Church News: November 4th, 2026
Watch Our Most Recent Worship Service
Watch Our Most Recent Worship Service
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Church Office Closures
The office will be closed:
Wednesday, November 11th in observance of Veterans Day
Thursday, November 26th in observance of Thanksgiving
Mahalo from Our Stewardship Committee
Thank you to everyone who has given generously to our general fund this year! We have paid our mission commitments, salaries, insurance, utility and maintenance bills, costs for our website, newsletter, some large unexpected expenses and so much more! Most importantly, we have provided a welcoming space and inspirational worship services for everyone who has visited us, and we have carried out our mission and service to the community! Thank you also to everyone who submitted a commitment card for 2027, as that is such a huge help for us as we begin the process of creating next year’s budget during the next couple of weeks.
As the year winds down, here are 4 requests for you to consider:
- Please fulfill your annual commitment/pledge by the end of December or earlier if possible.
- Please consider an extra “over and above” Christmas gift to the church to assure that we end the year in the black.
- Please send us your commitment card for 2027 if you haven’t already done so.
- Please consider leaving a portion of your estate (a dollar amount or a percentage) to Kōloa Union Church when you update your will or trust. You can designate your gift to a favorite area of ministry or give an undesignated gift for the Church Council to decide as important needs and ministries arise. Mahalo nui loa to all!
Hurricane Recovery Fund
THANK YOU to those who have donated to the hurricane recovery fund. Money given to the fund will go toward:
- Paying for expenses at the church and parsonage caused by the hurricane and preparing for the next major storm.
- Purchasing grocery gift cards at a local supermarket to help individuals and families struggling to make ends meet because of the hurricane.
- Helping struggling families in other ways, depending on the needs and the donations to the fund.
Once the recovery is over, any leftover money in the special fund that is not used locally will go to the Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Christ “Hawaii Disaster Relief Fund.” There are many churches and communities throughout the island which are affected by disasters that also need assistance.
For those who would like to still contribute to the the fund, you can send a check to the church or make a donation online be clicking the button below. Please write “Hurricane Relief” on the note section of your check or in the comment box on our online giving page.
For those who need assistance after the hurricane (or know neighbors who do!), you may contact the church office.
Church Work Day
Sunday, November 8th , 11:30 a.m.
Join the Deacons after the worship service to get the sanctuary, Moore Hall and storage areas ready for the holidays. The spaces especially need a thorough cleaning after our new roof was installed. We plan to accomplish the following tasks:
- Clean the storage area
- Vacuum all of the upholstered furniture
- Wipe all of the hymnals
- Wipe and oil the wooden furniture
- Wipe down all of the doors
- Wash the windows*
Please bring any cleaning materials you might have: buckets, rags, sponges, etc.
*Please note that most of the windows in the sanctuary are tinted with expensive film: do NOT use cleaning solution with ammonia on the windows in the sanctuary!
Join Our New Music Ensemble
The Music Ensemble Is a Brand New Group! For All Levels of Ability & Experience!
Rehearsals Are on Sundays 9:15 a.m.
The ensemble will rehearse on Sundays, either before or after worship services, depending on the church schedule, such as deacons meetings, events after church / aloha hour, etc. The ensemble will perform in worship services at least once a month.
All those interested in the ensemble are invited to attend reheasals. If you can think of anyone who might want to join: invite them too!
Holiday Community Outreach
Holiday Donations
Please bring your spare change, cash or checks to feed the Outreach Jar that supports our holiday community outreach.
Thanksgiving Dinner Boxes
We will again feed hungry families on the south shore. You can sign up to bring specific food items to pack in our Thanksgiving boxes or make a cash/check donation. All food items will need to be delivered to the church by Sunday, November 15th. See sign up at the church. Boxes will be packed and delivered on Sunday, November 22.
Christmas Stockings
We will deliver Christmas stockings filled with gift cards and goodies to families who are struggling financially. Funds for the Christmas Stockings will be collected through December 13th. Look for the Christmas donation jar on the table in front of the church office or you may donate on line.
