Malamalamastorage.cloversites.com/emmanuelepiscopalchurch1...Financial reports for the year ended December 2014 were presented. Treasurer, Lee arson reported that our operating expenditures

February/March 2015

Newsletter of Emmanuel

Episcopal Church

Message from Matthew 1

Adult Education 1

Annual Meeting 2

Outreach Ministry 3

Lent 5

Appreciative Inquiry 6

Renovation Plans 7

Godly Play 8

Speaker Series 9

Photos 10

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Malamalama

O Emanuela

Church Leadership

Rev. Matthew Lukens

Carolyn Remedios Bishop’s Warden

Mike Emerson Junior Warden

Lee Carson Treasurer

Jane Tonokawa Clerk

Sara Banks

Peter Carson

Beth Cronk

Gerry Madison

Leilani Madison

Message from Rev. Matthew

This is a story about how I almost failed a class on doing nothing.

Growing up (by which I mean around the age of 10), school began to be a point of pride for me. While others were good at sports or something like that, getting good feedback from teachers was my playing field. I say this so that you know that the prospect of almost failing a class, a situation I found myself in at age 24, was not a situation I was raised to take lightly.

The class was called Meditation: East and West and was an exploration of Christian contemplative practices and Eastern forms of meditation – their similarities, their differences, and what we might be able to learn from each. The main requirement for the class was just to show up, learn the form of meditation we were going to practice that week, practice it at least twice over the course of the week, and journal about the experience. The core requirement was literally to do nothing for a time and then write about it.

The point of our practice, our professor taught, was not for any supernatural spiritual benefits or deep wisdom that would immediately arise but rather to learn focus and to spend time with God and get to know ourselves by doing so.

(Continued on page 3)

Lenten Adult Education February 19–March 26

Thursdays at 6:30

Rev Matthew will be holding an adult education series on our prayer and our spiritual lives and how we practice those individually and collectively. No reading required, just show up and bring what you already know from living a life of faith.

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55th Annual Meeting of Emmanuel Church!

By Carolyn Remedios

The Annual Meeting of Emmanuel Church was held on Sunday, January 25th. Those in attendance enjoyed yet another fabulous Emmanuel potluck buffet. Thanks to all who helped to fill the table.

Leis were presented to the following persons to thank them for their service to Emmanuel: Julie Banks, Ralph Conway, Rebecca Noell (in absentia), and Jane Tonokawa as retiring members of the Bishop’s Committee; Carolyn Remedios and Mike Emerson as Bishop’s Warden and Junior Warden respectively; Lee Carson as Treasurer, and Jane Tonokawa as Assistant Treasurer. Our deacons Pat Reynolds and Eleanore Akina

were also recognized.

The Rev. Matthew Lukens was welcomed as our Priest and expressed his thankfulness and enthusiasm for the shared ministry that we will experience together.

With grateful hearts, we welcome Sara Banks, Leilani Madison, and Jane Tonokawa to the Bishop’s Committee. Thanks also to Ralph Conway, Carolyn Remedios and Jane Tonokawa who will serve as our delegates to the Annual Meeting of the Diocese, and to Mike Emerson and Gerry Madison who were elected as alternates.

Financial reports for the year ended December 2014 were presented. Treasurer, Lee Carson reported that our operating expenditures exceeded our operating income by $2,928 last year, but we did better than our budget. Savings from previous years covered our small loss. We have much for which to be thankful.

The 2015 budget was presented. It reflects a net operating loss of <$13,000>. Unfortunately, our contribution income for 2015 will be $2,000 less than we experienced in 2014, but our operating expenses are projected to be roughly $15,000 more than last year. We will prayerfully work to improve our financial well-being by being excellent stewards of the gifts with which

(Continued on page 9)

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WE GAVE:

Our gifts of time and treasure to support Family Promise of Hawaii families hosted by St. Christopher’s and St. John’s by the Sea in late January. Thank you to Beth Cronk, our Family Promise coordinator, and all who donated supplies and manpower.

Our gift of treasure on Theological Education Sunday to support Episcopal Seminaries. Our collection totaled $149. Thank you to all who contributed.

