Church News: Dec 1st, 2022

Holiday Survey

Holiday Worship Survey

Thank you for those who completed our survey!

Here are some important things we learned from the survey:

• Most people are quite happy with our worship services.
• Kahu’s messages and musical offerings were marked “especially liked” more than other parts of the worship service.
• Most respondents look forward to getting things back to pre-pandemic “normal,” including: sitting together, no more face masks, congregational singing, unison readings, etc.
• Most would plan to attend an in-person Christmas Eve service in the 7-7:30 timeframe.
• Although there are some who would not attend a Christmas Eve service if we lifted all pandemic requirements for the evening, others prefer lifting all requirements and an equal number prefer sitting anywhere as long as people are masked.
• Only one person indicated that they are not concerned at all about Covid-19 in a crowded space. Others still have some concerns regarding their health. Nearly forty percent marked that they are not concerned “as long as there are reasonable pandemic requirements.”

The Deacons greatly appreciate those who took the time to take the survey. The results gave them some helpful data on which they considered in their decisions in moving forward during the holiday season.

Prayers and Squares

Tuesday, December 6, 10:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

Prayers and Squares is a ministry promoting prayer by creating beautiful hand-tied quilts and offering them to people in crisis or those whom we wish to offer a special aloha. A prayer is said with each knot that is tied in the quilt. When recipients put the quilts it over themselves, they are covering themselves with our prayers. Our motto: “It’s not about the quilt; it’s all about the prayers.”

To request a quilt for church members or friends in crisis, call Debbie Gunning at 808-652-7899.                        

No experience in quilting or sewing is necessary. There are jobs for everyone to help in the making of the quilts…and everyone is invited to pray!

Mahalo nui loa!

Youth Christmas Party

YOUTH CHRISTMAS PARTY Calling all middle and high schoolers! Join us for a Christmas Party! Smith Memorial Parsonage 3281 Waikomo Road December 11 4:45-7:00 p.m. Christmas Feast Fun & Games Good Conversation $5 Gift Exchange RSVP to Tiffany (808) 651-1397

Outreach

We will be collecting and creating Thanksgiving meal boxes for 10 local families who are struggling to make ends meet.

If you signed up to bring food items, please bring them to the church by this coming Sunday, November 20.

Boxes will be packaged and delivered to the families by the Koloa Union Church Outreach Committee and Youth Group.

Christmas Stockings

We will stuff Christmas stockings with special items and gift cards for 10 local families who are struggling financially this year. We collect change, cash and checks throughout the year in our spare change jar. If you have some extra funds in your bank account or wallet, please consider an extra gift to make Christmas even merrier for a local family. If you know of any families who could use some extra help this holiday season, contact Amber Strong or the church office.

The deadline for donations for this year’s stockings is December 4.

Note: We primarily pay for this outreach through the change jar, to which people contribute throughout the year, and from personal donations. So be sure to look for spare change lying around at home or in your car.

You can contribute financially to this ministry by writing “Holiday Outreach” on the note section of your check made out to “Koloa Union Church” or on the “Comment” box when you give online. Contact Amber Strong or the church office.

Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina December 14th, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Join Kahu and Karen Johnson at the Smith Memorial Parsonage for a time to hear and respond to the Scriptures in a quiet, reflective and meaningful way. Lectio Divina is a traditional monastic practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God’s word. Please RSVP by December 11 if you plan to attend.

United Church of Christ Christmas Fund

To Be Collected on December 18, 24 & 25

Thank You for Supporting The Christmas Fund!

This special offering, administered by the United Church of Christ Pension Boards, provides direct financial assistance to retired and active UCC authorized ministers and lay employees and their surviving spouses, including pension and health premium supplementation, emergency assistance, and Christmas “thank you” checks. Each year, UCC congregations throughout the country collect this offering to assist faithful servants of God who are facing financial difficulties. We not only share hope, peace, joy and love with them; but they, in turn, pass these things along to others in their communities and in the world.

We will collect the Christmas Fund offering on December 18, 24 and 25. Offering envelopes will be provided.

Please write checks to “Koloa Union Church” and write “Christmas Fund” on the note section of your check. If you would like to make a donation online, please write “Christmas Fund” in the note section.

Alan Akana Gallery

2nd & 3rd Sunday of Advent

Second Sunday of Advent And Communion Sunday

December 4

Join Us for Worship When We Light The “Candle of Peace” And Celebrate Holy Communion

December 11

Join Us for Worship When We Light The “Candle of Joy” And Enjoy this Year’s Children and Youth Sharing the Theme of “JOY” With Us!

Christmas Eve Service

December 24 7:30 p.m.

Join Us for a very special Christmas Eve service with lots of special music and the reading of the Christmas story.

Pandemic Guidelines for Christmas Eve:

• Please wear face masks indoors during the entire service.
• Face masks will be optional anywhere outdoors, including on the patio.
• We will not observe social distancing requirements: attendees may sit in any of the seats.

Doors will open at 7 p.m. Because this is our first in person Christmas Eve service since 2019, we anticipate a decent crowd. Those wishing to sit together should come early.

Christmas Day Service

Christmas Day Services

Sunday, December 25 10:30 a.m.

Join Us for a very special Christmas Day service with lots of special music and reflections on the Christmas story. Our regular Sunday morning guidelines will be in effect on Christmas Morning.

• Please wear face masks until the service begins.
• Please sit 6 feet from others.

Watch Our Most Recent Worship Service

Watch Our Most Recent Worship Service

You can click the button below to watch a video of a recent worship service:

Watch the most recent worship service

Watch ALL of Our Worship Services

Please Share!

Our online worship services are a great way to introduce people to Koloa Union Church…and provide inspiration and hope to friends and family!

Feel free to forward this email or send the YouTube link to anyone whom you think would enjoy watching our online worship service.

Share our worship service with even more people! You can also put the link of any video of our worship services directly onto your Facebook page and thereby introducing every one of your Facebook friends to our worship services and our church!

Give Thanks

Youth Group Activity “Giving Thanks”

Our middle and high school youth met at the church on November 20 for a delicious thanksgiving dinner, games and a time to give thanks for the many blessings in their lives!

Mahalo to Worship Participants

Baptism and New Members

Lectionary Readings

Weekly Readings from the Bible

More Fun Pictures Since Our Last Weekly News