Church News: August 7th, 2025

by | Aug 7, 2025 | News

Watch Our Most Recent Worship Service

Watch Our Most Recent Worship Service

You can click the button below to watch a video of a recent worship service:

Watch the most recent worship service

Watch ALL of Our Worship Services

Please Share!

Our online worship services are a great way to introduce people to Koloa Union Church…and provide inspiration and hope to friends and family!

Feel free to forward this email or send the YouTube link to anyone whom you think would enjoy watching our online worship service.

Share our worship service with even more people! You can also put the link of any video of our worship services directly onto your Facebook page and thereby introducing every one of your Facebook friends to our worship services and our church!

Family Movie Night

Family Movie Night Poipu Koloa Church

Family Movie Night
Saturday, August 9th, 6:00-8:30 p.m.

Youth Event

Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy

Youth Gathering For Middle School & High School Youth

Sundays at the Church 4:45-7:00 p.m.

September 14 & 28

Confirmation Retreat August 14-17 Waikeke Cabins in Kokee

Those who have not attended a confirmation retreat are asked to attend before joining the church. Those who have attended a confirmation retreat previously are asked to help with lessons and activities…and join the fun!

Volunteers: Contact Tiffany if you can provide a meal for the youth or if you are interested in helping out in another way.

Kauai Association UCC Youth Gathering

At the Smith Memorial Parsonage Sunday, August 24th 4:00-7:00 p.m. Enjoy games, pizza & fellowship with youth from other UCC churches on Kauai! Bring a dessert to share and your refillable water bottle.

RSVP: Youth are asked to RSVP to Aunty Tiffany for all youth events!

Volunteers: Please contact Tiffany if you can provide a meal for the youth or if you are interested in helping out in another way.

Summer Book Group

Summer Book Group Koloa Union Church "Jesus and John Wayne" by Kristin Kobes Du Mez

Summer Book Group Wednesdays, July 16 – August 20 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.

“Jesus and John Wayne” by Kristin Kobes Du Mez Dinner will be served at 6 o’clock. Book discussion will begin after dinner.

Discussion Schedule

July 16: Preface, Introduction, Chapter 1
July 23: Chapters 2-4
July 30: Chapters 5-7
August 6: Chapters 8-10
August 13: Chapters 11-13
August 20: Chapters 14-16

Please sign up on the church bulletin board. Please let Kahu know if you can help with a meal. Please purchase your book on Amazon.com or contact the church office asap to purchase a copy for you.

Church Breakfast

Church Breakfast Tuesday, August 26th 8-9:30 a.m.

Join us on the 4th Tuesday of the month for delicious food and a fun time getting to know others from Koloa Union Church! (No breakfast in April) Location each month to be determined. RSVP on the sign-up sheet or by contacting the church office

Prayers and Squares

Kauai Quilting Class Prayer Meeting Koloa

Prayers and Squares – Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025 10:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

Prayers & Squares continues to meet in Moore Hall from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. once a month on a Tuesday, 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.

DONATE TODAY

Aloha Hour

Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy

Next Aloha Hour Sunday, September 7th, 2025 Join us at the beach on July 6!

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 sign up sheet on the bulletin board for food contributions. Kitchen help is also needed for a successful gathering.

Lectionary Readings

LECTIONARY READINGS

Wednesday, September 10th 7-8:30 pm

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). Please let Kahu or Karen Johnson know if you plan to attend.

Lectionary Readings

LECTIONARY READINGS Weekly Readings from the Bible

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 August 10: Isaiah 1:1-20; Psalm 50:1-23; Genesis 15:1-6; Psalm 33:12-22; Hebrew 11:1-16; Luke 12:32-40

Readings for August 17: Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:1-19; Jeremiah 23:23-29; Psalm 82; Hebrew 11:29-12:2; Luke 12:49-52

Readings for August 24: Jeremiah 1:4-10; Psalm 71:1-6; Isaiah 58:9-14; Psalm 103:1-8; Hebrew 12:18-29; Luke 13:10-17

Readings for August 31: Jeremiah 2:4-13; Psalm 81:1-16; Proverbs 25:6-7; Psalm 112; Hebrew 13:1-16; Luke 14:1-14

Readings for September 7: Jeremiah 18:1-11; Psalm 139:1-18; Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Philemon 1:1-21; Luke 14:25-33

You Are Loved T-Shirts

you are loved t-shirt for sale

“You are Loved” tees are still available Participants wore this tee shirt at the Kauai Pride Parade in June. We still have a few available: 5 Adult small-$12 1 Youth XL-$5 2 Youth L-$5 1 Youth M-$5 2 Youth XS-$5 Let the church office know if you would like to purchase a tee.

