by admin | Mar 11, 2020 | Message from Kahu
“Getting Real with Yourself”
On Sunday, I talked about chapter 3 of Parker Palmer’s recent book, On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting Old. The chapter is titled “Getting Real with Yourself,” and it challenges us to let go of illusions about ourselves and to show up as we are. As we continue our Lenten journey, I invited people to consider this question: “Am I being the person God created me to be?”
I closed my message by reading some quotes from chapter 3 and invited each person to sit quietly with each question and to ask what might need to happen in order to see oneself, God, and the world around us with greater clarity. Here are some of those quotes (with the page number in parentheses, in case you have the book and would like to read more):
- The spiritual journey is an endless process of engaging life as it is, stripping away our illusions about ourselves, our world, and the relationship of the two, moving closer to reality as we do. (54)
- All forms of contemplation share the same goal: to help us see through the deceptions of self and world in order to get in touch with what Howard Thurman called “the sound of the genuine.” (57)
- [Quoting Thomas Merton] The deepest level of communication is not communication, but communion. (60)
- I can’t imagine a sadder way to die than with the sense that I never showed up here on earth as my God-given self. (64)
- True self is the self with which we arrive on earth, the self that simply wants us to be who we were born to be. (75)
- Before he died, Rabbi Zusya said: “In the world to come they will not ask me, ‘why were you not Moses?’ they will ask me, ‘Why were you not Zusya?’” (75)
I hope some of these questions are helpful for you in learning to see yourself as God sees you. We will reflect more on this topic on Wednesday evening at our Lenten Soup Supper. I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday and Sunday!
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
__________________________________________
“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 a recent message by Kahu Akana, click HERE. You may see the Koloa Union Church YouTube channel to see many of his past messages and 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.
To learn more about Kahu Akana (and the rest of the staff at Koloa Union Church), click HERE.
by admin | Mar 11, 2020 | News
Coronavirus and Church
Since the spread of coronavirus throughout the world and confirmed cases in the United States, I have talked to friends and colleagues on the mainland who have cancelled church due to the virus. I have also been approached by people at our church who are wondering if we are going to change the way we do things in order to stay healthy.
Our Deacons discussed this at our meeting last week and decided to continue having worship services and our regularly scheduled communion. If people begin getting sick on Kauai, we will likely change to another way of distributing the elements or stop serving communion altogether until the virus in under control. I also talked to Penny Osuga about Aloha Hour, which will continue until further notice.
In the meantime, here are some suggestions which should apply whenever you are at church, even without the coronavirus:
- If you are feeling sick (or even if you feel like you might be coming down with something), stay home and do not attend church. You can ask Penny Osuga to send you a copy of the bulletin as an email attachment and you can watch the message (sermon) almost every week online.
- If you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth completely and face away from people and food.
- Wash your hands before eating, touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.
- Wash your hands before preparing or serving food, and before touching cooking, serving or eating utensils.
- Consider hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Please wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before Aloha Hour. I’ve asked Penny to look into having hand sanitizer available for people as they enter Moore Hall.
- After washing your hands in a public restroom, use a paper towel when touching faucets, light switches and door handles.
- When greeting others at church or “passing the peace” at the end of the worship service, feel free to refrain from touching if you feel so inclined. If someone attempts to shake your hand or hug you, you can politely say, “I am not touching people during flu season.”
- During the closing song (The Queen’s Prayer), feel free to touch elbows rather than holding hands.
- When being served communion, hold open both hands so that I can place a piece of bread in your hands with out touching them. When dipping your bread in the cup, hold the bread at one end and dip the other end of the bread into the cup just enough to get a few drops of juice without touching the juice with your fingers.
- Parents, please be responsible for your children.
- Use common sense.
If there are any changes due to the spread of the virus, I will send an email to everyone as soon as those changes are made. Let us pray for individuals, families and communities who have been affected by illness…and for an end of the coronavirus.
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
________________________________________
Smith Memorial Parsonage
3281 Waikomo Road in Koloa
6 p.m. Wednesdays
Through April 1
This Week: Chapter 3
“Getting Real: From Illusion to Reality”
We will begin with a simple bread and soup supper, followed by a time of discussion and reflection based on the reading for the week from Parker Palmer’s book, On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting Old. You don’t need to read the book, but if you want to follow along and spend some time reflecting on your own during Lent, there will be 10 copies of the book (while supplies last) on the Deacon’s cabinet in church beginning this Sunday. Just leave $15 cash or a check if you want to take a book.
Please contact the church office or sign up on the Lenten Soup Supper sheet on the bulletin board at church for the Wednesdays you plan to attend! We want to make sure we make enough soup for everyone.
—ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS—
MEN’S BREAKFAST The men of the church are enjoying their weekly breakfast at 7:30 a.m. at Kalapaki Joe’s in Poipu every Tuesday except the 4th Tuesday of the month. Church breakfasts for men and women are on the 4th Tuesday of every month, 7:30 a.m. at Holoholo Grill in the Koloa Landing Complex.
CHURCH ENSEMBLE Singers are invited to practice a song this Sunday, March 15, at 10 a.m., to be sung during the worship service. Join the monthly church ensemble under the leadership of Fay Bartels. The song this Sunday will be: “God Loved the World so that He Gave.”
