Presby: Recent Episodes
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As a worshiping community for all ages, we are excited to unveil a new way for our children and younger youth to engage and participate in worship during the service with the new Worship Wall!
Built by Craig Omoto and David Pfitzner, we invite you to join us in getting this new facet of our sanctuary ready by the end of the summer. Please consider donating fidgets, educational materials, or toys, or helping make the crocheted or wooden, or 3D-printed baskets, signs, and decorations to make our Worship Wall complete.
Also, check out this YouTube video from Christian Formation PC(USA) to get a better visual of what this Worship Wall can be.
Join us on Saturday, August 22 from 11:00 AM–2:00 PM at Presby for an exciting outreach event—our annual Presby Summer Festival!
Enjoy delicious food like yakisoba, curry, and shave ice, and take part in fun activities after you eat!
This event is open to our neighborhood and everything will be free to attendees. The street will be closed to car traffic.
We will need many volunteers to make this a wonderful event. Please sign up to help out!
And be sure to invite your friends! Flyer below.
Join us for an All-Church worship service and picnic at Seward Park shelter #3 (map) on Sunday July 12, at 10 AM.
Seward Park Shelter #3A Zoom feed will be available for worship at our usual all-church service link.
It should be a wonderful time to worship together in the outdoors, play games, chat with friends, and eat wonderful food!
If you have any questions, please contact Pastor J. P.
Note: there will be no services in the Presby building this Sunday.
You are invited to join us this summer as we study the action-packed Gospel of Mark, led by Pastor J. P.
We will meet on Wednesdays from 7 PM–8 PM in the Fellowship Hall, starting June 3.
May is Motoda Month – a special offering will be collected for the month of May.
The late Elder Kiyo Motoda established the Kiyo Motoda Christian Scholarship Fund out of her love for Jesus and passion for others to know him, too. Let’s join her by giving to the scholarship fund to equip students for ministry and share Jesus’ love.
Please consider giving to support our goal of $1,000. Enter note “Motoda” in the memo line of your Zelle, PayPal, check, or offering envelope.
Interested in applying? Fill out this application or contact motodascholarship@gmail.com for questions. Applications are due May 31.
Presby is less than a half-mile’s walk from the newly opened Judkins Park Light Rail station (part of the East Link Extension which connects International District to Redmond Technnology Center), which gives us another option for getting to church without driving.
Below is a map showing a recommended pedestrian path for walking to and from Presby.
Our Good Friday service will take place at Japanese Presbyterian Church at 7 PM on April 3. It will be led by Pastors J. P. Kang and Byron Walker of Japanese Presbyterian Church and Pastor Andrea Chaumont of Mt. Baker Park. View the online worship bulletin.
Our Easter Eggstravaganza will take place at the Seattle Children’s Playgarden at 10 AM on April 4.
Also on April 4 is Holy Saturday Reflection, which will take place at Japanese Presbyterian Church. Drop in any time from 3 PM to 7 PM to pray, read, and reflect.
Our Easter Sunday events will take place on April 5, starting with Easter Breakfast at 8 AM where we will be serving a Hawaiian + Korean fusion meal. Following that will be our All-Church Easter Service at 10 AM.
Invite your friends by sending them the below flyer.
This year’s Easter Eggstravaganza will be on Saturday, April 4th 2026 from 10 AM to Noon at the Seattle Children’s Playgarden (map). There will be an egg hunt, crafts, a photo booth, and more! All children up to 5th grade are invited.
Come and celebrate the good news of Easter with your family and friends! Download the flyer below.
Session calls for the Annual Meeting of the Congregation on Sunday February 1, 2026 at 11:15 AM in the Sanctuary for the purposes of:
- voting on changes to the corporate Articles of Incorporation;
- voting on changes to the corporate By-Laws;
- receiving the report of the Church Officer Nominating Committee;
- electing Elders and Deacons and at-large members for the 2026 Personnel Committee;
- nominating and electing the 2026 Church Officer Nominating Committee;
- receiving the 2025 Financial Report and 2026 Ministry Budget; and
- voting on changes to the terms of call for Pastor J. P. Kang, Pastor Satoru Nakanishi, and Pastor Byron Walker.
Notes: February 1, 2026 is an exception to the “last Sunday of January” currently stipulated in our by-laws for the date of the annual meeting. The 2025 Annual Report will be available by January 25, 2026.
Join us for one of our Christmas Eve candlelight services! There will be one at 11:00 AM and another at 7:00 PM at Japanese Presbyterian Church. See the flyer below for more information.
