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A Message From Kahu: July 13th, 2022

by admin | Jul 13, 2022 | Message from Kahu

image of Smithsonian museum of African American History & Culture

“Gratitude, Faith, Love, Hope”

On Sunday, I told the congregation that this past 4th of July was hard for me to get into the spirit of the holiday. Early in the day, I heard the news about the tragic mass shooting at the Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois. I had spent close to a year there consulting a church with their capital campaign. The former mayor of the town was part of the campaign leadership team, as were other community members. Although it has been nearly 20 years since I was there, I knew that some of those people with whom I worked rather closely would have been at the parade last week. I wondered if any of them were shot. I wondered if any of their family members were killed or injured. I wondered how many funerals they would be attending in the days to come.

To be completely transparent, most of the news these days has been very difficult to hear. I almost dread turning on the radio to NPR every morning. So much of what our country promotes regarding independence and freedom these days seems the opposite of what our founding fathers would have wanted and certainly different from what Jesus and his early followers taught about freedom.

We began this week diving into the Letter to the Colossians and we find in the opening chapter 4 themes that help us both to figure out what freedom meant to Jesus and also how to cope with national politics when so many of our leaders who claim to be followers of Jesus seem to not be following him at all.

Gratitude
Faith
Love
Hope

I encourage you to spend some time reflecting on these four themes—in terms of how they help you to define true freedom and also how they might help you determine a role you might play in helping our society to overcome and end inequality, racism and injustice. May these themes guide us and may they sustain us and help us to thrive as individuals, families, communities and as a nation.

Aloha nui loa!
Kahu Alan Akana

Church News: July 13th, 2022

by admin | Jul 13, 2022 | News

Our New Youth Director!

Congratulations to

Our New Youth Director

Tiffany Marrotte

Tiffany began her role as our new youth director on July 1! During the summer months, Tiffany will be planning a comprehensive youth program for middle and high school students, checking in with the youth and their families in terms of availability and interests, meeting with Kahu weekly in order to communicate and present plans, and also creating a survey for church members which will be attached to a future edition of the Weekly News by the fall.

Here are some ways you can begin helping now:

Invite youth from your family, neighborhood, or social circles to a youth gathering or activity.
Provide a meal or dessert for a youth gathering.
Volunteer an area of expertise that you can present to the youth.

All of our youth are invited to walk with us
in the Koloa Plantation Days Parade
Saturday morning, July 30th.

The next youth group gathering will be
Friday, August 12, at 6 p.m.

Nature Hike

Nature Hike
Mahaulepu/Makauwahi
Sunday, July 17
5:00-7:30 p.m.

See the night-blooming maiapilo—the endemic flower of Hawaii in the photos above and below, which grows on the ocean cliffs— as well as many other indigenous flowers!

Meet at the church parking lot at 5:00 p.m.
We will carpool to a place near the CJM Stables.
We will drive on a dirt road but it is kept up nicely.

Wear closed-toe shoes. The terrain is rocky and uneven! Dress for the wet & windy cliffs, including ocean spray!
Be sure to bring a camera on this hike. Capture the beauty of the flowers and the stunning coast at sunset!
Bring a bottle of water and a flashlight—just to be safe.We plan to be back at the vehicles just before dark.
Bring a face mask for the car ride if you carpool and when we are gathered close together. Friends and family members are welcome!

Kahu will lead this hike and point out some of the beautiful flowers he paints in his watercolors: ilima, maiapilo, naio, naupaka, and more! The entire hike, lasting about two hours, is considered easy and we will go at a slow pace and stop often.

Please see Elizabeth Mares or Kahu if you have any questions regarding this fun activity!

Opening & Affirming

You Event Koloa Union Church Poipu Youth Group

Our church Council approved sending a gift of $250 to the Open & Affirming (ONA) Coalition in order to support the LGBTQ+ community in our congregations and denominational organizations. The Coalition provides ongoing support to ONA congregations like ours and also to those that are considering becoming ONA.

In response to our gift, we received a lovely thank you note from the ONA Coalition:

June 30, 2022

Dear friends,

Thank you for your generous donation of $250.00 on June 30, 2022 to the Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ.

Thank you for putting your hope into action by donating to the Coalition.

You, our donors, are invaluable to us and our work.

It’s because of your faithful giving that we are able to continue advocating and teaching throughout the entire United Church of Christ. Already this year, we’ve certified ONA church #1,750 and the number continues to grow. Every month, new congregations join our movement. Our ambitious program of webinars, workshops and coaching is bringing churches together and opening up new possibilities for ministry with and for LGBTQ+ neighbors. The results: an unprecedented growth in the number of Open and Affirming congregations in the United Church of Christ, and a revival of existing ONA churches who through the Coalition’s ministry are discovering radical and effective ways to work in their communities for justice, freedom and dignity.

By giving to the Coalition, and by taking action in your church and community, you are growing our movement in numbers and spirit. The staff and Leadership Team of the Open and Affirming Coalition thank you and ask you to hold us in your hearts and in your prayers. The work is sometimes difficult, but knowing we have the support of a movement of more than 350,000 faithful people in more than 1,750 congregations gives us the confidence we need to face the future with hope.

Wishing you every blessing and the deepest joy,

The Rev. Andrew G. Lang
Executive Director

Kauai Pride Parade & Festival

Thank You Note from Kauai Pride

Koloa Union Church also received a very appreciative thank you note from the Kauai Pride Parade Committee for our participation and on-going support. Thanks to all who participated last month by walking in the parade, working at the Koloa Union Church table during the festival, praying that our presence would encourage people who need encouragement.