WE HAVE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES:

On February 22, contributions may be made to support the life saving work of Episcopal Relief & Development.

On March 15, your generous loose plate offering will be contributed to the Vicar’s Alms Fund.

On March 22, a collection will be taken up for the Bishop’s Fund. Our Diocesan Bishop, Bob Fitzpatrick, will be with us at both services.

Family Promise sign up to support St. Christopher’s will take place on Sunday, March 29.

Vicar’s Alms Fund

The Vicar’s Alms Fund here at Emmanuel is used by our priest to reach out to those in need who come to the church asking for assistance. In the recent past, we have provided some-one with a bus pass to look for

work and assisted another with overdue electric bills.

The Bishop’s Committee has set aside one Sunday each quarter for donations to the alms fund.

March 15, 2015 has been designated as Vicar’s Alms Fund Sunday.

Ministry

Lenten devotionals and prayer booklets are

available in the narthex.

Please take, enjoy and return after Lent.

All I really learned at first was that if I slowed down all my worries – my anxieties, my fears that I wasn’t doing enough – caught right up to me. I avoided doing the meditations outside of class and, not wanting to lie, did not fabricate required journal entries that made up most of the grade.

To be fair, I’m not alone in my problem with the class. Most of American culture does not value slowing down and simply being. There’s always something more – another email, another text, another thing on the agenda, something else to get done before that next meeting, another assignment, another diet to consider, another book to read on spirituality or well-being in life.

If last month’s article was about how we connect to one another, perhaps this article is how, then, are we connect to God.

In many ways the idea of “connecting to God” is misleading. By simply living and breathing we’re connected to God. God is, by definition, how we have our life and breath. One aspect of the Good News we have to share is that God’s love is not mediated by anything – any specific kind of prayer or meditation or proper thing one is to do – but rather God has told us in Christ that God’s love is constantly, freely available to all.

The matter becomes one of being attentive to this Good News, and moving away from the lessons of a world that has taught us love must be earned.

On Thursdays this Lent at 6:30pm, we’ll be exploring our spiritual lives together across a variety of themes and practices, both individual and collective, in our adult education class. But the point of any of this is only ever to remind ourselves of the Good News that Christ has come to live among us and redeem us. Whether you will be joining us on Thursdays, taking on a practice of your own during Lent, or just showing up on Easter Sunday, take a moment over the next few weeks to ask yourself, “How can I keep my heart in the knowledge and love of God and God’s love for me?” Find what works. Go from there and go in peace.

Faithfully yours,

Matthew

Message from Rev. Matthew (Continued from page 1)

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Bishop’s Visit

March 22nd

Please help us welcome Bishop Fitzpatrick on March 22, 2015.

The Bishop will celebrate and preach at both services. There will be a coffee hour in the garden after each of the services. Bring something to add to the coffee hour fare and stay to greet and meet the Bishop. This is an opportunity for us to get to know each other. We can share our stories with him. The Bishop will hear any questions or concerns that we may have.

We are in search of a coordinator for an Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday, April 5th. We have all the plastic eggs to be hid outside the

church and some goodies. If you are willing to take the lead on this youth activity,

please contact Carolyn or call Lisa in the office.

Please sign up to let us know that you are coming!

Call 262-4548 today!

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My all time favorite metaphor for a human life is that of it being a “parenthesis in eternity.” From the moment of God’s creation until the end of time this human life occupies but a brief moment, a parenthesis delineated by the span of life we have been given to live, and defined by how we choose to live it.

Those of us reading this newsletter have chosen to live it as Christians. Being a Christian gently calls us to live this life in community, to share this life with others who have also chosen Christ as the way. At Emmanuel, as Episcopalians, we are fortunate to have a unique way to mark our time within this parenthesis in eternity: the liturgical year. As a marker of the upwardly spiraling adventure of the spiritual life, the liturgical year overlaps and mitigates the relentless progression of calendar years. Consider January 1st as twelve o’clock on the circle of the calendar year, then overlay another annual circle but offset its starting point counter-clockwise to around eleven o’clock (the exact date varies slightly from year to year). The start of the liturgical year is the first Sunday of Advent, which is always the fourth Sunday before Christmas. Starting from that point we proceed clockwise through the major season of Advent, then Christmastide, Ordinary Time, the major season of Lent, Eastertide, and finally another period of Ordinary Time. We are now approaching Lent which begins on Ash Wednesday (this year February 18) and lasts 46 days until Holy Saturday (this year April 4 ).

