June 2016 Volume 10, Issue 6 "The Messenger of Love" Christ Church, Uniting Disciples and Presbyterians 1300 Kailua Rd, Kailua, HI, 96734-4356 Phone: 808.262.6911 Worship - Sunday, 10AM Email - [email protected]Pastor Liz Leavitt www.ccukailua.org www.facebook.com/ChristChurchUniting from Pastor Liz Leavitt . . . Dear CCU Ohana When I was growing up, there were a few weeks every fall in Oregon which we would call "spiderweb season." Suddenly one day, typically in October, our morning drive along the country road to school would find us catching our breath as the morning sun illuminated hundreds of huge and brilliant spiderwebs. I don't know what it was about that particular season that had the spiders so active, but there they were, their nets streched between roadside fence posts or caught up in tree branches, each one unique and magnificent as the last, each one sparkling with frost. If you timed it just right, usually around dawn, your whole commute would be a gallery of these wispy and magical displays. I like to think of the church as a kind of web. In my experience, its beauty is not necessarily defined by size of its hub but rather by the extent and strength of its threads. At CCU for example, there is a core group of us who gather on Sundays but that is by no means the extent of our community. What we might call the body of our church spirals outwards in many different ways: through the connections of friends and family, through our ministries of care and service, through our presence in the community. We are a network as much as we are a node, and there is perhaps no better time to practice thinking this way than summer in Hawaii. I've already heard from many of you about your plans to travel hither and thither this summer. Rather than lament that our pews will be more sparsely populated in the coming months, I revel in the idea that our community can stretch and expand to cover so much new territory. As I think of and pray for each of you making your way across the ocean, I like to imagine our witness spinning out across the globe, a glory for all to see Ka Elele Aloha June 2016 Page 1 of 15
When I was growing up, there were a few weeks every fall in Oregon whichwe would call "spiderweb season." Suddenly one day, typically in October,our morning drive along the country road to school would find us catchingour breath as the morning sun illuminated hundreds of huge and brilliantspiderwebs. I don't know what it was about that particular season that hadthe spiders so active, but there they were, their nets streched betweenroadside fence posts or caught up in tree branches, each one unique andmagnificent as the last, each one sparkling with frost. If you timed it justright, usually around dawn, your whole commute would be a gallery ofthese wispy and magical displays.
I like to think of the church as a kind of web. In my experience, its beautyis not necessarily defined by size of its hub but rather by the extent andstrength of its threads. At CCU for example, there is a core group of us whogather on Sundays but that is by no means the extent of our community.What we might call the body of our church spirals outwards in manydifferent ways: through the connections of friends and family, through ourministries of care and service, through our presence in the community. Weare a network as much as we are a node, and there is perhaps no bettertime to practice thinking this way than summer in Hawaii.
I've already heard from many of you about your plans to travel hither andthither this summer. Rather than lament that our pews will be moresparsely populated in the coming months, I revel in the idea that ourcommunity can stretch and expand to cover so much new territory. As Ithink of and pray for each of you making your way across the ocean, I liketo imagine our witness spinning out across the globe, a glory for all to see
Ka Elele Aloha June 2016 Page 1 of 15
as they pass. Of course ministry shaped this way is different than ministry-in-one-place. It takes work to connect to each other, to communicate andshow care from afar. But that is our challenge: in this season and this age ofchurch, I think I look forward to working together to meet it and to hearingreports of your summer adventures as we move along together.
To that end, a few notes which may be of use to you as we move into thesesummer months:
Keiki church will be on hiatus in June and July as our leaders take amuch needed rest. Nursery care for children will continue throughoutthe summer during the worship hour. The choir will present its last offering of the season on Sunday, June 5and will be on break after that through the month of August. Anyoneinterested in presenting a special musical gift during the summer isencouraged to talk with John Stiles. Adult Education will also be taking a short break beginning Sunday,June 26 through the end of July. We will pick up again in August with anew series so stay tuned. Of course not everything will be on break! Read the rest of thisnewsletter carefully for words about special summer programming andopportunities to connect with friends. Lastly, please do keep in mind that the costs of our ministry (utilities,salaries, maintenance ) do not take a vacation in the summer months:so don't forget your pledge!
I look forward to moving through another season with you all, both near andfar.
With aloha, Liz
June 2016CCU Event Schedule:
Key: K=Kitchen O=Ohana Rm PS=Pastor’s Study S=SanctuaryL=Lanai B3=upstairs class
Sundays: 10 am, Worship &Aloha Fellowship
June BirthdaysJames Alvin Freeman .............. 2
Madelyn Jade Freeman ........... 2
Hosanna Emmanuel Lyman ..... 4
Charlie Barnhill ...................... 17
Maile Kellogg ......................... 20
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6/4, Sat: 8am CCU’sBreakfast @ Honey’s Ko’olau
6/19, Sun: Father's Day!
6/23, Thurs: Julynewsletter contributionsdue.
Sunday, July 3rd,HOLD your June Hi5
Pentecost Sunday!
On May 15thJane & BillMuenchadorned thealtar with theirbottlebrushflowers, and tocelebrate God’sHoly Spirit withus on PentecostSunday!
Amazon will donate 0.5% ofthe price of your eligiblepurchases (AmazonSmile) toChrist Church Uniting Disciplesand Presbyterians. Last monthCCU received $5 from theAmazonSmile Foundation forlast quarter. Instead of going toAmazon.com, use your samelogin to shop online atsmile.amazon.com/
Elayne &Richard Smithprovide thisarrangementfor Mother'sDay, anddedicated to Allour Mom’s.
Anonymousprovided thisarrangementfor the lowerpart of thealtar.
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Muench'sweepingbottlebrush tree
The May 22 floral arrangement was
provided by Paul & Dottie Brennan,
and dedicated to CCU’s graduates,
high school or college level.
Flowers for May 29th wereprovided by Paul & DottieBrennan, and are dedicated toall of those past and presentwho have safe-guarded ourshores and our communities.
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The CCU council has called a congregationalmeeting for Sunday, June 12 immediatelyafter worship.
As you may recall, in December of 2014, thecongregation approved a capital budget to bedrawn from the CCU Fund and directed towardcertain repair and upgrade projects around ourfacility. The council will be taking thisopportunity to present the congregation withan update on the status of those projects andto request that the cost of much neededexterior painting for our facility be drawn fromthose funds already approved.
Please join us on the 12th and hear moreabout the planned improvements to ourphysical plant.
Join the CCU Breakfast Discussion Sat, June 4, 8amat Honey's Restaurant. Everyone IS welcome. TOPIC: Jay Sakashita asks "Peace or Violence,Diversity or Division; One can hear what one wantsto in any religion."
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ADULT EDUCATIONSunday's 8:30a-9:30
Join us as we continue our Local Experts Adult Education Series:Sun, June 5 Jim Brewbaker will be speaking about GMOs
(Genetically Modified Organism)Sun, June 12 Kathleen Freeman and Environmental Education
Sun, June 19 we will welcome Miho Aida (See informationbelow)
For several reasons, we are postponing the study of World Religionsuntil August or September.
Everyone is welcome to join us in the 'Ohana Room on Sundaymornings, 8:30-9:30a
Join us in welcoming Miho Aida for a special presentation on the Artic Refuge!
Miho Aida is an activist, filmmaker, educator, and outdoor adventurercommitted to broadening access to nature and the ecological world as a womanof color. CCU has the pleasure of welcoming her for a special presentation onSunday, June 19 from 8:30-9:30am. We'll view her film--The Sacred PlaceWhere Life Begins: Gwich’in Women Speak which explores the relationshipbetween Gwich'in Women, an Alaska Native People, living in what is now knownas the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and the Porcupine Caribou herd which isthe basis for their subsistence lifestyle and culture--and hear directly from Ms.Aida about this long-fought battle on the frontlines of climate change.
For more information, check out these links: http://mihoaida.com/gwichin/http://www.wearethearctic.org/we-are-arctic-bookhttp://www.mihoaida.com/
And we look forward to seeing you on the 19th! Invite a friend!
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Sunday, June 19, Connie Mitchell will be with us and sharing anupdate on her work with IHS. Sunday, June 26, two interns from Nu'uanu Congregational Church'sSummer Intern Program will be joining us to lead worship and shareabout their experiences.
Come help welcome and support these special guests!
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Have some extra time for reading over thesummer months? Join the CCU Summer BookClub! We'll be rekindling this monthly discussiongroup in the months of June, July and August. Contact Pastor Liz if you are interested to joinand we'll work to find a mutually agreeable time.Some of our potential reads include:
Adam: God's Beloved by Henri J. Nouwen
Grounded: Finding God in the World-A SpiritualRevolution by Diana Butler Bass
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ'sChildhood Pal by Christopher Moore
A None's Story: Searching for Meaning InsideChristianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam byCorinna Nicolaou
Join us!