There are Zoom options available for both services (same link).
For the 7:00 PM service, there is also an online program/song sheet available for remote attendees, or whoever may need it.
If you’ve got a hidden talent (or a not-so-hidden one), we want you to be a part of our Talent Show. From musical numbers to magic tricks, every talent has a place on our stage. You may submit your talent as a video or do it in-person. Embrace your awesomeness and let it shine!
Where: Warm Beach Conference Center in Stanwood Washington
When: Saturday, October 11
Japanese Presbyterian Church of Seattle announces that we have called Byron Walker as Associate Pastor for Children, Youth, and Families.
At a special meeting on Sunday, September 7, 2025, the congregation received the final report of the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee (APNC), voted to approve the terms of call for Byron, and voted to dissolve the APNC with gratitude. Thanks be to God!
Please pray that God will bring us and Byron together as he begins his ministry on September 16, 2025.
“I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers. I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17–19 CEB)
Watch Byron’s September 7, 2025 sermon on Ephesians 3.
The Presby All Church Retreat is almost upon us! We will be gathering as a Presby family from Friday October 10th to Sunday October 12th at the beautiful Warm Beach Conference Center in Stanwood, Washington.
We are excited to welcome our speaker for the weekend, Jenn Suen Chen, spiritual director and author of the recently published ‘Dim Sum and Faith’. She will be speaking on the theme of ‘Come to the Table’. As we lean into our Presby culture of fellowshipping around a potluck table, we also are called towards remembrance through the sacrament at the table and the high call of seeing Jesus in others as we gather around the proverbial table.
In line with our theme, there will be elite night time snacking, but there will be a variety of opportunities for relationships to take root. Warm Beach offers spaces to seek quiet amongst nature and see what things the Spirit may be stirring in us as a congregation. We hope you can join us for this extended, intentional time together with our Creator and our community.
Please register by September 28 if you plan to join!
Join us on Saturday, August 23 from 4:00 PM–8:00 PM at Presby for an exciting outreach event.
Enjoy delicious food like yakisoba, curry, and shave ice, and take part in fun activities after you eat!
This event is open to our neighborhood and everything will be free to attendees. The street will be closed to car traffic.
Please RSVP to let us know whether you are attending.
We are also in need of volunteers so if this festival calls to you, please sign up online or in the fellowship hall.
Digital flyer:
Join us for an All-Church worship service and picnic at Seward Park shelter #3 (map) this Sunday, July 13, at 10 AM.
Seward Park Shelter #3A Zoom feed will be available for worship at https://bit.ly/presby-sundays-zoom
It should be a wonderful time to worship together in the outdoors, play games, chat with friends, and eat wonderful food!
If you have any questions, please contact Pastor J. P.
Note: there will be no services in the Presby building this Sunday.
- On Sundays, the parking spots to the north of the church entrance are reserved for vehicles displaying a state disabled parking permit.
- There are about 40 parking spots available to us in the Wellspring Family Services parking lot just southwest across 23rd Ave South from Presby’s parking lot. For safety, please use the controlled crosswalk at S. Grand St. Please see this annotated map:
Japanese Presbyterian Church (“Presby”) prayerfully seeks to hire an Associate Pastor for Children, Youth, and Families (APCYF) OR a Director for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). The successful candidate will oversee and creatively develop Presby’s Children, Youth, and Families Ministry, drawing children and youth to experience and know God in a transformational way, and integrating them fully into Presby’s shared life of intergenerational worship.
We are hiring for either an APCYF or DCYF position at this time, with the two types of applicants following different application and hiring pathways. Call seekers interested in the APCYF position can find a ministry discernment profile and application instructions on the Presbyterian Church’s Church Leadership Connection (CLC) website. Those interested in the DCYF position can access a job description here.
The desired start date for the APCYF or DCYF is by the end of August 2025. As such, we encourage candidates to submit applications as soon as possible.
On Sunday, August 3, following All-Church Worship and refreshments, the Capital Improvement Projects committee will host a meeting to present the Schematic Design report from Hoshide Wanzer Architects, answer questions, and receive feedback. The Schematic Design report will be shared electronically prior to that Sunday.
From the Kiyo Motoda Christian Scholarship Fund Committee – Kim Chen, Laura Saiki, Sharon Okamoto:
Presby’s 2025 Kiyo Motoda Christian Scholarship is $1,500 awarded to Edward de Lafayette as he faithfully fulfills Christ’s call to serve in ministry.
Edward begins his third year of studies at Princeton Theological Seminary and is discerning a call to be a hospice chaplain.
