by admin | Nov 13, 2016 | News
PRAYERS & SQUARES
You are invited to join us on Sunday for an informational meeting about a brand new prayer group at Koloa Union Church! Find out about combining the gift of prayer with the gift of a hand-tied quilt for people who are facing a life crisis and need to be “covered in prayer.” We will meet Sunday, Nov 13, in Kahu’s office after Aloha Hour. The meeting is scheduled for 12:15 to 1 p.m. and will include time for questions. Our speaker is our good friend Cathy Evans! This will also be a time to sign-up to attend a January planning meeting for all those interested (date to be determined).
COMMITMENT SUNDAY was on November 6. Thank you for your commitment cards and paper hearts for our banner. On each heart you wrote a word or phrase describing the kind of neighbors you believe God is calling us to pay attention to. If you had forgotten your commitment card, please turn it in by November 13. The Finance Committee will meet this coming week and will use those pledge numbers to create a 2017 budget, present this budget to the Church Council for approval, then presented to you, the members and friends of Kōloa Union Church. Thank you for your continuous generosity! Your presence and your gifts make a huge difference in our community!
ANNUAL KOLOA UNION CHURCH THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION
We will celebrate Thanksgiving together as a congregation on Sunday, November 20! Our worship service will focus on gratitude. Our meal during Aloha Hour will be a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Please see Penny to sign up for food. Come and be thankful!
THANKSGIVING DINNER IN A BOX
Thanks to a donor who gave a very generous donation toward feeding hungry people on the south shore, we will be creating “Thanksgiving Dinner in a Box” for up to ten families. Each box will include a turkey and other menu items for families to cook traditional Thanksgiving dinners! There is a list of food items we will need on a sign-up table located outside Penny’s office. Please sign up today and bring the food next Sunday, November 20. The Outreach Committee will shop for anything that might be missing on Monday, November 21, and then deliver the boxes to families the next day.
HOLIDAY CLEANING & CHRISTMAS DECORATING Saturday, November 19, 8 a.m. – noon. We want to spruce up the church and sanctuary before the holidays. Uncle Diki will provide the tree that will need decorating; also the Advent wreath will need to be created. We hope to dust, polish, power wash, decorate. Please tell Penny if you are able to help. Lunch will be served.
CHRISTMAS OUTREACH: “Spare Change to Help Needy Families”
We plan to give gift cards to families in our community before Christmas so that they can have food and gifts for their children. Can you bring your spare change to church between now and December 11? Just place it in the Spare Change Jar as you enter or leave the church. We will add up our change on December 11 and purchase gift cards from local stores. If you know any families we can help, have any questions, or wish to volunteer, please contact Judyth Foley at 818-726-1344.
THE BRIDGE: FROM KAUA`I TO COLLEGE
You are invited to the First Annual Gala Fundraiser for “The Bridge: Kaua’i to College!” The event will take place at Gaylord’s at Kilohana on Sunday, December 4, beginning at 4 pm. There will be a silent auction, a delicious three-course buffet dinner prepared by the talented kitchen staff at Gaylord’s and performances by Halau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leina`ala! Tickets are $75 for open table seating—or buy a reserved table of six for $600 and introduce your friends to The Bridge! Kahu has tickets for sale. Please contact Susan Davis at 650-464-1654 or susandavisphd@gmail.com if you have questions or would like to donate an item to the silent auction. Join us for a wonderful evening to support Kaua`i’s high school students who want to go to college!
ANNUAL SPRING RUMMAGE SALE Saturday, April 22, 2017, 8 a.m. to noon. We are accepting your rummage sale donations at the church. Call the church (742-6622) or Judyth (818-726-1344) for drop-offs. We welcome all smaller items, larger items later (storage space is an issue). Our goal is to have both storage sheds full of your donations. Profits will be used for our youth.
Weekly News of the Church” is provided by Koloa Union Church, a congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a member of the Kauai Association and Hawaii Conference. Join us at 3289 Poipu Road in Koloa!
by admin | Nov 5, 2016 | Message from Kahu
On Sunday, we continued our series on “Pay It Forward: And Who Is My Neighbor?” Our focus was Sharing Aloha with the Rich and the Poor. We read the story of Zacchaeus, a very rich man who gave half his money to the poor. This act of generosity is an example for us and came after three commitments he made:
- First of all, he was committed to looking at Jesus. When the crowd got so big that he couldn’t see Jesus, he climbed up in a tree. He wasn’t going to let anything or anyone get in the way of him clearly looking at Jesus. I encourage you to consider the things that might keep you from seeing Jesus; and then consider how you might make your way through those obstacles.
