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Roman Silver Denarius of Emperor Tiberius Caesar, c. AD 18–35 (“Tribute Penny”)

Friends,

Jesus holds up a coin bearing Caesar’s image and asks, “Whose image does this coin bear?” It seems like a simple question, but it opens the door to something much deeper: While the coin bears Caesar’s image, what does it mean for us to bear the image of God?

As we continue our sermon series, The Garden We All Share, this Sunday we’ll explore Matthew 22:15–22 and reflect on what makes us human in a world where artificial intelligence can increasingly imitate human abilities. What if our humanity is about more than what we know or produce? What if it is revealed in how we love, build relationships, care for creation, and nurture the garden we share?

I’m excited to explore these questions together and consider how we can live more fully into the divine image we all bear. I hope you’ll join us Sunday!

Alongside you,

Pastor Paul

Friends,

When the clouds part here in the Pacific Northwest and Mount Rainier, or Tahoma, comes into view, it’s hard not to stop and look up. There’s a local saying: “Live like the mountain is out.” Pay attention. Take in the beauty. Remember that the world is bigger than whatever is right in front of you.

And Tahoma is more than a beautiful landmark. For Indigenous peoples who have lived on and cared for this land since time immemorial, the mountain holds deep cultural, spiritual, and ancestral significance. Its presence reminds us that this land has stories and relationships that reach far beyond our own.

This Sunday, we’ll explore Isaiah’s vision of a mountain where God prepares a feast for all people, wipes away every tear, and reveals a world transformed by love and justice (Isaiah 25:1-9). And this vision raises a question: What if faith isn’t about escaping the world, but seeing the world as God dreams it to be, and then moving toward that vision together?

Last Sunday, we celebrated an exciting step in that direction: our proposed mission and vision statements passed!

Mission
To lead with love, embody justice, and serve with compassion in the way of Jesus.

Vision
To become a diverse and inclusive community that experiences God’s transforming love, grace, and forgiveness that empowers people to serve all.

These words give us a shared picture of who we are becoming and the kind of community we hope to build together. Now comes the fun part: living into that vision!

Join us Sunday as we continue our series The Garden We All Share, lift our eyes toward what’s possible, and live like the mountain is out together!

Alongside you,
Pastor Paul

Next New Name Discernment Session 10/18 

Friends,

This month, we begin a new sermon series, The Garden We All Share, exploring what Jesus has to teach us about creation, abundance, justice, and our life together.

We’ll begin with Jesus’ parable of the vineyard in Matthew 21. The vineyard is not ours to own. It is a gift entrusted to us. That simple idea invites a deeper question: What does it mean to live as caretakers of a world we did not create, but that we all share?

And on our first Sunday of the series, we’ll have an important opportunity to practice shared discernment in our own community. We’ll vote on adopting our new Mission and Vision statements, helping us name who we are becoming and how we hope to participate in God’s work in the world.

After worship and the vote, we’ll put our faith into action with CROP Hunger Walk, joining others in our community to help end hunger and support neighbors experiencing food insecurity.

A garden we all share. A mission we share. A world we’re called to tend together. I hope you’ll join us!

Alongside you,

Pastor Paul

Reflection on New Name, Mission and Vision, and Next Steps

As we continue our journey toward merger, I (Pastor Paul) want to offer a brief update on where we are in our discernment around our mission, vision, and new name.

First, there is some wonderful news to celebrate: our proposed mission statement was unanimously accepted by the community. We also received thoughtful suggestions for refining our vision statement, and we’ll continue working on those together. It is exciting to see our shared sense of purpose beginning to take shape.

Second, our recent new-name discernment also gave us some helpful information. We received 42 ballots. Open Hearts received the most votes with 11, while All Belong UMC as a write-in and Green Lake Gathering UMC tied with 8 votes each.

Reflecting on this outcome, it is apparent that no single name has yet emerged with a strong consensus. It may be that the name we are looking for is not yet on our list. It would be exciting to see a name emerge with majority support, giving us a clearer sense that it is resonating broadly across our community, and perhaps an invitation from God.

So, we are going to keep listening rather than rush the process. We have the flexibility to continue this discernment. Our merger proposal can move forward with the name still pending.

This Sunday, you are invited to begin this next phase of the conversation together in Alden Hall after worship, around tables with food. We’ll think not only about church names, but about what we want a new name to communicate about the community we are becoming.

My hope is that we can move beyond simply combining pieces of our old identities and instead imagine a name that helps us look toward the future God is opening before us.

This is about discovering who we are becoming together in God. And I am thankful that you are part of what is being made new!

Peace,

Pastor Paul