by admin | May 16, 2015 | Message from Kahu
A SPECIAL BLESSING FROM DIANA BUTLER BASS
Dr. Diana Butler Bass wrote the blessing/benediction for last week’s worship service specifically for our church. After she told me that she would be preaching on Genesis chapter 2 on the topic of caring for Mother Earth (on Mother’s Day) and was entitling her sermon, “Sacred Gardeners,” I asked if she would consider giving us a blessing to go along with her sermon. Here is the blessing from Dr. Diana Butler Bass to Koloa Union Church:
Watered by the Spirit,
May you grow in compassion and justice.
May your soil be mealy and your rains timely.
Scatter your plentiful seeds with abandon,
Trusting that the garden will blossom and fruit this season and many others,
producing a great harvest of beauty and sustenance.
Go forth in the joy of your calling — to be sacred gardeners with God.
What a beautiful and heartfelt blessing. May we find great joy in the sacred gardening we do together!
See you on Sunday!
Kahu Alan Akana
by admin | May 6, 2015 | Message from Kahu
IT ALL BELONGS TO GOD
“Riches and honor come from you…. All things come from you, and of your own have we given you…. O Lord our God, all this abundance [that we give back to you] comes from your hand and is all your own.” (1 Chronicles 29:12,14,16)
On Sunday, I told the story about a talk given by the late Catholic Archbishop Thomas Murphy. He was sharing some of his thoughts about Christian stewardship and said something like this: “Whenever someone tells me that they tithe (give 10% of their income to the church), I ask them, ‘What do you do with the other 90%?'”
That question really made me think about all of my money and all of my blessings. I began tithing when I was about 12 years old. I gave 10% of my paper route money to my church and have kept up the practice of tithing for most of the rest of my life. However, when I was younger, I figured that once I gave the church 10%, the other 90% was up to me to do as I pleased. After hearing the late Archbishop’s question, I began more seriously considering what I do with the rest of my money. I began to prayerfully consider questions, such as:
- Am I being generous with all the rest?
- Is God pleased with how I spend and save money?
- Am I putting enough aside for retirement?
- Does my personal monthly budget truly reflect my faith and what I believe are my values?
- As I update my will, can I put aside a portion for the church or a particular ministry?
These are just a few of the questions that went through my mind as I prayed and thought about all of my blessings.
During the past few months, I have been praying another prayer: the campaign prayer for Maika’i Hana Hou, our capital campaign. As I have journeyed through this time of prayer, I have decided to make a considerable gift to the campaign: more than I have ever given any church or organization. I already wrote a check for most of it and am committed to an additional amount over the next three years. I am sometimes surprised at what happens through prayer…what I end up doing that I didn’t know I was capable of doing…how I can feel so connected to a community of faith…how I can trust God…be generous…and find tremendous joy! (I don’t know why I am surprised that I feel so joyful in being generous, since generosity seems to be the one thing that practically guarantees joy!)
I hope you will discover some of these same things as you continue to pray for the success of Maika’i Hana Hou, and what your role might be in it; then come to church on May 17 to make your commitment; and be sure to stay for the appreciation luncheon at the parsonage afterwards!
Campaign Prayer
O God, we ask for your blessing on our capital campaign.
Thank you for all that Kōloa Union Church means to me and our community. (Be sure to be specific and mention some of these blessings by name.)
What do you want to do through me to accomplish your will during this important time for Kōloa Union Church?
Kahu Alan Akana
by admin | May 3, 2015 | Message from Kahu
MAIKA’I HANA HOU!
NOT THE SIZE OF THE GIFT, BUT….
On Sunday, I shared the story of a church where a very wealthy man wrote a $1 million check to his capital campaign, and the pastor announced this gift to the congregation. The next day, a poor, divorced mother of two young children visited the pastor and told him that she was disappointed regarding their church’s capital campaign…but not for the reason the pastor expected! She shared her deep desire to participate in the campaign, but felt that she simply couldn’t give any more to the church than she already did. She told the pastor that she already tithed (gave 10% of her income) to the church, and she was afraid that this was all she could do. The pastor told her to do what he had asked everyone in the church to do: simply pray, “O Lord, what is it that you would have me do to accomplish your will for our church.” The woman agreed and began praying that very day. As she prayed, she had a “light bulb moment.” She went back to the pastor and told him that she figured out that she could give $1,500 during the 3-year giving period of the campaign. She would forgo her daily “Super Meal Deal” during her daily lunch break and make herself a sandwich for lunch every day for the next 3 years. She added up the savings of $2 per day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks of the year, and 3 years (minus holiday and vacation time): It was $1,500! The next Sunday, the woman shared her story in church. Her congregation far exceeded their goal, and I am convinced that her gift was just as inspiring to the congregation as the $1 million gift. I am also convinced that in God’s eyes, her gift was at least as big!
