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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

Kindred in Christ,

I’ve been carrying a quiet excitement this week as I look ahead to being with you.  I’m truly grateful—and genuinely excited—to walk with you over these next two months. Already, I sense the heart of this community: open, thoughtful, and deeply committed to love in action. It is a gift to step into this shared journey together.

We also celebrate joyful news—Pastor Paul and Kim’s daughter, Zoe, arrived on Wednesday April 29^th . What a beautiful sign of new life in this Easter season! What a gift it is to welcome her into the world, and what a tender reminder that even in changing seasons, life continues to unfold among us.

This Sunday, we’ll reflect on Jesus’ words in John 14:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled… I am the way.”

In uncertain or in-between times, Jesus doesn’t give us all the answers but invites us into a way of living—rooted in love, compassion, and presence. Perhaps this is where we find ourselves now, learning to trust the way, together.

Wherever you find yourself this week—in joy, in grief, or somewhere in between—you are invited to come. Come as you are. Come to be held in community. Come to listen for what God may be placing into your hands.

And don’t miss the upcoming Printmaking Pop-Up on May 16^th —a creative and meaningful way to connect with our neighbors. We’d love your help in making it happen.

I’m truly glad to be here with you.

We are in this together.

Pastor Anna

The Good Shepherd icon by Kelly Latimore

Kindred in Christ,

There are so many voices around us right now, and it is not always easy to tell which ones to trust.

This Sunday, we turn to John 10:1–10, where Jesus offers us a different image. He names himself as the shepherd, the one whose voice calls out to the sheep:
“My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.”

Jesus names himself as the shepherd, a voice we have heard before, the One who leads beside still waters and restores our soul. A voice we learn to recognize not in the noise, but in the quiet places of trust.

It is a gentle image, but it carries a deep invitation:

Whose voice are we listening to?

Not every voice leads to life. Some stir up fear or pull us away from one another. But the voice of Christ calls us toward love, toward justice, toward a deeper belonging with God and each other. It is often subtle, more like a steady presence than a shout, which means following Jesus asks us to slow down, to listen closely, to pay attention to what is life-giving.

This is also an invitation to loosen our grip on planning alone, and to live in a deeper attentiveness, where listening becomes the way we discern and respond to the voice of God.

I am grateful that Nancy Goddard will be preaching this Sunday. She brings a thoughtful, grounded presence, and I am thankful for her willingness to share the word with us.

Kim and I are also deeply grateful for your prayers as we draw near to welcoming our baby. We feel held by this community. I am hoping to be in worship this Sunday, unless our little one decides it is time to arrive first.

As you move through the week, I invite you to listen beneath the noise. Notice what voices are shaping your heart, and where you hear the quiet, steady call that leads to life.

Alongside you,

Rev. Paul Ortiz