pie-making!
God answered my prayers. Thank you all for a wonderful community-based event that we have welcomed back at Blaine Memorial UMC!
Lesley Okura and Ron Nobuyama served as Co-Chairs for this year’s Benefit Bazaar at Blaine Memorial UMC.
Bazaar 2023 Supporters
Tsukemono
Jim Okura
Dave Hayasaka
Grill Pit Masters
Joe Adolfo
Jason Lew
Tim Ikegami
Howard Nakase
Steve Sofronas
BBQ Marinade
Steve Sakahara
Rice
John Hodge
Poster Design Team
Allyson and Steve
Farmers Market
Wendy Yates
Produce Donation Support
SK Produce
Plant Donations
Dave Yorozu, T. Yorozu Gardening
Curry Meat & Chicken
Red Apple Market
Curry Prep
Tina Fujii
Rice & Food Storage
Uwajimaya
Bakery Sales
Julie Lock
Pie and Ohagi Sales
Terri Adolfo
Ohagi Makers
Donna Sekijima and friends
Pie Masters
Ruth Watanabe
Tom and Roberta Yoshioka
Set-Up
Lynne Onishi and the youth leaders and helpers
Signage
Kim Furugori
IT Support
Susan Lee
Paper Goods Shoppers
Ron Nobuyama
Barbara Nagaoka
Cashiering
Barbara Nagaoka
George Yates
Take-Out Support
Dale Watanabe
Eugene and Kathy Onishi
Udon Bowl Support
Lisa Mar
Bazaar Committee
Lesley Okura
Ron Nobuyama
Barbara Nagaoka
Sally Sekijima
Anne Arakaki-Lock
Procurement, Etc.
Brian Okura
Dishwashing
Joel Ing and his dishwashing crew
Pastoral & Staff Support
Rev. Karen Yokota Love
Rev. Mia MiKyung Park
Yuki Sofronas
Visit the Poinsettia page!
Orders are now open for Poinsettias on the Altar. Read more.
The Beacon is Now Available!
Read the latest issue of The Beacon newsletter, here!
Our young adults made the journey atop Poo Poo Point, while engaging in meaningful conversation about social and spiritual ideas to help healing and growth.
Will we join theReconciling Ministries Network?
By Lynne Onishi, photos by Aiden Lew and Kai Yamamoto
October Recap
Our October was certainly a busy one. Along with the return of beloved community events like the Benefit Bazaar and Harvest Festival, the Blaine young adults also cheered on the OL Reign at Lumen Field and hiked many miles at Poo Poo Point!
The Reconciling Ministries Team also had a busy month preparing for the upcoming vote. We hosted a Gender and Faith Workshop over Zoom on October 24, where we talked about binaries, sex and gender and what it might look like for Christians to love our neighbors. We also encouraged folks to register to vote on November 5. All those who completed a registration form have been sent a mail-in style paper ballot. Ballots must be returned to the church by November 5 (must arrive in the mail by November 4).
Blaine Memorial’s Young adults checked out the OL Reign at Lumen Field to help nurture its fellowship with fun and soccer.
Reconciling Ministries Vote – Important Information!
Since June 2022, the Reconciling Ministries Team has been leading the congregation in study and discernment about what it means to be an open and affirming church. One of the most important ways we can align ourselves with justice and reconciliation is to affiliate with the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN), an organization of United Methodist congregations committed to the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people in The United Methodist Church. After over a year of questioning, learning, and discussing, it’s time to take our vote – will we join the Network?
Affiliation with RMN requires that at least 75% of our congregation votes to adopt a Reconciling statement. We will be voting on this statement of reconciliation on Sunday, November 5:
“We celebrate God’s gift of diversity and value the wholeness made possible in community equally shared and shepherded by all. We welcome and affirm people of every gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, who are also of every age, race, ethnicity, physical and mental ability, level of education, and family structure, and of every economic, immigration, marital and social status, and so much more. We acknowledge that we live in a world of profound social, economic and political inequities. As followers of Jesus, we commit ourselves to the pursuit of justice and pledge to stand in solidarity with all who are marginalized and oppressed.”
