On Sunday, Kahu Alan Akana will be sharing from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians and his deep desire to build communities of faith that are based on unconditional love and affirmation. Come and help us build with love!
We have plenty of room for attendees to sit in a safe distance from others in the sanctuary, on the patio, and in Moore Hall where folks can watch the worship service on a large screen.
Please put your face mask on as soon as you arrive on church property and be sure to familiarize yourself with all of our pandemic guidelines, including some recent changes (see our homepage).
“ADOPT A FAMILY”
January and February Project
Koloa Union Church has adopted a family who is temporarily homeless on the island: a single mom and her 1-year-old son. They have lost their housing since the pandemic and found themselves living in a tent. They are on “the list” for housing assistance and need help to just get by while they wait. In the meantime, they are in urgent need of some shelter reinforcement to help with the rain and wind, as well as some covered area that can function as extended living space for the boy to play. Please consider monetary donations to go toward purchasing basic needs or else contact the church office if there is something in particular you would like to donate. (We have a list of specific needs.)
Donations are requested by Feb 21st.
Mahalo to everyone for your continued support!
Prayers & Squares
Ministry of Prayer Through Making and Gifting of Quilts.
The group will meet next on February 2, 1-4 p.m. Contact the church office for more information. All sewers and non-sewers are welcome! Please wear your face mask when you arrive.
Lectionary Readings
Weekly Readings from the Bible
During challenging times, reading the Bible on a daily basis is a great source of inspiration and hope. I encourage you to read and meditate upon the Scriptures of the Revised Common Lectionary and ask yourself how God might be showing up in the Scriptures for you, what God might be saying to you, and what guidance you might find as you share God’s love in creative and meaningful ways. —Kahu Alan Akana
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 24 are Jonah 3:1-10; Psalm 62:5-12; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20. Readings for January 31 are Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Psalm 111; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28. Readings for February 7 are Isaiah 40:21-31; Psalm 147:1-21; 1 Corinthians 9:16-23; Mark 1:29-39.
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“News of the Church” is provided by Koloa Union Church, an Open and Affirming (ONA) Congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a member of the Kauai Association and Hawaii Conference. Please contact the church office if you would like to have our news sent directly to your inbox. Join us at 3289 Poipu Road in Koloa!
In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. —Mark 1:35
Lessons from Kalaupapa
Congregations in Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Christ are invited to commemorate “Kalaupapa Sunday” each year on the fourth Sunday in January. On Sunday, we remembered and honored all the patients of Kalaupapa. Kalaupapa is the isolated settlement on the stunning north shore of the island of Moloka`i, where patients with Hansen’s Disease (formerly known as leprosy) were sent by the government to live out the remainder of their days without the support of family and friends.
On Sunday, I shared some of the lessons I have learned from the place during my visits there and also from a special book from Kalaupapa that I read in 2020. I also shared an important lesson I have learned from Jesus from the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark. Jesus was in great demand even at the very beginning of his ministry. People wanted to be healed from spiritual and physical ailments, including leprosy, and were constantly seeking him out. Jesus also knew the importance of his teaching ministry so that the crowds would understand his healing ministry in the wider context of his purpose and mission. These two things kept his schedule more full than I can even imagine. However, Jesus seemed to understand the importance of self-care, spending time alone in prayer, recharging his batteries, and making sure he had the energy to accomplish what God sent him to do.
During these past ten months of the coronavirus pandemic, I too have been learning the importance of self-care and making health a priority—even in those times when there is more demand on my time than I am able to give. I encourage you to take care of yourself so that you can be of greater service to others. Attend to your physical, spiritual and emotional wellbeing, so that life will continue to be joyful and full of energy so that you can faithfully serve in what ever way God is calling you to serve.
“A Message from Kahu Alan Akana”is provided most weeks by Koloa Union Church, an Open & Affirming (ONA) congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a member of the Kauai Association and Hawaii Conference.
To see a video of this week’s worship service, including the message, click HERE. You may see the Koloa Union Church YouTube channel to see previous worship services and many of Kahu’s past messages. You can subscribe in order be notified when a new message is posted. Please share these videos with friends and invite them to church. Please feel free to “Like” any of the videos you see and share them on social media, such as Facebook, so that others will notice them.
You are welcome to join us on Sunday mornings! To see our Sunday morning schedule, click HERE.
Kahu Akana is also an accomplished artist! He specializes in creating vibrant watercolors of the flowers of Hawaii and hosts a Sunday afternoon reception in a gallery at his home, the Smith Memorial Parsonage. He also meets visitors by appointment. Most of the profit from the sales go for the maintenance and upkeep of the parsonage. To see a video about his art and gallery, click HERE. To see the gallery website, click HERE.
