by admin | Nov 16, 2016 | Message from Kahu
On Sunday, I began my sermon with an honest assessment of what has been happening in our country this past week. I also pointed out that I am both a citizen with a vote and a voice, as well as Kahu (Pastor) of Koloa Union Church. I then made four commitments to the congregation:
- First of all, when it comes to publicly speaking about politics, I will never speak as your Pastor, but rather as a citizen. For I believe that each of you is entitled to speak your own mind; and just as I don’t want you to speak on my behalf politically, I can’t imagine that you would want me to speak on yours.
- My second commitment is that I will never tell you who to vote for or what to vote for…for that is entirely up to you.
- Thirdly, I will encourage all of us to be who we are and believe what we believe in a safe and supportive environment…and love each other deeply, even when our political opinions may be very different.
- And finally, I will encourage us, beginning today, to dream together—dreams of a better nation and a better world—and to share our dreams with one another….
I then shared a few dreams—dreams that most of us have heard before. I shared the dream of Isaiah from chapter 65, a seemingly impossible dream where there is no more pain or tears, and everyone lives a long and full life. I then shared a portion of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, another seemingly impossible dream in which all racism and prejudice comes to an end. Finally, I shared my dream for our country and world, which also seems rather impossible. I hope I remembered to mention in my sermon that I am so glad that we dream our impossible dreams, for they give us hope, focus, vision and invite us to live our lives according to our highest values. At the end of our worship service, I invited the congregation to share their dreams with me. For those who would like to participate, please send me your dreams, and let me know if I have your permission to share your dream (in whole or in part) with others. I think it is important that we share our dreams with others in a safe and supportive environment. Feel free to mail, drop off or email your dream to me at the church.
If you would like to see a video of Sunday’s sermon, please click HERE.
Finally, I hope you will join us this coming Sunday for a special time of gratitude. We will worship with gratitude and then feast together as a congregation on a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I think it is especially important to focus on gratitude during these challenging times in the life of our nation. Come and be thankful! Come and give thanks!
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
“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 15, 2016 | News
HOLIDAY CLEANING & CHRISTMAS DECORATING Saturday, November 19, 8 a.m. – noon. We want to spruce up the church and sanctuary before the holidays. Uncle Diki will provide the tree that will need decorating; also the Advent wreath will need to be created. We hope to dust, polish, power wash, decorate. Please tell Penny if you are able to help. Lunch will be served.
ANNUAL KOLOA UNION CHURCH THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION
We will celebrate Thanksgiving together as a congregation this Sunday, November 20! Our worship service will focus on gratitude. Our meal during Aloha Hour will be a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Please see Penny to sign up for food. Come and be thankful!
NEWSLETTER DEADLINE If you have any articles for the December newsletter, please turn them in to Penny by November 20, 2016.
THANKSGIVING DINNER IN A BOX Thanks to the overwhelming response by our congregation and the donor who gave a very generous donation toward feeding hungry people on the south shore, we will be creating “Thanksgiving Dinner in a Box” for ten families next week! Each box will include a turkey and other menu items for families to cook traditional Thanksgiving dinners! The Outreach Committee will shop for anything that might be missing on Monday, November 21, and then deliver the boxes to families the next day. If you would like to donate a menu item, help with the shopping, organizing or distribution of the boxes, please call Judyth Foley at 818-726-1344.
CHRISTMAS OUTREACH “Spare Change to Help Needy Families”
We plan to give gift cards to families in our community before Christmas so that they can have food and gifts for their children. Can you bring your spare change to church between now and December 11? Just place it in the Spare Change Jar as you enter or leave the church. We have already filled it up once—along with some generous checks! We will add up our change on December 11 and purchase gift cards from local stores. If you know any families we can help, have any questions, or wish to volunteer, please contact Judyth Foley at 818-726-1344.
THE BRIDGE: FROM KAUA`I TO COLLEGE You are invited to the First Annual Gala Fundraiser for “The Bridge: Kaua’i to College!” The event will take place at Gaylord’s at Kilohana on Sunday, December 4, beginning at 4 pm. There will be a silent auction, a delicious three-course buffet dinner prepared by the talented kitchen staff at Gaylord’s and performances by Halau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leina`ala! Tickets are $75 for open table seating—or buy a reserved table of six for $600 and introduce your friends to The Bridge! Bonnie Kakinami and Kahu have tickets for sale. Please contact Susan Davis at 650-464-1654 or susandavisphd@gmail.com if you have questions or would like to donate an item to the silent auction. Join us for a wonderful evening to support Kaua`i’s high school students who want to go to college!
