by admin | Dec 5, 2017 | News
SANCTUARY EXPANSION PROJECT
The holiday season has begun with our sanctuary expansion project! Curtis Law and his crew were busy last week completing the installation of the new window and entryway. Beginning next Monday and in the weeks leading up to Christmas, we can expect to see the new doors hung, the folding doors removed (in front of where the pews are currently located), new sliding glass doors (directly behind the pews), and a beautiful new deacon’s cabinet with a countertop to display church materials. After the holidays, all of the walls will be painted and the flooring textured and stained for safety and appearance; we will also install new signage, a bulletin board and a place for name tags.
Since it may take our wood worker several more weeks to manufacture our new koa doors (made from beautiful wood donated from Hawaii Island), we may need to hang temporary doors while the koa doors are completed. The koa doors will be hung as soon as they are ready and will provide a welcoming invitation to all who visit our church!
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the capital campaign! Your generosity is making Koloa Union Church more welcoming and inviting all the time!
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Second Sunday of Advent
The holiday wreath is hung!
The Christmas tree is decorated!
The poinsettias decorate the sanctuary!
The nativity set is on the communion table!
We are singing the songs of the Advent Season!
Join us on Sunday as we light the Candle of Peace.
Our special guest musician will be vocalist Jake Lester!
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CHILDREN/YOUTH CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
The children and teenagers practice during Sunday school (~10:45 a.m.) for the Christmas Program, which they will perform in church on Sunday, December 17. Please RSVP to Tiffany Marrotte if your children are planning to participate and which practices they will attend. If your child(ren) would like to play the ukulele for the songs, practice is at 9 a.m. on Sundays.
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CHRISTMAS OUTREACH
We will distribute ten boxes of food, including a ham, to our neighbors on the south shore who might otherwise struggle to provide Christmas dinner for their families. We will also give gift cards for parents to buy Christmas gifts for their children. Those who wish to contribute food items can sign up on the signup chart on Sunday. Those who wish to make cash donations can place coins or cash in the spare change jar at church or write “Christmas Outreach” on the note section of your check. The last day to make donations is Sunday, December 17. If you know of any families who can use our help, please contact Judyth Foley. Thank you so much to those who have been putting coins and cash in the spare change jar all year, and for those making special donations during the holiday season!
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LECTIO DIVINA
Join us for Lectio Divina at the Smith Memorial Parsonage (3281 Waikomo Road) on Wednesday, December 13, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. In Christianity, Lectio Divina is a traditional practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God’s Word. Join Angela Dressel, Karen Johnson and Kahu Akana for a time to reflect, meditate and pray in the middle of the busy holiday season.
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CHURCH CHRISTMAS PARTY
Join us Friday, December 15, at 6 p.m. at our annual Christmas party at the Smith Memorial Parsonage (3281 Waikomo Road). We will enjoy a potluck feast and sing Christmas carols. Bring a dish to share for dinner and your singing voices!
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CHRISTMAS FUND OFFERING
This special offering, administered by the United Church of Christ Pension Boards, provides direct financial assistance to retired and active UCC authorized ministers and lay employees and their surviving spouses, including pension and health premium supplementation, emergency assistance, and Christmas “thank you” checks. Each year, UCC congregations throughout the country collect this offering to assist faithful servants of God who are facing financial difficulties. We not only share hope, peace, joy and love with them; but they, in turn, pass these things along to others in their communities and in the world. We will collect the Christmas Fund offering on Sunday mornings, December 17 & 24, as well as at the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.
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CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE
Our annual Christmas Eve service will be held at 7:30 and will include Christmas readings and carols, as well as the lighting of candles during the closing carol. Be sure to come early in order to get a seat!
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CHRISTMAS DAY COMMUNION SERVICE
Our Christmas Day service will be held at 10:30 and will include Christmas carols, a Christmas Day Message by Kahu Akana, and Holy Communion.
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The church office will be closed on the following days in observance of the holidays: December 25 and 26, January 1. Otherwise, the church office will be open 8 to noon Monday through Thursday.
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COCONUT WIRELESS
The Council of the Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Christ shares news on the Coconut Wireless, the regular newsletter of the HCUCC. If you would like to keep abreast on news, opportunities and events, please click HERE for this past week’s news. If you like what you see, you may subscribe and get every issue of the Coconut Wireless automatically.
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PRAYERS & SQUARES
Contact the church office if you would like to get involved in praying for people in crisis or helping to make quilt squares for those in crisis.
by admin | Dec 5, 2017 | Message from Kahu
“Hope that Will not Disappoint”
On Sunday, I began my message by sharing about the life of Allan Boesak, the South African pastor and theologian who demonstrated against apartheid in his country. During many difficult years, he continued to fight for the rights of all people, even when others felt like things were hopeless. Allan marched in 1977 with eighteen other demonstrators. In the 1980’s the number of marchers grew into the hundreds of thousands. Even though Allan Boesak was arrested, imprisoned, and threatened, he held onto hope, which he attributed, in part, to reading the Bible and his faith in God. Because he and many others acted upon their hope, apartheid was officially abolished in 1991. I love stories of hope which eventually make a huge difference in the world!
The Apostle Paul wrote that God’s hope does not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured into our hearts. It is God’s love for us and for all people that keeps hope alive. It is our openness to God’s love that keeps us connected to hope.
I invite you join us on Sunday morning and for the following two Sundays as we continue to prepare our hearts and lives for the many ways Christ comes to us—in hope, peace, joy and love.
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
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Our Kahu (Pastor) offers a weekly message in church most Sundays during the year. Click
HERE to see a video of this week’s message. You may also 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.
