By FāVS News Staff
Western Washington
CAIR-WA demands apology after Seattle University provost allegedly assaults Muslim student at commencement
SEATTLE — CAIR-WA, the Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, is calling on Seattle University to publicly apologize after a provost allegedly ripped a Palestinian flag from a Black Muslim student’s hands and physically accosted her during a June 14 commencement ceremony.
According to CAIR-WA, the student had informed the provost she does not shake hands with men for religious reasons before attempting to display the flag, which the provost then took away. CAIR-WA Executive Director Imraan Siddiqi called the incident “a blatant act of aggression and suppression” and said the organization is in contact with the student to ensure her safety and that there is accountability. The organization noted that other students representing different identities and cultures at the same ceremony were not censored.
St. Luke’s ~ San Lucas Episcopal Church unveils outdoor labyrinth open to wider community
VANCOUVER, Wash. — St. Luke’s ~ San Lucas Episcopal Church has unveiled a newly constructed outdoor labyrinth, offering parishioners and the broader community a space for prayer and reflection. The labyrinth spans a 28-foot radius and features 4,800 pavers installed through months of collaborative effort by parishioners, community members and local Boy Scouts, including an Eagle Scout project that coordinated excavation, material donations and paver installation.
The Rev. Alfredo Feregrino, priest-in-charge, said creating sacred spaces was among the goals he outlined when he joined the church 18 months ago. “Sacred spaces invite people into prayer and reflection,” he said. “I wanted to create a place that not only serves our congregation but opens our grounds to the whole community.”
The labyrinth was blessed on Palm Sunday and reflects the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia’s emphasis on intentional discipleship and community engagement. The church, described as the first Episcopal congregation in the Pacific Northwest, said future projects may include memorial or devotional spaces tied to its connections to local military history.
Kenyan diaspora congregation opens second campus in Olympia
TACOMA, Wash. — Umoja Presbyterian Church, a Kenyan diaspora congregation based in the Pacific Northwest, officially opened a second campus June 14 in Olympia, expanding its reach beyond its original base in Tacoma. The new 10-acre property is intended to serve as a hub for Sunday services, youth programs, family ministries and outreach for a growing Kenyan and East African diaspora community in Washington state.
The inauguration brought together congregants and religious leaders including Deputy Secretary General Rev. John Mbae of Kenya’s Presbyterian Church, who traveled from Kenya to deliver the main sermon. Church Moderator Rev. Joseph Kisanga led the dedication and said the expansion reflects both the congregation’s growth and its commitment to creating spaces for worship, fellowship and community engagement.
Umoja Presbyterian, which began as a small fellowship of Kenyan immigrants, has grown into what members describe as a spiritual and cultural anchor for East African families in the region. Leaders said they plan to use the expanded grounds to host larger gatherings drawing diaspora members from across multiple states.
Eastern Washington
‘The Lord will be to my kids what I cannot be’: Spokane pastor family loses home in Upriver fire
SPOKANE, Wash. — When Jon Schuler stepped outside Tuesday to work on his front deck, he smelled smoke within two minutes. Minutes later, an evacuation alarm shrieked from his phone, and his family had five minutes to grab birth certificates, two laptops and the clothes on their backs before fleeing. By 11 p.m., a text from a friend confirmed what they feared: Their home of seven years was gone.
The Upriver fire, which began around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday near Camp Sekani and spread to nearly 230 acres in a matter of hours, destroyed more than a dozen homes in the Spokane area neighborhood. For the Schulers, who serve as part-time pastors at a local Christian church, faith is what is holding them together in the aftermath, they told The Spokesman-Review.
Standing amid the blackened remains of their home Wednesday, Adriane Schuler watched her sons pick through the ash and said of her children: “You protect your kids from what you can — but you can’t do it all. That’s when the Lord will be to my kids what I cannot be.”
Her husband Jon Schuler echoed that sentiment. “The most important promise in Scripture is that he won’t leave or forsake you,” he said. “And that’s what we’re living right now.”
Central Washington
Soccer tournament unites refugees, community ahead of World Refugee Day
PASCO, Wash. — World Relief Tri-Cities brought refugees, local church groups and community members together June 13 for an eight-team, 7-on-7 soccer tournament at the Gesa Stadium Soccer Fields in Pasco. Held one week before World Refugee Day, the event aimed to foster connection and strengthen community ties among refugees resettling in the Tri-Cities area.
The Christian nonprofit, which helps refugees establish new lives in the United States, serves clients from countries including Nicaragua, Venezuela and Mexico. Teams featured a mix of World Relief clients, church members and local club players.
World Relief Tri-Cities Director Steve Vollmer said many refugees are experiencing anxiety about their future despite being in the country legally. He said events like the tournament help create a stronger sense of family, belonging and support.
Idaho
LDS apostle urges BYU-Idaho students to prepare for church’s 2030 bicentennial
REXBURG, Idaho — Elder Gérald Caussé of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles called on BYU-Idaho students to become active witnesses of their faith as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints approaches a milestone convergence in 2030 — the bicentennial of the church’s founding and the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus Christ’s mortal ministry.
Speaking at a June 14 devotional in Rexburg, Idaho, Elder Caussé told thousands of students gathered in the I-Center auditorium that their generation is “called to help lead this work forward.” He and his wife, Valérie, outlined five truths they said were restored through the prophet Joseph Smith, including the nature of the Godhead, the role of Christ’s atonement, God’s plan of salvation, the eternal nature of families and continuing revelation through living prophets.
“You will carry the light of the Restoration into the next hundred years — with faith and with joyful determination,” Elder Caussé said.
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