PRAYERS & SQUARES Cathy Evans met with a small group of church members on Sunday to provide details and information about this new prayer ministry we are considering. The consensus at the meeting was to move forward, after we receive formal approval from the Council. Angela and Bill Dressel will donate the membership dues to the Prayers and Squares organization, and Angela has agreed to be the initial coordinator for the project. Many hands and hearts will be needed to make this program a success. The first and most important thing we ask for are your prayers. Let’s watch how God leads us in the weeks, months, and years ahead to serve our church family and larger community. Stay tuned for information regarding future meetings and plans.
ANNUAL SPRING RUMMAGE SALE Saturday, April 22, 2017, 8 a.m. to noon. We are accepting your rummage sale donations at the church. Call the church (742-6622) or Judyth (818-726-1344) for drop-offs. We welcome all smaller items, larger items later (storage space is an issue). Our goal is to have both storage sheds full of your donations. Profits will be used for our youth.
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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 | Nov 13, 2016 | Message from Kahu
What a week this has been! I never imagined that an election in the United States would elicit so much emotion, drama, pain, anger, and even violence. I believe it is essential that we come together as a congregation and pray for peace, justice and unity, express our fears and concerns, and maybe even be a sanctuary where people in our community can come to meditate and pray. Please join us on Sunday as we reflect on what is happening around us and how God might be calling us to respond.
Regardless of what happens in the country, let us remain committed to being agents of peace, remembering that we are to love our enemies, while at the same time take a stand for justice. Let us remain committed to loving our neighbors and always widening the fences and opening the gates until they all come down. Let us remain committed asking the question (as we have done for the last 4 weeks) “And who is my neighbor?”
That question has been our theme this fall. Thank you to everyone who has made a financial commitment to our mission in 2017, as we continue to support ministry that reaches out to neighbors as Jesus did. Thank you also to all who continue to commit your time, energy and your love to this wonderful community of faith which I have come to deeply appreciate and love as “Koloa Union Church.”
Aloha nui!!!
Kahu Alan Akana
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“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 13, 2016 | News
PRAYERS & SQUARES
You are invited to join us on Sunday for an informational meeting about a brand new prayer group at Koloa Union Church! Find out about combining the gift of prayer with the gift of a hand-tied quilt for people who are facing a life crisis and need to be “covered in prayer.” We will meet Sunday, Nov 13, in Kahu’s office after Aloha Hour. The meeting is scheduled for 12:15 to 1 p.m. and will include time for questions. Our speaker is our good friend Cathy Evans! This will also be a time to sign-up to attend a January planning meeting for all those interested (date to be determined).
COMMITMENT SUNDAY was on November 6. Thank you for your commitment cards and paper hearts for our banner. On each heart you wrote a word or phrase describing the kind of neighbors you believe God is calling us to pay attention to. If you had forgotten your commitment card, please turn it in by November 13. The Finance Committee will meet this coming week and will use those pledge numbers to create a 2017 budget, present this budget to the Church Council for approval, then presented to you, the members and friends of Kōloa Union Church. Thank you for your continuous generosity! Your presence and your gifts make a huge difference in our community!
ANNUAL KOLOA UNION CHURCH THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION
We will celebrate Thanksgiving together as a congregation on Sunday, November 20! Our worship service will focus on gratitude. Our meal during Aloha Hour will be a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Please see Penny to sign up for food. Come and be thankful!
THANKSGIVING DINNER IN A BOX
Thanks to a donor who gave a very generous donation toward feeding hungry people on the south shore, we will be creating “Thanksgiving Dinner in a Box” for up to ten families. Each box will include a turkey and other menu items for families to cook traditional Thanksgiving dinners! There is a list of food items we will need on a sign-up table located outside Penny’s office. Please sign up today and bring the food next Sunday, November 20. The Outreach Committee will shop for anything that might be missing on Monday, November 21, and then deliver the boxes to families the next day.