Lent is the parenthesis in the liturgical cycle that points us to Easter. Though Easter is often linked seasonally with it, it is different in meaning and purpose from the Jewish Passover. For the Jew, Passover is a sign of salvation, of “God with us” at a particular historical moment in the past. For we Christians, Easter is a sign of “God with us” not only in the past, but with us now also and at a time to come, as well. It is this difference between Easter and Passover, this crossover point between one spiritual worldview and another, for which Lent is meant to prepare us. This single concept is the life-breath of our faith, of life in Christ, of the Christian witness now and forever.

To quote Joan Chittister from The Liturgical Year a volume in the Ancient Practices Series edited by Phyllis Tickle:

Lent is a call to renew a commitment grown dull, perhaps, by a life more marked by routine than by reflection. After a lifetime of mundane regularity or unconsidered adherence to the trappings of faith, Lent requires me, as a Christian, to stop for a while, to reflect again on what is going on in me. I am challenged again to decide whether I, myself, do truly believe that Jesus is the Christ—and if I believe, whether I will live accordingly when I can no longer hear the song of angels in my life and the star of Bethlehem has grown dim for me.

Lent is not a ritual. It is time to think seriously about who Jesus is for us, to renew our faith from the inside out. It is the moment when we return to the baptismal fort of the heart to say yes once more to the call of Jesus to the disciples, “Come and see.” It is the act of beginning our spiritual life all over again, refreshed and reoriented.

The question is, how should this be done?

Let’s reflect on the how in our own hearts. Let’s start on the when together this first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2015.

Lent: A Parenthesis in a Parenthesis

By Gerry Madison

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Appreciative Inquiry

By Sara Ka‘imipono Banks and Beth Cronk

At our Emmanuel Episcopal Annual meeting in January, we continued our Appreciative Inquiry (AI) journey and added the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD ) process to share stories of our individual “gifts” and our connections to communities “outside” our church. Within an hour we gathered quite an extensive list of collective gifts and community connections of our parishioners (businesses, schools, organizations, groups, etc.).

We also looked over the goals that were generated from our 4 overarching themes of Inviting, Welcoming, Worshipping, and Caring. The goals were discussed in smaller groups and new goals were added. Once we had an agreement of goals for each theme, we gave each person 4 green dots to place on a goal they felt should be a priority. Then we turned them loose to do a “gallery walk” of these goals and vote with their dots. Some people voted on four different goals and some decided to place all 4 of their dots on one goal!

Beth Cronk and Sara Ka‘imipono Banks facilitated the session and gathered the lists of gifts, community connections and what our parishioners felt are goals our church should focus on for 2015.

GIFTS: Here is the incredible collection of “gifts” of our parishioners.

Generous, good with languages, humble, handy, humor, compassionate, yoga, talk, teach, copy artist, AI certified, collaborator, service leadership skills, curricula developer, grant writer, researcher, underwater photography, photography, digital media, natural curiosity, train & teach, facilitator, understood by others, social coordinator (groups), good musician (singing & organ), shares talent as needed, holistic approach to personal relations, health care background, creative in decoration, writing, story-telling, nutritionist, reader, artist (cartoons & sketches), leader, gardener, family matriarch, visiting home bound, manage nuclear medicine, diagnostic, treatment, sharing meals, time to share, visiting parishioners, good listener, familiar with

Episcopal church, willing to serve, AV (audio visual) skills, video production, writing scripts and voice over, cooking, child care, listener, Eucharistic minister, interfaith, timing, writing, building/construction, leadership, organizational skills, teacher/mentor, art, knitting, decorating, helping, computer skills, special education, flower arrangements, sewing, baking, gardening, cleaning, party planning, relating easily to people and keeping in touch, loves numbers, enjoys being intercessor.

