by admin | May 16, 2018 | Message from Kahu
RED is the Color of Pentecost!
A Note from Kahu Alan Akana
“Pentecost Sunday”
When the day of Pentecost had come they were all together in one place. (Acts 2:1)
Greetings from Berkeley, California! During the past two days, I have been attending the spring meeting of the Board of Trustees at Pacific School of Religion. I am excited to be part of this institution which has been preparing church and community leaders for over 150 years. When PSR began in 1866, it began training leaders in California and ever since has been one of the primary seminaries for training Congregationalist ministers (and now UCC ministers) west of the Mississippi River. I look forward to sharing with you on Sunday about some of my own seminary experiences as well as my involvement at PSR, including some of the highlights from the last two days.
On the day that became known as the Christian Pentecost, followers of Jesus all gathered together in one place. The Holy Spirit filled them and spoke through them to everyone around. As we celebrate the Day of Pentecost this coming Sunday, I am eager to see how God’s Spirit speaks to us and in the days to come how the Spirit speaks through us.
We also celebrate “Seminary Sunday” this week. You will have the opportunity during Sunday’s offering to make a gift to Pacific School of Religion in order to support the education and training of current and future church leaders. I support PSR with my regular contributions because I believe the future of the church depends on educating and training people to lead our churches. I invite you to join me in supporting PSR by making a donation this Sunday. Checks should be made to “Koloa Union Church” with “PSR” in the note section.
By the way, if you want to really get into the spirit of Pentecost, wear something RED this Sunday as we celebrate God’s Spirit in our midst!
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
___________________________________________
Our Kahu (Pastor) offers a weekly message in church most Sundays during the year. Click HERE to see a video of his sermon from two weeks ago; Kahu was away this past Sunday. You may see the Koloa Union Church YouTube channel to see many of his past messages and subscribe in order be notified when a new message is posted. Please share these videos with friends and invite them to church. Please feel free to “Like” any of the videos you see and share them on social media, such as Facebook, so that others will notice them.
“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 | May 8, 2018 | Message from Kahu
“Bread and Love”
Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life.
Whoever comes to me will never be hungry
and whoever believes in my will never be thirsty.”
(John 6:48)
On Sunday, I shared with the congregation about some “word searching” I did during the previous week. I looked up how many times the word “bread” was found in the Gospels. The answer: 58 times. Then I started looking up some other words and was surprised that “bread” is mentioned more than “prayer,” “worship,” “forgiveness,” “holiness,” and “righteousness.” It occurred to me that bread was a really important subject not only for Jesus but for the Gospel writers who told us about his life.
After checking out a few more words, I finally discovered a word that was found more than “bread.” The word “love” is found 66 times in the Gospels. However, since bread is often used as a synonym for “food,” I looked up that word and saw that it was used 21 times. So “bread” and “food” are found in the Gospel even more than “love”…which leads me to believe that growing food and feeding people were a huge priority to Jesus. It makes sense that “bread” and “love” are found so many times, for it is love that motivates us to feed one another and to make sure that no one goes hungry.
Jesus used the word “bread” both literally and metaphorically. When he said, “I am the bread of life,” he demonstrated that he had compassion for people who were physically hungry and those who had deep longings of the heart; and I supposed that includes all of us, for I have yet to meet someone without longings and yearnings. Jesus—in his being and in his loving—filled the empty spaces in people’s lives. May all of your longings be filled, and may you pay attention to the longing of people around you so that you may offer them the same kind of compassion that Jesus offered people.
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
___________________________________________
Our Kahu (Pastor) offers a weekly message in church most Sundays during the year. Click HERE to see a video of his sermon from this past Sunday. You may see the Koloa Union Church YouTube channel to see many of his past messages and subscribe in order be notified when a new message is posted. Please share these videos with friends and invite them to church. Please feel free to “Like” any of the videos you see and share them on social media, such as Facebook, so that others will notice them.
“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 | May 2, 2018 | Message from Kahu
“All the Time Love”
When Dorothy Day was 8 years old, she lived with her family in Oakland, California. On April 18, 1906, the infamous San Francisco earthquake devastated the city—just across the bay from Dorothy’s home. Over 3,000 people died from the earthquake and the fire that blazed for 3 days. That week, 8-year-old Dorothy watched the people of Oakland help those who needed help…and she watched them help the people of SF who were coming across the bay in boats. Many of the people fleeing SF lost everything they owned. More than half of the population of San Francisco became homeless on that day.
The response of the people of Oakland had a profound impact on young Dorothy—an impact that informed the rest of her life. She watched people act very differently than she had ever seen them act before: they were going out of their way to help others, sometimes experiencing great sacrifice, personal discomfort, and sometimes even personal pain. And she thought, Somehow people had “known in their being how to do this all along.” People inherently know how to show great compassion and will naturally do it under the right circumstances. And she asked, “Why can’t we live this way all the time?”
