by admin | Sep 19, 2017 | Message from Kahu
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like….”
(Matthew 18:23)
“Changing Lives, Transforming the World”
We are continuing our series on “Changing Lives, Transforming the World.” It is so easy “getting stuck” both in our personal lives and on a societal level. We have a difficult time moving away from patterns and habits that no longer serve our best interest and are sometimes downright harmful! I invite you to look with yourself and look around you and think about the changes and transformations of which you can be an active participant.
On Sunday, I shared with the congregation about the strict religious and ethical rules and codes of conduct for the first English settlers on the American Continent. I have been reading Jon Meacham’s book, American Gospel, in which he points out that America eventually became known in Europe as the place to go in order to escaped religious persecution. Yet, according to Meacham’s examples, those who once were persecuted back home in Europe began gaining control in certain colonies, and they began inflicting the same kind of religious intolerance upon others. In other words, they escaped mistreatment and unjust persecution by fleeing to America only to exact the same kind of persecution on others once they had control of a colony. They believed that they somehow deserved justice, tolerance and acceptance for their beliefs, yet were unwilling to offer these things to others once they were running the place.
We have seen this attitude over and over again throughout history, but it is this attitude that Jesus condemned in the Gospel reading we heard on Sunday. In Matthew, chapter 18, Jesus tells the parable of a slave who was forgiven an outrageously enormous debt (and most likely his freedom as well) by the emperor, only to turn upon another slave who owed him a relatively small amount of money and have him thrown in prison. The point is that we simply cannot receive the enormity of God’s grace and then not share it with our fellow human beings. Receiving God’s grace with gratitude and sharing it with others is what Jesus taught when he said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like!”
I was greatly puzzled and deeply disturbed last month as I watched videos of White Supremacists, Nazis and members of the KKK openly march in public places. I am confident that most of them are descendants of immigrants who were given a brand new start in America. Yet they seem to be completely unwilling to extend the same kind of hospitality to people of other races and ethnicities—even to many who are already citizens of our nation.
When we truly understand the great gift of God’s grace and allow it a welcome space within us, that grace will change our hearts so that we will welcome and share aloha with others with open arms.
May God continue to surprise us with many wonderful changes within and all around us!
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
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Videos of Kahu’s Sunday’s sermon are uploaded onto
YouTube most weeks. Please share these videos with friends. 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. You may also subscribe to the page on
YouTube; that way you can receive a notification when a new sermon is posted.
“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 | Sep 13, 2017 | Message from Kahu, Uncategorized
“Changing Lives, Transforming the World”
“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)
On Sunday, I shared with the congregation about my visit to the World Trade Center and 9/11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan just a couple weeks earlier. I was surprised at how emotional it was for me as I stood there at the giant fountain with the names engraved of all the people who lost their lives on that day. It brought back memories of that horrible morning sixteen years ago. We changed on that day. As individuals, we were shocked and numb that something like this could happen. Communities across the nation were impacted. Airports were closed and the way we travel was changed. As a country we were no longer invincible; we were vulnerable to people who hate us.
I was reminded as I stood there in New York City that change is inevitable. As the ancient Greek philosopher said, “No man can step into the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.” It is so true that change is constantly happening all around us…and changing us!
So how do we change for the better? And how can we be intentional about change and transformation in our lives and in our society? We found some clear instructions from our Scriptures on Sunday—both from Jesus and the Apostle Paul:
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Let love be genuine.
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Love your neighbor as yourself.
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Let us not judge one another.
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Welcome one another just as Christ has welcomed you.
When we are committed to this way of being, we change for the better and our world is transformed into the kind of place God intended it to be. For the next three weeks, I will continue focusing on the theme “Changing Lives, Transforming the World” in our worship services. As you come to church over the next few weeks, I invite you to continue bringing two particular questions with you:
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What are the changes I would like to see in my life and the lives of people around me?
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What kind of transformation might God be envisioning for the world?
May God surprise us with many wonderful changes within and all around us!
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
_______________
Due to technical difficulties, videos of Kahu’s Sunday’s sermon have not been uploaded onto
YouTube during the past two months. The situation should be resolved very soon. In the meantime, past sermons can be viewed and shared. You can also subscribe to Kahu’s sermon page on
YouTube; that way you can receive a notification when a new sermon is posted.