My request of the members and friends of the congregation is that you pray our capital campaign prayer and see what God might lead you to do during this very important time in the life of our church. And please remember, it is not the size of the gift the counts the most, but the amount of love and faith as you pray and act upon your prayer. Whatever gift you choose to give on Commitment Sunday, May 17, I invite you to make your decision based upon prayerful reflection and with lots of love and faith! If you do, I know that we will have a very successful capital campaign!
Kahu….
Our Capital Campaign Prayer
O God, we ask for your blessing on our capital campaign.
Thank you for all that Kōloa Union Church means to me and our community. (Be sure to be specific and mention some of these blessings by name.)
What do you want to do through me to accomplish your will
during this important time for Kōloa Union Church?
by admin | Apr 14, 2015 | Message from Kahu
JUST LOOKING IS BELIEVING
Nearly everyone has heard the phrase, “Seeing is believing.” I shared with the congregation on Sunday that the Apostle John used the word seeing over and over in his Gospel. In fact, the verb “to see” is found some 80 times! Seeing was important to John because Jesus is the one who taught people to see…and seeing led to believing… and believing led to living a full and abundant life (and sharing that life with others!).
I also shared with the congregation that there are times in my life when I look but don’t see clearly, and sometimes not at all. I wonder if I could see God’s love, God’s plan, God’s presence if I just had more faith. As I took a deeper look into John’s Gospel, Jesus seemed to understand that not everyone sees clearly all the time; in reality, none of us do! Yet, John makes it clear that belief and trust in God are still possible…and so is a full and abundant life! That’s why Jesus said to Thomas: “Blessed are those who have not seen yet have come to believe.”
So what do you do when you look to Jesus and cannot see clearly? You keep looking! What do you do when you look to God and cannot see at all? You keep looking! What do you do when you think you see perfectly? You keep looking (and remember that you might be seeing an illusion or a mirage)! Jesus shared a vision with his followers about a new way of being where everyone is blessed by God and is able to live full and abundant lives. When you have a hard time seeing what Jesus saw, you simply trust (believe) that Jesus’ vision is still real and achievable for every life, every time and every place.
So when you look and cannot see, remember: Just looking is believing! Just looking leads to life when you are looking to Jesus and his grand vision for the world!
I invite you to look… and believe… and live today with the assurance that God loves you and each person you encounter! I also invite you to share the love!
Kahu Alan Akana
by admin | Apr 8, 2015 | Message from Kahu
THE LOVE REMAINS
Lava Entering Kaimu Bay — August 1990
On Easter Sunday, I shared with the congregation about one of my favorite places on earth: Kaimu Beach. I talked about its glistening black sand; the coconut trees which lined the beach and provided shade for people; its stunning beauty. I also shared that Kaimu Beach is no longer there, for Kilauea’s lava covered the beach in August 1990. It seems like only yesterday as I watched molten lava spill out over the sand and into the ocean, creating giant plumes of steam. “How can it be,” I asked myself, “that my favorite spot on earth and the most meaningful place I knew is dying right in front of me. Is this really happening?”
I shared with the congregation that I think I knew when I first visited Kaimu as an eleven-year old that it is possible to love a place just like it is possible to love a person. I also shared that love for people and places remain long after they are gone. This past year, I mourned the death of my mother, my uncle (Mom’s younger brother and the only uncle I really knew growing up), a close friend JoAnne who was very influential in my life during my teenage years, and others. How can it be? Is this really happening? These two questions have popped up often this past year. (And I’m pretty sure Jesus’ disciples were asking these same questions after both his death and resurrection!)
There really is no easy answer to the first question. The answer to the second question is easier, at least after catching my breath: “Yes, it IS really happening.” But once I have settled into the questions and answers that confront me during times of grief, I am left with the reminder that the love once shared is still shared. The love remains long after death. In fact, I believe it remains through eternity. I think that is the whole point of Easter!
May you be filled with joy and hope during this Easter season!
Kahu Alan Akana
by admin | Apr 1, 2015 | Message from Kahu
LIFE: QUANTITY AND QUALITY!
On Palm Sunday, I shared with the congregation some thoughts about the donkey on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem. According to the Gospel of John, it was a donkey colt–just a baby! People were used to Roman soldiers riding into town on their gigantic horses, reminding them not to mess with the powers that be. John compared Jesus (along with his message, life and “leadership style”) with the Roman Emperor and those who represented him. (Hence, the baby donkey!) The emperor was known as the one who took away life from the common people. John portrays Jesus as the one who gives life to the common people–and everyone else for that matter. Over and over again in John’s Gospel, we see Jesus giving life, talking about life, promising life, and living life. He offered not only a quantity (eternal), but a quality (abundant).
As we prepare ourselves to partake of Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday, may we open our hearts to Jesus–the Bread of Life. As we prepare ourselves to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday, may we open our hearts to the life he offered: eternal and abundant…the life that not even death can take away!
I invite you to join us at Koloa Union Church as we celebrate life!!!
Kahu Alan Akana
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