A Message from Kahu Alan Akana

leader retreat kokee  8.2015

Leadership Retreat at Waineke Cabin in Koke’e

LEADERSHIP RETREAT

On Saturday, August 22nd, 18 of our church leaders gathered in Koke’e to focus on our new 3-year vision that the congregation adopted in January. I am pleased that we had great participation! The group spent the entire day brainstorming, reflecting, praying, prioritizing and planning. We also ate really well (thanks to Uncle Diki!) and had a lot of fun! The group chose 4 areas to concentrate on for the coming year:

  1. Youth Ministry
  2. Christian Education & Formation for All Ages
  3. Music & Arts
  4. Mission & Outreach

We hope that each member and friend of the church will consider at least one of these 4 areas in which to provide support. You can read some of the details in our September newsletter, and we will be sharing a lot more as the plans unfold in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I invite you to pray for our church’s vision…and consider what area in which YOU might choose to participate!

Aloha nui!

Kahu Alan Akana

A Message from Kahu Alan Akana

Cave of Swimmers

Cave of Swimmers

 

On Sunday, I shared with the congregation about one of my favorite movies, “The English Patient.” It is a fictionalized story of the Hungarian explorer Laszlo de Almasy (who spoke English, and therefore was mistaken as English in the movie). I talked about the real Almasy, who discovered the now-famous Cave of Swimmers in the desert of southern Egypt. It was a large cave with ancient paintings of people swimming. Experts believe they were painted some 10,000 years ago, during the most recent Ice Age, making them perhaps the oldest paintings ever found.

Laszlo suggested that many years ago the Sahara Desert must have once been a very green place with lots of water. Finding a cave with paintings of lots of swimmers was a big clue! However, no one seemed to take this new theory seriously. They couldn’t imagine the Sahara Desert as a beautiful, green paradise with lots of water. However, his theory was eventually proven true and believed by every legitimate earth scientist who knows the region. In fact, an Egyptian scientist in 2007 discovered a huge underground lake measuring over 30,000 square kilometers buried under the sand not far from the Cave of Swimmer!

Just as the earth can become very thirsty, we too find ourselves at times incredibly thirsty. As we consider the Samaritan woman in John 4, her thirst seemed all-encompassing: physical, social, spiritual and emotional. She thirsted for companionship and a sense of belonging, as well as water. Jesus told her that if she would drink from the water he offered, she would never be thirsty again. At first she disbelieved, but then she took him at his word and felt his love and acceptance—even though he knew all her secrets. It sounds to me like her thirst disappeared.

How might you be thirsty? How might you believe that God can take away your thirst? What might be getting in the way? May all your thirst be quenched and all your needs be met!

Aloha nui!

Kahu Alan Akana

A Birthday Celebration

CELEBRATING TOYO NISHIDA

On Sunday we celebrated Toyo Nishida’s 99th birthday!  Toyo has held nearly every position in our church and for years was our own “menehune”— discreetly tending to chores (big and little)  needing attention.  He also continues to be an historian for our church and community. There are no words to show our gratitude.  We love you, Toyo! Happy Birthday!!!

FullSizeRender-3     FullSizeRender-4     toyo cake

 

A Message from Kahu Alan Akana

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LABYRINTH AT MAHA’ULEPU

On Sunday, I shared some of my experiences walking on labyrinths, including the one at Maha’ulepu in the photo above. I walked on this particular labyrinth last week. It is in a stunning location: surrounded by beautiful mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

A labyrinth is a pathway on the ground on which you walk in a circular pattern while thinking about God. After you come to the end of the pathway in the middle, you turn around and walk in the opposite direction until you end up where you started. Unlike maze, there is only one path and no possibility of losing one’s way.

Here are some of the thoughts I have while walking on labyrinths:

  • Life is a journey, and you often pass by the same places over and over again (and the same people and opportunities).
  • Life really is not about the destination, but the journey!
  • The important thing is not how far you travel or how many things you accomplish, but how you walk on the journey.
  • One of these days, my journey on earth will end; how do I want to look back upon it?
  • I am more aware of God when I spend time trying to be more aware of God.

It is amazing how many things that pop into my mind when walking on a labyrinth. One of the things that I shared with the congregation on Sunday is that we can walk a long way without every stopping to reflect upon God’s presence or what it is that God might be trying to tell us or show us. On the other hand, there is a much greater chance to see and hear God if we make the time and space to do so.

I hope you will see, hear and feel God’s presence this week as you walk on your journey. And I hope to see you in church on Sunday!

Aloha nui loa!

Kahu Alan Akana