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

A Message from Our Kahu

The Season of Easter “Joy and Hope”

After our service and luncheon on Easter Sunday, I went home carrying feelings of joy and hope; and I was reminded that the Season of Easter lasts from Easter Sunday until Pentecost Sunday, which falls on May 24 this year.

In my Easter message I spoke about Mary Magdalene, her remarkable reputation in the early centuries of the Christian Church, and how she taught us all an important lesson about recognizing Jesus in our midst in times of fear and grief.

We are currently living in such times. Think of places in our world where fear and grief are prevalent: the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan, and the United States. Think of people in our communities where grief and fear are prevalent: immigrants, refugees, transgender persons, religious minorities, the poor, the hungry, the homeless. Think of individuals you know who are struggling to make ends meet, sick, or have recently experienced a great loss.

Fear and grief are normal parts of life, but so are joy and hope. I don’t know of any better way to experience joy and hope than to look for Jesus in the eyes of the other. Whether you are looking into the eyes of a newborn, a dear partner or friend, or someone whom you find challenging to have in your presence, I encourage to look until you recognize Jesus and then do your best to love them as Jesus loved all of us.

I included the photo of the beautiful lehua blossoms above, because the ohia tree on which they grow is one of my favorite symbols of joy and hope. So far this year, I have seen lehua blossoms on Maui, at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and on the Kalalau Trail on Kauai’s scenic north shore. I’ve seen them in magnificent shades of red, orange and yellow. They bring such joy and hope to the landscape, even in some of the most unlikely places. After fresh lava hardens, one of the first signs of life emerging from the cracks in the hardened rock are the ohia trees. In landscapes that one might imagine being beyond all hope of life, colorful blossoms adorn those places, as if to say, “Even destruction and death can’t keep us from adding beauty to the earth.”

May we feel that same joy and hope during this Season of Easter.

Aloha Nui Loa!
Kahu

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