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.

Be sure to see the pictures and images! If you don’t see any photographs and images by now (like a picture of our church directly above), you are missing out! You can usually fix this issue by clicking “View images” (usually at the very top of the email) in order to see the great photos and images throughout the Newsletter!

Be sure to see ALL of the news! You may not be seeing all of the KUC Newsletter! Some email servers “clip” the message in order to save storage space, so be sure to click on “View entire message” if it appears (usually at the bottom of the email). Otherwise, you’ll be missing out on someof the news!

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!

A Message From Kahu: August 7th, 2025

by | Aug 7, 2025 | Message from Kahu

A Message From Our Kahu

A Nation of Immigrants

 

I remember the first time I saw the Statue of Liberty. I was sitting in a window seat on an airplane flying from Los Angeles to New York on a cold November day nearly 40 years ago. I was on my way to a retreat center just north of the city to participate in a gathering of racial-ethnic seminarians from all across the country. I was surprised when a denominational leader who worked at my seminary asked me if I was interested in attending. I had not thought of myself as a “racial-ethnic seminarian” before that. I just thought I was a “seminarian.” However, it was an expense-paid trip to New York (my first) and an opportunity to talk to other “racial-ethnic seminarians” about their experiences, fears, and anxieties, as they anticipated working as clergy in a predominantly White denomination. Except for the Native American participant, our people had all come from other places. It was on that trip that the idea that we are a nation of immigrants really sunk in.

I have seen the Statue of Liberty many times since that trip. (Having a son living in New York City has made that possible!) In 2017 I did a boat tour of the Hudson and East Rivers: the highlight was getting right up close to Lady Liberty as our guide told us her story. It was a story of welcome to people from all over Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia. It was a story of the celebration of diversity, of the goodness of inclusion, and of sharing opportunities with others.

For the most part we have seen ourselves as a nation that welcomes immigrants from all over the world. However, that welcome has always been met with some resistance and/or outright oppression. Even from before our nation’s independence from England, every new ethnic group that has arrived in our country, regardless of the circumstances of their migration, has felt it: Africans, Jews, Italians, Irish, Chinese, Mexicans…and the list goes on! However, the animosity towards immigrants has reached new heights in recent days. Politicians and preachers alike have been warning the rest of us of the dangers inherent in the undocumented immigrants in our midst.

When it comes right down to it, people have always been migrating and people will always continue to move from one place to the next in order to seek out a better life for themselves, their children and grandchildren. Frankly, many have not sought just a better life, but life itself—just hoping to stay alive. As I read through the Bible, it is apparent that it is a collection of one migration story after another. Just think of all the people, including our biblical heroes, who moved from one place to another: Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and his family, Moses and all of the Hebrew people, Mary and Joseph, Jesus, Paul. Most of our best spiritual teachers have moved from region to region, country to country. It is no wonder that there is a long tradition in our Judeo-Christian heritage of actually loving the foreign-born people in our midst. The writer of Leviticus reminds us that this is the case because we come from people who know what it is like to be in their shoes.

The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the native-born among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:34)

I think most of us would agree that there needs to be reasonable immigration policies and that there need to be consequences for immigrants who commit serious crimes (just as there should be for citizens). However, there is no place in the Christian faith for hurting people, separating children from their parents, placing innocent people in cages and sending them to prisons in other countries over which we have no control—simply because they are among us “without permission.” I hope we will return to the way of loving the immigrants in our midst.

I will leave you with the words from the sonnet of Emma Lazarus engraved on the bronze plaque of the Statue of Liberty:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

Pastor Alan on sebatical

Church News: July 9th, 2025

by | Jul 9, 2025 | News

Watch Our Most Recent Worship Service

Watch Our Most Recent Worship Service

You can click the button below to watch a video of a recent worship service:

Watch the most recent worship service

Watch ALL of Our Worship Services

Please Share!

Our online worship services are a great way to introduce people to Koloa Union Church…and provide inspiration and hope to friends and family!

Feel free to forward this email or send the YouTube link to anyone whom you think would enjoy watching our online worship service.

Share our worship service with even more people! You can also put the link of any video of our worship services directly onto your Facebook page and thereby introducing every one of your Facebook friends to our worship services and our church!

