The Mayor is now allowing churches to carefully reopen beginning this week. Our Kahu, Church Council and Deacons have been anticipating this announcement and preparing to reopen the church by creating a Reopening Committee. They have been meeting for two weeks on Zoom, gathering pertinent information, going over rules, recommendations and requirements for reopening the church by the CDC, governor, mayor, the Hawai`i Conference of the United Church of Christ leadership and Insurance Board. Although there have been no active cases of COVID-19 on Kaua`i for a number of weeks, it is likely that the virus will return to the island and will easily spread if we do not have some new guidelines for how we gather.
Our goal is to remain a church of welcome and hospitality and at the same time assure the safety of all who visit.
A Phased Reopening
The Hawaii Conference (UCC) encourages pastors and church leaders to have compassion for its members and visitors by assuring the safety of everyone who is physically present on church grounds. For the sake of safety and liability (in case anyone might become ill after a worship service and believes that the church did not take the proper requirements to assure safety), the Conference recommends that churches open in phases, beginning with Phase 1: the opening of the church office:
Phase 1: Church Offices
Beginning this week, the church office and Kahu’s office will be open for visitors for church business. We will open the church office this week, Tuesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to noon. Kahu will be available Tuesday through Thursday by appointment.
Please adhere to the following guidelines to ensure the safety and well-being of our staff (Kahu and Penny):
When visiting the church office, call Penny (808-742-6622) first whenever possible to let her know you plan to visit.
When visiting Kahu, call the church office or his cell (808-855-8806) first whenever possible.
Do not enter the church office but remain at the threshold in order to comply with the 6′ social distancing rule.
Do not enter Kahu’s office until you are invited in.
Please approach with a face mask. If you don’t have a face mask, a disposable mask will be offered. Please keep your face mask on at all times while standing in the doorway. Please ask staff before removing your face mask.
Leave anything you are dropping off for Penny on the bench outside the office. There will be a clipboard for papers that blow away in the wind.
Restrooms and the kitchen will be closed until further notice.
Do not ask the staff to keep or store any items for you or your ministry/group until further notice.
Please stay home if you are sick, if you have a fever or any other symptoms of COVID-19, or have had any known exposure to a COVID-19 case in the prior 14 days.
Phases 2-4
Over the next few weeks we will be opening the church up to small groups and classes (with no food or refreshments served), as well as restroom facilities (Phase 2: by early June). We will then open the sanctuary on Sunday mornings in order to resume worship services (Phase 3: by mid-June). Finally, when things are a lot safer, we will share communion and meals as we begin to look like we did before the pandemic entered our lives (Phase 4: date TBD).
Staying in Touch
Staying connected with our church communityis as important as ever these days!
Here are some suggestions:
Online Worship Services: Join us online every Sunday until we meet back at church for worship in the sanctuary. Everyone on our church email list will receive a link each Saturday to the YouTube video of the worship service.
Weekly E-news: We will be sending out our weekly news now on Saturdays along with the link for our Sunday worship service. Please contact Penny in the church office if you would like a hardcopy mailed to you.
Lectionary: Read through the Scripture verses for the week, knowing that Kahu and others are reading those same passages, which are often included in the Sunday messages. (Scroll to the bottom of this email to see the Scriptures for this Sunday and next.)
Mail from the Church: The church office will occasionally send out postcards, letters, quarterly giving statements, etc. Just let Penny Osuga know if you would like to be added to our mailing list. Penny also checks our P.O. box weekly.
Monthly Newsletter: We will likely not send out another church newsletter until sometime this summer, which you can choose to receive in hard copy format or click on the “News” tab at the top of the screen on our website and then click “Newsletter.” Just let Penny Osuga know if you would like to be added to our monthly newsletter mailing list.
Phone Calling: Please call members and friends of the church to check in and see how they are doing! Also call a Deacon or Kahu Alan Akana if you have concerns or need prayer or just need to talk.
Memorial Day
Monday, May 25, 2020
Kahu Akana and Penny will take the day off on Monday, as they observe Memorial Day.
Let us give thanks for the women and men who died serving our country in the military.Let us pray for the families of those who have died in recent days.
The Hawaii Conference, United Church of Christ, publishes The Friend, six times each year. It is the oldest newspaper west of the Rocky Mountains. This month’s “Hawaiian Mission Bicentennial: 200 Years in 2020” was a very special issue, and the opening feature article was written by our Kahu, “Missionaries and Epidemics.” The article was based on his message to our church on March 29, 2020, and can be read in full online.
