A Message From Our Kahu

Alan Akana Gallery to Close

For the past nine years I have been operating that gallery from the Smith Memorial Parsonage living and dining rooms. The primary reason is because I love sharing my art! Watercoloring the indigenous flowers of Hawaii has been one of the greatest joys of my life, and the gallery has given me an opportunity to share that joy. Another important reason is because I wanted to give people in the church and community the opportunity to support the parsonage. There are still some projects that we want to accomplish, but we have made some major improvements over the years, including the installation of a new roof (which I am especially grateful for during these rainy days!), repairing structural damage, upgrading electrical needs, painting the exterior, landscaping, and much more. Of course, the income from the gallery did not cover all of these expenses, but I am glad that I was able to help.

When the Church Council gave me permission to open the gallery in 2017, we agreed that I would provide the art and the space, and volunteers from the church would assist with hosting events and preparing items for sale. I want to take this opportunity to say MAHALO NUI LOA to each and every one of you who volunteered in so many ways. We could not have had the success we have experienced without you! I also want to offer a very special THANK YOU to Penny Jessup, who has been our volunteer manager for nearly 8 years. She has organized and hosted events, kept all of the sales records, managed the finances, paid the taxes and bills, and made sure that all of the art was ready for sale on time, and so much more. I also want to thank our past managers: Palani Akana, Sherry Hines, and Owen Strong.

I consider the gallery to have been a tremendous success. We have not only raised thousands of dollars for the parsonage while sharing my art, but the gallery has connected people with the church and with one another. However, I would like to spend more time actually watercoloring (rather than running a business) and also having the parsonage as just a home again (rather than a place of business that is open to the public).

I plan to continue making my greeting cards available at the church and have begun discussions with galleries and gift shops that are interested in selling my art. I’ll keep everyone posted as things unfold.

In the meantime, please mark your calendars for our final Open House Reception on Sunday, April 26. We will open the gallery to church members at 1 p.m. and then to the general public at 2 p.m. Please contact Penny Jessup if you are able to bring some food, provide entertainment, or help host.

I will also be available at times during the month of April to welcome guests who would like to visit the gallery. Almost everything in the gallery will be available for sale at least 50% off until we close.

Aloha Nui Loa!

Kahu

A Message From Our Kahu

The 3 Pillars of Lent

The Season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday in just two weeks. It is the period of six weeks in which faithful followers of Jesus prepare for Easter. The story of Jesus’ resurrection is the high point of the Christian year, and yet it is easy to miss the impact of the story if we don’t prepare for it. We prepare in order to repent, and repentance simply means “to change.” It can mean a change in how we see things, a change in perspective, a change in attitude, a change in our actions or the patterns to which we are accustomed.

The three traditional ways of preparing for Easter are: prayer, fasting and generosity.

• Prayer is simply communicating with God. It involves both speaking and listening. You might consider spending some extra time each day having a conversation with God about something that is important to you. You might pick a word, a topic or an idea that you want to focus on for six weeks. You may also want to write your conversations down in a prayer journal.
• Fasting has to do with giving something up that you normally do on a regular basis. Some people give up eating certain kinds of food or drink, such as meat, sugar or alcohol. Some give up eating altogether, sometimes for an entire day each week. Others give up actions that are part of their daily patterns, such as watching television or scrolling through social media. Fasting can be especially helpful if you decide to spend the time you are giving something up on something else that might provide great joy or meaning to you or someone else. For example, you may want to spend the time you normally watch television by reading through one of the Gospels, of maybe even all four (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), and thereby concentrating on the life and teachings of Jesus.
• Generosity is giving something to someone else without expecting anything in return. By offering a bit of our time, our talents, or our treasures to someone, we are reminded of the abundance of God’s generosity. Think about an individual, a family or a group who might really need something you have to offer, and then offer it without the thought of reciprocation. You may be surprised at how much more grateful you feel as you consider that this is how God gives to us every day of our lives!

May you find great joy and meaning as you build the three pillars of Lent into your lives—and may you feel fully prepared to celebrate Easter Sunday by doing so!

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

A Message From Our Kahu

Biblical Leadership

During my study leave earlier this month, I read through the readings in the Revised Common Lectionary* from January 11 through February 15, which is the Sunday before the Season of Lent. Since most of the Old Testament readings are from the Book of Isaiah, I spent some extra time reading through the entire book and also did some research on the culture and politics of Judah during the period of time that those words were written.

One of the things that caught my attention was how prominent the theme of leadership is in Isaiah. I paid close attention to that theme and found examples of “visions of leadership” that Isaiah had for his nation. I also was reminded how Jesus was the fulfillment of that vision as the leader of all who follow him. I decided to focus on “biblical leadership” as a theme until Lent begins.