A Special Gift

picture of bible

Koloa Union Church was honored to accept a bicentennial edition of the Holy Bible in Hawaiian and English languages from Kawaiahao Church in Honolulu! We will be ordering a presentation stand and keeping the new Bible in the church sanctuary.

picture of bible

Lectionary Readings

LECTIONARY READINGS

Wednesday, July 9th 7-8:30 pm

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).

Please let Kahu or Karen Johnson know if you plan to attend.

 

Youth Event

Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy

Youth Gathering For Middle School & High School Youth

For Middle School & High School Youth

Sundays 4:45-7:00 p.m.

July 13 Moore Hall

July 27 Parsonage Youth & Sunday School Birthday Party!

Confirmation Retreat August 14-17 Waikeke Cabins in Kokee

Those who have not attended a confirmation retreat are asked to attend before joining the church. Those who have attended a confirmation retreat previously are asked to help with lessons and activities…and join the fun!

Volunteers: Contact Tiffany if you can provide a meal for the youth or if you are interested in helping out in another way.

Summer Book Group

Summer Book Group Koloa Union Church "Jesus and John Wayne" by Kristin Kobes Du Mez

Summer Book Group Wednesdays, July 16 – August 20 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.

“Jesus and John Wayne” by Kristin Kobes Du Mez Dinner will be served at 6 o’clock. Book discussion will begin after dinner.

Discussion Schedule

July 16: Preface, Introduction, Chapter 1
July 23: Chapters 2-4
July 30: Chapters 5-7
August 6: Chapters 8-10
August 13: Chapters 11-13
August 20: Chapters 14-16

Please sign up on the church bulletin board. Please let Kahu know if you can help with a meal. Please purchase your book on Amazon.com or contact the church office asap to purchase a copy for you.

Koloa Plantation Days Reception

Sunday, July 20, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Lecture and Slideshow at 3:00 p.m.

Smith Memorial Parsonage 3281 Waikomo Road, Koloa

Kahu has created a new slide show “The Christian Mission in Koloa”

Enjoy Music and Refreshments, Kahu’s lecture and slideshow, and his latest watercolors!

Please see the signup sheet at church, or contact Kahu or Penny Jessup if you can help host or bring cookies or iced tea.

Church Breakfast

Church Breakfast Tuesday, July 22nd 8-9:30 a.m.

Join us on the 4th Tuesday of the month for delicious food and a fun time getting to know others from Koloa Union Church! (No breakfast in April) Location each month to be determined. RSVP on the sign-up sheet or by contacting the church office

Aloha Hour

Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy

Next Aloha Hour Sunday, August 3, 2025 Join us at the beach on July 6!

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 sign up sheet on the bulletin board for food contributions. Kitchen help is also needed for a successful gathering.

Prayers and Squares

Kauai Quilting Class Prayer Meeting Koloa

Prayers and Squares – Tuesday, August 5th, 2025 10:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

Prayers & Squares continues to meet in Moore Hall from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. once a month on a Tuesday, 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.

DONATE TODAY

Lectionary Readings

LECTIONARY READINGS Weekly Readings from the Bible

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 July 13: Amos 7:7-17; Psalm 82; Deuteronomy 30:9-14; Psalm 25:1-10; Colossians :1-14; Luke 10:25-37 Readings for July 20: Amos 8:1-12; Psalm 52; Genesis 18:1-11; Psalm 15; Colossians 1:15-28; Luke 10:38-42
Readings for July 27: Hosea 1:2-10; Psalm 85; Genesis 18:20-32; Psalm 138; Colossians 2:6-19; Luke 11:1-13
Readings for August 3: Hosea 11:1-11; Psalm 107:1-43; Ecclesiastes 1:2-14, 2:18-23; Psalm 49:1-12; Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21

You Are Loved T-Shirts

you are loved t-shirt for sale

“You are Loved” tees are still available Participants wore this tee shirt at the Kauai Pride Parade in June. We still have a few available: 5 Adult small-$12 1 Youth XL-$5 2 Youth L-$5 1 Youth M-$5 2 Youth XS-$5 Let the church office know if you would like to purchase a tee.

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.

Be sure to see the pictures and images! If you don’t see any photographs and images by now (like a picture of our church directly above), you are missing out! You can usually fix this issue by clicking “View images” (usually at the very top of the email) in order to see the great photos and images throughout the Newsletter!

Be sure to see ALL of the news! You may not be seeing all of the KUC Newsletter! Some email servers “clip” the message in order to save storage space, so be sure to click on “View entire message” if it appears (usually at the bottom of the email). Otherwise, you’ll be missing out on someof the news!

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!