HOLIDAY CLEANING & CHRISTMAS DECORATING Saturday, November 19, 8 a.m. – noon. We want to spruce up the church and sanctuary before the holidays. Uncle Diki will provide the tree that will need decorating; also the Advent wreath will need to be created. We hope to dust, polish, power wash, decorate. Please tell Penny if you are able to help. Lunch will be served.
CHRISTMAS OUTREACH: “Spare Change to Help Needy Families”
We plan to give gift cards to families in our community before Christmas so that they can have food and gifts for their children. Can you bring your spare change to church between now and December 11? Just place it in the Spare Change Jar as you enter or leave the church. We will add up our change on December 11 and purchase gift cards from local stores. If you know any families we can help, have any questions, or wish to volunteer, please contact Judyth Foley at 818-726-1344.
THE BRIDGE: FROM KAUA`I TO COLLEGE
You are invited to the First Annual Gala Fundraiser for “The Bridge: Kaua’i to College!” The event will take place at Gaylord’s at Kilohana on Sunday, December 4, beginning at 4 pm. There will be a silent auction, a delicious three-course buffet dinner prepared by the talented kitchen staff at Gaylord’s and performances by Halau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leina`ala! Tickets are $75 for open table seating—or buy a reserved table of six for $600 and introduce your friends to The Bridge! Kahu has tickets for sale. Please contact Susan Davis at 650-464-1654 or susandavisphd@gmail.com if you have questions or would like to donate an item to the silent auction. Join us for a wonderful evening to support Kaua`i’s high school students who want to go to college!
ANNUAL SPRING RUMMAGE SALE Saturday, April 22, 2017, 8 a.m. to noon. We are accepting your rummage sale donations at the church. Call the church (742-6622) or Judyth (818-726-1344) for drop-offs. We welcome all smaller items, larger items later (storage space is an issue). Our goal is to have both storage sheds full of your donations. Profits will be used for our youth.
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 | Nov 5, 2016 | Message from Kahu
On Sunday, we continued our series on “Pay It Forward: And Who Is My Neighbor?” Our focus was Sharing Aloha with the Rich and the Poor. We read the story of Zacchaeus, a very rich man who gave half his money to the poor. This act of generosity is an example for us and came after three commitments he made:
- First of all, he was committed to looking at Jesus. When the crowd got so big that he couldn’t see Jesus, he climbed up in a tree. He wasn’t going to let anything or anyone get in the way of him clearly looking at Jesus. I encourage you to consider the things that might keep you from seeing Jesus; and then consider how you might make your way through those obstacles.
- Secondly, Zacchaeus was committed to hanging out with Jesus. He invited Jesus to his home and enjoyed his company. I encourage you to spend time with Jesus, through prayer, reading of Scripture, attending church, and simply being aware of his ongoing presence in the world.
- Finally, Zacchaeus was committed to taking a look at his life and asking himself what he might change. Is there anything you might change in your life to see Jesus better or be a better follower of Jesus? What might that be? What would it take for you to make that change?
Through these three commitments, Zacchaeus got clarity as to how he would love his neighbors. As you think about these things, I invite you to be part of our vision at Koloa Union Church. Most of our members and regular attendees have received a paper heart in the mail by now (and anyone can pick up a heart at church or just make your own from a piece of card stock); I invite you to write on your heart the kinds of people with particular kinds of needs that you think God might be calling us to pay attention to in the coming year. Please bring your heart to church on Sunday, November 6, so that we can put all of the paper hearts on a banner and ask God to give us compassion and wisdom for all of the people listed. Please also bring your commitment card for 2017 on November 6 so that yours will be counted in our “Blessing of Commitments” during the worship service when we bless our financial commitments for the following year.
In the meantime, I invite you to continue praying the following prayer with me, as you consider your commitment to our church’s future outreach and mission:
O God, as we seek to reach out into our community
by sharing aloha with everyone in the coming year,
open my heart so that love will freely flow in and out of it.
May the commitment I make truly represent
the gratitude I have to you for
all that Koloa Union Church means to me.
Amen!
I look forward to seeing you in church on Sunday for Holy Communion, creating our banner of hearts and the blessing of our commitments.
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
To see a video of Kahu’s sermon on Sunday, click HERE.
“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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