CHURCH OUTREACH
Sharing aloha with everyone…
Congratulations to Cathy Evans!
KITV’s Nā Mea Pono Recognition
On May 19 for Overseeing the Making
Of Over 1,000 Face Masks Donated So Far!
KITV Channel 4 “Na Mea Pono” celebrates the people on Kauai who are serving our community and supporting others throughout this COVID-19 pandemic. Bonnie and Penny nominated Cathy Evans. Go to https://www.kitv.com/namea#/gallery and click on Tuesday, May 19, to see Cathy’s recognition.
Thank you to Cathy Evans and all of the volunteers who have made face masks: You have made such a difference on our island!
Members and friends of Kōloa Union Church continue to make face masks for organizations on the island who provide important services to the community. We have delivered masks to the following groups: Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital, Wilcox Hospital, Garden Isle Health Care, YWCA Women’s Shelter, Women in Need Shelter (rehabilitation, domestic abuse and transitional housing), St. Raphael’s Food Distribution, Ohana Healthcare, Salvation Army (for the homeless), Kauai Economic Opportunity (for the homeless shelter), Nana’s House, Kauai Food Bank, Honolulu eldercare facility.
Need a Face Mask? Got Questions? Please contact Cathy Evans (volunteer project coordinator): [email protected]; 858-231-6894.
Food for Hungry Neighbors
If you or someone you know on the south shore is hungry, please provide a name and contact information HERE. There may be someone who can no longer afford food. Perhaps someone is unable to leave their home to buy groceries. Our Outreach Committee is coordinating safe pickup and drop off of groceries to make sure none of our neighbors goes hungry during this time.
St. Raphael Food Pantry
Koloa Union Church continues to partner with St. Raphael Catholic Church in distributing food to hungry families. If you are younger than 65-years-old (a new rule) and you are available on Thursday, June 4 and June 18, to help pack food, please contact Amber Strong at 907-227-9045 or [email protected]. You must wear a face mask in order to volunteer. Let Amber know if you need a mask.
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LECTIONARY READINGS
During challenging times, reading the Bible on a daily basis is a great source of inspiration and hope. I encourage you to read and meditate upon the Scriptures of the Revised Common Lectionary and ask yourself how God might be showing up in the Scriptures for you, what God might be saying to you, and what guidance you might find as you share God’s love in creative and meaningful ways. —Kahu Alan Akana
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 reading each Sunday.
Readings for May 24 are Acts 1:6-14; Psalm 68:1-35; 1 Peter 4:12-5:11; John 17:1-11 Readings for May 31 are Acts 2:1-21; Numbers 11:24-30; Psalm 104:24-36; 1 Corinthians 12:3-13; John 20:19-23; John 7:37-39.
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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!
In this week’s Scripture reading (Acts 1:1-11), the resurrected Jesus ascended into heaven, leaving the disciples staring up into the clouds. I can relate to their experience, as I become easily mesmerized by beautiful clouds. I love walking along the beach at sunset and feeling a sense of awe when the sky changes into a hundred shades of pink, orange, peach and purple. I also love looking out from airplane windows when the clouds look like a million acres of pure cotton. There are times when it is difficult to lower my gaze and look anywhere else—and I give thanks for that!
The disciples were not just mesmerized by the clouds but what they had seen happening in them. Jesus had risen before their eyes and disappeared into the clouds. I am quite sure that I would be staring right along with them! However, the time had come for them to stop looking up and begin looking down all around them. God sent a couple of angels to help them pry their gaze from the heavens so that they would begin looking around the earth and get to work being the witnesses of Jesus that he had called them to be.
This is a good reminder for all of us during the coronavirus pandemic to not only look to the heavens for God’s help, but also to look around and see what God is doing among us and join in to the gracious and transforming work of God.
In this week’s message, I share about some of my own experiences of looking up and looking down, and looking up again and then back down once more. It seems that this pattern of up and down is a part of our spiritual growth and development. I trust that you find encouragement and strength in this practice as we celebrate the Ascension of Christ.
“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 this week’s message by Kahu Akana, 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.