“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 | Sep 6, 2017 | Message from Kahu
Back from New York City!
I returned to the office yesterday morning after a wonderful trip to California and New York City. My trip began with meeting my son Palani in the Bay Area and helping him organize his belongings, getting it all packed up for his move to New York, and dropping off quite a bit of clothing and other items at a thrift store. We also spent time with all of my siblings and their spouses, including a “bon voyage” party for Palani. While there, I learned that my brother-in-law Adrian was in need of heart surgery, which happened yesterday and so far everything looks good; I appreciate your prayers.
Palani and I then flew to NYC where we saw many of the sites, including Times Square, the World Trade Center Memorial, Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Grant’s Tomb and the historic Riverside Church. We also connected with friends, did some furniture shopping, got Palani moved into his apartment across the street from Columbia University and took a tour of the campus where he’ll be spending the next five years working on his Ph.D. in ecology. We also got to see some pretty amazing shows on Broadway, which I will be sharing about in my sermons in the upcoming weeks.
For the next four weeks, I will be focusing on the theme “Changing Lives, Transforming the World” in our worship services. Making changes in our lives is sometimes a difficult thing; transforming the world seems virtually impossible. However, the Scriptures tell stories and give guidance about change and transformation, and they compel us to believe that they are possible. As you come to church over the next month, I invite you to bring two particular questions with you:
1. What are the changes I would like to see in my life and the lives of people around me?
2. What kind of transformation might God be envisioning for the world?
We will likely come up with more than one answer. However, the answers we have will help form who we are as a congregation and guide us in our decisions for mission and ministry in the future. May we be open to the God of peace and compassion as we search for answers together.
Before I close, I have a special prayer request for the family of Mylo Korn. Mylo is the 4-year-old boy who was run over by a truck on Sunday and died in the hospital in Honolulu yesterday. His mother Miana works with me on the Kaua`i Association Youth and Young Adult Committee and is a member of the Kaua`i Marshallese Church in Hanapepe. I ask that you keep Miana, her family and church in your prayers during this devastating time of loss. May we also remember to pray for all of those on our prayer list, as well as the people affected by hurricanes, flooding and other natural disasters.
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
_______________
Due to technical difficulties, videos of Kahu’s Sunday’s sermon have not been uploaded onto
YouTube during the past two months. The situation should be resolved very soon. In the meantime, past sermons can be viewed and shared. You can also subscribe to Kahu’s sermon page on
YouTube; that way you can receive a notification when a new sermon is posted.
“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 | Aug 15, 2017 | Message from Kahu
“Pilgrimage of Compassion”
On Sunday morning, I led the congregation in a time of guided silent meditation as we considered the violence, racism and unrest in our nation. I began by sharing about Mother Teresa and her intentional practices of silence. Her time alone with God aloud her to hear God’s voice and find strength, direction and wisdom. I hope our time of silence and reflection will do the same for us.
I have been deeply troubled since Saturday by the overt racism displayed in Charlottesville, VA, and the ensuing violence and death. I have always known that racism exists in our country, but I never dreamed that I would see a crowd of White supremacists publicly marching with torches and chanting racist slogans on American soil.
If there is anything good that came out of the events on Saturday, it is that the darkness among us has been brought to light. We now see clearly the racism, hatred and bigotry that is deeply held by some of our fellow Americans. As much as I dislike the fact that these things are out there, I am glad they have become visible; for now we who follow the way of Jesus (and all others who value each and every human life) can see more clearly our mission and the work that is before us. As we consider this time in our nation’s history, now is the time to say “yes” to compassion, peace and justice; and now is the time to say “no” to any form of racism, hatred and bigotry.
As I participated in the Pilgrimage of Compassion at the Lawai International Center on Sunday, I felt deeply connected to people of all faiths, ethnicities, political persuasions, ages, sexual orientations, gender identities and abilities. While Riley Lee played the shakuhachi flute and led people among the 88 Japanese shrines on the hillside, I imagined extending the pilgrimage throughout the world and inviting all people to walk on a pilgrimage of compassion. We were all there for one reason on Sunday: to acknowledge compassion in our world and to commit ourselves to being more compassionate. This is certainly a pilgrimage on which is worth inviting others to participate.
May we each look around us today and notice someone who needs compassion…and offer it to them…knowing that we who give compassion are just as blessed as those who receive it from us.
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
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Videos of Kahu’s sermons are uploaded onto YouTube most weeks. Please share these videos with friends and invite them to our church. You can also subscribe on YouTube ; that way you can receive a notification when a new sermon is posted.
“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 | Aug 2, 2017 | Message from Kahu
“Compassion for Everyone”
On Sunday, we heard the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. It was actually a lot more than that, according to the text, as there were women and children there as well. In order to understand this story, it is important to look at who these people were in the crowd and what was going on with Jesus at the time.
Most likely, the crowd was made up of the poor people of Galilee. They were the ones who had little or no healthcare and barely enough food for their families to survive. They were not Roman citizens and so had no say in public policy. Most were the desperate poor and powerless living on the margins of the Roman Empire. They came to Jesus because he provided the healthcare that they needed. He healed just about everything imaginable: illnesses, injuries, mental and spiritual sicknesses. They also came because Jesus offered them words of hope—words which were an alternative to what the Empire provided.
Jesus had just gone home to Nazareth after a very successful tour where he preached and healed. However, he was not welcome at home. He must have felt deep disappointment and rejection. He also knew that his enemies were planning on killing him and had just killed his cousin John. Knowing he was not welcome at home, Jesus went out on a boat to find a place to be alone in his grief and rejection. However, the crowds were already there when he arrived, and so he healed them for the rest of the day.
When dinnertime came along, Jesus’ disciples pointed out the time of time and encouraged him to send the crowds home to eat. But Jesus, who had compassion for the people, decided to feed them himself, with the help of the disciples. Though the disciples claimed to only have two fish and five loaves of bread. In other words, “There is only enough for us.” Nevertheless, Jesus blessed the fish and loaves and had the disciples distribute them among the crowd. When dinner was over, it turned out that there was more than enough. Everyone had their fill and the disciples collected twelve baskets of leftovers.
The lesson here is that when it comes to compassion, there is always enough for everyone. May we look around us this week and notice the people who need compassion…and may we share some of ours with them.
Kahu Alan Akana
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Videos of Kahu’s sermons are uploaded onto YouTube most weeks. Please share these videos with friends and invite them to our church. You can also subscribe on YouTube ; that way you can receive a notification when a new sermon is posted.
“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 | Jul 19, 2017 | Message from Kahu
Listen Carefully!
On Sunday in church, I talked about the importance of listening deeply—listening to others when they talk, listening for the voice of God, and listening to our hearts when they are calling out for our attention. We focused on the Parable of the Sower in Matthew, chapter 13, where the words “listen,” “hear,” and “understand” appeared 16 times in 23 verses. I suggested that the point of the parable was to help us visualize the importance of deeply listening. I talked about how intently listening can be a transformational experience.
I also shared some quotes on “Holy Listening” that were given to me by my friend Rev. Caroline Miura:
- “One of the important ways we can love others is by learning the art of holy listening. Learning to listen is a key that unlocks the door to loving people.” —Morton Kelsey
- Deep listening is the kind of listening that can help relieve the suffering of another person…you listen with only one purpose: to help him or her to empty their heart. —Thich Nhat Hanh
- The quieter you become, the more you can hear. —Baba Ram Dass
- When I say that I enjoy hearing someone, I mean, of course, hearing deeply. I mean that I hear the words, the thoughts, the feeling tones, the personal meaning, even the meaning that is below the conscious intent of the speaker. Sometimes too, in a message which superficially is not very important, I hear a deep human cry that lies buried and unknown far below the surface of the person. —Carl Rogers
- For to listen is to continually give up all expectation & to give our attention, completely & freshly, to what is before us, not really knowing what we will hear or what that will mean. In the practice of our days, to listen is to lean in, softly, with a willingness to be changed by what we hear. —Mark Nepo, Seven Thousand Ways to Listen
May you feel heard this week, and may you be blessed and bring many blessings by deeply listening!
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
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Videos of Kahu’s sermons are uploaded onto YouTube most weeks. Please share these videos with friends and invite them to our church. You can also subscribe on YouTube ; that way you can receive a notification when a new sermon is posted.
“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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