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 Alan Akana
The Greatest Miracle
On Sunday, we took a look at the first miracle of Jesus, according to John’s Gospel, when Jesus turned water into wine. Since I am allergic to wine, for most of my life I just figured that this was another miracle that didn’t really apply to me. After spending 3 months in and around Bordeaux this past spring, perhaps France’s most popular “wine country,” the miracle is starting to make more sense to me…and there are definitely some lessons in this parable even for me.
First of all, it occurred to me that a welcome miracle to one person might be a very unwelcome miracle to another. To someone who would spend $225,000 on a prize-winning bottle of Chateau Margaux—or even a more moderate $7,000 Petrus—this might actually be their favorite of all of Jesus’ miracles. But for people like me who get physically ill just from the vapors of a glass of wine, it takes a little extra thought and effort to embrace this as a great miracle—or even a good one.
A second lesson is that Jesus was constantly surprising people. Changing water into wine in order that the best was served at the end was a radical change from standard behavior in that culture. This miracle sets the tone for the teachings and actions of Jesus that constantly challenged his followers to expect the unexpected and to change their behavior from what was standard, normal and expected, to behavior that is completely unexpected:
- Loving your enemies
- Welcoming strangers who show up in your community—even if they are from another culture and religion and speak a different language
- Taking care of the poor and the sick—even if they don’t have the means to pay you back for your kindness
- Touching the “untouchables” in society
- Turning the other cheek
- Breaking the law in order to help people
It’s as if Jesus did this first miracle to say to his disciples and his “would-be” disciples: “Your world is going to be very, very different if you choose to follow me. So expect the unexpected, and be ready for your world to be turned upside down.”
And then Jesus went around doing miracles of compassion that helped people—people who were not being helped by anyone else and and people who gave up all hope because no one ever helped them. Yes, indeed, those who would follow Jesus found that they were living in an entirely different world than the one they were living in before they met him…and that continues to be the case today.
Of course, the greatest miracle of all is God’s deep, deep love for people. Even when people ignore, disobey and outright rebel against God, it doesn’t stop God from loving them. In fact, when people betrayed and denied Jesus, when they beat and crucified him, he returned to love and forgive them—and offered them a life of love in abundance. Indeed, the best wine is saved for the end. No wonder John’s Gospel tells us that the disciples believed in Jesus. May the miracle of God’s kind and tender love find its way into the deepest part of our hearts and lives. May we fully embrace it, and may we freely share it with others.
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
MEMBERSHIP GATHERING
On Sunday, September 22, Kahu Akana and our Deacons will host a special gathering in Moore Hall right after Aloha Hour for anyone who would like to learn more about Koloa Union Church. Participants will learn about our congregation’s history, the polity and teachings of the United Church of Christ, what it means to be “Open and Affirming,” the privileges and responsibilities of church membership, and more. Please sign up on the church bulletin board or call the church office to reserve a space at our membership gathering.
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SUMMER BOOK GROUP
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MORE NEWS
KAUCC YOUTH TO GATHER IN KOLOA On Sunday afternoon, August 11, the youth of the Kauai Association of the United Church of Christ will gather for a potluck picnic, as well as games, prayer and planning activities for the 2019-2020 school year and even part of the summer of 2020! (The UCC National Youth Event is coming up next July!) The gathering on Sunday is for students in 6th through 12th grades, their families (parents, guardians, grandparents, siblings), pastors, and youth leaders. Please contact the church office for more details.
ALAN AKANA GALLERY NEWS The gallery, located at 3281 Waikomo Road in Koloa, is now open on Sunday afternoons from 2 to 5 p.m. and by appointment. Those wishing to visit on other days are invited to call or email the gallery to make an appointment. There will be an “End of Summer Sale” where items will be sold at greatly reduced prices on Sunday, August 18, 2 to 5 p.m. Kahu also plans to show the slideshow from his sabbatical again during the sale.
COCONUT WIRELESS Click HERE to see the latest issue of the Coconut Wireless (the weekly e-news from the Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Christ).
LECTIONARY READINGS (Old & New Testament Readings for the Week) Each week, Christians throughout the world read biblical passages from the Revised Common Lectionary, including the Old Testament, Psalms, New Testament, and Gospels. After three years, a good portion of the Bible is included and the cycle begins again. RCL passages are often read in church worship services, and Kahu Akana usually includes at least one of them on the following Sunday. This week’s readings are Isaiah 1:1-20; Psalm 50:1-23 or 33:12-22; Genesis 15:1-6; Hebrews 11:1-16; Luke 12:32-40.
ALL CHURCH BREAKFAST Join us on Tuesday, August 27, 7:30 a.m. at Holoholo Grill in the Koloa Landing complex. Enjoy a fun time with church members and friends, as well as a delicious breakfast!
CHURCH YOUTH RETREAT Church youth, friends and parents, along with Kahu and Tiffany, are headed up to Kokee at the end of the month for a retreat August 30-September 2. This year’s theme is “Wilderness.” For more details, contact the church office or Tiffany Marrotte at 651-1397.
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN CELEBRATION We will celebrate the completion of all our capital campaign projects on Sunday, September 15 and hear a message by our brand new Conference Minister, the Rev. Dr. David Kentner Popham!
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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!