1) Koloa Union Church Members The Prayers & Squares team is happy to make a mask for you or your immediate family member. We want to make sure that we are taking care of each other and that we are all safe. Let Cathy Evans know if you need a mask. 2) Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital 3) Wilcox Hospital 4) Garden Isle Health Care 5) YWCA Women’s Shelter 6) Women in Need Shelter 7) St. Raphael’s Food Distribution 8) Ohana Healthcare 9) Salvation Army 10) Kauai Economic Opportunity
Face Masks Are Free! We are not charging anything for face masks because we want to make sure everyone is safe, regardless of ability to pay. If you would like to make a donation to support this effort, please write your check to “Koloa Union Church” with “Prayers & Squares” in the note section. Your donation will go to pay for material for face masks and quilts for those in crisis situations.
Need a Face Mask? Want to Help? Got Questions? Please contact Cathy Evans (volunteer project coordinator): [email protected]; 858-231-6894.
Thank you to Cathy Evans and all of the volunteers who have made face masks!
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FOOD FOR HUNGRY NEIGHBORS
If you or someone you know on the south shore is hungry, please provide a name and contact information HERE. There may be someone who can no longer afford food. Perhaps someone is unable to leave their home to buy groceries. Our Outreach Committee is coordinating safe pickup and drop off of groceries to make sure none of our neighbors goes hungry during this time.
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STEWARDSHIP NEWS
ONLINE GIVING!
We have created an online giving page on our church website during the pandemic in order to make it as easy as possible for people to make a gift to Kōloa Union Church from anywhere in the world! All you need is a credit card, the ability to get online, and the will to help us share aloha with everyone. Click the “Donate Now” button below and make a gift from any place at any time. As always, you can also give by mailing your check to the church: P.O. Box 536, Koloa, HI 96756.
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LECTIONARY READINGS
During challenging times, reading the Bible on a daily basis is a great source of inspiration and hope. I encourage you to read and meditate upon the Scriptures of the Revised Common Lectionary and ask yourself how God might be showing up in the Scriptures for you, what God might be saying to you, and what guidance you might find as you share God’s love in creative and meaningful ways. —Kahu Alan Akana
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 reading each Sunday.
Readings for May 10 are Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 31:1-16; 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14. Readings for May 17 are Acts 17:22-31; Psalm 66:8-20; 1 Peter 3:13-22; John 14:15-21.
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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!
I am amazed at how much we all still seem to do and accomplish among all the changes over the past month and a half, especially while adhering to social distancing guidelines! At Koloa Union Church, our Deacons meet online almost every Sunday in order to check in with each other, talk about those in our congregation who have needs and how we might assist them, review the online worship service for the day, and discuss anything that has to do with worship, including preparations for reopening the church when the time comes. On Mondays or Tuesdays, I typically meet with our Administrative Assistant Penny Osuga on the phone to talk about everything that needs to happen during the week and also begin preparing my message and the worship plans for the following Sunday. On Wednesday afternoon, just about the time I have finished everything for recording the worship service the next morning, I participate in a weekly meeting with our Conference Minister, David Popham, along with other pastors and church leaders in Hawaii, for support and guidance during the days of COVID-19. On Thursdays, I meet with Chris Sweitzer at the church to video-record the worship service for the following Sunday. On Fridays, I review the entire worship service, and sometimes make suggestions for changes to Chris in order to have it all done and ready to send to you on Saturdays. Once it is all done, I double-check the order of worship; then Penny proofreads the bulletin and attached information by the end of the day on Saturday so that you can have it before Sunday morning. A good portion of most afternoons I spend checking in with church members and committee chairs, answering emails and returning phone calls.
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Taking Care of Myself
What I found during these very full weeks since we have moved to online worship services is that Friday and Saturday no longer work for my days off, at least not for most weeks. So I have begun taking Mondays off whenever possible and then doing my best to take “a full-days worth” of downtime over the weekend, which typically is a half-day on Saturday and a half-day on Sunday but with flexibility depending on the needs of the church. One of the early messages we pastors and other church leaders in the Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Christ heard from David Popham is: “Please do not burn out during this time. If you don’t pace yourself and therefore experience a major burnout, you won’t be of any use to your congregation at all by the end of the pandemic.” I have been adhering to his advice by having weekly downtime, exercising regularly, watercoloring most days and spending time with my son Palani and his girlfriend Isobel, who have been living with me for the past month and a half.
I was planning on being in Berkeley this past weekend for the spring meeting of the Board of Trustees at Pacific School of Religion. Needless to say, I did not attend in person, but participated in a day-long online meeting on Monday, May 11. That day happens to be Palani’s birthday, so we spent some time after my meeting celebrating his special day!
