by admin | Nov 10, 2015 | News
HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK:
CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED Wednesday, November 11, in observance of Veterans’ Day. (Please take a moment on Wednesday to give thanks for veterans and pray for those who suffer the emotional, spiritual and physical wounds of war, as well as for those who have lost loved ones in military service.)
CHURCH WORK DAY November 14, 8 – noon. We have a list of work projects, including cleaning, painting and “sprucing up.” Please bring your rags and cleaning tools.
AND COMING UP THE FOLLOWING WEEK:
THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON November 22, noon, during our Aloha Hour. You are invited to join us for Sunday Service at 10:30 am. and stay for our Thanksgiving lunch!
ART AND BOOK RECEPTION November 22, 3 – 6 pm. at the church parsonage, 3281 Waikomo Road. We will be featuring the work of our Kahu Alan Akana. Everything will be on sale. This will be a benefit for our church’s capital campaign/building fund. You are invited to join us for light refreshments as you browse and visit.
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT November 29. This season marks the beginning of the Christian year, encompassing the four Sundays before Christmas Day. It is a time to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ and to give thanks for the many ways Christ appears in our world.
by admin | Nov 2, 2015 | Message from Kahu
A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY OF FAITH
I was pleased to see The Garden Island (our local newspaper) on Sunday morning and read about our church! The article is entitled, “A Beautiful Family of Faith,” and tells of my bowl of sea glass which has been sitting on our communion table for the past month. It represents brokenness and rough experiences (just think what the sea glass endured to get to its present state!), as well as beauty—especially when all of the sea glass is together in a bowl. I shared in early October that the bowl of sea glass is a symbol of our church, for we all have experienced brokenness and rough experiences, and yet we are “A Beautiful Family of Faith” as we come together for worship and fellowship. When I returned from the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Salt Lake City nearly two weeks ago, it occurred to me that the bowl of sea glass also represents all of humanity for me, for people of all religions, cultures, colors, shapes and sizes have experienced brokenness, and yet we are all beautiful in God’s eyes—especially when we come together. I invite you to join us on Sunday and experience the beauty for yourself!
Click HERE to read the entire article.
Aloha nui loa!
Kahu Alan Akana
by admin | Oct 29, 2015 | Message from Kahu
ALL SAINTS DAY
Last Sunday, I shared with the congregation about some of my experiences at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Salt Lake City just a couple weeks ago. One of my observations (and sermon title) was “We All Want To See.” People of all religions and faith traditions want to see better; we especially want to see the sacred more clearly in our lives and in the world around us; we also want to see others for who they are, just as we want to be seen and acknowledged for who we are; finally, we all want to see that we are connected to one another, to God and the the world around us.
This Sunday, we plan to celebrate All Saints Day as we have Holy Communion, remember the saints in our lives, and look at another of my observations at the Parliament of the World’s Religions (and sermon title): “We All Want More Love.” I hope you’ll join us as we celebrate God’s love for the world and how it has been manifested in so many ways!
Aloha nui loa!
Kahu Alan Akana
by admin | Oct 29, 2015 | News
2015 Fall ‘Aha Mokupuni of the Kauai Association, UCC, will be at the Church of the Pacific on Sunday, November 1 at 3:00 p.m. You are invited to spend the afternoon with your church family and friends to talk story, enjoy music and a lu’au meal. There will be “children and youth” activities and intergenerational worship. We will be carpooling leaving the church at 1:45 p.m. Call the church office if you would like to join us.
Back from vacation. Penny is back in the office after a fabulous vacation! She and Kei went on their annual family/friends vacation to San Francisco and northern California. They were in Sea Ranch (developed by a man from Hawaii) for several days for abalone diving, fresh oysters, great food, hiking and relaxing. Then down to Texas to spend time with their 3 grandsons. Penny proudly shared her accomplishment of climbing the highest point in San Francisco, Mt. Davidson, with her new knees!!!!
by admin | Oct 24, 2015 | Message from Kahu
PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD’S RELIGIONS
I returned Wednesday evening from a week in Salt Lake City at the Parliament of the World’s Religions. On the first day of the conference, I immediately recognized Tibetan Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Hare Krishna’s, indigenous people of the American Continents, and a myriad of other persons of faith for whom I did not yet have names. I spent five full days attending plenary sessions, workshops, movies, and discussion groups, as well as visiting booths and exhibits. I also had meals with old and new friends. By the end of the conference, I felt that my eyes were opened to the fact that all of the religious faiths and traditions which I encountered seem to have a lot more in common than I ever realized. We all want to operate from a place of compassion. We all want to protect the Earth so that she will be around for many generations to enjoy. We all want people to live with dignity, security and hope, and without hunger, oppression and injustice.
For the next few weeks, I will share on Sunday mornings some of the details of my experiences at the parliament. This Sunday, I will share about the message from Jane Goodall—my favorite speaker of the week! She has spent her entire life opening her eyes and watching, and by the simple act of observing, she has been filled with compassion for animals (including humans!) and the entire planet. We know her primarily from her work observing chimpanzees as a trained primatologist, but there is a lot more to her life than that! Her message cuts across religious lines and gets to the heart of some of the most important issues of our day.
I invite you to join me during the next month as I share the highlights of the Parliament of the World’s Religions!
Aloha nui loa!
Kahu Alan Akana
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