By Gates (Pam) Johnson It’s been a rough few months. In December, I had major back surgery that would hopefully help my foot neuropathy, but would take a year to heal. Okay. I can deal with that. Not fun, but chances are good that life will get better because of the surgery. A couple of…
Island Voices, May 2026
How Do You Make a Grandmother Cry?
By Rocky (Donna) Liberty Raggedy Andy & Ann – crafted by the author How to make a grandma cry. Take a labor of love, add in animal instinct, throw in some time (thyme), fate, and Voilà! She was ten years old and the apple of my eye. I would die for my grandchild if necessary,…
Island Voices, May 2026
Memories of a Banyan Tree
By Suzanna Leigh James and I landed in Honolulu in late February of 1974. No one to meet me, of course. Culture shock; people in shorts, brightly colored shirts, long muumuus, fragrant plumeria leis around their necks. The very air smelled different. I knew no one. I sat on the edge of a fountain with…
Island Voices, May 2026
Dismal Fruits
By Michael Shook Over the last two months, we’ve gotten “thumbnail” sketches of both the innate desire of humans for a perfect, usually communal, society, and of the father of modern Communism, Karl Marx. Now it’s time for a look at some of the fruits of the ideologies of Marxism and Communism. For all Karl…
Island Voices, May 2026
Going After Vashon: Encouraging More
By Deborah H. Anderson I had an opportunity recently to get some closure about my years as a pastor on Vashon. I was one of the first full-time female pastors, and for sure the first soccer Mom pastor. It was sweet and gentle, and I was able to forgive many. Forgiveness is easier when the…
April 2026, Island Voices
Healing and The Last Three Chair Squats
By Deborah H. Anderson Three weeks ago, I was introduced before preaching on “Fasting as a Practice of Calling Down Justice” at an Ash Wednesday service. The Sister of the Cloth said “… And when she sings, it comes from a place so deep inside of her.” I was so grateful to hear that the…
April 2026, Island Voices
How I Became Gates
[Jane–see image accompanying this story; I think it would go well in the print version too] By Gates (Pam) Johnson I have been asked this question about eight million times in the last, I’m going to guess, three decades. Not sure why it is such an interesting topic. Is “Gates” that odd a name that…
Island Voices, Poetry
Vashon Island Used to Be
By March TwisdaleVashon Island used to be,a land for you and me.Then Cancel Culture came,and we were wiped away.What’s a girl to do,who’s been raised Red, White & Blue?Speak up, express, explain:“A free thinker I remain, no matter what you do.”For all who were, who are, and those yet to be.I will not drop our…
April 2026, Island Voices
The Paradox of Karl Marx
By Michael Shook Last month, we had a brief look at the history of human efforts to live communally, and how those did, or did not, work out. This month, we assess some of the life and work of the man perhaps most associated with modern Communism, Karl Marx. Marx was a man of prodigious…
April 2026, Island Voices
Holy Vashon
By Dave B. I almost hit a deer the other day. The deer was in a pothole. All I saw were antlers as I slammed on my brakes just in time. Luckily for me (and the deer), the pothole was deep and saved its life. After the deer got out with great effort, I had…