Weekly News of the Church

by | Aug 1, 2018 | News

SUMMER BOOK GROUP The group meets at the parsonage on Wednesday evenings through August 1, and then again on August 15, at 6 o’clock for dinner followed by a discussion based on the book Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living, by Krista Tippet. The group will discuss chapter 5 on August 1 and chapter 6 on August 15.

PICK-A-PARTY “FUN”-RAISERS  Koloa Union Church members and friends are hosting a variety of parties. Hosts choose the party theme, food selections and number of guests. Hosts also provide the meals and pay for all expenses, and also sell tickets for a chosen amount. All of the tickets sales income will be donated to the church’s general fund. Look for the Pick-a-Party folder on Sundays for available parties. If you have any questions, please contact Bonnie Kakinami. Click HERE to email Bonnie or call her at 639-7765.

Upcoming parties are:

  • A massage party at the church hosted by Virginia Dunas on Saturday 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ($20)
  • A game party hosted by Bonnie Kakinami with games, prizes and refreshments on Sunday 1-3 p.m. ($10 for adults $5 for children)

THE LATEST COCONUT WIRELESS  The Council of the Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Christ shares news on the Coconut Wireless, the regular newsletter of the HCUCC. If you would like to keep abreast on news, opportunities and events, please click HERE for this past week’s news. If you like what you see, you may subscribe and get every issue of the Coconut Wireless automatically and get the very latest news hot off the press.

LECTIONARY READINGS (Old & New Testament Readings for the Week)  Each week, Christians throughout the world read biblical passages from the Revised Common Lectionary, including the Old Testament, Psalms, New Testament, and Gospels. After three years, a good portion of the Bible is included and the cycle begins again. RCL passages are often read in church worship services, and Kahu Akana usually includes at least one of them on the following Sunday. This week’s readings are 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a; Psalm 51:1-12; Ephesians 4:1-16; John 6:24-35.

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COMING UP…

LECTIO DIVINA The lectio divina group will meet again on Wednesday, August 8, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Smith Memorial Parsonage (3281 Waikomo Road) for a time to quietly reflect on the Scriptures. In Christianity, Lectio Divina is a traditional practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God’s Word. All are welcome to attend.

ISLAND-WIDE YOUTH EVENT Our church will be hosting the youth of the Kaua`i Association of the United Church of Christ at the parsonage on Sunday, August 19, from 3-6 p.m. The young people (entering grades 6 through 12), their parents and family members, church youth advisors and volunteers, and pastors are all invited for a fun afternoon of games, activities, planning events for the upcoming school year, and a delicious meal. Main dishes and drinks will be provided. Attendees are asked to bring an appetizer, side dish or dessert to share. Any people who are interested in attending or volunteering are asked to contact Kahu or Tiffany.

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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!

A Message from Kahu Alan Akana

by | Aug 1, 2018 | Message from Kahu

“Make a Joyful Noise”

O come, let us sing to the Lord;

     let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Let us come into God’s presence with thanksgiving;

     let us make a joyful noise to God with songs of praise!

(Psalm 95)

On Sunday morning, I told the congregation about a special song that comes from a special place. “Mokuhulu” is a song about four beautiful villages along the Puna Coast on Hawai`i Island—the home of my ancestors and a place I have visited many times. When I first read the English translation of the song, I felt like I was there, for I could not only see the place in my mind; I could also smell the seaweed…and taste the coconut…and feel the rain and the water on my skin…and hear the music! Here is an English translation of the song:

Mokuhulu in the shade of the breadfruit

And coconut trees / This verdant home

Of rain-rustled lehua–of the lehua flower

Kaimu in the fragrance of delicious seaweed

In the sweet song of the sea–

This ocean home on the hilled-up sand

Kalapana, the coconut trees

Bent low for Queen Emma

This place well-known to visitors

Kapa`ahu, this pool for swimming

This tingling-cold water

So thrilling to the touch

To sing the summary refrain from Puna

Comes the fragrance

That is carried here to me

I have visited all of the places that are mentioned in the song as a child and a young adult. Except for just a small part of Kaimu, all of the rest of these villages are buried under lava. Yet, all of those places remain in my memory and they remain in the song; and because of memory and song, all of those places still remain for me.

Music has always played an important part in Hawaiian culture; it has also played a huge part in the Judeo-Christian heritage, mentioned in both testaments. It is music that keeps us close to God, one another and the rest of the world. May we open our hearts and our very lives to the music all around us.

Aloha nui!

Kahu Alan Akana

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Our Kahu (Pastor) offers a weekly message in church most Sundays during the year. Click HERE to see a video of his message from this past Sunday. 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” 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.