“I’m passionate about end-of-life care. I want to give comfort and peace and walk with people as they work through spiritual and existential questions.”
Thank you, Presby, for supporting the commitment of late Elder Kiyo Motoda to encourage and support students who are enrolled in an accredited Christian seminary or Bible college and who are responding to the call of God and entering some form of professional Christian ministry.
This year’s Family Camp will be on July 3–6 at Camano Island State Park. Registration ends June 15!
Presby’s outdoor service and picnic will be on July 13th at Seward Park, Shelter 3. This post will be updated with details as they become available. See you there!
The Capital Campaign Treasurer Q3 updates for our Building Belonging campaign are now available.
May is Motoda Month – special offering for the month of May!
The late Elder Kiyo Motoda established the Kiyo Motoda Christian Scholarship Fund out of her love for Jesus and passion for others to know him, too. Let’s join her by giving to the scholarship fund to equip students for ministry and share Jesus’ love.
Please consider giving to support our goal of $1,000. Enter note “Motoda” in the memo line of your Zelle, PayPal, check, or offering envelope.
Interested in applying? Fill out this application or contact motodascholarship@gmail.com for questions. Applications are due May 31.
Join us for Path from Poverty’s Walk for Water this Saturday May 10 starting 10:00 AM at Lake Wilderness Park.
After the walk, please join us for our annual feast. Hope to see you all there!
Visit the Path from Poverty website for more information about the event or to learn more about the work that they do.
Luke 16:19–31 – “The Law and the Prophets” – J. P. Kang
Bulletin https://bit.ly/4cYMYeu
Acts 8:26–40 – “Do You Understand What You Are Reading?” – J. P. Kang
Bulletin https://bit.ly/4cYMYeu
Isaiah 56:1–8 – “A House of Prayer for All Peoples” – Paul Miller
Bulletin https://bit.ly/4fYCsqq
Psalm 136 – “God’s Steadfast Love Endures Forever” – J. P. Kang
Bulletin https://bit.ly/3M5WJNf
August 21 (Wed), 22 (Thu), 23 (Fri) Dinner at 6 PM * Activities to follow (e.g. kimono workshop, obon dance lesson, lei-making, etc.) * Traditional foods will be served and kakigori (shave ice) will be available each night. * Bring and wear your yukata or happi* coat if you have one * Come and enjoy fellowship and celebrate God’s faithfulness! * NOTE: Friday, August 23 we will hold a talent show!
Please RSVP for your household here to help us plan food and activities: https://bit.ly/3YzdAiX
8月21日（水）、22日（木）、23日（金） 夕食 午後6時* * その後のアクティビティ（着物ワークショップ、盆踊りレッスン、レイ作りなど） * 伝統的な日本料理が提供され、毎晩かき氷も楽しめます！ * 浴衣または法被をお持ちの方はご持参ください。 * ぜひご参加いただき、交わりを楽しみ、神の忠実さを祝いましょう！ * 注：8月23日（金）にタレントショーを開催します！
食事やアクティビティの計画にご協力いただけるよう、ご家族の参加をこちらでお知らせください: https://bit.ly/3YzdAiX
John 17:11 – “That They May Be One” – Pastor J. P. Kang
Bulletin https://bit.ly/4fsDhrk
Luke 9:46-48 – “Divine Hospitality” – Pastor J. P. Kang
Bulletin https://bit.ly/3WEdS6I
1 Corinthians 1:1-3 – “Saints, Grace, and Every Place” – Pastor J. P. Kang
Bulletin https://bit.ly/46bMhwR
Psalm 100:3, Romans 14:8 – “We Belong to God” – J. P. Kang
Bulletin https://bit.ly/3RZf9Ct
Matthew 11:28–30 – “Belonging to Jesus” – Joyce del Rosario
Bulletin https://bit.ly/4cH76SF
Acts 2:42–47 – “The Generosity of Belonging” – J. P. Kang
Bulletin https://bit.ly/3Vze6dx
Acts 17:16–28 – “Building Bridges to Belonging” – J. P. Kang
Bulletin https://bit.ly/3zafc7Q
Jeremiah 31:31–34 – “Teaching and Learning Belonging” – J. P. Kang
Bulletin: https://bit.ly/45jY8Z9
中西牧師が聖職者安息期間（6月12日から9月11日まで）中は、日本語礼拝は特別スケジュールとなります。下記をご参照ください。
6月16日 11時15分 日本語礼拝
6月23日 11時15分 日本語礼拝
6月30日 11時15分 日本語礼拝
7月7日 9時半 教会全体礼拝・聖餐式
7月14日 ピクニック礼拝＠ Lincoln Park
7月21日 9時半 教会全体礼拝
7月28日 9時半 教会全体礼拝
8月4日 9時半 教会全体礼拝・聖餐式
8月11日 9時半 教会全体礼拝
8月18日 9時半 教会全体礼拝
8月25日 9時半 教会全体礼拝
9月1日 9時半 教会全体礼拝・聖餐式
9月8日 11時15分 日本語礼拝
9月15日 11時15分 日本語礼拝・聖餐式
Isaiah 43:19–21; Hebrews 4:14–16 – “Try Different Practices” – J. P. Kang
Bulletin: http://bit.ly/3Qg6BX1
Matthew 6:19–21, 25–34 – “Embrace Simplicity” – J. P. Kang
Bulletin: https://bit.ly/43DnqR7
Christ is risen! Alleluia! Happy Easter!
