MARCH 2016 KIHEI LUTHERAN CHURCH INTERIM PASTOR DAVID BARBER KLC Ohana News KLC Ohana News HOLY WEEK & EASTER SCHEDULE Maundy Thursday – March 24 th , 7:00 p.m. – KLC will join with Trinity Episcopal Church by the Sea for worship service as we recall how Jesus, the night before his crucifixion, gave us a new command to love one another, and instituted the Lord’s Supper. The worship service begins at 7:30 p.m., and will include Holy Communion and foot-washing. The service will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church by the Sea, 100 Ku- lanihakoi Street in Kihei. Good Friday – March 25 th , 7:00 p.m. – We gather in the KLC sanctuary with Trinity Church to re- member our Lord’s passion and death. Through scripture readings and the extinguishing of candles we relive the events of Christ’s arrest, trial, suffering, and crucifixion. The congregation’s choir and 4-Given will partici- pate, along with several soloists. Easter Sunday – March 27 th , 8:00 & 10:30 a.m. – As the words, “He is risen!” echo through our sanctuary, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ through our worship. Both services will include Holy Communion, Christian Hula, and our congregation’s choir. Keiki Resurrection Celebration – Immediately following our 8:00 a.m. service, a Keiki Resurrection Celebration will take place in the Multi-use Room. Please plan to join us and give your keiki an opportunity to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter Lu‘au – That same day, starting at 12:00 p.m., there will be a congregational lu‘au/potluck at church. The Fellowship Team will supply beverages and all paper products. You are asked to bring food to share. MIDWEEK LENTEN SERVICE SCHEDULE “Facing the Cross” Soup & Salad Dinner—6:30-7:30 p.m. Lenten Worship—7:30-8:30 p.m. · Wednesday, March 2—Kihei Lutheran Church · Wednesday, March 9—Trinity Episcopal Church · Wednesday, March 16—St. Theresa Catholic Church - Host congregation members provide soups, bread, and drinks. - Visiting congregation members provide salads. You are welcome to come for dinner and worship, or just worship if you unable to make the dinner.
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MARCH 2016 KIHEI LUTHERAN CHURCH INTERIM PASTOR DAVID BARBER
KLC Ohana NewsKLC Ohana News
HOLY WEEK & EASTER SCHEDULEMaundy Thursday – March 24th, 7:00 p.m. – KLC will join with Trinity Episcopal Church by the Sea
for worship service as we recall how Jesus, the night before his crucifixion, gave us a new command to love one another, and instituted the Lord’s Supper. The worship service begins at 7:30 p.m., and will include Holy Communion and foot-washing. The service will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church by the Sea, 100 Ku-lanihakoi Street in Kihei.
Good Friday – March 25th, 7:00 p.m. – We gather in the KLC sanctuary with Trinity Church to re-member our Lord’s passion and death. Through scripture readings and the extinguishing of candles we relive the events of Christ’s arrest, trial, suffering, and crucifixion. The congregation’s choir and 4-Given will partici-pate, along with several soloists.
Easter Sunday – March 27th, 8:00 & 10:30 a.m. – As the words, “He is risen!” echo through our sanctuary, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ through our worship. Both services will include Holy Communion, Christian Hula, and our congregation’s choir.
Keiki Resurrection Celebration – Immediately following our 8:00 a.m. service, a Keiki Resurrection Celebration will take place in the Multi-use Room. Please plan to join us and give your keiki an opportunity to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Easter Lu‘au – That same day, starting at 12:00 p.m., there will be a congregational lu‘au/potluck at church. The Fellowship Team will supply beverages and all paper products. You are asked to bring food to share.
- Host congregation members provide soups, bread, and drinks.- Visiting congregation members provide salads.
You are welcome to come for dinner and worship, or just worship if you unable to make the dinner.
