Changes are coming to the GNW Shared Services Office as Sara Goetze steps down to take a role with GCFA.

El Dios Viviente UMC in Seattle recently celebrated baptisms at Seward Park and its annual Family Camp at Twinlow, strengthening faith and family bonds. PNW Director of Hispanic/Latinx Ministries Rev. Cruz Edwin Santos writes that under Pastor Gerardo Guzmán's leadership, the congregation continues offering welcome and hope to Hispanic/Latinx families, including immigrants, modeling vibrant ministry through worship, discipleship, and community engagement.

In this week's Faith and Values column, Rev. Paul Graves explores which slices of reality people are standing in when it comes to our call to stand in solidarity for one another when we don't agree with one another.

Reflecting on Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch's call for Americans to embrace ambiguity when facing complex history, Patrick Scriven connects it to his own seminary journey of reconciling faith with historical scholarship. He critiques a White House report accusing the Smithsonian of "radical, activist ideology," arguing that ideological pressure toward simplicity, whether nationalistic or partisan, distorts our understanding of history and faith alike.

True patriotism isn't measured by flags displayed but by actions taken on behalf of democratic values. Drawing on Lincoln's 1862 call to "disenthrall ourselves," Rev. Paul Graves challenges both Trump supporters and opponents to break free from political obsession and superficial patriotism. Real healing begins not with symbols, but with the hard, ongoing work of democracy.