A Message from Kahu Alan Akana

by admin | Dec 27, 2017 | Message from Kahu

Happy New Year 2018

Join us on Sunday morning

as we give thanks for our blessings in 2017

and as we welcome 2018

and ask for God’s blessings

in the year ahead!

I have really enjoyed the seasons of Advent and Christmas with the people of Koloa Union Church. I was inspired by the lighting of the Advent candles by some of the artists among us and their sharing of their art as it pertains to the themes of Advent: hope, peace, joy and love. I also immensely enjoyed our Christmas Eve service, including the wonderful music and the reading of the Christmas stories, as well as our Christmas Day communion service. Click HERE if you would like to watch on video any the messages from the past week.

We have been truly blessed this past year and have much for which to give thanks! Most importantly, I am grateful for God’s loving presence among through the ups and downs, joys and griefs, rhythms and patterns of the year. On Sunday, we will give thanks and ask for God’s blessings in the New Year. We will also take a look at a couple of stories in the Gospel of Luke, in which a couple of elderly holy people meet the infant Jesus and share their joy with the world.

I look forward to seeing many of you on Sunday and wish you all a very Happy New Year!

Aloha nui!

Kahu Alan Akana

A Message from Kahu Alan Akana

by admin | Dec 20, 2017 | Message from Kahu

“For unto us a child is born”

(Isaiah 9:6)

This is such a special time of year as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. As I think about our world and people I know who are struggling in life, it is more important than ever to remember that God sent Jesus into the world to show us how to hold onto love and hope. In the midst of troubling news in the media, personal crises we encounter, and poverty and hunger on our island, we are reminded at Christmas that there is always a place for love and hope. Just as Jesus arrived during a troubling time and showed everyone new possibilities and new ways of being in the world, we too are able to do the same!

As we gather on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, may we all feel God’s love and hope for the world; and may we commit ourselves to being part of God’s dream for us all! I invite you to join us for our worship services on Sunday morning, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as we celebrate God’s loving presence which came to us as an infant in Bethlehem…and which continues to come to us in unexpected and surprising ways!

Aloha nui!

Kahu Alan Akana

Our Kahu (Pastor) offers a weekly message in church most Sundays during the year. You may see the Koloa Union Church YouTube channel to see many of his past messages and subscribe in order be notified when a new message is posted. Please share these videos with friends and invite them to church. Please feel free to “Like” any of the videos you see and share them on social media, such as Facebook, so that others will notice them.

A Message from Kahu Alan Akana

by admin | Dec 13, 2017 | Message from Kahu

“Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

(The Angel Gabriel, Luke 1:28)

On Sunday I shared a story about Benjamin Zander, the conductor for the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and a professor of music. One year he decided to begin class by telling all of the students that they would receive an “A.” All they had to do was write a letter to him explaining why they deserved such a high grade. They had to date the letter the following May and write about what happened during the year, including goals, benchmarks, successes and celebrations. They also had to focus on who they had become. It was an amazing year for Zander and his class. His students let go of their fears and anxieties over making mistakes, not measuring up, and not being as good as others; and they all acted like “A” students! Furthermore, they made music with more life and passion than ever before!

Benjamin Zander offered grace to his class that year. Grace is something good that is offered simply out of kindness. It is not earned or deserved, offered as payment or reward. It is simply given because the giver is kind and compassionate. This is how God treats us! We all get an “A” even before we do anything to deserve any grade at all! In God’s eyes we are already perfect. If we would only believe that God’s grace is already ours, I think we would act like Benjamin Zander’s students: we would live and act together with more life and passion than ever before…and we would be at peace with everyone; for there would be no reason to compete! Why compete with someone when you are already guaranteed an “A”?

As we contemplate the meaning of Christmas, I hope we can hear the words of God, spoken through the angel Gabriel: “Greetings favored one! The Lord is with you.” For these words were not just for Mary. They were intended for each of us. We all receive God’s favor, whether we deserve it or not (grace!), and God is always with us. For me, this is the real meaning of Christmas. May we allow God’s grace to come to us and may we share it with others during this Advent season as we prepare our hearts for Christ to enter in surprising and unexpected ways!

Aloha nui!

Kahu Alan Akana

Our Kahu (Pastor) offers a weekly message in church most Sundays during the year. Click HERE to see a video of this week’s message. You may also see the Koloa Union Church YouTube channel to see many of his past messages and subscribe in order be notified when a new message is posted. Please share these videos with friends and invite them to church. Please feel free to “Like” any of the videos you see and share them on social media, such as Facebook, so that others will notice them.

“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.