The author Paul Elie, who wrote about Dorothy Day, said that she lived by a conviction that it’s not merely great crisis moments that call forth compassion in us. She recognized that, at any given moment, someone somewhere is having a crisis of the magnitude of the San Francisco earthquake… “and you have to be there when the person is having is or her crisis, and not wait for the city to burn down.”
I shared this with the congregation on Sunday and reminded them that someone today has recently lost their home, or is suffering physically more than they ever thought they could bear, or has cancer and they don’t know if they will survive, or just found out that someone they love has died.
Dorothy Day took the words of Jesus seriously. “Abide in my love,” he said to his disciples. His life, his words, his teaching all answered Dorothy Day’s question. “Why can’t we live like this all the time?” We can, Jesus showed us and taught us! We can always keep our eyes open to notice those around us who are suffering. We can always keep our hearts open to show compassion and mercy. We can love all the time. I am so glad to be part of a church that believes this, and demonstrates it over and over and over again!
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
___________________________________________
Our Kahu (Pastor) offers a weekly message in church most Sundays during the year. Click HERE to see a video of his sermon from this past Sunday. You may see the Koloa Union Church YouTube channel to see many of his past messages and subscribe in order be notified when a new message is posted. Please share these videos with friends and invite them to church. Please feel free to “Like” any of the videos you see and share them on social media, such as Facebook, so that others will notice them.
“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 | Apr 25, 2018 | Message from Kahu
“We Are Guests Here”
Sunday was Earth Day, and I shared the story of when I stood on Kaimu Black Sand Beach in Kalapana in 1990 and watched liquid lava flow over the beach and into the ocean. I also shared a picture of the scene (above). As the lava approached Kaimu that year, the wife of a distant relative of mine saw that the lava was heading straight for her home. She went outside and stood in front of the oncoming lava and prayed that it would go around the house. (By the way, this house stands on the property where my great-great-grandparents used to live.) I don’t know if she prayed to God, Jesus or Pele, but the lava went completely around the house and filled in the entire bay which you can see in the picture. The steam at the far end of the photograph is where the lava first entered the bay; it eventually covered the entire beach and bay. The new coastline is about a quarter of a mile away now—a quarter of a mile of land that was ocean in 1990!
People in Kalapana say that it is a miracle that the home of my relatives still stands, and they attribute its existence to the prayer that was offered by the wife of my relative. I don’t doubt for a minute that our prayers are important. However, I also know that hundreds of other people in Kalapana also prayed, and their homes were destroyed. Furthermore, people on Kaua`i last week prayed that the flood waters would not enter their homes, and some of those people who prayed lost nearly every possession that was in their homes. When it comes to the Earth and our prayers, we don’t always get exactly what we want.
During this past week, I spent some time reflecting on the Earth and on our prayers. Our Gospel passage from Luke on Sunday was the story of Jesus calming the storm while he and his disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee. For me, one of my most important reflections was that the disciples were exactly where Jesus wanted them to be and doing exactly what he wanted them to do. We have a tendency to wonder what is wrong when bad things happen to us. During the storms of our lives (both figurative and literal), we wonder if we are not where God wants us or if we are not Doing what God wants. We wonder if God is punishing us. The story from Luke reminds us that we sometimes suffer when we are exactly where God wants us and doing exactly what God wants us to do. The most important part of the story for me is that Jesus is there in the midst of the storm; he is present with the disciples with compassion. The same is true for us.
If you would like to hear about my other reflections from the passage, you can see my message on YouTube by clicking the link below. In the meantime, I invite you to open your eyes and your hearts in order to see God’s presence in your midst wherever you may be on this Earth, and I ask you to remember that we are guests here on this planet! May we take care of the Earth and all of the other guests who reside here.
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
___________________________________________
Our Kahu (Pastor) offers a weekly message in church most Sundays during the year. Click HERE to see a video of his sermon from this past Sunday. You may see the Koloa Union Church YouTube channel to see many of his past messages and subscribe in order be notified when a new message is posted. Please share these videos with friends and invite them to church. Please feel free to “Like” any of the videos you see and share them on social media, such as Facebook, so that others will notice them.
“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 | Apr 18, 2018 | Message from Kahu
Helping Our Island Neighbors
Disaster Relief & Recovery
I’m sure everyone has heard stories by now about the devastation and loss felt by many people on our island due to the recent storms. The flooding of the past few days has been greater than many of us have ever seen. I am not surprised at all that many members and friends of Koloa Union Church are asking, “How can we help our neighbors?” Although there are several groups coordinating relief efforts and the needs seem to be changing daily, there are three specific areas in which I believe our church can assist right away.
Kauai Association of the United Church of Christ
The Rev. Glenn Frazier, a retired minister who is a member of Church of the Pacific in Princeville, has preached at our church on several occasions, lives in Princeville, and is helping to coordinate recovery efforts on the north shore. According to Glenn, there are people who need immediate assistance, and he is happy to talk to potential volunteers who are willing to help. You can call Glenn at 808-634-0041 for further information, or the Church of the Pacific office at 808-826-6253. Waioli Huiia Church in Hanalei suffered extensive damage from the flood; according to Glenn, they have been receiving plenty of help and do not need additional help at the moment. Clyde Fujikawa, pastor of Church of the Pacific, is a kalo farmer in Hanalei, and his farm has suffered tremendous damage. He will soon need volunteers with chainsaws to help him clear debris and labor help in general (not immediately, but soon). Anyone who might be able to assist can call Clyde directly at 808-639-9601.