WOW! What a gathering of “gifts of the head, heart and hands”!

CONNECTIONS: Here are the connections and relationships with “communities” our

parishioners have outside of our Church community:

AAUW, book group, Great Decision Group (world problems), lunch groups, high

school classmates, Olomana Community Organization, YMCA – water exercise,

Society of Nuclear Medicine, neighborhood community, family ohana, college kids care

package, halau community events, HOT (Hawaii Opera Theatre), Maltise Knights,

caregiver, Hardware Hawaii, Habilitat, Meet Ups over 40, YMCA, Queens Medical Center, dive

group, Eyes of the Reef, Boy Scouts, Hawaii Pacific Theatre, ALU LIKE, Inc., NHEC (Native Hawaiian

Education Council), Olomana School, HYCF (incarcerated youth), Kailua High, Blanche Pope

Elementary, He‘eia Elementary, Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaii Peoples Fund, Life Foundation (AIDS service org), Honolulu Modern Hotel, National League of American Pen Women, GSA Hawaii (Gay Straight Alliance for Intermediate & High Schools in Hawaii), UH Manoa Center on Disability Studies, sororities, construction, prisoners, EfM, news groups, Tripler Hospital, Caledonian Society, Ancestors.com, Hawaii State Hospital, Castle Hospital, Straub, public schools, military spouses, hula halau, retired bankers, hanabatta and friends, other churches, Hale Kipa, Waikiki Health, Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery, Equality Hawaii, Planned Parenthood Hawaii, IMUA Alliance.

CAN YOU JUST IMAGINE what we can accomplish with the connections we collectively have with businesses,

(Continued on page 7)

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organizations, and groups outside of our church community?!

GOALS: The goals that collected the most green dots were:

INVITING:

-Emmanuel plans children’s activities such as game night, movie night, Godly Play on the lawn. 11

-Parents Night out -EEC offers an evening where we watch and entertain children so their parents can have a date night out. 10

-Emmanuel uses social media to attract people to our website (or directly to our church) where they find out about services & activities 8

WORSHIPPING:

-Interfaith Service(s) (Taize, Evening Song, etc) 9

-Youth and Adult Activities 4

WELCOMING:

-Refresh our welcoming procedures 9

-Newcomer events 9

-Utilize children as greeters 3

CARING:

-Utilize a prayer tree and a phone check-in with people in our Church 11

-Find out the needs of our community are 9

-Discover what the unique assets of Emmanuel parishioners 4

Beth and Sara shared these AI/ABCD results at the Bishop Committee’s retreat on Feb. 7th and we already have people working on the high priority goals that you selected.

Soon, someone from the Bishop’s Committee may be calling you to see if you want to help with these priority goals. If you don’t receive an invitation and you “care enough to act” please contact Lisa or any Bishop Committee member and we will make sure you are included!

AI/ABCD (Continued from page 6)

Building Renovation Plans

By Mike Emerson

As most of you know the Bishop’s Committee appointed a group of parishioners to study the feasibility of building a bathroom for the church. After approval from the Bishop, funds were allocated to hire an architect to develop some proposals based on our perceived requirements for a toilet facility (e.g. handicap access, COST, location) and any other requirements to improve the functionality of our physical plant (storage, meeting space, kitchen facility, etc.). Ideally, construction would have minimal impact on the services of the church if at all possible.

After a few meetings and discussions with Mike Cote, the architect, we decided the area adjacent to the conference/meting/potluck serving area would be the best for new construction. It provides a straight shot to the sewer without tearing into the garden or the front entrance of the church; it is easy to extend and make the new construction look as if it belonged there from the beginning both from inside and outside; it allows ready access to the toilet(s); it allows space for a good size kitchen and additional storage for tables, chairs and items currently stored above the preschool; it allows space for two meetings rooms and pocket doors to separate the meeting areas from the main church as desired. Pocket doors on the Hanchett Chapel side are also under consideration.

