by admin | Mar 13, 2017 | Message from Kahu
BLESSED ARE THE MEEK
As we continue our Lenten journey this year, we pause each week and consider one of Jesus’ beatitudes (Jesus’ blessings in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5). This week’s beatitude is:
Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the Earth.
On Sunday, we met at the beach as we considered how meekness is an attitude and way of being in the world. I mentioned in my sermon that it would be difficult to be proud and think that I am the center of the universe as I looked at the ocean in front of me on that clear day. It is immense and I am humbled to stand at the ocean and consider how vast and deep it is.
We also read from the third chapter of John’s Gospel, where Jesus told Nicodemus: “No one can see the Kingdom of God without being born from above (which can also be translated “born anew” or “born again”).” There is a certain humility we must have in order to start over, or admit that we don’t have our act together all the time, or begin seeing the world around us in a whole new way. Yet, this is what Jesus called people to do if they want to truly see the realm of God among us.
Our attitude makes a huge difference in how we see the world and how we create community and a world where God’s love is felt by everyone. I encourage us all to be open to new ways of being in the world, especially being humble so that we can see and learn new things.
I invite you to join us on Wednesday evening at 6 o’clock as we enjoy a soup supper and consider these things in reflection, conversation and prayer.
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
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Since we were at the beach on Sunday, there is no video of this week’s sermon.
“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 | Mar 9, 2017 | Message from Kahu
We began Lent last week with our Ash Wednesday service when we were reminded that God remains with us throughout our lives and in the life to come. Our theme came from the first Beatitude (Jesus’ blessings in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5):
Blessed are the poor in spirit,for they will inherit the kingdom of heaven.
God is with those who are poor and those who seem to have little spirit left in their lives. God is with us when we are feeling that way. Even when we face the death of a loved one or our own mortality, God’s love never leaves us, and we have faith that we will someday rise in God’s loving presence. As I marked the foreheads of those who worshipped on Ash Wednesday with ashes, I reminded them of these beliefs as I said:
From dust you were made,
to dust you shall return,
and from the dust you shall rise.
On Sunday (the first Sunday of Lent), we focused on the second Beatitude:
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
In my sermon, I talked about the ways we experience grief in our lives and pointed to Psalm 6, Luke 22 and Matthew 5, to learn what we can from the Scriptures about grief. Here are some of the highlight of the sermon:
- Grief is a very real part of life, and there is no point in denying it or trying to pretend that we never grieve. King David is a great example of someone who openly mourns in God’s presence; and we see this openness before God over and over again in the Psalms.
- Grief comes to us in many different ways. Sometimes we can’t get to sleep—like King David—no matter how tired we feel; and at other times sleep seems to be all we want to do—like Jesus’ disciples when they knew he was about to be arrested.
- God is with those who grieve. We find great comfort in our grief knowing that it is never God’s way of punishing us, and in knowing that God loves us and blesses us in the midst of our greatest sadness.
I hope you will join us on Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. as we share a simple meal together and then reflect and discuss the theme of the previous Sunday.
I also hope to see you at CHURCH ON THE BEACH this Sunday. See below for the details.
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
_______________
Click HERE to see a video of Sunday’s sermon. Videos of Kahu’s sermons are available most weeks. You can find them on our church website <www.koloaunionchurch.org> and on our weekly e-news. Please share these videos with friends and invite them to church. You can also subscribe on YouTube anytime you watch a sermon; that way you can easily watch any past sermon and even receive a notification when a new sermon is posted.
To see a video of last week’s sermon, click HERE. (It was uploaded a bit late and was not included on the Weekly News.)
“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 | Mar 8, 2017 | News
LENTEN SOUP SUPPERS
On Wednesday evenings through April 5 at 6 p.m., Koloa Union Church will host soup suppers in Moore Hall. After supper, Kahu Akana will lead participants in a time of reflection and discussion on the beatitudes, based upon the previous Sunday’s sermon and Scripture readings. Please contact Penny or sign up on the bulletin board if you are able to bring soup, salad and/or bread on any of these Wednesdays.
CHURCH ON THE BEACH
Our worship service will begin at 11:00 am. on Sunday, March 12, at the main pavilion at Po’ipu Beach (across the street from Nukumoi Surf Shop). Please bring a dish to share for our potluck luncheon. Bring your beach chairs, too. There will be fun games for children and youth. Feel free to stay for the afternoon, as we have reserved the pavilion until 4 p.m. There will be no worship service at the church on March 12.
MEN’S BREAKFAST
The men of the church are invited to breakfast on Tuesday mornings at 7:30 during the winter months at the Olympic Café in the Poipu Village Shopping Center. (The Café is right across from Keoki’s.)
