A Message from Our Kahu

“Signs of Hope”

Most of us who lived through Hurricane Lowell found ourselves in a bit of a shock on that Tuesday morning after the winds died down. The first sign of hope I saw was the morning after the hurricane battered our island all night long. After looking around at branches and leaves all over the yard, the old avocado tree blown over on its side, and parts of the parsonage needing to be nailed back in place, I looked down right next to the steps in the front yard and saw beautiful purple orchids (shown in the photo above) in bloom; and I was amazed that those blossoms survived at all. They instantly gave me hope for whatever I was about to encounter during the rest of the day…and the following days.

As soon as I was able to check Facebook and emails, I saw that people had already begun sharing hundreds of photos of the devastation caused by the storm. I am sure you all have seen lots of them. After checking on the church and the parsonage, cleaning up, putting things back where they belonged, and getting out the barbecue grill while waiting for the electricity to come back on, I walked down to Poipu, while checking in on church members, neighbors and friends. I saw firsthand the awful destruction, especially along the Poipu waterfront. What surprised me the most, however, were the signs of hope I saw all around me. I did almost the same walk a couple days later intentionally looking for more signs of hope: they were everywhere!

Below are some photos I took during the first few days after the hurricane. I trust that they will remind you of the blessings of our wonderful island-wide community and how much hope there is—even when nearly everything around has just fallen to pieces. As you scroll down, I encourage you to look for signs of hope all around you!

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

A Message from Our Kahu

“Under Construction”

When it comes to our roads, it seems like the entire south shore is under construction. At least, it sure seems like that on some days! It reminds me of my time in Utah when I moved there just about four years before the 2002 Winter Olympics. In preparation for the games, transportation crews were already widening roads, improving virtually every freeway onramp and offramp between the airport and all of the Olympic venues, and making many other improvements, so that traffic would flow smoothly during the Olympics and Paralymics.

A few things stand out in my mind during that time. First, what an inconvenience! For months, the main offramp from the freeway to the airport was closed and we had to take side streets to get there. Simple errands in the city sometimes took twice as long, depending on detours. I lived in Park City at the time, a little over 20 minutes from SLC, and on the other side of the city from the airport. For part of that time, I commuted weekly by airplane just about every week. So, yes, it was an inconvenience.

Second, what a difference all of the construction made once it was all done in terms of traffic flow, safety and convenience! I don’t remember being stuck in traffic even once during the two weeks of the Olympic Games while over a million and a half people attended (and that number doesn’t include the athletes, volunteers, television crews, military, additional police, and other support personnel). I remember thinking that the four years which I lived with the road and infrastructure construction was all worth it for the convenience and safety that it brought to the region.

Our church is experiencing a lot of necessary construction these days as well. We are not only getting a new entryway into our parking lot and sidewalk in front of the church. We are about to install new roofs and gutter systems in order to deal with leaks. We will also turn the old unisex restroom (the room directly across from the main kitchen door) into a functional storage area. We will have new landscaping on the berm along the sidewalk, including new irrigation, plants and lighting. After an extensive professional survey over at the parsonage, we have cleaned up and improved about a third of an acre to the east of the carport and will soon be installing a fence along the east and northeast property lines; this improvement will allow additional parking for parsonage activities and also overflow parking for the church when attendance is high.

Just like any construction, there will be inconveniences, but these improvements will lead to greater access, safety and convenience in the long run. All of this is worth it in order to provide a place where we continue to create a community where all are welcome to experience God’s love and invited to consider how life can be more abundant for us and for all people!

In the meantime, thank you for your patience and support of our ministry.

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

A Message from Our Kahu

“May Peace Prevail On Earth”

When our new peace pole arrived at the parsonage, I could hardly wait to bring it over to the church and figure out exactly where we would place it in the ground. On the day it was installed, Doug Duvauchelle and Michael Horning were already at the church with Michael’s friend Johnny Zobel, who has been visiting from Germany. They suggested a prominent location under the arbor next to the church bell where it would be visible to everyone entering and exiting the main doors of the sanctuary, the church office, and Moore Hall. The message, “May Peace Prevail On Earth” is written in the four languages that were spoken by Protestant Christians in Koloa when Koloa Union Church was chartered in 1923: English, Hawaiian, Ilocano (a Filipino dialect) and Japanese.