Plans have been submitted to the city/county for a building permit and bids have been solicited from several local contractors. A set of drawings will be posted for your perusal (and comment/suggestions) in the near future. While these changes will require a capital outlay, a significant part has already been set aside in past budgets for construction. Of course we will ask for help from the community, the congregation and other friends of Emmanuel but we hope we can push ahead to provide a better facility for the congregation and Kailua.

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The Wonders of Godly Play

By Jane Tonokawa

The Godly Play storytellers, door persons, and children are really enjoying the Winter lessons. We started with four Advent stories. We are currently telling Parables and loving each Sunday! The wondering portion where questions are asked of the children is rich with thought and meaning. For example: “I wonder what can be so precious like the great pearl that someone would give up everything they own?” or “I wonder if the seller was happy with all his things that he received in exchange for the great pearl?”

Godly Play is not about things that are that simple. It is not just about learning lessons or keeping children entertained. It is about locating each lesson in the whole system of Christian language and involving the creative process to discover the depths of meaning in them. It’s about understanding how each of the stories of God’s people connects with the child’s own experience and relationship with God.

Starting with the first Sunday in Lent, February 22, we introduce the Spring lessons with six Sundays of the Faces of Easter, followed by the wonderful Mystery of Easter. After Easter Sunday, on April 12, Jenny Wallace, a Godly Play trainer, will be our guest storyteller. We are excited that she will kick off a new series of stories entitled “Knowing Jesus in a New Way,” which will be told over the course of six consecutive Sundays.

We are seeking funding for the materials for this new series. The cost is $200. We have a generous donor who will match funds received for this purpose. Therefore, we are asking for two donors to offer $50 each. These designated gifts, along with the matched funding, will cover the cost of the new materials. If you would like to donate, please talk to Jane Tonokawa and/or place a check in the offering plate with “Godly Play” on the memo line. Thank you in advance for considering a donation to this important Emmanuel ministry.

Stay tuned!! Plans are

being made to offer

parents with young

children a ‘Date Night.’

Emmanuel will host an

evening of activities for

children to afford their

parents an opportunity to

enjoy qual i ty t ime

together without their

children. Please call Lisa

in the church office if you

are interested in helping

as a child care person.

March 15th

Floyd Family Farewell

&

Thomas’ Baby Shower

Please save the date

and stay tuned for

details!

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we are blessed.

We also continued work on our AI/ABCD process to clarify and expand our personal and corporate ministries at Emmanuel

Thanks to Jane and Mike for presenting the plans for our renovation project and to Jane for introducing the congregation to our potential capital campaign which is needed to pay for the renovations.

We are all looking forward to an exciting year in 2015. Thank you all!

Annual Meeting (Continued from page 2)

Speakers Series 2015

By Lee Carson

Happy New Year! We are off to a great start with first event

on March 20th. Justin Miho from Estate Planning, Group will

come to talk with us about the ins and outs of Estate

Planning. Justin will not be “selling” any of his products or

services, just explaining what happens and when and why.

He loves to share this information with others. Come and

hear him break down some complex issues. It’s never too

early to start a retirement plan.

In April we have Connie Mitchell, the head of IHS who will

share with us what IHS is doing to help end the

homelessness issues in Honolulu. As most of you will know,

IHS is an agency close to the hearts of Episcopalians in

Hawaii because of Father Claude Du Teil from St.

Christopher’s started IHS many years ago. Connie has been

doing a wonderful job of leading IHS for the past several

years.

In May, we hope to have the Board of Water Supply come

and talk about Oahu’s water resources. How is our water

supply doing? Is Climate Change affecting our water supply.

We will be able to ask questions about anything you want

to know about our water.

In Sept and Oct we will have a 2 part series on Climate

Change from the Climate Change Hui in Hawaii. In

September a panel of scientists will tell us what the signs of

Climate change are and what this means for the earth and

for us. In October the panel will be of those people who

can tell us what we as individuals can do and what perhaps

groups of people, such as ourselves, can do.

2015 promises to be an exciting year for Emmanuel and the

Kailua community. Thank you for all you do to make these

events such fun and exciting evenings. Bring/tell a friend,

family, etc. See you at the Speakers Series!