Thank you: Becky Sakimae, Amber Strong, Evan Strong, Missy Foley and our church youth who will shop, pack and deliver the items!
Overflow Parking
The Good News: We anticipate a full parking lot on Sunday mornings by the end of November. Our highest attendance usually happens from the beginning of the holiday season until around Easter Sunday.
The Bad News: It’s not really bad news at all! It’s just that we cannot always fit all of the cars in the parking lot, on the lawn, on our back patio, and on the road in front of the church.
The Solution: Those who are able to easily walk for a minute or two are asked to consider parking in the following places:
- In the lot on the east side of the Smith Memorial Parsonage (3281 Waikomo Road)
Directions from the church parking lot: turn right onto Poipu Road; make the very next left onto Waikomo Road; pass the parsonage and turn left onto the property and park anywhere on the lawn. (See the photo above.)
- On Waikomo Road itself
Of course, parking in these locations is totally optional. However, we want to make sure that there is adequate parking for our kupuna, those who have difficulty walking, and guests (especially first-time visitors).
Yard Maintenance
Next scheduled yard work is November 9 & 16
Julia will normally be at the church every other Monday from 9-11 a.m. to tackle whatever yard work is needed. Please join her whenever you have time. Bring work gloves and yard tools, especially large and small clippers. Contact Julia at (650) 207-4353 and/or the church office if you are able to help.
We will keep you posted on progress and also on specific help that might be needed!
Thank you, Julia and Kathy, for keeping our grounds looking nice!
Movie Nights for Adults
Next scheduled yard work is November 9 & 16
Julia will normally be at the church every other Monday from 9-11 a.m. to tackle whatever yard work is needed. Please join her whenever you have time. Bring work gloves and yard tools, especially large and small clippers. Contact Julia at (650) 207-4353 and/or the church office if you are able to help.
We will keep you posted on progress and also on specific help that might be needed!
Thank you, Julia and Kathy, for keeping our grounds looking nice!
Thanksgiving Lunch
After the worship service on November 22nd – Moore Hall
Everyone is welcome to join us! Please see the signup sheet on bulletin board if you are able to bring food or help in the kitchen.
Salvation Army Lunch
Salvation Army Lunch
Consider volunteering to serve a meal to hungry people on the west side!
Wednesday, November 25 (Annual Thanksgiving Lunch)
Needed: 8 volunteers
Wednesday, December 30 (KUC’s 5th Wednesday of the Month)
Volunteers can carpool from our church or meet at Hanapepe Salvation Army at 10:00 a.m.
Please let Becky Sakimae know if you would like to volunteer to serve lunch.
Prayers and Squares
Prayers and Squares – Tuesday, December 1st, 2026 10:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
Prayers & Squares continues to meet in Moore Hall from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month, where we spend most of our time promoting prayer by creating hand-tied quilts. Volunteers with all ranges of quilting experience may join for prayer, fellowship, stitching, and learning about quilting. The motto: “It’s not about the quilt; it’s all about the prayers.”
If you or someone in your ohana are in need of a tangible representation of prayer, please contact Debbie Gunning to request a quilt.
Prayer quilts are more than blankets. They are the visible, tangible, physical evidence of faith: faith in God, faith in love, faith in prayer.
Once a request for a quilt is received, the quilt is blessed with a prayer as a knot is tied by Kahu Alan; additional prayers knots are tied by the congregation. The finished quilt is then presented to the person needing our prayers.
December Aloha Hour
Sunday, December 6th
Following the Worship Service
We usually enjoy Aloha Hour right after the worship service on the first Sunday of each month. If there is more interest (and volunteers!), we can have Aloha Hour more often. Please check in with Penny Osuga, our Aloha Hour chairperson, if you have any questions or would like to volunteer.
See the signup sheet on the bulletin board for food contributions.
Kitchen help is also needed for a successful gathering. Everyone is welcome, whether or not you are able to bring food!