On Sunday, January 24, Koloa Union Church will join congregations throughout the Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Christ for Kalaupapa Sunday. Each year in January, we remember, commemorate and honor all the patients of Kalaupapa, many of whom came from or had connections to our families and churches. Kalaupapa is the isolated settlement on the north shore of the island of Molokai, where patients with Hansen’s Disease (formerly known as leprosy) were sent by the government to live out the remainder of their days without the support of family and friends. Kahu will share with us some of his thoughts during and after his latest visit there in January of 2019 with his son Palani. For more background and information about Kalaupapa Sunday, click the button below:
The Outreach Committee and Koloa Union keiki will be assembling 40 “Blessing Bags”— care packages for the homeless at Salt Pond. Each bag will have an assortment of personal care items, non-perishable food and miscellaneous extras, such as flashlights, eating utensils, small blankets, and Coleman propane canisters. There is a sign-up list at the church with requested items. The deadline for donations is February 28. You can drop items off in the Share Aloha bin to the right of the church entrance or at the church office. Call Amber at 907-227-9045 if you have other ideas, questions or need a pick up.
Mahalo to everyone for your continued support!
LECTIONARY READINGS
Weekly Readings from the Bible
During challenging times, reading the Bible on a daily basis is a great source of inspiration and hope. I encourage you to read and meditate upon the Scriptures of the Revised Common Lectionary and ask yourself how God might be showing up in the Scriptures for you, what God might be saying to you, and what guidance you might find as you share God’s love in creative and meaningful ways. —Kahu Alan Akana
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 17 are 1 Samuel 3:1-20; Psalm 139:1-18; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John 1:43-51. Readings for January 24 are Jonah 3:1-10; Psalm 62:5-12; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; —Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4
A Message from Our Kahu “A Time To Mourn…and To Dance”
When I returned to work on Tuesday morning after a 2-week vacation, I felt very grateful for the time spent resting, reading, hiking, watercoloring, working on some projects at the parsonage, and spending time on the phone and Zoom with family and friends on the mainland.
During this time, I also made some space to grieve. Since the end of October, three of my colleagues passed away, as well as my cousin, a close friend, Toyo Nishida (who was our oldest church member) and a number of acquaintances. It became obvious that grief was suppressed in the midst the busy-ness of daily life, as well as the inability to travel and be with people as they passed on to eternity and as loved ones would normally gather to celebrate life and hold grief together in community. The past two weeks gave me some space to reflect and grieve my own losses. It also allowed me to lift up in prayer every member and friend of the church, for we have all experienced loss during this past year and have had to grieve in a very different kind of way.
A couple of days ago, I was walking along the south shore while I was thinking about the losses I have experienced and giving thanks for the lives I have loved, when I saw a whale breach and cause the usual huge splash on the surface of the water. Within a minute, there was another breach…and then another…and another. The whales were engaging in their ongoing jumping, twirling, splashing, and playing. They reminded me that the world goes on through the cycles of mourning and dancing. They reminded me that there is still joy and praise. They reminded me that God is still present in love, often just below the surface, waiting to surprise us.
May you be surprised by God’s loving presence this week!
“The Things That Belong to God” Join Us in Church or Online
Kumu’s Cupboard
Share Aloha in October
The Outreach Committee is collecting donations for Kumu’s Cupboard in October. Kumu’s Cupboard is a nonprofit store where Kauai’s teachers can shop for free. The store is filled with school supplies, office supplies, art and science materials, as well as student incentives. Did you know that our teachers have to use their own money on supplies for their classrooms? With all that is going on right now and school just starting, the shelves at Kumu’s Cupboard are going empty and they are in need of basic supplies to continue their mission. Help our island’s keiki by helping their teachers!
The following items are what the teachers have identified as things in need. If you are able, please consider picking up an item or two while at the store to donate. Sorry but Kumu’s Cupboard is not able to accept used items at this time. There is a printed list available at the Deacon’s station in back of the church.
SCHOOL/OFFICE SUPPLIES: paper of all types, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, colored pencils, scissors, staplers, staples, binders, paper clips, binder clips, brads, small white boards and cleaner, folders, composition books, notebooks, binders, new books (Kindergarten/Preschool age)
ART & SCIENCE MATERIALS: fabric (one yard minimums), puzzles, feathers, yarn, tiles, beads, paints, construction paper, glitter, science equipment, math manipulatives (like flash cards)
HEALTH SUPPLIES: disposable gloves, hand sanitizer, liquid soap, disinfecting wipes
NOTE: Deadline is October 30. All donated items will be delivered on October 31. You can drop items off at the church during office hours (Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to noon. Please call Penny beforehand). Outside of these hours you can drop items off in the tote bin labeled “Share Aloha,” which is located to the right of the front foyer. You can also arrange a home pick-up by Amber. Please text or call (907)227-9045 to do so.
LECTIONARY READINGS
Weekly Readings from the Bible
During challenging times, reading the Bible on a daily basis is a great source of inspiration and hope. I encourage you to read and meditate upon the Scriptures of the Revised Common Lectionary and ask yourself how God might be showing up in the Scriptures for you, what God might be saying to you, and what guidance you might find as you share God’s love in creative and meaningful ways. —Kahu Alan Akana
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 October 11 are Exodus 32:1-14; Psalm 106:1-23; Isaiah 25:1-9; Psalm 23; Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14.
Readings for October 18 are Exodus 33:12-23; Psalm 99; Isaiah 45:1-7; Psalm 96:1-13; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22.
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