Mark Your Calendars for NEXT YEAR:
Kauai Pride Parade and Festival
Saturday, June 3, 2023

Koloa Plantation Days Parade

Saturday, July 30, 2022
“Gather Together Again”

Koloa Union Church is joining the parade as it returns after a 2-year hiatus! We plan to decorate a vehicle pulling a trailer, followed by a walking unit, along with music, and most likely a vehicle for those unable to walk the entire parade route. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please speak with Kahu, Michael Horning or Penny Osuga.

The parade starts at 10 a.m., but we plan meet earlier to decorate and get organized. We need to be in the line up at Koloa School by 8:30 a.m.

Don’t forget your walking shoes, sunscreen, water and hats.

Please write your name on the signup

sheet on the church bulletin board
if you plan to participate!

Prayers & Squares

This beautiful quilt was blessed in church on July 3 and gifted to Sharon McCoubrey.

Please keep Sharon McCoubrey in your prayers. She is in Arizona suffering from poor circulation in her legs and a foot amputation.

Prayers & Squares meets monthly in order to create prayer quilts for people in crisis and those who might need some extra aloha in their lives.

Contact the church office if you would like more information about Prayers & Squares or else have a name to suggest as a recipient of a quilt.

Remember:
It’s not about the quilt; it’s about the prayers.

Hookipa Wellness Class

A Free Exercise/Stretching Class for Seniors

Led by RoseTatiana Warken Ceballos Sundays 11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. (Usually not the 3rd Sunday of the month) Please register with RoseTatiana before attending: call or text (808)652-8985 or email at [email protected] Mahalo nui loa to RoseTatiana for your ongoing commitment to the health of our kupuna!!!

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:

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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!

Mahalo to Worship Participants

Chris and Michelle Molina, Doug Duvauchelle and Melissa Gregory for providing beautiful and inspiring music for our worship service! RoseTatiana Warken Ceballos for beautiful hula. Michael Horning for welcoming everyone to Sunday service by blowing the pu! Mahalo to Chuck and Joey Rebb for the beautiful tropical flowers!

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 10: Amos 7:7-17; Psalm 82; Deuteronomy 30:9-14; Psalm 25:1-10; Colossians 1:1-14; Luke 10:25-37.

Readings for July 17: Amos 8:1-12; Psalm 52; Genesis 18:1-11; Psalm 138; Colossians 1:15-28; Luke 10:38-42.

Readings for July 24: Hosea1:2-10; Psalm 85; Genesis 18:20-32; Psalm 138; Colossians 2:6-19; Luke 11:1-13.

Fun Pictures Since Our Last Weekly News

Becky perfectly dressed and adorned for Open and Affirming Sunday!!

Look who’s visiting: Kahu’s sister and sis-in-law, Allison and Juli!!

Doug proudly speaking for the family as Tiffany just became Koloa Union’s Youth Director!!!

Tiffany recognized in church as Koloa Union Church’s first ever Youth Director!

Mike and Fran Johnshoy celebrating their 70th anniversary!!!

Aunty Jo, Tiffany, Sheryl

Joni, Caleb, Sydney and our new Youth Director, Tiffany!!

Kimo, Tiffany, Sheryl, Doug and Aunty Jo

Melissa dressed for Open and Affirming Sunday congratulating Tiffany!!

Naomi and Tiffany!!

Koloa Union’s two volunteers serving lunch at the Hanapepe Salvation Army!! Jim and JoAnne!!

Wonderful having Aunty Jo in church!!

Judyth, Rosemary and Karen celebrating July 4th!!

Clyde and Pam Klaumann are back on island! with Kahu and Tiffany

Carol and Lee Bowen waiting the the 4th of July parade to start.

Surprise!!! Look who came to church!! Sharon Mattern, Wayne Shaw and Carol Mattern!

High fives to Nolan Strong and his Keahi U10 soccer team for winning the Aloha International Cup 2022 championship on Oahu!!

JoAnne and son, Dave, enjoying Elandan Gardens in Bremerton, Washington

Becky attended her class reunion in Oregon!!

Church News: June 22nd, 2022

by admin | Jun 22, 2022 | News

A Message from Our Kahu

“No Longer Slave or Free”

On Sunday, I shared with the congregation about my time in Jamestown, Virginia, where the first slaves from Africa arrived in 1619 on soil that was to become the Unites States. I also shared some of my written reflections regarding my visit to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture the day before. I visited both of these places just a few weeks ago while I was on my study leave. The massive Smithsonian building is in the shape of a slave ship with four stories above ground, which focus on heritage, community and culture, and three levels below ground focussing on history. I was with my friend David, who lives in the D.C. area, and we were told that it is best to start at the very bottom level and work our way up.

Suffice it to say that by the time we got to the ground level, I was emotionally spent. There is so much sad history in our nation as well as so much perseverance, drive and hope! However, a person can only take in so much emotional trauma and hope at once, and so David and I decided that we would each have to return to the museum at a later date in order to see the four stories above ground!

One of the things I learned at the museum was that Juneteenth has been celebrated by African Americans since June 19, 1865, when news of the end of the Civil War came to Galveston, Texas, the final location in the American South where slaves were freed after four long wars of bloody battles for their freedom. Last year, President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, thus making June 19 a federal holiday. It is a day for Americans to reflect on the importance of freedom for all people and to recognize that freedom has come to us at great cost of blood, sweat and tears. Our nation has made great strides toward equality and freedom since the end of the Civil War, but I have no doubt that we still have a lot of work to do in order for freedom and equality to fully work their way through all segments of our society.

The Apostle Paul wrote in his Letter to the Galatians, “There is no longer slave or free…for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” To Paul, the Gospel meant freedom, and he knew that there were many forms of slavery in human life and community. May we all live free and do whatever we can to ensure that everyone lives free in our nation and in the world.

Aloha nui loa!

Kahu Alan Akana

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