Church News: January 16th, 2026
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Watch Our Most Recent Worship Service
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Congregational Renewal Cohort
Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy, President of Pacific School of Religion (PSR), presented the Congregational Renewal Cohort program to members of our church on January 12.
The program is designed to support congregations in assessing and adapting their ministries to thrive in a changing world. PSR partners with religious congregations to strengthen their ministries, deepen relationships with their communities, and contribute meaningfully to the world around them.
Congregations are asked to identify 3-5 congregants to participate in a 10-month-long, community-based learning journey on PSR Collective, a digital platform facilitated by leading theological experts from the PSR faculty. Participants should expect to commit at least 10-12 hours per month for the duration of the 10 month program. The next cohort will begin in September after an August orientation.
Please contact Kahu Akana if you are interested in the program.
For more information Click Here
Membership Gathering
March 15th 12:00pm
Kahu and our Deacons are planning our next membership gathering for those wishing to learn more about our church. Attendees will learn about our history, our congregation, benefits and responsibilities of membership, and more! There will be opportunities to ask questions about our church. There is no expectation for participants to join the church. However, those who participate will be able to join as church members in the near future.
Please see the signup sheet on the bulletin board.
January Book Group
Kalaupapa Sunday
January 25th
Come and learn about the inspirational leaders who lived there… and helped others to thrive there!
Youth Gathering
Youth Gathering For Middle School & High School Youth
Sunday, January 25 4:45 – 7:00 p.m. Koloa Union church Youth: Please RSVP to Aunty Tiffany by the previous Wednesday if you plan to attend!
Adult Volunteers: Please consider volunteering your home or providing a dish or two for a meal.
Church Breakfast
Tuesday, January 27 8-9:30 a.m.
Breakfast in Koloa Village! Break + Feast 5460 Koloa Road Upstairs on Koloa Road You may place your order ahead of time. Identify yourself as part of the Koloa Union Church group 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. RSVP on the sign-up sheet or by contacting the church office
The Annual Meeting
The congregation will meet on Sunday, February 1, immediately after the worship service for the Annual Meeting of the Congregation. We ask all members to attend in order to have a quorum.
Some of the items on our agenda:
- Vote for Officers of the church, Council Members, Deacons and Committee Chairs
- Review and approve our budget for 2026
- Receive reports from Kahu Akana and other church leaders
- Receive our updated Church Directory
- Hear about plans for 2026
- A time for questions and answers
Aloha Hour We will enjoy our monthly Aloha Hour just before the annual meeting in Moore Hall. Join us for delicious food and heartfelt fellowship! See the sign up 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!
*NOTES:
Committee chairpersons are reminded to submit your annual reports to the office today!
We are offering an electronic “annual report” and “church directory.” Please let office know if you would prefer digital copies.
February Youth Gatherings
Prayers and Squares
Prayers and Squares – Tuesday, February 3rd, 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.
In the last half of 2025, through the generosity of time and skills, Dan Giovanni and Michael Horning built a Prayers & Squares closet in Moore Hall. In January, the sewing team moved their sewing machines, fabric, quilts and supplies into the new closet. We also thank those who gave financial help for this project. 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.
Supporting Immigrants and Refugees
As the federal government continues to send ICE agents into cities and towns, we want our church members to be aware of our rights at church, in our homes and communities.
Although we hope that our church will not be visited by immigration agents, here are a few steps which we have taken:
- We have signage in the church office and pastor’s office/Sunday school room indicating that they are private spaces (and therefore immigration agents are not allowed in without a judicial search warrant).
- We ask all congregants to say, “I exercise my right to remain silent,” if immigration agents show up to church and ask ANY questions (such as, “What is your name?” “Are you a citizen?” “Are there any non-citizens/ immigrants/ undocumented people among you?” “How many people are here?”).
- We invite everyone to begin video-recording immigration agents if they show up during a worship service or other church event. We also ask you to keep your distance from agents and give them plenty of room so that they cannot justifiably claim that you are keeping them from doing their job.
Please click any of the links below to learn more:
“I exercise my right to remain silent.”
A Note from the Stewardship Committee
Thank you to everyone for your generosity throughout 2025!
A special thanks to those who completed commitment cards for 2026. The Church Council is currently working on our budget (based on the total from the commitment cards) which will be presented for approval at our Annual Meeting on February 1st!
The 2026 offering envelopes have arrived and are available at the greeting table. If you do not see a box with your name and would like one, please see Penny.
You can leave a legacy! Indicating an amount or percentage to the church in your estate can guarantee a legacy for many generations in the future!
Movie Night for Adults
Adults and teenagers are welcome! See the sign up sheet on the bulletin board.
Youth Bake Sale
Donations of your baked goods AND purchasing baked goods help support our youth activities throughout the year–bowling, Koke`e retreats, `Aha Pae`aina youth events, to name a few. Enjoy delicious baked donations made by our youth and their ohana.
Lectionary Readings
Wednesday, February 11 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 Kahu or Karen Johnson know if you plan to attend.
Let’s Go Camping!!
Lenten Series & Soup Supper
This year during Lent we will be “exploring our family stories” through scripture, history and faith. We will start with a soup dinner at 6 p.m. followed by a discussion created by leaders of the Hawaii Conference through story circles, video reflections, engaging discussions and Lenten practices. Come and join us on Wednesday during Lent. Sign up on the bulletin board.
Centennial Book
Now Available for $30
The Centennial Committee, Jeanie Odo (chair), Kahu, Penny Jessup,
Penny Osuga, and JoAnne Machin, researched and gathered information over the last 4 years and have a completed a book with the history of Koloa Union Church. It is 22 pages of photos and texts of our 100 year history, on 8 by 11 inches of high quality semi-gloss pages in hardcover format.
Contact the church office if you wish to purchase a copy.
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 January 18: Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40:1-11; 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42
Readings for January 25: Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1-9; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23
Readings for February 1: Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12
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