A Message from Kahu Akana

by admin | Jan 19, 2017 | Message from Kahu

AVERAGE PEOPLE CHANGING THE WORLD

Since we were celebrating Martin Luther King Day on Monday, I decided to share the story of Rosa Parks during my sermon on Sunday. Most of us know that Rosa Parks is the Black woman who refused to stand up on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama, and give her seat to a White person. She had actually been sitting in the “colored” section of the bus, exactly one seat behind the “colored” sign. However, after one particularly busy stop, there were people standing in the aisle, including a few White people. So the bus driver told all of the Black riders in Rosa Parks row that they would all have to stand in order to allow the White people to sit. Three of them stood up, but Rosa Parks moved closer to the window and refused to give up her seat. So the driver called the police and Rosa Parks was arrested for disorderly conduct. Because of her simple act of civil disobedience, the American Civil Rights movement was given the energy it needed to end segregation not only on buses, but also at drinking fountains, restaurants, schools, and neighborhoods.

One of the reasons I loved the story of Rosa Parks is because she was an ordinary person who made a big difference in the world. She was not a great public speaker and she didn’t have an exceptional education or resume; she worked as a seamstress in a department store and she struggled to make ends meet financially. Nevertheless, she acted out her convictions and courageously stood her ground. Her example inspires us because most of us consider ourselves pretty average and identify with Rosa Parks and other ordinary people. I think to myself: If such an ordinary person can make such a big difference, then perhaps so can I and so can you.

There was only one Martin Luther King, Jr., and we honor him for using his exceptional gifts. However, there were also thousands of ordinary people, like Rosa Parks, whose roles were also important in the Civil Rights Movement. I hope that we will honor them all, not only by remembering them but also by following their example and living by our convictions and doing the right thing even when it takes courage and faith.

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.

A Message from Kahu Akana

by admin | Jan 11, 2017 | Message from Kahu

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS

On Sunday, I shared with the congregation about John the Baptist in the Gospel of Matthew, and John’s baptism of Jesus. I began by reminding everyone how Matthew, from the very beginning of his Gospel (and all the way through), focused on the marginalized people whom God visited and who showed up for God. John was about as marginalized as one could get. He lived in the wilderness—a place where no one wanted to live, completely separated from civilization. John ate bugs and honey, and wore camel hair for his clothing. Yet, as marginalized as he was, God visited him…and he showed up for God.

I talked about how the news has been awfully discouraging to watch: war, terrorism, gun violence, and other horrible things are talked about on a daily basis. It sometimes seems like the problems of the world are so big, there is nothing we can do about it. However, the story of John the Baptists gives me hope. For if John can make a difference in the world while living on the margins, then I am confident you and I can as well.

I can’t tell you what God has planned for you to make a difference in the world, but the story in Matthew’s Gospel gives us some pretty good clues in terms of how to find that out for ourselves.

• First of all, God keeps showing up in the margins of society, so maybe we can spend some time there. It may be the wilderness away from other people where you will find some guidance, but it also might be among some marginalized people in your own neighborhood or right down the street. If you want to know what God is up to and what he might want from you, then spend some time in the margins.
• Second, God showed up among people who were preparing for God to show up. Do whatever the things are that help you prepare for God to show up: prayer, Scripture reading, meditation, church.
• Third, God showed up in a pretty unexpected way, so be open to surprises, knowing that God may show up or ask you to do something that is entirely different from what you have been expecting.
• Finally, God showed up in the baptism of Jesus with a complete acceptance of Jesus in his essence—just as he was. God said, “This is my child, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased.” Imagine that those words are for you as well. Imagine God claiming you as a son or daughter. Imagine God declaring unconditional and eternal love for you. Imagine God so pleased with who you are, that you are perfect in God’s eyes and don’t need to change a thing about yourself.

I am confident that if you do these things, then God will show up a bit more clearly, and you will have a better idea of what God might have in mind for your role in the world.

Aloha nui!

Kahu Alan Akana

Click HERE to see a video of Sunday’s sermon. A CORRECTION TO THE SERMON: Someone told me on Sunday that my statistics were off, and I realized I accidentally misquoted two statistics. I said that over 33,000 people were killed between 2001 and 2013 by acts or terrorism in the U.S. and Americans overseas. I meant to say 3,300 (which is still a big number). I also said that there were more than 140,000 people killed in the U.S during that same period of time due to non-terroristic gun-violence. I meant to say more than 400,000 (a much bigger number)! My point was that the problems in our country and world are big. I apologize for the mistake.

Videos of Kahu’s sermons will be available every week through January. You can find them here on our  church website <www.koloaunionchurch.org> and on our weekly e-news. (Just let us know if you want us to email you 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.

“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.

A Message from Kahu Akana

by admin | Jan 5, 2017 | Message from Kahu

THE MAGI AND THEIR GIFTS

On Sunday, I shared about the Magi who arrived after the birth of Jesus (also known as the Wise Men and the Three Kings) and what I have learned about them. Much of our understanding of them comes from traditions developed over the centuries. First of all, they were not called “Wise Men” until much later than their first appearance in writing (in the Gospel of Matthew) and, according to Matthew, they were the opposite of kings. Matthew portrays them as people on the margins: possibly not wealthy, certainly not among the inner circles, not highly revered, and not very welcome. We don’t even know if there were three of them; we just know that they brought three gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. And we don’t know how much they gave.

So if Matthew did not intend to portray them as wise men, kings, or even people that were held in high regard, then why (you might ask) did he include them in the Gospel? What Matthew was clearly saying to his readers was: “When God came to reveal God’s self in Jesus, he did so first to the most unlikely people imaginable.” God showed up to the people on the margins of society…and those people on the margins kept showing up for God and offering whatever it was that they had—and sometimes that was not much! This theme is dominant throughout Matthew’s Gospel. It is also dominant in the entire Hebrew-Christian scriptural tradition.

If you have ever felt marginalized, not “in” with the “in crowd,” not important enough for God to care about you, or not having enough to give anything of importance to God, then the story of the Magi should give you some encouragement; for God has always shown up for people just like you; and God has always welcomed the gifts of people just like you. I invite you to keep this in mind as you consider how you will be in the world during this new year. For I am confident that God will welcome you however you show up and will be delighted in whatever you have to offer.

Aloha nui!

Kahu Alan Akana

Due to technical issues, there is no video this week. Videos of Kahu’s sermons are available most weeks. You can find them on our website (after each post from “A Message from Kahu Akana” when available) and on YouTube. Please subscribe to the YouTube account and share these videos with friends and invite them to church!

“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.