by admin | Dec 1, 2015 | Message from Kahu
A BROKEN FAMILY TREE
On Sunday, I shared with the congregation about my family tree and how I discovered some things as I was doing research for my book about it—things that were more than a bit disappointing. I found severe religious intolerance. I also uncovered some unfortunate ways that some of the male ancestors treated women. I also learned about some bitter family disputes whereby siblings didn’t talk to each other for years.
I also talked about Jesus’ family tree—the one in Matthew’s Gospel. I mentioned the deception and unbrotherly conduct of Jacob, as well as the “unladylike” circumstances and behavior of the women mentioned in the genealogy. There is Tamar, the Canaanite who pretended to be a prostitute in order to sleep with her father-in-law Judah; Rahab, the Canaanite prostitute from Jericho; Ruth, the Moabite who seduced the man who eventually became he husband; Bathsheeba, the Hittite who had an illicit affair with King David (the king who then arranged for the death of his lover’s husband); and then there was Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph and pregnant with a baby that did not belong to him!
At first glance, Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus seems to be written to show that the infant to be born in Bethlehem was an appropriate choice to be the next “King of the Jews.” However, since royal genealogies in those days were written to show that the person in question came from a pure and righteous bloodline, Matthew had to be up to something else! After all, more than a few of the names in the genealogy were foreigners and certainly not know for their righteous behavior.
So what was Matthew up to by including this “broken family tree” at the beginning of his Gospel? First of all, he seems to be giving hope to all of his readers: If Jesus’ family tree can be that messed up, then there is hope for the rest of us! We too are able to overcome the dysfunction and poor behavior of our own families in order to live well in this world. Secondly, Matthew is showing his readers how God’s grace extends to the furthest margins of humanity. Prostitutes, foreigners, adulterers, people living in shame and disgrace, all have a role to play and are included in the circle of God’s love.
If there is hope for Jesus, then there must be hope for us all! May we be filled with hope during this Advent Season; and may we share that hope with everyone—even those on the furthest margins of world.
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
by admin | Nov 19, 2015 | Message from Kahu
ALAN ROBERT AKANA
PRESENTING AT THE MOANA: November 25-27, 2015
Kahu Alan Akana will be the Author and Artist in Residence at the historic Moana Surfrider Hotel in Waikiki during Thanksgiving week. Please share with your friends and relatives living on O’ahu and those who will be visiting!
November 25, 5:00-6:30 p.m. Book & Art Presentation (Lobby)
Alan will share with guests about his book The Volcano Is Our Home: Nine Generations of a Hawaiian Family on Kilauea Volcano, and his exquisite paintings of Hawaiian tropical florals.
Enjoy complimentary wines and delicious pupus prepared by the culinary talent of the Moana.
Important Note: Alan has been allowed to invite personal guests to this reception, but they must make reservations directly with him before the 25th! To reserve, please send your name to be added to the guest list to [email protected].
November 27, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Meet & Greet (Lobby)
The Meet & Greet is open to the public and will happen at the beginning of “Mele at the Moana,” a monthly concert from 5:00pm to 9:00pm in the Banyan Courtyard, with featured performer taking the stage from 7:00pm-9:00pm: Makana!
For more information about Mele at the Moana or for reserved seating, please contact Mason Waugh as early as possible at [email protected] or call 808.923.2811. Seats for this free event are expected to fill quickly!
Signed books, numbered prints and greeting cards of Kahu’s watercolors will be available for sale after the presentation and during the meet and greet.
Click Alan Akana Poster to see the poster that will be in the lobby of the Moana Surfrider. (It may take a few moments to download.) Click Featured Moana Events to read about all of the events at the Moana online. The Moana is located at 2365 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815.
by admin | Nov 10, 2015 | Message from Kahu
CARING FOR THE EARTH
Since returning from Parliament of the World’s Religions in Salt Lake City in October, I’ve been sharing with the congregation about my observations and experiences there. I shared on Sunday about a concern that I heard from many of the religions represented there: We MUST take better care of the Earth! An indigenous woman from Canada began her presentation with these words: “What is sin? We don’t have a word for “sin” in our language.” She then went on to say something like this: “If we have to talk about sin, then the worst sin is abusing Mother Earth.”
