by admin | Dec 3, 2019 | News
Church Christmas Party
Friday, December 6th, 6 p.M.
The Smith Memorial Parsonage
3281 Waikomo Road in Koloa
Bring a favorite holiday dish for the potluck dinner.
Enjoy the Christmas decorations
Fun with great friends
Christmas caroling
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Second Sunday of Advent
“We Light the Candle of Peace”
December 8th
Welcoming of New Members
The Lighting of the Advent Candles
A Message of “Peace”
Christmas Caroling after Aloha Hour at Hale Kupuna in Omao
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ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS . . . .
PRAYERS & SQUARES Tuesday, December 3, 1-3 p.m. Prayers & Squares will meet in Kahu’s office. All are welcome to make quilts as part of our ministry of prayer for those in crisis and those who might need some extra comfort and encouragement.
CHURCH WORK DAY Saturday, December 7, 8 – noon. It is time to spruce up the church buildings and grounds in preparation for the holidays and all our visitors. Bring your gloves, rags, buckets. Lunch will be served.
CHRISTMAS CAROLING We will gather to go Christmas caroling at Hale Kupuna in Omao on Sunday, December 8, after Aloha Hour. Everyone is invited to join us. We can carpool from the church.
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE Join us for a service of candles and carols in English and Hawaiian and a special hula presentation on Tuesday, December 24, at 7:30 p.m.
CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE Join us for Holy Communion, a Christmas message, as well as Christmas carols in English and Hawaiian on Wednesday, December 25, at 10:30 a.m.
COCONUT WIRELESS Click HERE to see the latest issue of the Coconut Wireless (the weekly e-news from the Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Christ).
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 Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72:1-19; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12.
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“Weekly News of the Church” is provided by Koloa Union Church, an Open and Affirming (ONA) Congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a member of the Kauai Association and Hawaii Conference. Please contact the church office if you would like to have our weekly news sent directly to your inbox. Join us at 3289 Poipu Road in Koloa!
by admin | Dec 3, 2019 | Message from Kahu
“Never Give Up Hope”
Luke 1:5-25
On Sunday, I told the congregation about a beloved friend Dwayne who died earlier this year while I was on my sabbatical. By the time I met him nearly 20 years ago, he had lost nearly everything that was important to him. His two sons died, his wife left him, he lost his job. He also faced some huge challenges in some of the jobs where he worked after his world seemed to come crashing down on top of him. Nevertheless, Dwayne was one of the kindest, most helpful and hopeful people I had ever met. One day I asked him how he remained so positive and hopeful.
Here is how I remember his response:
You know, Alan, I know that I could have chosen to have been bitter, angry and resentful, and I’m pretty sure that anyone who knew me at the time wouldn’t have blamed me because that was a really tough time. But I also knew that I could choose to trust that God had always been with me in love and would continue to be with me and continue loving me. I just had to believe somehow that my best days might still be ahead of me. And so, I chose to be hopeful. It was a choice I made. I knew I didn’t have to make that choice, but who wants to be around a bitter, angry person?
Dwayne’s response was a reminder to me that hope is something we choose. In fact, it is something we get to choose every single day, regardless of the circumstances all around us. In Sunday’s Gospel reading, Zechariah and Elizabeth were another reminder of this. They spent their entire lives being faithful to God while their greatest desire remained unfulfilled—a child. Yet they never gave up hope. At least, they had enough hope to continue trusting God, worshiping, making offerings and praying. I think that they too believed that their best days might still be ahead of them—and they were. God surprised them with an answer to their prayers and their lifetime of unfulfilled hope. Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist and was told by the angel Gabriel that he would bring joy not only to them but to many people. For John prepared the way for Jesus—and there was great joy for all.
This is our hope as well. God calls each of us to prepare the way for Jesus in one way or another—a way into our hearts and minds, a way into our line of sight, a way for people to hear of God’s love. As you prepare a way for Jesus during this Advent Season, may you never give hope; may you always believe that your best days might just be ahead of you.
Aloha nui!
Kahu
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“A Message from Kahu Alan Akana” is provided most weeks by Koloa Union Church, an Open & Affirming (ONA) congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a member of the Kauai Association and Hawaii Conference.
To see a video of Kahu Akana’s message, click HERE. 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.
You are welcome to join us on Sunday mornings! To see our Sunday morning schedule, click HERE.
Kahu Akana is also an accomplished artist! He specializes in creating vibrant watercolors of the flowers of Hawaii and hosts a Sunday afternoon reception in a gallery at his home, the Smith Memorial Parsonage. He also meets visitors by appointment. Most of the profit from the sales go for the maintenance and upkeep of the parsonage. To see a video about his art and gallery, click HERE. To see the gallery website, click HERE.
To learn more about Kahu Akana (and the rest of the staff at Koloa Union Church), click HERE.
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