A Message From Our Kahu

“Growing Together in Love“

At our Annual Congregational meeting on February 2, we voted on a new vision statement for our church, which will help us focus on our most important goals during the next three years. An important part of our vision is growth. There are many ways which churches grow: numbers of members, numbers of participants, opportunities for faith formation and education, ministries to the community, and more. I invite you to think about the ways YOU can help our church grow.

In over 40 years of congregational ministry and consulting communities of faith, I’ve noticed that churches are either growing or shrinking. One thing is for certain: they are constantly changing! My hope is that our changes will always be in line with God’s plans for us and for the world—where compassion, peace and justice will be part of all of our decisions.

Most importantly, may we grow together in love. May love guide our decisions. May love guide our actions. May love guide our ministry.

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

A Message From Our Kahu

“A New Year, A New Vision”

2024 has been a great year in the life of our church, and I am anticipating 2025 to be even better! When I think of all of the lives we have touched and all of the projects we have accomplished last year, I am full of gratitude for all of the members and friends of the church. So many people have been blessed by our worship services, our prayers (and prayer quilts!), our compassionate outreach to people who are struggling financially, and our welcoming fellowship. We have such a great group of young people who are active in our worship services and our church’s outreach. We have built a modern (and larger!) kitchen, have fully restored the east wall of the sanctuary by replacing all of the windows and wooden structure around them, and have built a sound-proof wall between Moore Hall and the Isoda Room (my office and the Sunday school classroom).

Most of you have seen our new vision for the next three years, which we will adopt at our Annual Meeting on February 2. Part of that vision is to enhance Christian Education for all ages, and the Church Council has already expanded Tiffany Marrotte’s job description from Youth Director to Christian Education Director. This is a very important decision as we consider the many ways that we learn and grow in our faith through every phase of life. I know that Tiffany is creating a survey specifically to hear from the adults of the church about your needs and desires in this area. Please let Tiffany know your thoughts.

Our first Aloha Hour meal with our new kitchen will be (hopefully) on Sunday, February 2, after the Annual Meeting and the blessing of the kitchen. At this point we plan to have an Aloha Hour meal once a month. If there is interest (and volunteers!) we can do this more often.

Another significant part of our vision is to attract more people. We know we have a wonderful church community and inspiring worship services, and so we want to let more people know about us! We will be focussing more on social media and public service announcements to inform the community about some of our special events. However, the best way to attract new people is by YOU inviting them—and so I hope you will start thinking about people you know who might love attending a worship service, an outreach project, a class, or just something we do for fun!

I am looking forward to a very special celebration on February 2nd and hope to see you there. I also hope you’ll bring someone with you!

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

A Message From Our Kahu

“Celebrating the Light”

2024 so far has been a year of conflict. Nations are at war. Our own nation experienced a hostile presidential campaign. Family members can barely speak to one another from different political parties and ideologies. On top of all that, some of us have experienced immense disappointment, loss, grief and even trauma.

And yet, the light shines! The stars still shine at night and the closest one, our sun, shines during the day. We may not like the politics of our day and are anxious over the politics to come, but there are always people letting their light shine through truth telling, advocating for justice, and acting with kindness and compassion.

As we enter into the season of Advent, we are especially mindful of the light. In fact, it’s a time to celebrate the light. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, he entered a world of conflict. There were people constantly trying to stomp out the light. Herod the Great was in power and he stopped at nothing to retain his power for himself and his family. Yet, as hard as he tried, he simply could not extinguish the light of God’s love.

Each of us has that very same light within us, for God’s Spirit lives in our hearts. In fact, we are the light of Christ! During this days leading up to Christmas, may we allow the light to shine brightly. May it touch every dark corner within us and around us. Let us keep sharing the light of God’s love

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

A Message From Our Kahu

“Our Vision”

Thank you to everyone who participated in creating the draft of our Vision! Most of our leaders attended an all-day retreat in September. A couple dozen people (including some of our teenagers) wrote a phrase on our Vision Board (above). Four volunteers spoke in church in October about their dreams for the church. A handful of people have spoken directly to me. It all began with the question: “What do you believe God is leading us to be and do during the next 3 years?” Out of that question came the draft vision that is printed below.

As promised, we are including it in this Newsletter. Since this document will guide our ministry, our decisions, our budgets through 2027, please take a careful look and offer any feedback you may have during the next few weeks. You can do this by talking directly to me or anyone on the Church Council. In December, the Church Council will take another look at the draft and then present it to the Congregation at our Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 26. In January and February, we will create and expand teams / committees in order to fulfill each part of our vision; so start thinking about an area where you would like to devote some time.

Remember: this is our vision, your voice matters, and your involvement is important!

Aloha Nui Loa!

Kahu

Vision Statement

2025-2027

(DRAFT)

Kōloa Union Church is known throughout the island for our

mission and vision, especially our aloha for people of all backgrounds

and our commitment to stand alongside those on the margins of society,

cooperating with other churches and not-for-profit organizations on the island.

A social media task force has put together a plan to assure that these things

are clearly visible before the congregation and throughout the community.

A social media expert keeps our vision and activities in the spotlight.

Our sanctuary is filled on Sundays,

overflowing into Moore Hall and the patio.

We have a thriving music and performing arts ministry.

Vocalists, instrumentalists and ensembles of all ages perform

traditional, contemporary and Hawaiian music in worship services.

Dancers and other performing artists regularly participate as well.

We also have programs throughout the year where we

invite people on the island to enjoy the talent of

our congregation and our friends.

We have a clear plan in place to build an attractive,

useful, safe and accessible space to the west of the kitchen.

A large covering with lighting and fans allows people to comfortably

eat, play, socialize, and hear what’s happening in the sanctuary.

The area is beautifully landscaped with a nice “outdoor” feel.

There is storage for tables, chairs, and other items.

There is a nice area where children safely play.

We have a thriving educational ministry for all ages.

Our Christian Education Director and committee assure that we

are meeting the educational and spiritual needs of our congregation,

and inviting members of the community to enjoy this ministry.

There is a notable increase in the number of children and

teenagers participating in opportunities for spiritual

and educational growth in a positive and

healthy social environment.

Our stewardship of time, talent and treasures has increased

so that our members and friends volunteer in such meaningful ways that

we have greatly expanded our ministries and fully support them financially.

We do not need draw from our reserve funds to cover our budgeted expenses. 

We have a plan in place to build one or more additional dwelling units on

the property located to the east of the Smith Memorial Parsonage—

in order to provide income for the church and assist

with the housing shortage on the island.

A Message From Our Kahu

“We Have Begun”

We have begun imagining! At our Leadership Retreat last month the leaders of the church began to “Imagine Together” what God might be calling us as a congregation to be and do during the next 3 years.

During October we are asking people to prayerfully imagine how you believe God is leading us as a congregation. I have invited various people to share their thoughts about this on Sunday mornings. I also invite you to share your thoughts with me and the Church Council.

In the November Newsletter we will include a draft of our vision for the next 3 years and invite any feedback you may have at that point.

In the December Newsletter we will publish again the vision with any updates that may be made. I hope that looking at the vision over the next few months will help everyone stimulate ideas of how to accomplish everything in it.

At the Annual Meeting on January 26 the members of the congregation will vote on the new vision and we will begin implementing it.

In the meantime, I invite you once again to look at the picture above and consider what ideas might pop into your head as you consider the empty space where the lightbulb would normally be. Knowing that God “is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine,” what do YOU think God might be calling us as a congregation to be and do in the next 3 years? Please feel free to think “outside the box”! Have fun imagining! Let us know your thoughts! You can do this by talking directly to me or anyone on the Church Council. Remember: this is our vision, and your voice matters!

Aloha Nui Loa!

Kahu

Aloha Nui Loa!

Kahu

A Message From Our Kahu

“Imagine Together”

I am looking forward to our Leadership Retreat on Saturday when the leaders of the church will gather to “Imagine Together” what God might be calling us as a congregation to be and do in the years ahead! In the coming weeks, we will be sharing with the congregation some of ideas we imagined, as well as any commitments that may come out of our time together.

During the fall, we will continue with the them of “Imagine Together.” In fact, I would like all of our members and friends to look at the picture above and consider what ideas might pop into your head as you consider the empty space where the lightbulb would normally be. Knowing that God “is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine,” what do YOU think God might be calling us as a congregation to be and do in the next 3-6 years? I invite you to think “outside the box” of limitations and fears. Have some fun imagining; and please consider sharing what you come up with when we ask you about it in October

Aloha Nui Loa!

Kahu