E Komo Mai (welcome) to Koloa Union Church!
We are followers of Jesus with a distinctly Hawaiian identity. Some of us are descendants of the native people of these islands and we celebrate with the language and customs of our ancestors. As an inclusive community of faith, reflecting the diversity of the people of Hawai‘i, we respect all cultures and backgrounds.
Our mission is to embrace, enhance and nurture God’s diverse and unique faith community, all to the glory of God.
Whoever you are and wherever you have been on life’s journey, you are welcome here!
Church Location:
3289 Poipu Road, Koloa, HI
We are located in the heart of Koloa on Poipu Road between Old Koloa Town and Koloa School and Library. As you are driving along Poipu Road, you’ll see our church set back from the road between the large monkey pod trees. It is a lava rock church with a large white cross in the window. Parking is available in the front and south side of the church.
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 536, Koloa, HI 96756
Directions from Old Koloa Town:
From Koloa Road, turn onto Poipu Road by the Texaco Gas Station. As you drive on Poipu Road, look to your right in about a block and a half.
Directions from Kukuiula (The roundabout where Poipu Road runs into the Shops at Kukuiula):
Exit the roundabout onto Poipu Road towards Old Koloa Town. As you drive on Poipu Road, look to your left just past Koloa School and Library (& Snorkel Bob’s).
Phone: 808-742-6622
A Scent-Free Environment: We have members, friends, and a kahu who are highly allergic to various scents, often resulting in coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing and speaking, as well as other symptoms. Heavy perfumes and colognes are particularly troublesome. We are requesting that our church be, as much as possible, a “scent-free” environment during worship services, social activities and meetings. We realize that there is no way to keep all scents away, and we plan to continue having fresh flower arrangements each week and leis for special occasions, but we do ask everyone to be sensitive to the needs of those around them when it comes to perfumes, colognes and lotions.
Alan Akana Gallery
Koloa Union Church hosts a gallery featuring the works of Kahu (Pastor) Alan Akana. The gallery is just around the corner from the church at 3281 Waikomo Road in the historic Smith Memorial Parsonage, a beautiful building on the grounds formerly owned by Congregationalist missionaries. Proceeds from sales at the gallery support the maintenance, upgrades and repairs of the parsonage. Dr. Akana has been watercoloring the flowers of Hawaii since 1993 and features his work of nearly a quarter of a century. Gallery hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. See www.alanakanagallery.com to learn more about the gallery and Dr. Akana’s art.
A Message from Kahu Akana
Simple Solutions
On Sunday, I shared a story told by Bryan Stevenson when two police officers pointed guns at him and threatened to “blow off your head.” They threw him up against his car and searched it without a warrant for illegal drugs and weapons. His crime: sitting in his car listening to music for ten or fifteen minutes in front of his home after a long day of work…and being Black. He had just moved into the Atlanta neighborhood and, apparently, a White neighbor saw a Black man sitting in a car and called the police. As the police officers were leaving—after all the neighbors got a chance to watch him in police custody for about fifteen minutes—they said to Bryan, “Consider yourself lucky.” His response: “They were right: I was lucky. I survived.”
This story was told by Bryan in the foreword of the book America’s Original Sin by Jim Wallis. Bryan is a Harvard-trained attorney and endured the above-mentioned injustice after a long day of practicing law. In the book, Jim Wallis shares his discover that virtually all African-American parents have what they call “the talk” with their children as they are entering their adolescent years. “The talk” involves telling their kids how to survive an encounter with a police officer—how to live through it. He asked parents if they have this talk with their kids and discovered that 100% of the African-American parents whom he asked did indeed have “the talk” with their children…and 0% of White parents whom he asked have ever had the talk with their kids.
These statistics alone should tell us that there is a huge racial injustice in our nation. In Jim Wallis’ book, there are many other statistics that shed light on how large and extensive the issues really are. Wallis gives insights into how some police departments operate according to racial biases and some politicians create laws and policies that are clearly unfair to people of color. He also gives solutions—things that have proven to work. Some of these are very simple solutions that we can begin enacting right away if we only have the will to do so.
I invite you to join me over the summer on Wednesday evenings at the Smith Memorial Parsonage for a group discussion on America’s Original Sin, beginning July 17, as we discuss racism in our nation and what we might do to overcome it. Please sign up at the church for a book ($14) and to let me know what evenings you plan to attend. We will begin with dinner at 6 p.m. (I’ll cook the first night.)
Aloha nui!
Kahu
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Click HERE to see a video of the message from Sunday morning. You may see the Koloa Union Church YouTube channel to see many of his past messages and subscribe in order be notified when a new message is posted. Please share these videos with friends and invite them to church. Please feel free to “Like” any of the videos you see and share them on social media, such as Facebook, so that others will notice them.
“A Message from Kahu Alan Akana” is provided most weeks by the Kahu (Pastor) of Koloa Union Church, an Open & Affirming (ONA) congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a member of the Kauai Association and Hawaii Conference.
Weekly News of the Church
Summer Book Group
Our summer book group begins on July 17. The group will meet on Wednesday evenings at the Smith Memorial Parsonage (3281 Waikomo Road) at 6 o’clock for dinner (provided by Kahu on the first night) and then for a discussion which will begin between 6:45 & 7:00. If you are able, please read the Foreword, Preface, Introduction for the first gathering. While supplies last, books are available for $14 at church on Sundays and at the church office during office hours. Please sign up at church for which evenings you plan to attend.
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GET READY FOR PLANTATION DAYS!
“Year of the Paniolo”
KOLOA PLANTATION DAYS RECEPTION
Monday, July 22, 4-6 p.m. at the Smith Memorial Parsonage
Koloa Union Church will once again host the community as part of Kōloa Plantation Days at a reception called “Plantation-Style Living: An Afternoon of Art, Stories & Refreshment.” Dr. Douglas Duvauchelle will provide live music! Kahu will give a talk at 4:30 on the history of the Smith-Waterhouse Family, the parsonage and neighborhood. Every year he finds something new to share!
Click HERE to see promotion of this event on the official Kōloa Plantation Days website.
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KOLOA PLANTATION DAYS PARADE
Saturday, July 27, 10 a.m. (Meet at church at 8:30!)*
Koloa Union Church celebrates the Year of the Paniolo by becoming an official “Open & Affirming” congregation of the United Church of Christ: where every cowboy and every cowgirl is welcome—and every city dweller too!
We will have dancers this year! Kahu will ride in a red convertible, decorated with our “Open & Affirming” logos, waving at the crowds as we pass by. We will also have walkers who will participate right behind the car and wave rainbow flags and hand out wristbands with “Koloa Union Church” and “Open & Affirming” on them.
*Koloa and Poipu Roads along the parade route will be closed by 9 a.m. on the day of the parade, and we want to make sure everyone and everything is in place before the parade starts. Unless you are walking, you won’t be able to get to the church by 9 a.m.
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Capital Campaign News
We repaired and stained the cement walkway last week! We also have a new sanctuary floor and contemporary light fixtures on Moore Hall! During the upcoming weeks, you can expect to see new work done on Moore Hall (removal of accordion doors, new door knobs and door stops, etc.), new signage, and a new capital campaign plaque to honor all that we have accomplished over the last 4 years. Thank you to everyone who participated in the campaign Maika`i Hana Hou (Creating Goodness & Beauty Once Again!).
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“Weekly News of the Church” is provided by Koloa Union Church, an Open and Affirming (ONA) Congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a member of the Kauai Association and Hawaii Conference. Please contact the church office if you would like to have our weekly news sent directly to your inbox. Join us at 3289 Poipu Road in Koloa!