On Sunday, August 2, we dedicated the peace pole with special prayers for peace spoken by church members and friends as we gathered around the pole. There were also prayers for peace sent my members and friends from the mainland, which I read during our prayer time. We enjoyed beautiful music envisioning peace from Doug Duvauchelle and our friend Paula Schultz. We also had special music and a message from my friend, Dr. Terry Liu, who has been involved in the world peace movement since the mid-1980’s, installing and celebrating the installation of peace poles in many places, including the Pentagon, which is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense.

I now say each morning as I turn on the news, “May peace prevail on Earth.” May we all imagine a vision of a peaceful world and remember that peace begins with each and every one of us. Aloha Nui Loa! Kahu

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

A Message from Our Kahu

“A Generous Congregation”

When I stood before my colleagues at Aha Paeaina, the annual gathering of all the United Church of Christ congregations in Hawaii, I received three certificates of recognition on behalf of Koloa Union Church:

• 5 for 5: This certificate is given to congregations who participated in the past year in all five denominational offerings included in “Our Church’s Wider Mission.” OCWM includes (1) Basic Mission Support, (2) One Great Hour of Sharing, (3) Strengthen the Church, (4) Neighbors in Need, and (5) Christmas Fund.
• Top Giving Church: This recognition is for the congregations throughout the state of Hawaii that give the most to OCWM.
• Per Capita Support: This special certificate is for the congregations who are among the top ones who give the most per member.

What a difference we have made not only in our own community but throughout the world! I am so grateful for the generosity of our congregation, which allows us to have such a vital congregation on Kauai and meaningful local outreach on the island, and also support the missions of our denomination and support projects that touch every continent!

Thank you so much for those who make annual financial commitments. Thanks also to those who keep up on your commitments, especially over the summer months when our income historically lessens.

And now, for those of you have some extra dollars in the bank, I want to let you know about some of our current needs. The Church Council has identified 26 projects which they would like to complete this year. Please scroll down and see each of these projects and the estimated cost involved for each one. If you would like to give an “over and above” gift for any of these projects (in part or in full), please contact the church office to see if they are still available.

Thanks so much for your generosity!

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

A Message from Our Kahu

“The Isoda Room”

When James and Melicent Smith moved onto the mission property in Koloa in 1842, they lived in a small house with a roof thatched with grass. They were surrounded by some 25 acres of land, previously given to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A.B.C.F.M.) by Kaikioewa, the Governor of Kauai. The parcel stretched from Waikomo Road to Koloa Road, and from Poipu Road to Weliweli Road. James listed on his mission report in 1850 that the land was worth $250 and consisted of “about 25 acres”. (It was actually larger.) There were few trees, and no tall ones like the ones today, not many flowering plants, and the population of Koloa was almost entirely populated by the indigenous people of Hawaii nei.

In the 1850’s, the A.B.C.F.M. withdrew from Hawaii once the board considered that their mission here was accomplished. As compensation to the missionaries who remained, the board turned over much of its land to them, which seemed like fair compensation since the board would no longer be supporting the missionaries financially. Frankly, some of the missionaries could no longer support their families and moved back to the United States.

However, James Smith was not only a preacher (ordained in 1854 in Koloa), but also the only western-trained medical doctor for all of Kauai and Niihau. Melicent not only kept house (eventually, a much larger one) and raised nine children (seven to adulthood). She also founded and ran Koloa Boarding School for Girls, and taught Bible study and sewing classes for Hawaiian women. The couple also found time to garden and plant trees on their property, including an orchard, which extended from the front yard of the current parsonage to Poipu Road. For over a century, their children and descendants lived on and visited the property, and many are buried in the Smith-Waterhouse Cemetery adjacent to the parsonage property.