“A Message from Kahu Alan Akana” is provided most weeks by the Kahu (Pastor) of Koloa Union Church, a congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a member of the Kauai Association and Hawaii Conference.
by admin | Nov 21, 2017 | News
OFFICE CLOSED
In observance of Thanksgiving Day,
the church office will be closed on
Thursday, November 23rd.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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THANKSGIVING DINNER BOXES
Thanks to many generous donations, 10 Thanksgiving dinner boxes were put together and delivered to less fortunate families in the Koloa area. The boxes held a turkey along with all the trimmings for a complete Thanksgiving meal. All money not used will be rolled over into our Christmas Outreach. Thanks to Judyth, Suzanne and other volunteers for all their hard work.
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ALAN AKANA GALLERY
BLACK FRIDAY SALE
Christmas Gifts for Family and Friends!
Alan Akana Gallery will be open on Friday, November 24, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for a Black Friday Sale. All customers on that day will receive a 20% discount on all purchases and a 50% discount on selected artwork. There will be a drawing at the end of the day for a special door prize (no need to be present to win) and a free gift with every purchase too!
As always, the profit from the sales will be used for improvements, maintenance, and repairs of the parsonage. The Smith Memorial Parsonage is located at 3281 Waikomo Road.
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SALVATION ARMY LUNCHEON
Our faithful volunteers will be serving lunch at the Hanapepe Salvation Army on Wednesday, November 29. Those who have signed up to volunteer will meet at the church at 9:30 a.m. to carpool.
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THE BRIDGE: KAUAI TO COLLEGE
“Gala Bossa Nova Brazil”
Join Us for Our Annual Fundraiser!
The Bridge: Kauai to College is just over a year old, has become a stand-alone non-profit, has 11 mentoring pairs, and is hosting their annual fabulous fundraiser: a Brazilian gala on December 3 at Koloa Landing. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., 4:30 for those who purchase tables in advance. Music by Rumba de Fuego, dancing, authentic Brazilian buffet, no-host bar, silent and live auctions! For tickets: brazilgalatickets@gmail.com. You may also click HERE to see the gala website. We are shooting for 3 full tables as a goal for our church!
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CHILDREN/YOUTH CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
The children and teenagers practice during Sunday school (~10:45 a.m.) for the Christmas Program, which they will perform in church on Sunday, December 17. Please RSVP to Tiffany Marrotte if your children are planning to participate and which practices they will attend. If your child(ren) would like to play the ukulele for the songs, practice is at 9 a.m. on Sundays, except December 3.
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COCONUT WIRELESS
The Council of the Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Christ shares news on the Coconut Wireless, the regular newsletter of the HCUCC. If you would like to keep abreast on news, opportunities and events, please click HERE for this past week’s news. If you like what you see, you may subscribe and get every issue of the Coconut Wireless automatically.
___________________________________________________
PRAYERS & SQUARES
Contact Angela Dressel if you would like to get involved in praying for people in crisis or helping to make quilt squares for those in crisis.
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Wishing Kahu Akana a Happy Birthday
By Making a Gift in His Honor!
In honor of Kahu Akana’s birthday on November 3, you are invited to give a gift in his name to the general fund of Pacific School of Religion where he serves on the Board of Trustees. Kahu is also the Chair of PSR’s Advancement Committee, which oversees the fundraising success of the school. Kahu says, “I am passionate about supporting Pacific School of Religion because it provides a theological grounding with a strong emphasis on social justice for people like me who want to serve the Church and make the world a better place.”
Please consider a gift of any size during the month of November by writing a check to Koloa Union Church with “PSR-Akana” in the note section. You may also give online at the PSR website; be sure to click under “Tribute Gift” the box “This gift is in honor, memory or support of someone,” and write “Rev. Dr. Alan Akana” in the box.
by admin | Nov 21, 2017 | Message from Kahu
“Thanksgiving: The Will of God”
“Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the
will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:18)
On Sunday we looked at the story of the Jesus and the ten people whom he cured of leprosy (Luke 17). I began my sermon with stories of Kalaupapa on the island of Moloka`i where people with leprosy were once banished. I read last week that over 8,000 men, women and children were sent there in order to keep leprosy from spreading to others throughout the Hawaiian Islands; and some 95% were Native Hawaiians. As was the case for over a thousand years throughout the world, Hawaiians with leprosy lost just about everything that was important to them: health, comfort, family, community, employment. They were even told that their condition was because of sin in their life. As if it wasn’t bad enough to lose everything else, they were made to feel that God had abandoned them too!
When Jesus healed the ten people of leprosy in the Gospel story, one of them returned and threw himself at Jesus’ feet. Luke pointed out that the man was a Samaritan. I find two important lessons in this. First of all, Jesus healed this man who was different in terms of ethnicity, culture and religion. Jesus didn’t try to convert him first. He simply healed him because he had compassion for him. Secondly, Jesus accepted the man’s gratitude. These two lessons compel us to show compassion to people who are different, especially to people on the margins of society. They also remind us that God accepts our gratitude—no matter who we are.
The final words of Jesus in the story are: “Your faith has made you well.” Even though all ten people were cured, Jesus pointed out the faith and wellness of the man who expressed gratitude. I believe that there is something truly healing when we express our gratitude, and I also believe that our faith is strengthened. Gratitude must be God’s will for us because God wants us to have lives that are whole and experienced with deep faith. May we find healing and faith as we express gratitude on Thanksgiving Day…and on every day!
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
P.S. Please see “Weekly News of the Church” to learn more about making a gift to Pacific School of Religion where I serve on the Board of Trustees.
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Our Kahu (Pastor) offers a weekly message in church most Sundays during the year. Click HERE to see a video of this week’s message. You may also 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.
“A Message from Kahu Alan Akana” is provided most weeks by the Kahu (Pastor) of Koloa Union Church, a congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a member of the Kauai Association and Hawaii Conference.
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