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Reopening Plans
Another area where I am beginning to spend a significant amount of time is on our plans to reopen our church facility. The Hawaii Conference strongly urges congregations to put a team together for this purpose. Michael Horning, Penny Osuga, Penny Jessup, and I are the team that will be putting together the plan by addressing certain questions, which will include the following:
Church Office: What needs to happen before the office is open to the public and what will the guidelines be for staff and those visiting?
Outside Groups: What needs to happen before we allow other groups to use our facilities and what will their guidelines be?
Worship Service: What needs to happen before we can worship again in our sanctuary and what will the guidelines be for all who attend? When and how can we safely celebrate Holy Communion again?
Kitchen and Dining: What needs to happen before we can safely prepare food and eat together again in Moore Hall and what will the guidelines be for all who attend?
Communication: How will we let people know the reopening dates and the guidelines? How will we post these guidelines on the premises?
Although we have not picked a date yet to reopen, it will likely be the end of May or early June at the earliest. Our primary concern is the overall wellbeing of everyone who visits the church, including their safety and health. We will be paying close attention to recommendations from our Governor, Mayor and Conference Minister. The committee will report to both the Deacons and the Church Council, and we will let you know right away as important decisions are made.
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No Newsletter for May
Penny Osuga and I talked around the middle of April and decided to not mail a newsletter for May. There simply was so little additional news to share this month that it didn’t make sense to put in the time and spend money on production and mailing. However, we wanted everyone to know we are still thinking of you, so we sent out a postcard last week to everyone on our mailing list to remind you that we are still sharing aloha with everyone even during these strange days of social distancing and worshiping online. We will also printed off major portions of the Weekly E-news and mailed them to our members who do not have computers or are unable to get our news electronically or watch our online services.
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Good-bye to Kathleen and Chris
Last, but not least, Kathleen Dahill submitted her letter of resignation as Music Director, effective June 1. Also, her talented husband, Chris Sweitzer, will be leaving us at that time as our videographer and sound technician as well. They desire to pursue new directions in their lives and also be available for family needs on the mainland. Fortunately, they will both be available to assist us if we are still worshiping online after June 1. They requested that we not have a public expression of gratitude for their service. However, our Deacons agree that we want to offer a token of thanks and have chosen a meaningful gift which I will present to them at the end of the month. We will miss their over-the-top talent, joyful presence, and contagious smiles, and wish them well in their new endeavors. We have truly been blessed by their ministry among us!
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In Closing…
So, now you know what’s been going on in the day-to-day life of the church and some of the changes that have taken place in recent weeks. No doubt, you too have been experiencing changes in your life. May you deeply feel God’s loving presence, the grace of Jesus and joy of the Holy Spirit as you live through those changes. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to call me if you want to talk, or text or email me if you want to send me a note or information about something that is important to you.
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
“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 a recent message by Kahu Akana, 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.
In my message on Sunday, I talked about a phrase I recently heard for the first time: “a strange intimacy.” Dr. Susan Abraham, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean at Pacific School of Religion, used those words to describe what was happening among faculty and students. During these days of sheltering in place and online classes, there is a strange intimacy happening at the school. It is also happening in my life and, I’m guessing, all over the world. People are feeling especially close to others but in a strange new way. I am sure some of this is because many of us long for the presence of others—something we have taken for granted our entire lives; and now that we are unable to have that which we desire, we value it all the more.
Jesus’ disciples were also experiencing a strange intimacy in the early days after the resurrection. In fact, before any of them had encountered the risen Jesus, they were still gathering together and talking about him. Gathering together in community in his name was very different than it was before the crucifixion, but it was still happening. Yet, when Jesus showed up, the disciples had a hard time recognizing him. Jesus showed up in their midst unexpected and unrecognizable!
I wonder how Jesus is showing up among us in unexpected and unrecognizable ways—perhaps even in shocking ways. He shows up as a refugee, an immigrant, an addict, and a great-grandmother who is especially vulnerable to COVID-19. He shows up over and over again and we fail to recognize him.
I trust when we look back on this time that we will remember the strange intimacy that has taken place; and we will remember not only the loved ones we realized we had taken for granted but we will also remember the strangers in our midst and in the world as well, along with a new and strange intimacy that was enlarged during these strange days filled with wonders as well as challenges.
I look forward to our next online worship service on Sunday!
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
“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 a recent message by Kahu Akana, 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.
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