The family gave the parsonage and the acre of land that it sits on to Koloa Union Church in 1928 in order for its pastors to have a comfortable place to live while serving the church. For 98 years pastors and their families from all over the United States and abroad have enjoyed the Smith Memorial Parsonage—including another Smith family who were missionaries in China during the early years of World War II.

The parsonage has been my home for over twelve years now. For nine of those years I have sold my watercolors in order to fund projects at the parsonage. Many of you reading these words have also supported Koloa Union Church, its pastors and their families with both physical and financial support. I am deeply grateful for your generosity! As the gallery has now winded down, I know that the support of the Smith Memorial Parsonage will continue. For those of you who wish to make a financial gift in the future, please write “parsonage fund” on the note section of your check or in the comment box when giving online. We will also have greeting cards at church for a donation of $5, with the proceeds going to the parsonage fund.

I looked out my dining room yesterday and saw a brilliant rainbow. When I walked outside to see it, there were actually two rainbows, and they both rested on the parsonage (photo above). I was reminded of all my blessings since living in this beautiful and comfortable home—and feeling grateful for all of you!

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

A Message from Our Kahu

Smith Memorial Parsonage “Feeling Grateful for All of the Blessings”

When James and Melicent Smith moved onto the mission property in Koloa in 1842, they lived in a small house with a roof thatched with grass. They were surrounded by some 25 acres of land, previously given to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A.B.C.F.M.) by Kaikioewa, the Governor of Kauai. The parcel stretched from Waikomo Road to Koloa Road, and from Poipu Road to Weliweli Road. James listed on his mission report in 1850 that the land was worth $250 and consisted of “about 25 acres”. (It was actually larger.) There were few trees, and no tall ones like the ones today, not many flowering plants, and the population of Koloa was almost entirely populated by the indigenous people of Hawaii nei.

In the 1850’s, the A.B.C.F.M. withdrew from Hawaii once the board considered that their mission here was accomplished. As compensation to the missionaries who remained, the board turned over much of its land to them, which seemed like fair compensation since the board would no longer be supporting the missionaries financially. Frankly, some of the missionaries could no longer support their families and moved back to the United States.

However, James Smith was not only a preacher (ordained in 1854 in Koloa), but also the only western-trained medical doctor for all of Kauai and Niihau. Melicent not only kept house (eventually, a much larger one) and raised nine children (seven to adulthood). She also founded and ran Koloa Boarding School for Girls, and taught Bible study and sewing classes for Hawaiian women. The couple also found time to garden and plant trees on their property, including an orchard, which extended from the front yard of the current parsonage to Poipu Road. For over a century, their children and descendants lived on and visited the property, and many are buried in the Smith-Waterhouse Cemetery adjacent to the parsonage property.

The family gave the parsonage and the acre of land that it sits on to Koloa Union Church in 1928 in order for its pastors to have a comfortable place to live while serving the church. For 98 years pastors and their families from all over the United States and abroad have enjoyed the Smith Memorial Parsonage—including another Smith family who were missionaries in China during the early years of World War II.

The parsonage has been my home for over twelve years now. For nine of those years I have sold my watercolors in order to fund projects at the parsonage. Many of you reading these words have also supported Koloa Union Church, its pastors and their families with both physical and financial support. I am deeply grateful for your generosity! As the gallery has now winded down, I know that the support of the Smith Memorial Parsonage will continue. For those of you who wish to make a financial gift in the future, please write “parsonage fund” on the note section of your check or in the comment box when giving online. We will also have greeting cards at church for a donation of $5, with the proceeds going to the parsonage fund.

I looked out my dining room yesterday and saw a brilliant rainbow. When I walked outside to see it, there were actually two rainbows, and they both rested on the parsonage (photo above). I was reminded of all my blessings since living in this beautiful and comfortable home—and feeling grateful for all of you!

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu