On Sunday, we began our 4-part series on “Pay It Forward: And Who Is My Neighbor?” I shared with the congregation about comments made by Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer, the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ—that we should listen to the cries of our neighbors when considering what our church’s mission is. Right after hearing these words from Dr. Dorhauer, I had dinner with a colleague, who spoke about his own tears when his wife and two children died. He also talked about his inability to cry when his first wife packed her bags and walked out the door for good, without any warning. It occurred to me that we must listen for both the audible and silent tears of our neighbors.
In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10), two priests walked on the other side of the road when they saw a man, bloody and beaten, lying on the opposite side. Then a man of Samaria (an enemy!) came near to the injured man, was moved with compassion and helped him. It is only when we draw near to those in pain that we have compassion for them. So let us draw near to our neighbors; let us listen for their cries; and let us act with compassion; for this is our calling as followers of Jesus.
I invite you to continue praying the following prayer with me, as you consider your commitment to our church’s future outreach and mission:
O God, as we seek to reach out into our community by sharing aloha with everyone in the coming year, open my heart so that love will freely flow in and out of it.
May the commitment I make truly represent the gratitude I have to you for all that Koloa Union Church means to me.
Amen!
I look forward to seeing you in church as we seek together how we might bring aloha to the people around us who have deep longings for a better life. I hope you will join us as we welcome students from Kamehameha School to assist in our worship by providing music and stories.
Aloha nui!
Kahu Alan Akana
To see a video of Kahu’s sermon, click HERE.
“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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