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We Are Church for the Sake of the World
Last year about this time I attended a New Visions Training Workshop where I heard some interesting statistics in regard to the rapidly changing landscape that confronts us as a church. In 1776 only 13% of the people were churched. There were more people in the taverns on Saturday evening then in church on Sunday morning. In 1940, 40% of the population was churched; in 1950, the grand time for church growth, that number grew to 65%, but by 2025, the projection is that only
27% of the population will be churched. In the state of Texas at the present time, there are 300 churches for sale, and throughout the nation, 3500 churches will close this year.
Kihei Lutheran is not in danger of closing anytime soon. We are a dynamic congregation with many signs of health and vitality. And yet, I also hear from time-to-time some anxious cries of concern. Worship attendance is on a plateau; giving has decreased; and the great majority of our members as well as winter visitors are senior citizens.
So what do we do? Although we need to pay attention to data and what’s happening around us, we can’t be driven or be anxious about what might happen to us but rather be faithful and diligent in liv-ing our mission. It’s sometimes said that the church has a mission, but that’s not entirely true. God has a mission, and God has called us together as the body of Christ to do this mission. Apart from God’s mission, the church is meaningless. Because we have experienced God’s extravagant love in Jesus, we want others to know that God loves them as well. This is what motivates our witness, our service, and all that we do. We proclaim by both our words and our works of love that God loves the world and all of God’s children.
In a recent article entitled The post-anxiety church the author mentions that “every time we landed in the ditch, as the mainline church has done today, Christ pulls us out and invites us again to lose our lives to find them.” The author then describes a liturgy from the ancient church when people were converted to the faith. Those who were going to enter the church would take off their old clothes as a means of putting off the old, anxiety- ridden life and walk down into the water. The waiting priest would then place them under the water saying “Buried with him in baptism.” As they emerged from the water, the priest would then say, “Risen to new life in Christ.” At that time, they would also re-ceive new clothes as a symbol of putting on Christ. Now that they were dead but also live in Jesus Christ they were free to boldly proclaim the gospel. After all, “you can’t scare dead people.”
We will soon be entering Holy Week and we will gaze upon the dying Christ for the salvation of the world. As we gather to worship during this week, we, too, are reminded that we have been put to death. As the Apostle Paul reminds us, “If we have been buried with him by baptism into death…we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” Through baptism, because we belong to Jesus, our future and the church’s future is already in his hands. Therefore, "fretting about the viabil-ity of our congregation only distracts us from the one thing that has ever given us purpose - namely keeping us with Jesus.”
Following Holy Week we will rejoice in the resurrection and hear the Easter promise: Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! As we hear this earth-shattering and unbelievable news, may we be empowered to be witnesses and a servant-church that exists for the sake of the world. May we then face our fu-ture with boldness, confidence, and hope, and then leave the rest to God trusting that God continu-ally makes all things new.
Pastor David
ALOHA FROM PASTOR DAVIDDavidBarber
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ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING ELECTIONS
On Sunday, February 21st, KLC held its an-nual congregational meeting. At that meeting the 2016 Nominating Team was elected, con-sisting of Vicki Nelson, Renee Romerdahl, Rhonda Stoltzfus & Sanni Tharp. Their task will be to bring together a slate of 6 nominees for the church council elections, which a date has not been set .
In addition, Vicki Nelson and Mike Beyersdorf were elected to serve as KLC’s voting members to the 2016 Pacifica Synod As-sembly. The assembly will take place in Irvine, CA, May 5-7.
Mahalo nui to each of these individuals for
their willingness to give of their time and serve the congregation in this way.