Galatians 4:4–7 – “God Sent His Son” – J. P. Kang
Bulletin: https://bit.ly/43DnqR7
1 Samuel 3:1–11 – “Spiritual Disciplines: Listen to God” – Heather James
Bulletin: http://bit.ly/4cuZLpY
Matthew 6:9–13 – “Spiritual Disciplines: Pray” – Phil Lewis
Bulletin: https://bit.ly/49VPHVo
Saturday, March 30, 2024
10 AM–noon
Seattle Children’s Playgarden (map)
Games, crafts, photo booth, and more for children through 5th graders
Please RSVP with number of children coming to help us plan!
Come and celebrate the good news of Easter with your family and friends!
Matthew 4:1–11 – “Spiritual Disciplines: Fast” – J. P. Kang
Bulletin: https://bit.ly/49Id7O3
Acts 5.12–21a – “Tell the People Everything about this New Life” – J. P. Kang [tags sermon, podcast]
Acts 2:1–4 – “The Good News in Every Language” – Satoru Nakanishi [tags sermon, podcast]
Note: there will be no services in the Presby building on July 9, 2023. We plan to provide the Zoom Continue reading →
John 14:15–21 – “Adoption through the Spirit” – J. P. Kang
Tbe first minute or so of the sermon was cut off by an internet connection issue, during which time Pastor J. P. spoke about the phrase “The main thing is keeping the main thing the main thing,” which he had first seen posted on the wall in the mail room of Princeton Theological Seminary.
[tags sermon, podcast]
Registration for Camp Casey is now open!
Please use this link to register.
Information:
Dates: Saturday, July 1st to Tuesday, July 4th
Location: Camp Casey Conference Center on Whidbey Island
This post is password protected. You must visit the website and enter the password to continue reading.
1 Corinthians 15:50–55 – “Death Has Been Swallowed Up” – J. P. Kang
[tags sermon, podcast]
Saturday, April 8, 2023
10 AM–noon
Seattle Children’s Playgarden (1745 24th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144-4624)
- Easter egg hunt for children through 5th graders
- Take home crafts
Come and celebrate the good news of the resurrection with your family and friends!
Romans 5:1–11 – “At the Right Moment” – J. P. Kang
Due to technical difficulties, neither video nor audio of this week’s sermon is available.
[tags sermon, podcast]
Matthew 26:6-13 – “Glorious Now Behold Him Arise” – Heather James
[tags sermon, podcast]
Psalm 141:1-2, Revelation 5:6-10 – “Incense Owns a Deity Nigh” – Heather James
[tags sermon, podcast]
1 Kings 10:1-10, Philippians 2:5-11 – “Gold I Bring to Crown Him Again” – Heather James
[tags sermon, podcast]
Isaiah 9:6-7, Matthew 2:1–12 – “To Us a Son is Given” – Heather James
[tags sermon, podcast]
Dear Presby,
Presby’s Session invites you to read through the Bible—the Holy Scriptures—the written Word of God—in 2023, and to do so together with others. In fact, as worthy a goal as finishing the entire Bible in one year is, taking that journey (however fast or slow, long or short) in the company of at least one other person will contribute greatly to the quality and sustainability of the experience.
At the end of 2020, when Elder Ella Mae Kurashige sent the invitation on behalf of Session, she wrote these evergreen words: “As we seek God’s vision, mission, and plans for Presby going forward, we encourage you to seek God as well, through reading the Bible. Please be kind to yourself: don’t make this a legalistic task you must do every day. Think of it more as spending time with someone you love and desire to know better. It’s a way to nurture your relationship with God and learn about God in the process as well.”