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The church was filled with music, lights, hula and carols on Christmas Eve. Many thanks to our lay ministers, the children for helping to set up the crèche, Clarice for playing guitar, Dr. Elizabeth Christenson for playing harp, and Devynne, Denysse and Dyllon Sue for sharing their hula. The Rev. Carol Arney’s last services at Emmanuel Church were on Christmas Eve.

Thank you for your generous gifts for our adopted Christmas Families! The gifts were blessed during the service on 12/16 and delivered on 12/20. This year we blessed three families from Women in Need. Many thanks to Kurt and Nalani Kaun for organizing this outreach opportunity and to our delivery elves ‘Aukai, ‘Aulani, Carolyn, Chloe, Kurt, Max and Nalani.

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On Sunday, January 4th Emmanuel welcomed the Rev. Matthew Lukens as Priest with Oversight of Worship and Pastoral Care of Emmanuel. On that same day, we celebrated Epiphany Sunday with the procession of the Kings at the 10:00 am service. Thank you to Sara Ka‘imipono Banks for organizing the procession and to our kings: Paul, Henry and Gerry. In the afternoon, the church ‘ohana gathered at the Emerson family home for a potluck celebration. Many thanks to Mike Emerson and Elena Valdivia for opening up their home, and to all who helped make this day a day to remember!

I found

the bean!

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Emmanuel Episcopal Church 780 Keolu Drive Kailua, Hawaii 96734 (808) 262-4548 www.emmanuelkailua.com [email protected]

Sunday Worship 7:30 & 10:00 a.m.

VISION We seek to be a joyful, caring community of all ages, grow-

ing closer to God and each other, and serving our neighbors

in Christ’s name.

CORE VALUES

We are faith-centered in the Episcopal tradition.

We welcome people wherever they are on their journey of faith.

We are a loving community, caring for one another and others

through service and outreach.

We support Christian fellowship: food, fun and friendship.

Forgiving Thought The only thing that’s harder than forgiveness is

the alternative. —Philip Yancey

February Birthdays & Anniversaries

1 Keith Merriam 1 Elizabeth Christenson 3 Kim Leong 6 Charlotte Dozier 7 Jamie Remedios 9 Landyn Leong 11 Mark Merriam 13 Benjamin Janczyk 22 Mary Chun 22 The Rev. Dr. & Mrs. Gerald Gifford II (anniversary) 23 Zach Murphy 24 Lydell Leong 25 Jimmy Remedios 26 Edward Christenson

March Birthdays & Anniversaries

9 Thomas Carson 12 Alice Boyd 15 Samuel Floyd 16 Steven Janczyk 21 Eden & Ella Carson 25 Peter Carson 25 Esther Davids 26 Susan and William Thornett (anniversary) 27 Emilie Nachtigall 29 Vivien Floyd 31 Devynne Sue 31 Shad Thomas

Please share your family’s special dates

with the office!

2/14 Saturday Stewards 8a-10a 2/16 President’s Day Holiday 2/17 Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper 6:30p 2/18 Ash Wednesday Worship 12p Imposition of Ashes & 6:30p Imposition of Ashes & Holy Eucharist 2/19 6:30p Adult Education 2/22 First Sunday in Lent, ERD Sunday 2/26 6:30p Adult Education 3/5 6:30p Adult Education 3/12 6:30p Adult Education 3/14 Saturday Stewards, 8a-10a 3/15 Alm’s Fund Offering 3/16 Bishop’s Committee Meeting 6:30p 3/19 6:30p Adult Education 3/22 Bishop Visits Emmanuel 7:30a & 10:00a With coffee hour after each service 3/26 Prince Kuhio Day Holiday 3/26 6:30p Adult Education 3/28 Palm Cross Making 9am 3/29 Palm Sunday, Family Promise Sign Up Day 4/2 Maundy Thursday Agape Meal 6:30pm 4/3 Good Friday Worship 12 noon & 6:30 pm 4/5 Easter Sunday Single Service at 9am followed by potluck and egg hunt

Celebrate! Calendar

Thank you for your 2015 pledge cards! It is not too late

to turn in a pledge card or to sign up for automatic

deduction of your current pledge.

Call the office for more information.