A Message From Kahu: July 9th, 2025

by | Jul 9, 2025 | Message from Kahu

Pacific School of Religion Front Entrance Sign

A Message From Our Kahu

Pacific School of Religion Congregational Renewal Cohort

 

Are you interested in deepening your faith and understanding of theology in our rapidly changing world? Are you interested in exploring new models of ministry?
Are you committed to the long-term growth of Koloa Union Church?
Are you willing to work on a project to strengthen our congregation?
Are you willing to commit at most 3-4 hours a week (on average) for 10 months?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, the Congregational Renewal Cohort program has been designed just for you! Koloa Union Church is looking for 3-5 people who will participate in the program together beginning in September. (We already have 3 people who are seriously thinking about it!) PSR will partner with congregations to strengthen their ministries, deepen relationships with their communities, and contribute meaningfully to the world around them.

PSR’s Congregational Renewal Cohort is a community-based learning journey specifically for lay leaders, and will be taught on PSR’s new digital platform facilitated by leading theological experts from the PSR faculty. Those who complete the program will receive a certificate of completion and credits toward future degrees at PSR for those who would like to continue their theological education.

Scholarships are available from PSR, Hawaii Conference UCC, Kauai Association UCC, and Koloa Union Church. Estimated cost after scholarships is $500. However, please talk to me or Tiffany if the cost is an issue. If you want to participate, I want to make sure you do!

I would like to have our cohort in place by the end of July, so please prayerfully consider joining the cohort if you feel God’s Spirit leading you in that direction (and for all of the rest of you, please pray for the success of the cohort!).

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

Pastor Alan on sebatical

Church News: June 4th, 2025

by | Jun 4, 2025 | News

Watch Our Most Recent Worship Service

Watch Our Most Recent Worship Service

You can click the button below to watch a video of a recent worship service:

Watch the most recent worship service

Watch ALL of Our Worship Services

Please Share!

Our online worship services are a great way to introduce people to Koloa Union Church…and provide inspiration and hope to friends and family!

Feel free to forward this email or send the YouTube link to anyone whom you think would enjoy watching our online worship service.

Share our worship service with even more people! You can also put the link of any video of our worship services directly onto your Facebook page and thereby introducing every one of your Facebook friends to our worship services and our church!

Welcome New Members

Rev. Dr. Allan Boesak Webinar “Maintaining Hope & Responding During Challenging Political Times” Saturday, June 7th, 8 to 9 a.m.

Two Ways to Participate in the Webinar:

Attend with Others at Lihue Christian Church 2943 Kress Street, Lihue, HI 96766

Meet at 7:30 a.m. for coffee and treats

OR Watch on your own by clicking the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81584536798? pwd=o5ZANpVm2xznVrQWlp80G5mOZHVVXl.1

The Rev. Dr. Allan Boesak, author and global human rights activist, is a South African theologian who played a leading role in the anti-apartheid struggle. He has taught and spoken at numerous universities throughout the world and with many faith groups, including the Parliament of the World’s Religions. Dr. Boesak will be sharing his wisdom on ways we can maintain hope in challenging political times and suggesting ways that people of faith can respond within our communities and our nation.

Please note that Rice Street may be closed for the Kaua`i Pride Parade around the time that Dr. Boesak’s talk will be done. Attendees may want to walk over to Rice Street and watch the parade (10 a.m.)—or, even better, walk with the KAUCC Open & Affirming Churches (Hanapepe UCC, Kapa a UCC, and Koloa Union Church)—then join the festival in front of the Old County Building (11 a.m. – 2 p.m.).

This talk is cosponsored by Kauai’s Justice and Witness Committee and Hui Aloha ‘O Hawaii Indivisible (a statewide organization started on Maui by faith-based individuals and health-care professionals with a strong interest in social justice). The hui works to preserve democracy in our country and protect vulnerable groups in our society. Those wishing to learn more about Hui Aloha ‘O Hawai‘i may contact Dr. Ellen Caringer at HuiAlohaOHawaii@gmail.com.

Church Office Closures

Wednesday, June 11 in observance of Kamehameha Day

Thursday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth

Thursday, July 3, in observance of Independence Day

Kauai Pride

Kauai Pride Parade and Festival Saturday, June 7, 2025

Kauai Pride Parade and Festival Saturday, June 7, 2025

Parade: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. (Participants meet at 9 a.m.)

Walking with Kapaa UCC & Hanapepe UCC! Beginning at the Vidinha Stadium Parking Lot Ending at the Historic County Building

Festival: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Lihue: Historic County Building Lawn Koloa Union Church will have a resource table where we will tell others about our church and invite them to join us!