Since Isaiah focused on national leadership, I have found some striking similarities between Judah in the 5th through 7th centuries and our nation today. I also see some of the same kinds of leadership between both of those periods. My hope is that our nation will embrace Isaiah’s vision of leadership which is peaceful, compassionate and just for all the people living in our land, including the poor, the hungry, the sick, and those living in fear. I also hope that we can honor that kind of leadership wherever we see it and at every level: local, our island state, and national.

May we challenge and improve poor leadership, and may we celebrate and honor the kinds of leaders who are committed to the kind of leadership which God desires.

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

*Scroll down to learn about the Revised Common Lectionary and see this week’s readings.

A Message From Our Kahu

Our Christmas Journey

In the Christian Church, Christmas is more than a single day and it is more than a season. It is a journey.

It is something we travel to. Like the shepherds and the magi, Christmas is an expectation that there is new life, new leadership, new hope, and it takes more than a few steps to get there.

It is something we travel through. Jesus arrived during a challenging time among the people of Israel. When Herod demanded that all baby boys age two and younger in the Bethlehem area were to be killed, the holy family embarked on a long, difficult and unexpected journey. We would be wise to remember this when we face challenging times in our own lives (including times when our own government is the cause of those challenges).

It is something we travel with. Matthew reminds us before Jesus was born that he was “Emmanuel,” meaning “God is with us.” This important Christmas message is a reminder that our loving God is with us at every moment throughout our lives. We travel with God and are surrounded by God’s love on every step of our journey.

It is something we travel together. Matthew and Luke show us in their Gospels that Christmas was something people did with others. No one travels on the Christmas journey alone: the holy family, the shepherds, the magi—they all traveled together. We are meant to be with others and we are meant to travel with them on our journeys.

I am blessed to travel with you on my journey, and I hope and pray that you will have a strong sense of God’s love and the love of others on your Christmas journey during this special season and throughout the coming year!

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

A Message From Our Kahu

Advent

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” Isaiah 7:14

On November 30 we will celebrate the First Sunday of Advent in our worship service. Advent means “coming,” and we will spend four weeks contemplating the meaning of Christ’s coming, not just the first time when he was born in Bethlehem, but all of the ways that Christ shows up in our lives. We remember during the season that Christ has come, Christ continues to come, and Christ will come again.

I and our Deacons are already busy planning the seasons of Advent and Christmas. I always look forward to this time of year: the Advent wreath, Christmas decorations, our church Christmas party at the parsonage (December 12, in case you want to get it on your calendar!), the children/youth Christmas program, Christmas Eve service, and so much more! As we light the Advent candles this year, I hope that you will truly sense the presence of Jesus in our midst, the One who comes, lighting up our lives while bringing us hope, peace, joy and love.

I wish you a most blessed holiday season!

Aloha Nui Loa!

Kahu

A Message From Our Kahu

Generosity and Sharing

Some give freely yet grow all the richer;
  others withhold what is due and only suffer want.

(Proverbs 11:24)

Our stewardship theme this year is “The More You Share, The More You Catch.” It’s a Hawaiian fishing proverb pointing to the results of generosity and sharing. The idea is that when you generously share with others, you end up having more to share. It’s a way of looking at the world that goes back millennia across many different cultures. A wise Jewish sage wrote the proverb written above which points to this same idea.

I consider myself to be exceptionally blessed to lead a congregation that has been so generous over the years and has grown in our understanding of what it means to be generous stewards of all that God has given to us. As we focus on the theme of stewardship during the month of October, there are two things I would love to see. First, I would love to see us all take stock of our many blessings, which includes our time, our talents and our treasures, and give thanks to God for it all! Second, I would love for us each to consider how we can use those blessings to allow Koloa Union Church to have our greatest year ever in terms of reaching out to the community and providing for the greatest needs of the people around us.

What are some of those opportunities? Providing food for the hungry is certainly one. Educational opportunities for all ages is another. Bring together middle and high school students to talk, learn and grow together in a safe space is yet another. Providing space for people to express political anxieties and fears, and then offering comfort in conversation, prayer and emotional support is also one. These are current ministries of ours that we can increase in the coming year. What are some others? How would you like to see us grow in terms of meeting the needs of people in our community? How can you generously give of your time, talent and treasures in order for these things to happen?

As you answer these questions, I invite you to pray the prayer of commitment which is written below.

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

Prayer of Commitment

O God,
I acknowledge that you
created people to be generous
just as you are generous.
May 2026 be a year in
which I grow in generosity.
May my gifts to Kōloa Union Church
truly express the gratitude I have
for this congregation and all
you have done for me and so many others.
Amen.