CALL FOR NOMINEES Church council elections are coming up sometime in April. Between now and then, the Nominating Team is
seeking confirmed KLC members who would be willing to place their name into nomination for one of the 6 posi-
tions that will be open. The 2015-2016 term begins July 1st, and is a two-year
term. Please consider whether you would be willing to serve in this area of the ministry of KLC. The council con-sists of 12 members, 6 of which are elected each year. If you would like more information, please speak with members of the Nominating Team –
YOUTH DINNER & SILENT AUCTIONOur Pirate themed youth dinner and silent auction was a big hit. Thanks to all who supported this event by attending and serving. Thanks to all the people who helped in the kitchen especially Vicki Nelson. Special thanks to Bubba for Coordinating, Connie Pluchos and Natalie Sampaio for getting all the Silent Auction items together, and all those who came to help set up, Stoltzfus family, Nelson Family for the tables, Jeff Wright, Sue Moorcroft and many more that I know were there. With this
event over $5,000 was brought in to support the youth summer mission trip! What a huge success thanks to all of you!
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Youth Dinner Silent Auction Pictures Continued!!!
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LIBRARYThanks to Sue Embree, Janet Judson, Jack Weirzba, Mar-ilyn Hopkins, and others for helping out at the Ministry Fair on Feb 7. We had a great turnout and discovered many things from our impromptu questions. We learned that of the all of the participants, found it important that KLC of-fers Bible commentaries, Christian novels, guides for youth and families, church development and inspirational books in a convenient high traffic, visible area. One third of the participants didn’t know that we had such information in our library and another one third didn’t’ know where our library is located.
So for those who still don’t know where the library is located, it is in the Multi-purpose room. You may visit and check out books any time that the sanctuary is open. You may donate Christian books or other media by leaving them in the designated box that you will find to the left of the book selves. We will also gratefully accept monetary do-nations for purchasing new matching shelves.
You will find that all books have a color coded tape on the spine that will give you an idea of what the content is. There is a chart at each bookcase that will tell you what those colors mean. Sorry, no Dewey Decimal System here. The file box at the right end book shelf is where you will find pencils for filling out the check-out cards. You may leave the cards in the file box. Our volunteers will put them all back for you.
Jan Porter
ADULT BIBLE STUDYOur study of Romans brought us up to the 7th chapter. With the Lenten Season upon us we decided to suspend that topic until after Easter and take up the “Path to the Cross”. This is a week-ly DVD lesson presented by Ray Van Der Laan and led by Lynn Carlson.
I want to thank our talented “menehune” for creating the wonder-ful bulletin boards that is a reminder to join us at 9:15in the Multipurpose room for dis-cussion.
Jan Porter
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The Prayer Shawl Hui meets every Thursday from 9:00 to 11:00 in the Multipurpose Room to knit and crochet shawls. If you know anyone who could use a shawl for healing or for peace and comfort, or for a joyous occasion, please choose one from the cupboard in the sanctu-ary. Ladies who are part of the Hui are available every Sunday to help you pick out a shawl and to record it in their notebook. During the week, please stop at the office and ask Cate for assistance. Almost 2,500 shawls have been given locally, sent to the mainland, and even
sent to other countries in times of need. Please share this ministry with people in your lives. And please keep the group in your prayers.
God bless,The Prayer Shawl Hui
Important StatisticsJanuary 2015 2016
Average Sunday Worship Attend-
ance -
230 210
Offerings For The Month
(members & visitors)
$49,350.53 $32,750.00
Offerings – Year to Date
(members & visitors)
$49,350.53 $32,750.00
Stewardship Pledge Update“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and forev-
er. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21
Commitment Sunday was February 7 and all pledges received so far are greatly appreciated. KLC givers certainly know the meaning of “Fearless Generosity,” as has been proven year after year.
It’s not too late to drop off your pledge at KLC. Every pledge card –and amount – counts and is very important to KLC’s plans for 2016. To date, 58 cards have been received for a total pledge of $204,716. The
approved budget is $364,604, which leaves a difference of $159,888. That is a pretty substantial gap.
Your pledge will allow us to plan responsibly. Just as we have to adjust our projects and activities planned at home based on projected income, KLC has to watch its budget closely depending on what we believe we can spend. Remember that a pledge can be adjusted – up or down – during the year if your situation changes. Mahalo!
The Spiritual Gifts Committee
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Tuesday, February 16th, 20167:00 p.m.
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upcoming church events. A link is already on the church