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”Weekly News of the Church” is provided by Koloa Union Church, a congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a member of the Kauai Association and Hawaii Conference. Join us at 3289 Poipu Road in Koloa!
by admin | Feb 28, 2017 | Message from Kahu
It was a joyful day being back in church on Sunday after a 3-week break of vacation and study leave. It was a special Sunday for me, as I celebrated my 3-year anniversary as the kahu of Koloa Union Church, and as my son Palani and I hosted around a hundred people at the grand opening of Alan Akana Gallery in the afternoon. The gallery is the fulfillment of a dream I have had for many years to have my own space to share my watercolors with others. I am especially pleased that the church will benefit from the profits of the sales. Please drop by if you weren’t able to attend on Sunday.
The theme of our worship service on Sunday was “joy,” and I shared a bit about my journey with joy and some of the things I learned about joy in The Book of Joy, written by the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The thing that stands out most to me is Tutu’s quote that we are “reservoirs of joy” and we allow ourselves to experience joy in our own lives, that joy has a ripple effect and continues to touch the lives of people even far beyond our vision or knowledge. I encourage you to pay attention to the possibilities of joy for you and allow your joy to ripple throughout the world!
I hope to see a lot of people on Tuesday as we gather at 6 p.m. in Moore Hall for our Mardi Gras Pancake Supper, and then again on Wednesday evening at 6 for our weekly Lenten Soup Supper, followed by our Ash Wednesday service at 7. I have a feeling that this year’s service will be especially meaningful to a lot of people.
As a reminder, this years Lenten Season will focus on the beatitudes—Jesus’ “blessings” in Matthew’s Gospel. I invite you to join us on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings as we consider the many ways of blessing and being blessed!
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
______________
Click HERE to see a video of Sunday’s sermon. Videos of Kahu’s sermons are available most weeks. Please share these videos with friends and invite them to church. You can also subscribe on YouTube anytime you watch a sermon; that way you can easily watch any past sermon and even receive a notification when a new sermon is posted.
by admin | Feb 28, 2017 | News
MEN’S BREAKFAST The men of the church are invited to breakfast on Tuesday mornings at 7:30 during the winter months at the Olympic Café in the Poipu Village Shopping Center. (The Café is right across from Keoki’s.)
SHROVE TUESDAY/ MARDI GRAS/PANCAKE TUESDAY Shrove Tuesday is the last day before Lent. Traditionally, Christian “get rid of last minute indulgences and use up fatty foods” such as milk and butter. We are offering our annual “pancake supper” on February 28 at 6 p.m. in Moore Hall. Join us for “breakfast at dinner!”
ASH WEDNESDAY Join us on March 1 (the first day of Lent) for dinner at 6 p.m. in Moore Hall and our Ash Wednesday service at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary, where we will have the traditional marking of the ashes.
LENTEN SOUP SUPPERS From March 1 through April 5, at 6 p.m. Koloa Union Church will host soup suppers in Moore Hall. On Ash Wednesday, the service will take place in the sanctuary. During the other Wednesdays, Kahu Akana will lead a discussion on the beatitudes, based upon the previous Sunday’s sermon. Please contact Penny or sign up on the bulletin board if you are able to bring soup, salad and/or bread on any of these Wednesdays.
SUNDAY SCHOOL & YOUTH Starting on Sunday, March 5, the children will begin practicing for their Easter play (“You Can’t Have Easter Without….”) to be performed on Palm Sunday, April 9. Decorating Easter eggs & pizza lunch will be on Friday, April 14, 11 a.m.; please sign up if you plan on attending. The youth are looking forward to another retreat at Waineke in Kokee on June 9 – 13, 2017. Details to follow.
CHURCH ON THE BEACH Our worship service will begin at 11:00 am.m on Sunday, March 12, at the main pavilion at Poipu Beach (across the street from Nukumoi Surf Shop). Sign up to bring something to share for our potluck luncheon. Bring your beach chairs, too. There will be no worship service at the church that day.
MEMBERSHIP GATHERING On Sunday, April 2, Kahu Akana and the Deacons will meet in Moore Hall with people who are interested in learning more about Koloa Union Church and what is involved in becoming a member of our congregation. The gathering will take place after Aloha Hour, approximately 12:30 to 3:00. A sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board. Child care will be provided.
PRAYERS & SQUARES Future meetings have been postponed until further notice.
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“Weekly News of the Church” is provided by Koloa Union Church, a congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a member of the Kauai Association and Hawaii Conference. Join us at 3289 Poipu Road in Koloa!
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