Shai Azoulay Abraham “The Culturium”

Kindred in Christ,

It is hard to believe we have already arrived in June.

One day I am convinced it is finally time to turn off the heater, and the next morning I wake up wondering if I spoke too soon. The weather has a way of keeping us humble. We never quite know what we will wake up to.

Perhaps that is true of life as well.

We all like to know what lies ahead. We like clear directions, and a sense of control over the future. Yet many of life’s most meaningful journeys begin without a map.

This Sunday, we begin a two-week Pride Month worship series, “God Is Proud of You.”

In our first message, “Beloved Before Becoming,” we will meet Abraham and Sarah as they step away from everything familiar and trust God’s promise before they know where the road will lead.

Their story reminds us that faith is not about having all the answers. It is about trusting the One who calls us forward.

As we celebrate Pride Month, we will reflect on God’s invitation to live courageously and authentically. Together, we will explore what it means to trust that we are beloved before we become.

May this season remind us that even when we cannot see the whole path ahead, God’s promise goes with us.  I hope you will join us for worship as we begin this journey together.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Anna

Kindred in Christ,

As the days grow longer and the beauty of this ‘unofficial’ summer unfolds around us, I find myself grateful for the many ways new life quietly surrounds us—both in creation and in this community. Over this past month, it has been a joy to begin knowing you more deeply and witnessing the care, energy, and commitment that shape this congregation’s life together.

This Sunday, we will reflect on the opening words of Genesis through the sermon, “Made from Goodness.”
Again and again in the creation story, God pauses and calls creation good. Before fear, division, shame, or striving entered the human story, there was goodness.

Together, we will wonder what it means to live from that deep truth—to remember that we and this world were created not from scarcity or fear, but from the goodness and delight of God.

This week, I was especially encouraged while attending the Church Council meeting and witnessing thoughtful participation and shared care for the future of this community. I was particularly inspired by hearing about the Vision Team’s ongoing work to support local organizations serving neighbors who are seeking care, safety, and hope.

This Sunday, following worship, we invite everyone to join our Pride Month kick-off gathering as we celebrate the wide embrace of God’s love and the sacred truth that every person is created with dignity, beauty, and belovedness.

I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday.
Whoever you are, and wherever you find yourself on life’s journey, you are welcome here.

Grace and peace,

Anna Shin
Interim Pastor

He Qi (Chinese, 1950–), “Holy Spirit Coming,” 1998. Oil on canvas.

Kindred in Christ,

This week, as I walked into the sanctuary filled with Pentecost colors, I felt a quiet joy rising again.

After a week of flooded floors, repairs, and unexpected disruption, there were still people showing up with care, generosity, and hope—decorating the sanctuary, cleaning the kitchen, checking on one another, helping things breathe again.

And honestly, perhaps that is its own kind of Pentecost.

This Sunday we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit—
God breathing new life into weary people.

Pentecost completes the Easter story.
The disciples who once hid behind locked doors stepped into the streets with courage and bursting joy, discovering who they were becoming together through the Spirit.

In a fragmented and exhausted world, Pentecost reminds us that God is still gathering what fear scatters.
No one is outside the reach of God’s Spirit.

As we gather on this Memorial Day weekend, we will also pause to remember with gratitude those who gave their lives in service to others, and we will pray for all who continue to serve and live in places marked by violence, conflict, and uncertainty.

It is not always easy to stay hopeful these days.
But together, we keep becoming people who choose love, courage, joy, and community.

So come worship with us this Sunday.
Come breathe deeply again.
Come, Holy Spirit.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Anna

Kindred in Christ,

May always feels like a threshold month. School years come to an end.
Graduations and celebrations fill calendars.
Some are preparing for new beginnings, while others are quietly navigating transitions, losses, or uncertainty.

In seasons like this, I am reminded how important it is to have a faith community—
people who pray with us, walk beside us, and help hold us together when life feels unsettled.

This Sunday, we will listen in as Jesus prays for his disciples in John 17.
On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus does not leave his friends with certainty or easy answers.
He prays that they may be one—held together in love, even in a fearful and divided world.

Together we will reflect on what it means to remain connected, compassionate, and openhearted
in times that often pull people apart.

Wherever you find yourself this week—
joyful,
weary,
uncertain,
hopeful,
or simply needing a place to breathe—
you are welcome here.

Come worship. Come pray. Come reconnect with God and one another.

I am also grateful for the many ways this community continues to live out Christ’s love beyond Sunday mornings—through acts of hospitality, justice, compassion, and care for neighbors near and far.

Thank you for continuing to be a community that seeks not only to believe, but to love boldly.

I look forward to being with you this Sunday.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Anna

Kindred in Christ,

It was such a joy to be with you this past Sunday—a beautiful beginning together.

This Sunday, on the Sixth Sunday of Easter and Mother’s Day, we will reflect on Jesus’ invitation to “love one another” (John 14–15). In a world that often feels uncertain and divided, love can seem fragile. And yet, the love Christ gives is steady and enduring—a love that remains and sustained by the Spirit within us.

As part of our worship, we will also share in a special liturgy honoring mothers and all those who have nurtured us, and we will listen to the stories of women in our Scriptures—lives that reflect courage, faith, and enduring love.

After worship, we invite you to stay and join us in making sandwiches for our neighbors. It is a simple act, but also a meaningful way to share care with those who may not have a home or a community to gather with.

And with great joy, I share that Jemina Marasigan, our Family and Community Engagement Minister, has been certified as a candidate for ordained ministry by the Sea-Tac District Committee on Ordained Ministry. Jemina began her seminary journey last year, and this is a significant step forward. We give thanks for her call and leadership among us, and we celebrate this moment with her and with our whole community.

I hope you will join us in worship this Sunday.
There is a place for you here, just as you are.

We are in this together.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Anna