- Secondly, Zacchaeus was committed to hanging out with Jesus. He invited Jesus to his home and enjoyed his company. I encourage you to spend time with Jesus, through prayer, reading of Scripture, attending church, and simply being aware of his ongoing presence in the world.
- Finally, Zacchaeus was committed to taking a look at his life and asking himself what he might change. Is there anything you might change in your life to see Jesus better or be a better follower of Jesus? What might that be? What would it take for you to make that change?
Through these three commitments, Zacchaeus got clarity as to how he would love his neighbors. As you think about these things, I invite you to be part of our vision at Koloa Union Church. Most of our members and regular attendees have received a paper heart in the mail by now (and anyone can pick up a heart at church or just make your own from a piece of card stock); I invite you to write on your heart the kinds of people with particular kinds of needs that you think God might be calling us to pay attention to in the coming year. Please bring your heart to church on Sunday, November 6, so that we can put all of the paper hearts on a banner and ask God to give us compassion and wisdom for all of the people listed. Please also bring your commitment card for 2017 on November 6 so that yours will be counted in our “Blessing of Commitments” during the worship service when we bless our financial commitments for the following year.
In the meantime, I invite you to continue praying the following prayer with me, as you consider your commitment to our church’s future outreach and mission:
O God, as we seek to reach out into our community
by sharing aloha with everyone in the coming year,
open my heart so that love will freely flow in and out of it.
May the commitment I make truly represent
the gratitude I have to you for
all that Koloa Union Church means to me.
Amen!
I look forward to seeing you in church on Sunday for Holy Communion, creating our banner of hearts and the blessing of our commitments.
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
To see a video of Kahu’s sermon on Sunday, click HERE.
“A Message from Kahu Alan Akana” is provided most weeks by the Kahu (Pastor) of Koloa Union Church, a congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a member of the Kauai Association and Hawaii Conference.
by admin | Nov 3, 2016 | News
DEACONS MEETING, Sunday, November 6, 9:00 a.m. Our 8 deacons do so much for the church including spiritual care, surveys, pulpit supply, parts of the worship service and music and so much more. We appreciate all of them and their commitment to Koloa Union Church!
COMMITMENT SUNDAY, November 6. Don’t forget to bring your paper heart with a word or phrase describing the kind of neighbors you believe God is calling us to pay attention to. Please also bring your completed commitment card of your financial intentions for 2017. This will assist the Finance Committee to create the budget for next year.
`AHA MOKUPUNI, Sunday, November 6 at Lihue Christian Church, 2943 Kress Street in Lihue (across the street from Hamura Saimin). All ages are invited to join us from 3 to 7 p.m. for are annual fall gathering of United Church of Christ congregations on the island. On the agenda is: conversation and presentation (adults); fun, music & games (children and youth); a youth-led worship service; and dinner prepared by Lihue Christian Church! Carpool from Koloa Union Church at 2:30 p.m.
DOLLIE BRIERLEY CELEBRATION OF LIFE. Wednesday, November 9. Visitation at 1:30, service at 2:30 p.m., and a reception in Moore Hall afterwards. The family has requested, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Koloa Union Church in Dollie’s memory.
THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON, Sunday, November 20, at noon following our worship service. Please see Penny for sign up.
HOLIDAY CLEANING & CHRISTMAS DECORATING, Saturday, November 19, 8 a.m. – noon. We want to spruce up the church and sanctuary before the holidays. Uncle Diki will provide the tree that will need decorating, also the Advent wreath will need to be created. We hope to dust, polish, power wash, decorate. Lunch will be served.
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Weekly News of the Church” is provided by Koloa Union Church, a congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a member of the Kauai Association and Hawaii Conference. Join us at 3289 Poipu Road in Koloa!
by admin | Nov 3, 2016 | Newsletter
November 2016
The Newsletter is provided monthly by Koloa Union Church, a congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a member of the Kauai Association and Hawaii Conference. Join us at 3289 Poipu Road in Koloa!
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