Lectionary Readings
Wednesday, December 9th
No Lectio Divina in September! 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. At the Smith Memorial Parsonage Lectio Divina is a time to silently reflect together on a repeated reading from the Bible and then share with one another about the experience (if so desired). Lectio Divina typically meets on the second Wednesday of the month. Please let either Kahu or Karen Johnson know whenever you plan to attend.
Church Christmas Party
Church Christmas Party Friday, December 11th, 6 p.m. The Smith Memorial Parsonage 3281 Waikomo Road in Koloa Bring a favorite holiday dish for the potluck dinner. See the signup sheet on bulletin board. Delicious Food Fun with Friends Christmas Caroling Parking is available on the parsonage property and on the lot just to the east of the carport.
Church Breakfast (on hiatus)
Breakfast is on hiatus until January 26. In the meantime, enjoy all of the holiday festivities! Join us on the 4th Tuesday of the month for delicious food and a fun time getting to know others from Koloa Union Church! Location each month to be determined.
Stamps For The Wounded
Stamps for the Wounded relies on donations to provide stamps and supplies to our US Veterans. Please consider donating your used and unused stamps to this project. “SFTW will accept any postage stamps; used or unused, on-paper or off-paper, from anywhere, from stamp collections or accumulations.” For more information, please visit: www.stampsforthewounded.org.
We have provided a jar for collecting the stamps each Sunday on the greeting table. You may also mail your stamps to: Koloa Union Church, P.O. Box 536, Koloa, HI 96756
Mahalo for your generous donations!
Update on Projects
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Thanks so much to those who have donated toward the building and grounds projects that were identified by the Church Council earlier in the year. We continue to make progress because of your generosity and are grateful that our list of needs keeps shrinking!
Since our last newsletter, the following projects have been completed:
- New roof installed on the sanctuary
- New roof installed over the restrooms and storage room
- New roof installed on the storage shed
- New fence along the east property line of the parsonage
The roof installation required repairs that were identified during the project. These repairs, along with inflation during the year, caused the roofing project to be almost double what we had anticipated at the beginning of the year.
For those of you who are still considering a gift toward any of these projects, either in part or in full, please see the items on the list below and contact the church office to see if they are still available. Gifts of any size to the “projects in general” are greatly appreciated as well.
Sanctuary
$1,000 Remove air conditioning unit and fix window in music area
$500 Fix broken/dangling wire/cable strip on the ceiling
Moore Hall
$25,000 Purchase and install storage shed for chairs & tables
$5,000 Pour concrete pad for storage shed
$4,000 Replace ceiling fans
$2,000 Replace doorstops and doorknobs
$2,000 Purchase 20 new tables
$500 Install electrical outlet on outside of kitchen
$500 Replace screen at kitchen serving window
Old Restroom (near kitchen)
$4,000 Installation of storage shelves
$1,000 Demolition of restroom stall, sink & vanity
Church Property/Exterior
$2,000 Trim trees north of sanctuary
$500 Installation of faucet at southwest corner of Moore Hall
$500 Connect lighting outside of the office to an exterior switch
Parsonage
$3,000 Paint living room, dining room and bathroom
Lectionary Readings
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 November 8: Joshua 24:1-25; Psalm 78:1-7; Amos 5:18-24; Psalm 70; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-3
Readings for November 15: Judges 4:1-7; Psalm 123; Zephaniah 1:7-18; Psalm 90:1-12; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Matthew 25:14-30
Readings for November 22: Ezekiel 34:11-24; Psalm 100; Psalm 95:1-8; Ephesians 1:15-23; Matthew 25:31-46
Thanksgiving Day: Deuteronomy 8:7-18; Psalm 65; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15; Luke 17:11-19
Readings for November 29: Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-3
Help us with the newsletter!
The KUC Newsletter is how we stay in touch! We send out our Newsletter on a monthly basis in order to keep everyone updated on what is going on at Koloa Union Church.
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Add to the KUC Newsletter! Scroll to the bottom of this email to learn how to add any announcements to the Newsletter or add an email to receive future editions! The next edition of the Newsletter will be April 9. Deadline for articles is April 6 Early submissions are greatly appreciated!
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