If you are planning to attend church on November 5, you may register and vote in person on that date. Ballots will be counted after worship on Sunday, November 5.
Kobe Yamamoto, Joshua Santos, and Edwin Santos hiked steep paths toward Poo Poo Point to get some blood flow and fresh air. If you are interested in joining our Young Adults, contact Lynne Onishi for more info!
The IH team and RM Task Force are always looking for new folks to join us. If you feel called to lend your voice to these important ministries, we invite you to join us at our next team zoom meeting. Please contact Lynne or any of the other team members for more information.
Our young folks and parents prepare peeled apples to make apple crisp as part of a hearty Thanksgiving meal for Kimball Elementary School families.
Thanksgivingand Giving Tree Ministries 2023
By Terri Adolfo with Rev. Mia MiKyung Park
We are partnering with Kimball Elementary School this year to provide Thanksgiving meals and Christmas gifts for underprivileged students and families. Kimball is anticipating a greater need from their student community this year due to the increased number of students experiencing homelessness. These students in need are part of the McKinney-Vento program (a national homeless assistance program for students and youth).
Thanksgiving Meal
Thanksgiving meals will mostly be store-bought, and we will gather to make apple crisps and mashed potatoes. Everyone is welcome, so please come join us to prepare food.
Apple Crisps & Mashed Potatoes
On Sunday (11/19) after Fellowship Hour, we will prepare apple crisps in the LAC Kitchen. On Monday (11/20) at 6:00PM, we will begin our evening together with a light dinner in the Social Hall. Afterwards, we will make mashed potatoes and bake apple crisps in the LAC Kitchen.
Terri Adolfo hangs Giving Tree gift tags for the Blaine Memorial community.
Giving Tree
The Giving Tree (Christmas Tree) will be in the Social Hall from November 12-26, dressed with gift tags. Please reach out to the Blaine Office to arrange tag pickups during Office Hours (Tuesday-Friday from 10:00AM-4:00PM) if you are not able to pick up after worship. Gift tags that are not taken by Sunday (11/26), will be collected and distributed to volunteer shoppers. If you are not able to take tags but would like to participate or help, we gratefully accept donations. Please return wrapped gifts with tags securely attached no later than Sunday (12/3).
Donations for the Thanksgiving Meal and the Giving Tree can be made through Blaine’s website, text/SMS, cash/check, and Realm. Please indicate your offering as “Special Donations/Other” and memo it as “Thanksgiving Meal” or “Giving Tree.”
Thank you for your ongoing generosity and support to help bless those in need in our community!
(L-R): Rev. Cruz Santos, Alma Santos, Rev. Karen, Rev. Mia, Rev. Jeney and Rev. Mark eat together on Pastor Appreciation Sunday and enjoy Chef Joshua’s Tortilla Soup. It went well with the onigiri. Thank you!
Gratitude & Stewardship: Together for Joy!
By the Rev. Karen Yokota Love
Pumpkin spice lattes, turkey and gratitude. The eleventh month is now upon us, drawing us closer to the end of 2023. It is a transition month, a month between autumn and winter, when the leaves get raked, and the crops have been harvested. We “fall back” from Daylight Savings Time and revert to Standard Time. It is Election Month and it’s a month of many community gatherings. Most of us prepare for rain, snow and winter storms. November is also a month that reminds us to be grateful which is so fundamental to our faith and Christian stewardship.
Joe, Lauren and Terri Adolfo decorate their vehicle with a Halloween-theme for the Trunk-or-Treat and are ready to receive children and give them candy.
I’m grateful for so much. I’m grateful for the recent Pastor’s Appreciation Lunch which was kindly dreamt up from Chef Joshua Santos. Thank you and thank you to Edwin Santos and the entire SPRC Team. What a wonderful celebration. I loved the homemade tortilla soup with onigiri! I’m also grateful for the Harvest Festival and the Trunk-or-Treat last month. Thank you to Susan Lee and Kim Furugori who came out to prepare such a wonderful event and did an abundant amount of preparation work. I also loved the costumes! What joy!