What To Bring Consider bringing sunscreen, water bottles, umbrellas!

Please Sign Up See the signup sheet at church for the following: Float Decoration (8-9 a.m.) Participation in the Parade (9-11 a.m.) Resource Table Setup (9-10 a.m.) Volunteer for shift #1 at the table (10 a.m.-Noon) Volunteer for shift #2 at the table (Noon-2 p.m.) Resource Table Cleanup (2 p.m.)

Kauai Pride Tshirts

Kauai Pride Parade and Festival Saturday, June 7, 2025

Koloa Union Church walkers will be wearing this t-shirt.

Pick up yours at the church office or at the start of the parade. We have various sizes for children and adults.

The cost is $12.

Pentecost Sunday

Pentecost Sunday Koloa Union Church June 8

“The Holy Spirit Is Among Us” June 8

June 8 is Pentecost Sunday! It is the day on which we celebrate the Holy Spirit among us. When God’s Spirit descended upon the disciples, they began telling people from all over the world what God was up to. On that day some 3,000 decided to follow the way of Jesus! Pentecost reminds us of the unexpected possibilities when we allow our faith and our words to build one another up. Let us gather together on Pentecost to celebrate the Holy Spirit among us! Invite friends and family members to come and hear how our faith makes a huge difference in the world! Let us give thanks that God’s Spirit is always with us!

RED on PENTECOST

The color of Pentecost is RED. Our deacons will decorate the sanctuary in RED. You are invited to wear something RED.

STRENGTHEN THE CHURCH “On Holy Ground” Each year on Pentecost we collect the “Strengthen the Church” offering, which is one of the annual offerings of the United Church of Christ. STC supports the expansion of ministry and growth of the local UCC congregations, helps create a just world for all by investing in new ministries. Your gifts will plant new churches, awaken new ideas in existing churches, develop the spiritual life in our youth and young adults.

You can give by placing a donation in the envelope provided in your bulletin on Pentecost Sunday, by sending a check to the church office, or by giving online (with “Strengthen the Church” or “STC” on the note section of your check or the “Comment” box on our donation page).

Thank you for giving generously! DONATE TODAY

Youth Event

Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy

Youth Gathering For Middle School & High School Youth

June 8th 4:45-7:00 p.m. Moore Hall

Volunteers: Contact Tiffany if you can provide a meal for the youth or if you are interested in helping out in another way.

203rd `Aha Pae`aina

June 12-14, 2025

The 203rd `Aha Pae`aina will be hosted by the Kaua`i Association and held at the Kapa`a First Hawaiian and Kapa`a United Churches of Christ.

The Rev. Dr. Phiwa Langeni will be the keynote speaker. Rev. Langeni is a passionate leader and engaging speaker who works to build more welcoming and connected communities.

Koloa Union Church will send four adult attendees: Rev. Dr. Alan, Akana, Doug Duvauchelle, Tiffany Marrotte and Michael Horning. Carmela and Ezra Ruiz are two youth who will be attending from Koloa Union Church.

Trinity Sunday & Fathers Day

June 15 A Special Trinity Sunday And Father’s Day! 

Honoring Kahu’s 35 Years of Ordained Ministry

Celebrating Tiffany’s Certificate in Youth Ministry Leadership

Welcoming David Vasquez-Levy As our Guest Preacher

Giving Thanks for the Fathers & Father Figures in Our Lives Rev.

Vasquez-Levy serves as the President of Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California—a progressive, multi-denominational seminary and center for social justice.

We will recognize Kahu’s 35th anniversary of his ordination to Christian ministry and give thanks that he has spent over 11 of those years with us!

We will recognize Tiffany Marrotte, our Christian Education Director, for graduating from Yale Divinity School Center for Continuing Education with a certificate in Youth Ministry Leadership.

Join us for a Father’s Day lunch after church.
Please sign up on the bulletin board to help with food and/or in the kitchen.

Church Breakfast

Church Breakfast Tuesday, June 24th 8-9:30 a.m.

Join us on the 4th Tuesday of the month for delicious food and a fun time getting to know others from Koloa Union Church! (No breakfast in April) Location each month to be determined. RSVP on the sign-up sheet or by contacting the church office

Tech Talk Story

Free & Fun Tech Talk Story June 25, 10 a.m.- noon

Join us as we get more comfortable with modern technology!! Free raffle prizes for attendees!! Brought to you by the Agency of Elderly Affairs

Movie & Discussion

Movie and Discussion Wednesday, June 25 5:30 p.m.