There are a lot of ways to understand the meaning of sin in the Bible, and many ways the Christian Church has taught about sin over the past 2,000 years. Since the Greek word most commonly used in the New Testament is hamartia, I think that’s a good starting point. It is a term borrowed from archery, and it means “missing the mark.” Every archer aims for the bullseye in practice, the middle and smallest concentric circle on the “mark.” If he misses all of the circles and scores no points, he is said to have “sinned.” The word later came to be used in a moral sense, meaning “missing the mark.”
After hearing many speakers in Utah talk about the state of our planet, I am convinced that we have missed the mark when it comes to caring for this home on which we live and which is the source of all life. Our Scriptures are filled with examples of how God created the world and has abundantly blessed us with all that the Earth offers us. May we be committed to caring for our precious home so that future generations will be able to experience those same blessings. As you commit to caring for the Earth, I invite you to answer this question: What will you do this week to care for and nurture the Earth? I hope you will tell me what you came up with…and what you did!
Aloha nui loa!
Kahu Alan Akana
by admin | Nov 2, 2015 | Message from Kahu
A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY OF FAITH
I was pleased to see The Garden Island (our local newspaper) on Sunday morning and read about our church! The article is entitled, “A Beautiful Family of Faith,” and tells of my bowl of sea glass which has been sitting on our communion table for the past month. It represents brokenness and rough experiences (just think what the sea glass endured to get to its present state!), as well as beauty—especially when all of the sea glass is together in a bowl. I shared in early October that the bowl of sea glass is a symbol of our church, for we all have experienced brokenness and rough experiences, and yet we are “A Beautiful Family of Faith” as we come together for worship and fellowship. When I returned from the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Salt Lake City nearly two weeks ago, it occurred to me that the bowl of sea glass also represents all of humanity for me, for people of all religions, cultures, colors, shapes and sizes have experienced brokenness, and yet we are all beautiful in God’s eyes—especially when we come together. I invite you to join us on Sunday and experience the beauty for yourself!
Click HERE to read the entire article.
Aloha nui loa!
Kahu Alan Akana
by admin | Oct 29, 2015 | Message from Kahu
ALL SAINTS DAY
Last Sunday, I shared with the congregation about some of my experiences at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Salt Lake City just a couple weeks ago. One of my observations (and sermon title) was “We All Want To See.” People of all religions and faith traditions want to see better; we especially want to see the sacred more clearly in our lives and in the world around us; we also want to see others for who they are, just as we want to be seen and acknowledged for who we are; finally, we all want to see that we are connected to one another, to God and the the world around us.
This Sunday, we plan to celebrate All Saints Day as we have Holy Communion, remember the saints in our lives, and look at another of my observations at the Parliament of the World’s Religions (and sermon title): “We All Want More Love.” I hope you’ll join us as we celebrate God’s love for the world and how it has been manifested in so many ways!
Aloha nui loa!
Kahu Alan Akana
by admin | Oct 24, 2015 | Message from Kahu
PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD’S RELIGIONS
I returned Wednesday evening from a week in Salt Lake City at the Parliament of the World’s Religions. On the first day of the conference, I immediately recognized Tibetan Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Hare Krishna’s, indigenous people of the American Continents, and a myriad of other persons of faith for whom I did not yet have names. I spent five full days attending plenary sessions, workshops, movies, and discussion groups, as well as visiting booths and exhibits. I also had meals with old and new friends. By the end of the conference, I felt that my eyes were opened to the fact that all of the religious faiths and traditions which I encountered seem to have a lot more in common than I ever realized. We all want to operate from a place of compassion. We all want to protect the Earth so that she will be around for many generations to enjoy. We all want people to live with dignity, security and hope, and without hunger, oppression and injustice.
For the next few weeks, I will share on Sunday mornings some of the details of my experiences at the parliament. This Sunday, I will share about the message from Jane Goodall—my favorite speaker of the week! She has spent her entire life opening her eyes and watching, and by the simple act of observing, she has been filled with compassion for animals (including humans!) and the entire planet. We know her primarily from her work observing chimpanzees as a trained primatologist, but there is a lot more to her life than that! Her message cuts across religious lines and gets to the heart of some of the most important issues of our day.
I invite you to join me during the next month as I share the highlights of the Parliament of the World’s Religions!
Aloha nui loa!
Kahu Alan Akana
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