Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, is an annual holiday celebrated on June 19 in the United States. The day commemorates the day in 1865 when Union Army General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that all enslaved people in Texas were free, two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The celebration of Juneteenth has roots in African American communities and has been observed since the late 1800s. It is a day to remember and honor the struggles and sacrifices of African Americans in their continued fight for freedom and equality.
Check out one of the many Juneteenth celebrations happening in our community!
- Bellevue: Juneteenth Community Celebration, Saturday, June 13, 11:00 – 5:30pm, Crossroads Park
- Kirkland: Eastside Honoring Juneteenth, Saturday, June 13, noon – 4:00pm, Juanita High School
- Mercer Island: Juneteenth Community Celebration, Thursday, June 19, noon – 3:00pm, Mercerdale Park
- Seattle: Juneteenth Festival, Thursday, June 19, noon – 8:00pm, Jimi Hendrix Park
- Seattle: Juneteenth Worship Service, Thursday, June 19, 7:00pm, Bethany Green Lake Chapel
- Tacoma: Juneteenth Celebration, Thursday, June 19, noon – 6:00 pm, Lemay Car Museum Haub Family Field
Looking for things to do this spring and summer? Explore the Chinatown-International District with the Wing Luke Museum!
Find the full calendar of tours and register at Tour Calendar — Wing Luke Museum. Tours include admission to the museum.
The Justice & Racial Reconciliation Team was formed in 2016. If J&RR is to be a vibrant part of BelPres for the next ten years we need Leaders. The goal is to have three to four members of the Leadership Team, each serving a three year term, with staggered term ending dates. We need both continuity and fresh voices.
Would you like to get more involved in our local community and gain skills in group facilitation, cultural competency, and best practices for participatory engagement? Apply to join the City of Bellevue's Cultural Conversations Facilitator Class! Find out more and apply here. Applications are due on April 12. This is a great way to move from learning into action!
On February 9, Pastor Scott, Pastor Rich, Anthony Ballard, and Heather Hedlund hosted a Zoom forum Scripture study and Q&A to wrestle with how to respond to ICE raids, how to love the foreigner among us, and what it means to follow Jesus for such a time as this. If you missed it, you can watch the recording here.
Do you know someone who loves Jesus and our church, is committed to the community, and demonstrates wise leadership and/or compassionate care? Recommend them for leadership! Elders help lead the church and deacons help care for the church. Please take some time to pray about who you want to recommend for these important positions.
You can send in a recommendation until Oct. 19, 2025 via orange slips at the Welcome Desk or by submitting online by clicking here.
On a lovely summer Saturday morning, members of the J&RR team along with some friends and neighbors gathered at the corner of 20th and Madison to experience "Seattle's Infamous Redline" walking tour.
With the app downloaded to our phones and our earbuds in place, we started the tour. We knew we were on the right corner when we found a poem embedded in the sidewalk. As we listened to the narration on our app, our virtual tour guides shared the history of the poem and guided us to our next stop.
When we talk to people about the justice issues on their hearts, one of the most common things that comes up is access to affordable housing. The City of Bellevue is updating its Affordable Housing Strategy over the course of 2025. As part of continuing engagement for the update, the Office of Housing has created three videos that provide an overview of the basics of affordable housing in Bellevue.
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