Koloa Union Church
Beginning this weekend, Chel Hauser, will be making daily trips to Princeville to deliver supplies and assist in the clean up and restoration efforts. Chel is working with a variety of organizations who are partnering in these efforts: Ha Coffee Bar (a donation drop location), Natural Pet Hawaii (providing and transporting animal foods, medicines and supplies) and Kauai Animal Welfare Society (assisting in the clean up of homes, businesses, schools, churches, etc). I have agreed to let Chel use our church storage shed to collect supplies, which she will deliver on a semi-daily basis. Feel free to drop off any of the following items on Sunday morning, or else Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to noon:
Household:
Butane canisters and propane (all sizes)
Large storage totes
Chainsaws
Coolers
Tarps
Gloves
Big black contractor trash bags
Gasoline (labeled regular and diesel)
Hand sanitizer
Bleach/Clorox Wipes/Spray bottles
Personal:
Toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet tissue
Diapers – sizes infant through 5
Shampoo and conditioner
Body soap
Rubber boots
Sleeping bags
Blankets
Food:
Fresh fruits and vegetables
All Bran cereal
Soy/Rice/Almond milk
Juice, coffee, tea
The Shops at Kukuiula/A&B Properties, Kukuiula Development, Hawaii Life, and Poipu Beach Resort Association
These organizations are collecting items for a Kauai Disaster Relief Drive tomorrow, Wednesday, April 18, from 3pm-6pm at The Shops at Kukuiula in the Palm Court area and 10am-6pm (Poipu Beach Resort Association Office); specifically collecting bottled water, non-perishable food items, toiletries, gloves, trash bags, etc. Items will be delivered to Kauai Red Cross for distribution. Financial donations will be dispersed to Kauai Red Cross and Malama Kauai. Anyone with questions can call The Shops at Kukuiula management office at 808-742-9545 or the PBRA office at 742-7444.
As a reminder, it is important to work directly with an organization or resident of an affected home or area. Sometimes well meaning people can get in the way or cause further delays by trying to help in ways that are not helpful. Furthermore, limited resources should be used to provide meaningful assistance, rather than clutter or interruptions of important work.
If you hear of immediate needs here in Koloa where people can contribute or volunteers can become involved, let me know and I will be happy to pass on the information to others. In the meantime, let us continue to pray for our neighbors on Kauai who have experienced many losses. If anyone wants to contribute a financial donation through the church, you can do that at any time; please make checks out to the church with “Flood Recovery” in the note section, and we will make sure it is used in the best way possible to help victims of the flood.
Mahalo Nui Loa for your Kokua!
Kahu Alan Akana
by admin | Apr 18, 2018 | Message from Kahu
“Peace Be with You”
On Sunday, I shared with the congregation about the kind of peace which Jesus offered the world—and still offers the world. It is a peace that is for everyone, and it can be identified in a willingness to share it with others.
I have come to understand my art as a way in which I can share peace with others. I told the congregation about Darlene, the person who is my Spiritual Director, who meets with me monthly on the phone to help me discover how God is showing up in my life. As I shared with her several months ago about my desire to share peace through my art, she was very encouraging; she also emailed me these words later that week:
The divine calls us to bring our art,
whether it’s sacred listening or painting flora,
to the world.…
We are called to bring Peace,
to wage Peace with our art.
Darlene also sent me the painting above by Irene Hardwicke Olivieri. It’s a picture of a woman dressed as a warrior, and she (as an artist) is loaded down with weapons: her weapons are all the things she needs to paint. There are paintbrushes of all sizes and many tubes of watercolors; there are pencils and scissors; and there is canvas and paper. There are also a necklace and bracelets with little charms depicting the paintings she was working on at the time. Just like a soldier would have badges representing past triumphs and victories, the charms represent her accomplishments in pieces of art. Irene called the piece “Better Is the Ready.” However, when Darlene sent it to me, she called it “Peace Warrior,” to remind me that my art not only brings peace to me, but it is a way I bring peace to the world.
I begin most days watercoloring for about an hour, trusting that my art will bring a bit more peace to the world. And, as I paint, I am reminded that we are all creative artists in one way or another, and we can use our art to share peace. I hope you will take a moment just now and give thanks for the art forms you use to share peace with others.
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
___________________________________________
Our Kahu (Pastor) offers a weekly message in church most Sundays during the year. Click HERE to see a video of his sermon from this past Sunday. You may see the Koloa Union Church YouTube channel to see many of his past messages and subscribe in order be notified when a new message is posted. Please share these videos with friends and invite them to church. Please feel free to “Like” any of the videos you see and share them on social media, such as Facebook, so that others will notice them.
“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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