By Rosemary AllenRosemary is sharing a repeat newsletter piece thismonth. This poem (David Steele) was originallyfeatured in the August 2015 newsletter.
There Is a Lad Here... John 6:1-14
I wish I were a hero,A martyr or a saint,But so far I’m batting zeroFor my life is rather quaint.
I could rage and shout like AmosOr missionate like Paul,But the chance of being famousHasn’t come my way at all.
For the villains who need chidingDon’t live near my address --
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Nor do kings who seek confiding,Nor apostles in distress.
So I’m really getting nervousThat, ahead of me, there aintNo act of thrilling serviceThat will make of me a saint.
No, the earth will not be shakenBy an act of mine -- not nary.For unless I am mistakenI am rather ordinary.
I’ve come of late to ponderOn something I have readAbout that day of wonderWhen five thousand souls were fed.
It seems there was a ladAmong that hungry bunchWho acted rather madWhen he offered Christ his lunch.
I bet others though him daft.I wonder what they said.I suspect they grinned and laughedWhen he gave his fish and bread.
“Fives loaves . . . Two fish . . . Five thousand folk?Now that is really dumb!Will someone tell that crazy blokeWe’ll only get a crumb?”
He may have yearned, as I,To pull off some great big deal,Move the earth or change the skyOr produce a catered meal.
In that desert dry and hilly,The simple country lad,Feeling sorta silly,Offered Jesus what he had.
But what he had was plenty.Jesus took his fish and bread;With it not ten or twenty,But five thousand folk were fed.
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From this I’ve come to understandWhat cannot be denied:A little gift in Jesus’ handIs vastly multiplied.
Oh, I’ll Lead no great invasionOf that I have a hunch;But there may be an occasionWhen I can share my lunch.
‘Tis time for me to cease to rantAbout the race I never ran,And all I want to do but can’t,And do the things I can.
‘Twould be nice to be a saintAll fleshly bondage fleeing;Yet, I have no real complaint,‘Cause God loves this human being.
The Institute for Human Services (IHS)IHS’ approach to homelessness balances compassion with fostering
kuleana, and competence with evidence-based practices in order to spurthoughtful reflection and assertive action. Our team of 125 employeesserve the entire homeless community from veterans to seniors, the
chronically homeless to transgender persons. We serve Hawaii’s mostvulnerable individuals with respect, taking the time to listen to their
stories and offer tailored solutions.
Beyond food and shelter, we offer a wide variety of supportive servicesthat allow individuals to reconnect, heal and succeed.
For more information, visit the IHS website at https://ihshawaii.org
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FACE Listening Campaign Is Underway!
As a member of Faith Action for Community Equity (FACE), a communityorganizing body, CCU is undergoing a listening process to identify whichcommunity concerns should be the target of FACE campaigns in the upcomingyear. You may be getting a call from Elayne Cho, Jimzy Lui, or MarianHeidel sometime during the rest of May through the first week of July;please respond and let your voice be heard. Don't be afraid to give one ofthem a call to suggest a date and time that is good for you. AND we could useone more people to join this team in making these half-hour visits. Here is agood opportunity to get to know individuals in our congregation. Let MarianHeidel know or speak with Elayne or Jimzy.
The Belanger POD had a Cuba night withCuban foods and a slide show presented byRollo and Charlene discussing their recent tripto Cuba. The topic was "Cuba Before theTour Buss Invasion" referring to the relaxedrules on opening up Cuba to Americanvisitors. Fun evening including great food,good company, good conversation andawesome photos.
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Date Name Duty
5-Jun Liz Leavitt Minister
Rollo Scheurenbrand &
Charlene HosenfeldUsher / Greeter
Allie Pyan Liturgist
Kathy Summers Keiki Sermon
Susie Jannuzzi T Prayer / Serve Comm. / Bldg Lockup
12-Jun Liz Leavitt Minister
Clancy & Cathy Lyman Usher / Greeter
Richard Smith Liturgist
Liz Leavitt Keiki Sermon
Dianne Brookins T Prayer / Serve Comm. / Bldg Lockup
19-Jun Connie Mitchell Minister
Paul Haring &
Richard SmithUsher / Greeter
Courtney Nichols Liturgist
Beth Davidann Keiki Sermon
Susie Jannuzzi T Prayer / Serve Comm. / Bldg Lockup