COCONUT WIRELESS Click HERE to see the latest issue of the Coconut Wireless (the weekly e-news from the Hawai`i Conference of the United Church of Christ).
LECTIONARY READINGS (Old & New Testament Readings for the Week) 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 of them on the following Sunday. This week’s readings are Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42.
__________________________________
“Weekly 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 weekly news sent directly to your inbox. Join us at 3289 Poipu Road in Koloa!
by admin | Mar 2, 2020 | News
Smith Memorial Parsonage
6 p.m. Wednesdays
Through April 1
We will begin with a simple bread and soup supper, followed by a time of discussion and reflection based on the reading for the week from Parker Palmer’s book, On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting Old. You don’t need to read the book, but if you want to follow along and spend some time reflecting on your own during Lent, there will be 10 copies of the book (while supplies last) on the Deacon’s cabinet in church beginning this Sunday. Just leave $15 cash or a check if you want to take a book.
Please sign up on the Lenten Soup Supper sheet on the bulletin board at church for the Wednesdays you plan to attend! We want to make sure we make enough soup for everyone.
Please also consider signing up to bring a pot of soup and some bread on a Wednesday evening.
—ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS—
MEN’S BREAKFAST The men of the church are enjoying their weekly breakfast at 7:30 a.m. at Kalapaki Joe’s in Poipu every Tuesday except the 4th Tuesday of the month. Church breakfasts for men and women are on the 4th Tuesday of every month, 7:30 a.m. at Holoholo Grill in the Koloa Landing Complex.
COCONUT WIRELESS Click HERE to see the latest issue of the Coconut Wireless (the weekly e-news from the Hawai`i Conference of the United Church of Christ).
LECTIONARY READINGS (Old & New Testament Readings for the Week) 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 of them on the following Sunday. This week’s readings are Genesis 12:1-5; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-17; John 3:1-17, Matthew 17:1-9.
__________________________________
“Weekly 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 weekly news sent directly to your inbox. Join us at 3289 Poipu Road in Koloa!
by admin | Mar 2, 2020 | Message from Kahu
“The Dance of the Generations”
On Sunday, I talked about chapter 2 of Parker Palmer’s recent book, On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting Old. The chapter was about how the “older” generations relate to the “younger” ones. Palmer suggests that we stop using the metaphor “passing the baton” from one generation to the next—and I agree with him. The baton metaphor implies competition which suggests winners and losers. It also implies giving up when older folks say, “I’ve done my part and now I’m done.” Finally, it implies a failure to accept responsibility, as if we can tell younger folks that it is up to them to clean up the mess we have made.
Instead, Palmer suggests two other more helpful metaphors: music and dance. Imagine an orchestra where older and more experienced musicians are making beautiful music with younger and newer players. Imagine a dance where people of all ages are joyfully dancing together. (If that is a stretch for you, see the beginning of my sermon where I talk about my niece’s recent wedding reception in California.) Both of these visions more accurately describe a community of God’s grace and the world we can create together.
Palmer also talks about the importance of facing up to our failures and telling the stories of our failures across the generations. He tells us in the book that young people often feel like failures, and hearing the stories of failure in people they look up to can bring great hope. There is grace found in the vulnerability of honest storytelling. Grace is also found whenever people reach across the spaces that separate the generations—and the spaces that separate people in any way.
May this season of Lent be a time of personal reflection as we all ask ourselves how we can reach across spaces to others; and may there be new blessings on both sides!
I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday and Sunday!
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
__________________________________________
“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 a recent message by Kahu Akana, click HERE. You may see the Koloa Union Church YouTube channel to see many of his past messages and 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.
To learn more about Kahu Akana (and the rest of the staff at Koloa Union Church), click HERE.
by admin | Mar 1, 2020 | News
Smith Memorial Parsonage
6 p.m. Wednesdays
Through April 1
We will begin with a simple bread and soup supper, followed by a time of discussion and reflection based on the reading for the week from Parker Palmer’s book, On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting Old. You don’t need to read the book, but if you want to follow along and spend some time reflecting on your own during Lent, there will be 10 copies of the book (while supplies last) on the Deacon’s cabinet in church beginning this Sunday. Just leave $15 cash or a check if you want to take a book.
Please sign up on the Lenten Soup Supper sheet on the bulletin board at church for the Wednesdays you plan to attend! We want to make sure we make enough soup for everyone.
Please also consider signing up to bring a pot of soup and some bread on a Wednesday evening.
—ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS—
MEN’S BREAKFAST The men of the church are enjoying their weekly breakfast at 7:30 a.m. at Kalapaki Joe’s in Poipu every Tuesday except the 4th Tuesday of the month. Church breakfasts for men and women are on the 4th Tuesday of every month, 7:30 a.m. at Holoholo Grill in the Koloa Landing Complex.
COCONUT WIRELESS Click HERE to see the latest issue of the Coconut Wireless (the weekly e-news from the Hawai`i Conference of the United Church of Christ).
LECTIONARY READINGS (Old & New Testament Readings for the Week) 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 of them on the following Sunday. This week’s readings are Genesis 2:15-3:7; Psalm 32; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11.
__________________________________
“Weekly 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 weekly news sent directly to your inbox. Join us at 3289 Poipu Road in Koloa!
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