Dinner 6:00 p.m. Movie Discussion to follow Invite your friends and neighbors! Main dish and drinks provided. Bring a side dish, appetizer or dessert. Public Defender is a 2024 movie that follows the work of Heather Shaner, a lawyer representing January 6th rioters, who works to confront America’s political divisions with empathy.

Family Movie Night

Saturday, June 28 6:00 p.m.

Movie & Hot Dogs Invite your friends and neighbors! Bring a beach chair or blanket.

Prayers and Squares

Kauai Quilting Class Prayer Meeting Koloa

Prayers and Squares – Tuesday, July 8th, 2025 10:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

The Prayers and Squares Ministry has been very active this year. Over ten prayer quilts have been tied and gifted! We also created and gifted 10 more “Aloha Comfort Quilts” to Wilcox Hospital as well as twenty “Pule Ho Aloha” stuffed animals with miniature prayer quilts attached. Each item we make brings comfort and hope to the recipients.

We are so grateful for the support of church members and friends. Most importantly, your prayers make a difference—especially when people receive tangible reminders of those prayers! Since Prayers and Squares never charges for the quilts that are given, we are especially grateful for financial support through fundraisers and outright gifts. Materials, supplies and equipment all cost money, and the financial assistance we get allows us to continue making a difference in the lives of those in crisis and those who just might need to be reminded of our aloha!

If you would like to make a contribution directly to P&S, please indicate “Prayers and Squares” on the note section of your check or in the comment box on our online giving page.

In the meantime, Prayers & Squares continues to meet in Moore Hall from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. once a month on a Tuesday, 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.

DONATE TODAY

Aloha Hour

Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy

Next Aloha Hour Sunday, August 3, 2025 Join us at the beach on July 6!

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 sign up sheet on the bulletin board for food contributions. Kitchen help is also needed for a successful gathering.

Church On The Beach

Church on the Beach July 6th

July 6, 11:00 a.m. (Please note the later time.)

Join us for outdoor worship at the pavilion across from Nukumoi Surf Shop at Poipu Beach Worship at 11:00 a.m. followed by a potluck lunch. Bring something for the potluck lunch, lawn chairs, sunscreen, swimsuits, water flasks and friends.

There will be no worship service at church on this day.

County of Kauai guidelines: No plastic utensils No plastic water bottles We will offer water/juice from a water jug See the potluck signup sheet on the church bulletin board.

 

Lectionary Readings

LECTIONARY READINGS

Wednesday, July 9th 7-8:30 pm

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).

Please let Kahu or Karen Johnson know if you plan to attend.

 

Summer Book Group

Summer Book Group Koloa Union Church "Jesus and John Wayne" by Kristin Kobes Du Mez

Summer Book Group Wednesdays, July 16 – August 20 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Smith Memorial Parsonage “Jesus and John Wayne” by Kristin Kobes Du Mez Dinner will be served at 6 o’clock. Book discussion will begin after dinner. Please sign up on the church bulletin board. Please purchase your book on Amazon.com or contact the church office to purchase a copy for you.

Lectionary Readings

LECTIONARY READINGS Weekly Readings from the Bible

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 June 8: Acts 2:1-21: Genesis 11:1-9; Psalm 104:24-36; Romans 8:14-17; John 14:8-27

Readings for June 15: Proverbs 8:1-31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15

Readings for June 22: 1 Kings 19:1-16; Psalm 42 and 43; Isaiah 65:1-9; Psalm 22:19-28; Galatians 3:23-29; Luke 8:26-39

Readings for June 29: 2 Kings 2:1-14; Psalm 77:1-20; 1 Kings 19:15-21; Psalm 16; Galatians 5:1-25; Luke 10:1-20

Readings for July 6: 2 Kings 5:1-14; Psalm 30; Isaiah 66:10-14; Psalm 66:1-9; Galatians 6:1-16; Luke 10:1-20

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.

Be sure to see the pictures and images! If you don’t see any photographs and images by now (like a picture of our church directly above), you are missing out! You can usually fix this issue by clicking “View images” (usually at the very top of the email) in order to see the great photos and images throughout the Newsletter!

Be sure to see ALL of the news! You may not be seeing all of the KUC Newsletter! Some email servers “clip” the message in order to save storage space, so be sure to click on “View entire message” if it appears (usually at the bottom of the email). Otherwise, you’ll be missing out on someof the news!

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!