May Newsletter
Click Newsletter May 2015 to see what is going on in May!
‘Aha Mele and ‘Aha Mokupuni
JOIN US ON APRIL 24 AND 25 IN LIHUE!
Our annual island-wide gathering of the United Church of Christ congregations will take place at Lihue United Church (4340 Nawiliwili Road in Lihue, behind King Auto). Our choir will be singing once again at Aha Mele!
Join us for any part, including the delicious free meals (but you must sign up at Koloa Union Church by Sunday, April 19, for any of the meals):
Friday, April 24
5:30 Tongan-style Dinner
7:00 ‘Aha Mele (An Island-Wide Musical Celebration!)
Saturday, April 25
8:00 Breakfast & Registration
8:30 Kauai Council of Hawaiian Churches
9:30 Kauai Association Annual Meeting
11:30 Break
11:45 Worship
12:30 Lunch
Kauai Art Tour
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, APRIL 18-19, 11 A.M.-6 P.M.
“YELLOW PLUMERIA ON BLUE AND GREEN”
Kahu Alan Akana will be participating in the Kauai Artists’ Open Studios Tour this weekend! You can drop by his home (the Smith Memorial Parsonage: 3281 Waikomo Road in Koloa) and visit his art studio where he creates watercolors of tropical flowers and other themes. Local artists Julie Berg and Eileen Kechloian will be joining him on both days. All three artists will be creating works of art and talking to visitors about their work. Pieces will also be available for sale.
This is a free event on the south shore and west side of the island. (North shore and east side studios will be open for visits the following weekend.) Catalogues will be available at the parsonage if you would like to visit other studios on the tour.
The Kauai Society of Artists Gallery at Kukui Grove Shopping Center in Lihue is displaying works from all participating artists on the tour, so be sure to drop by there and see works of art from Kauai artists all over the island!
More info is available at www.kauaiarttour.com.
A Message from Kahu Alan Akana
JUST LOOKING IS BELIEVING
Nearly everyone has heard the phrase, “Seeing is believing.” I shared with the congregation on Sunday that the Apostle John used the word seeing over and over in his Gospel. In fact, the verb “to see” is found some 80 times! Seeing was important to John because Jesus is the one who taught people to see…and seeing led to believing… and believing led to living a full and abundant life (and sharing that life with others!).
I also shared with the congregation that there are times in my life when I look but don’t see clearly, and sometimes not at all. I wonder if I could see God’s love, God’s plan, God’s presence if I just had more faith. As I took a deeper look into John’s Gospel, Jesus seemed to understand that not everyone sees clearly all the time; in reality, none of us do! Yet, John makes it clear that belief and trust in God are still possible…and so is a full and abundant life! That’s why Jesus said to Thomas: “Blessed are those who have not seen yet have come to believe.”
So what do you do when you look to Jesus and cannot see clearly? You keep looking! What do you do when you look to God and cannot see at all? You keep looking! What do you do when you think you see perfectly? You keep looking (and remember that you might be seeing an illusion or a mirage)! Jesus shared a vision with his followers about a new way of being where everyone is blessed by God and is able to live full and abundant lives. When you have a hard time seeing what Jesus saw, you simply trust (believe) that Jesus’ vision is still real and achievable for every life, every time and every place.
So when you look and cannot see, remember: Just looking is believing! Just looking leads to life when you are looking to Jesus and his grand vision for the world!
I invite you to look… and believe… and live today with the assurance that God loves you and each person you encounter! I also invite you to share the love!
Kahu Alan Akana
Church Rummage Sale!
THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 8 A.M. TO NOON
The rummage sale is this week!
You can help in the following ways:
- Tell your friends and neighbors about the rummage sale
- Set up on Wednesday afternoon and/or evening
- Set up on Thursday or Friday (all day)
- Make something for the bake sale
- Come early on Saturday so we are ready for the crowd
- Help during the rummage sale
- Clean up afterwards
Mahalo nui for your kokua!!!
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