Office Assistant Yuki Sofronas, Rev. Karen and Rev. Mia celebrate at the Harvest Festival.
This month, we express our gratitude for our saints, the witnesses to the Gospel who challenged us to find our own path to holiness. We continue to be grateful for the lives of all who have gone before us to meet the Lord, especially those we know and hold dear … our Issei, Nisei and some Sansei. We thank our veterans who have offered their lives on our behalf. And of course, in the United States, there is Thanksgiving Day, a holiday that is all about gratitude.
The month of November is an ideal time of the year to focus our spiritual lives more intently on being grateful for the blessings of our God. I challenge you to:
Pray with gratitude.
Set aside some time for prayer each day. If you are new to the habit of daily prayer, find 10 minutes in your daily schedule. Pray as a family as well. And begin with a prayer of gratitude.
Put gratitude into action.
Do something at Blaine Memorial UMC or in your neighborhood to share your material blessings with those who might otherwise go hungry. Contribute to the Rainier Valley Food Bank or help deliver food to Tent City 3 or to the Kimball Elementary School families.
Make gratitude a habit.
Find ways to thank others for their generosity and kindness toward you every day. The late spiritual writer and theologian, Thomas Merton, once wrote that “to be grateful is to recognize the love of God in everything.”
Let us use the month of November as an opportunity to grow in stewardship which, simply put, means living a life of gratitude. And as the psalmist encourages us to do: “O give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his love endures forever” (Psalm 107:1).
It’s for this reason that our journey begins with stewardship. Keeping this moment in mind, the theme for the 2024 Stewardship Campaign is Together for Joy.
Psalm 98 tells us to “Sing to God a new song, for God has done marvelous things. Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy.” Staying together through the delights and struggles of life — being “together for joy” — has never been more important. And while change brings financial challenges in its wake, it also brings fresh opportunities to sing to God a new song, for God has done — and will do — marvelous things.
Stewardship is the generational cornerstone of the Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church community. Without fail, those who grasp and practice the depth and joy of faithful stewardship have almost always learned it, not from a book or seminar, but from our faithful mentors — our beloved Issei and Nisei — who’ve paved the way for us. Those who’ve followed them: the Sansei, Yonsei, Gosei, Asian American and a variety of multiracial families that are a part of the Blaine family must continue to uphold their legacy and pave the way for generations to come.
November 5: All Saints Day
We will kick off our stewardship campaign while we celebrate All Saints Day. We will light candles for those who have departed and honor those in our community who have passed during this last year.
November 12: New Music!
We will look at all the ways we have found “new songs” to sing over the last couple of years: hybrid worship, the creative ways in which our Choir adapts with change, ways of continuing to serve the community, serving the vulnerable and isolated, speaking out for justice through education and action and so much more! This is who we are, and who we’ll continue to be and become. The church was made for times such as these — not times of ease and tranquility, but times of difficulty and struggle.
November 19: Dedication and Thanksgiving Sunday
We will conclude our Stewardship series, Together for Joy, by looking ahead to what the church will do in the year ahead. I invite you to bring your commitment cards to church and we will bless and consecrate them on Sunday, November 19. This is why all of us, as a community, ask each other to share our treasure and invest in our mission as a church. Now more than ever, your generosity can and will make an enormous difference. In a time of injustice and struggle, we are a community of love and justice. We are and can continue to be a community of gathering, a community of song, of new songs and new ways of singing, new ways of being God’s church for God’s world, together for joy! What kind of new song are you visioning?
We are all a piece of that final tapestry for generations to come. When we give to others, we get back far more than what we originally gave. As you discern, please know our gratitude for your generosity, your faithfulness and your love. It’s your response to God’s gracious invitation that will make this next chapter our best one yet. Be the hope for generations to come!
Rev. Karen Yokota Love serves as the Senior Pastor of Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church.
Visit the Poinsettia page!
Orders are now open for Poinsettias on the Altar. Read more.
The Beacon is Now Available!
Read the latest issue of The Beacon newsletter, here!