To keep it simple, we recommend the One Year Bible Daily Readings plan (two portions each from Old and New Testaments), accessible through
- the YouVersion Bible app: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/60-the-one-year-bible. The app is very convenient for keeping track of the readings as well as interacting with others (see the attached screenshots for previews of what to expect);
- in print (NLT, NIV, ESV, and KJV); and
- the website (https://oneyearbibleonline.com/daily-oyb/).
One tip from me: if this is not your first time doing this, I recommend switching to a different translation to get a fresh perspective. I am going to read the Common English Bible (published in 2011), which I have been consulting more frequently in recent years because I find it more colloquial and because I personally know and trust many of the scholars who put it together. (But note that there are about 70 other English translations available through the app and website, along with other modern languages and even audio versions if listening works well for you.)
If you have questions about which translation to use, or would like to know about alternative reading plans, please contact a pastor.
If you would like to join an email group for discussion and sharing throughout the year or would like to be part of a church school class devoted to discussing Bible readings, please contact the church office.
We hope to see you on the Way,
Pastor J. P. and the Presby Session
p.s. My graduate school colleague Martha Wade has been a Bible translator in Papua New Guinea for the Apal people (a population of nearly three million) since 1985. Several times a year, she sends out an email newsletter about her work there and explains translation issues she is working on with native speakers. After 37 years, an Apal translation has been completed! In her post yesterday, she wrote: “The Apal scriptures will be dedicated on 1 August 2023 after a three day preaching crusade. The Apal people would be honored to have visitors to share in praying for the use of the Apal Scriptures and praising God for the fact that they can now search the scriptures in their own language.” Let’s not take for granted the privilege we have of easy access to the Bible and tools to help us understand it!
Luke 1:26–38; 2:1–16 – “Your Savior is Born Today” – Mark Chinen
[tags sermon, podcast]
Luke 14:15–24 – “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” – Heather James & Sarah Chen NEWS [tags sermon, podcast]
2022-10-16 – Colossians 3:12–17 – “A Seat for Everyone” – Pastor Heather James & Elder Wendy Saiki Presby Sermons YouTube Continue reading →
October 16, 2022 Dear Presby Family, The Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) is thankful for your prayers for us and for Continue reading →
1 Corinthians 12:12–14 – “Extending the Table” – J. P. Kang and Brian Kumasaka Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS Continue reading →
2 Corinthians 8:7, 13–15 – “Serving Together” – J. P. Kang and Jason Chee Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS Continue reading →
Revelation 21:3–5 – “Celebrating Together” – Heather James and Mark Chinen Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS [tags sermon, podcast]
Ephesians 3:16–19 – “Come to the Table” – J. P. Kang and Sarah Chen Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS [tags Continue reading →
Matthew 5:13–16 – “Salt and Light” – Heather James Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS [tags sermon, podcast]
Matthew 5:10–12 – “Blessed are Those who are Persecuted for the Sake of Righteousness” – J. P. Kang Presby Sermons Continue reading →
Matthew 5:9 – “Blessed are the Peacemakers” – Heather James Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS Weekly Prayer: Tuesdays 7 Continue reading →
Matthew 5:8 – “Blessed are the Pure in Heart” – J. P. Kang Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS Weekly Continue reading →
Matthew 5:7 – “Blessed are the Merciful” – Sarah Chen Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS Weekly Prayer: Tuesdays 7 Continue reading →
Matthew 5:6 – “Blessed are Those who Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness” – Kristen Mayeno Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons Continue reading →
Matthew 5:5 – “Blessed are the Meek” – Mark Chinen Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS Weekly Prayer: Tuesdays 7 Continue reading →
Matthew 5:4 – “Blessed are Those Who Mourn” – Cassie Chee Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS Weekly Prayer: Tuesdays Continue reading →
Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the Poor in Spirit” – Paul Miller Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS Weekly Prayer: Continue reading →
Matthew 13:31-32 – “The Upside Down Kingdom” – Pastor Heather James Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS Weekly Prayer: Tuesdays Continue reading →
Genesis 18:1-15 – “Is Anything Too Wonderful for the LORD?” – Pastor Heather James Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS Continue reading →
Luke 14:25-33 – “Counting the Cost” – Pastor J. P. Kang Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS Weekly Prayer: Tuesdays Continue reading →
Luke 10:25-37- “Teacher, What Must I Do?” – Ann Sakaguchi Presby Sermons YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/presby-sermons NEWS Weekly Prayer: Tuesdays 7 Continue reading →