FOR WEB Issue 2 - Kahului Union Church

Kahului Union Church
THECOURIER
“Keeping Us Connected”
March, April, May 2012
Volume 37, Issue 2
EASTER BAPTISMS ! (l-r) Erin Manibog, Nicolas Kawaguchi, Harson Edwin, Dylan Manibog, Tad Okazaki,
Kamalani Eldredge, Carly Watanabe, Gio Inouye, Katelin Izumigawa, Barry Abe, Julia Kimoto, Brad
Kuraya, Camille Kimoto, Sarah Abe, with Pastor Ken missing from picture: Sam Okada and young
adults Kristin Yamasaki and Eric Shimada
from Pastor Dexter
Dear KUC Ohana,
June marks the end of our July 2011-June 2012
fiscal year. We need to take a good look at how we
did, but how do we evaluate ourselves? How do we
measure success at KUC?
Here are questions we can use to assess our
growth. They are based on our five purposes, the
5Ms.
become like Christ. 2Corinthians 3:18 tells us that as
the Holy Spirit works in our lives, we become more
and more like Christ. Spiritual maturity is about being
like Jesus.
In what way did you become more like Jesus this
past year? If you did not experience transformation,
what are you going to do about it?
Purpose #1: Magnification. You were planned for
God’s pleasure. We exist for his benefit, his glory, his
purposes, and his delight. We bring pleasure to God
by our devotion to him.
Over the past year, how did you do in this area?
Are you more devoted to Jesus or are you the same as
you were the year before? In what way did your
commitment increase? If it did not, why not?
Purpose #4: Ministry. You were SHAPEd for
serving God--not out of duty or obligation or to gain
God’s favor but out of gratitude that your sins have
been forgiven. In Romans 12:1 Paul urges us: because
of God’s great mercy, “offer your bodies as living
sacrifices.” One way we serve God is by serving other
believers in practical, unselfish ways.
Did you put in the effort to care for those in our
ohana? Whose needs did you meet? If you are a part
of a ministry, were you faithful? If you did not serve
others, what held you back?
Purpose #2: Membership. You were formed for
God’s family. Real fellowship is more than just
showing up for Sunday services; it is experiencing
life together which includes all the “one another(s)”
found in the Bible.
Did you put in the effort to connect with those in
God’s ohana at KUC? If not, what is your excuse?
Purpose #3: Maturity. You were created to
Purpose #5: Missions. You were made for a
mission. God is at work in the world, and he wants
you to join him in reaching unbelievers. As the cross
proves, God wants to reconcile the world to himself.
continued on page 3
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
From Your Moderator Jeanette Kinaka
In faithful and joyful service to our Lord and you!
In Matthew 19:26 Jesus looks at his disciples and says, “With man this is impossible,
but with GOD all things are possible.” Your Executive Council has had many challenging
opportunities that seemed nearly impossible, so this scripture has been expressed with
endearment many times during our deliberations. Jesus lovingly reminds us that all we
need to do is ask our Heavenly Father for help and direction, then wait on his Holy Spirit
for guidance. Waiting is purifying time, when we need to align our heart’s desires with
his desires for us. As his children, we need to be of good courage, to seek him with all our
hearts, minds, and strength. May we earnestly pray for his guidance as we continue to
faithfully serve him and each other in love, assured of his truth: “with GOD all things are
possible”!
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS !
Sunday, June 10 Town Meeting to review our FY2013 Budget and Nominations
Sunday, June 24 Election of Officers and Approval of our Proposed Budget
As we serve and are accountable to Jesus and you, please allow us to address your
concerns and comments. Also, your active participation in the life of our ohana is greatly
appreciated. May the peace of Christ reign in our hearts and lives.
To God be all glory, honor, praise, and thanksgiving! Amen.
Waiting is
purifying
time,
when we
need to
align our
heart’s
desires
with God’s
desires for
us.
From Your Treasurer Mel Ito
With the new fiscal year coming in just a couple of months, this may be a good time to remind everyone
that your contributions to KUC always go into the General Fund and not to specific purposes or
designations unless approved by the Executive Council or there is a call from the pulpit. This process
allows KUC to first meet its goals as funded by the approved budget.
Buildings & Grounds from Pastor Ken
Our hearts go out to Melvin Young’s family. With the sudden loss of Mel as custodian, we’ve hired
Squeaky Clean Cleaners to take care of the janitorial services on our campus. Many of you have had
favorable comments on the work they are doing. We thank a whole crew of volunteers that carried the load
for the three weeks before Squeaky Clean was hired. We also have a crew of volunteers who are assisting
with the yard. Many thanks to Walter Ohta, Derrick Higa, David Paresa, and Mike Ito for keeping our
grounds in top shape.
Pua’aiki Hall will be undergoing a much needed re-roofing during July. Please pardon the construction
dust and debris. The project will be done in time for our Annual Rummage Sale on August 4.
Also, the Executive Council is looking into upgrading our facilities for wheelchair and disabled
persons’ access around campus. A portion of the upgrades will include our restroom facilities.
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Have you ever wondered
about the altar flowers at our
Sunday services? You
gardeners probably try to name
each kind of flower in the
arrangements each Sunday.
Some of you HGTV fans
appreciate their decorative
value, the way they “bring the
outside in.” Undoubtedly, we
all enjoy their beauty. For the
past years our members have
been donating the altar flowers
to glorify God and, at the same
time, to honor their loved ones
who are now home with the
Lord or to celebrate events they
are thankful to God for:
anniversaries, birthdays, the
day they became a Christian,
baptisms, healing, and more.
How does a person go
about donating altar flowers?
First, you sign up for a
particular Sunday. There is a
large sign-up sheet in the
narthex. As you enter the
sanctuary, it is on the wall on
the right side.
Then, you place an order
with your florist and arrange
the delivery for your Sunday.
The sanctuary doors are open at
7:00am on Sundays. If you
don’t have a particular florist,
you can go to Kahului Florist
where most of our members go.
The average price of an altar
arrangement is $40.
There may be some of you
who have a talent for flower
arranging and would like to
provide an arrangement of your
own making!
What happens to the
floral arrangements after
Sunday services? After
serving to beautify the
sanctuary, the flower
arrangements continue their
work. On Tuesdays the
Deacons visit and pray for
members and friends who are
in the hospital, at Hale Makua,
or at Roselani. They take the
arrangements with them and
give them to someone they’re
visiting (or to one of those
locations). The arrangements
brighten that person’s day and
remind them that their KUC
ohana has not forgotten them.
Twice used, twice a blessing!
One last thing: a
reminder. When you sign up, it
is your responsibility--and joy-to contact a florist on your own
and arrange for its delivery on
your Sunday.
If you have questions,
please call the church office at
871.4422.
from page 1 Dear KUC Ohana
Did you determine to spend your life on the
eternal, what will count for eternity, rather than on
the temporal? Did you go beyond your private
world and community and join God’s cause--the
building of his kingdom? If not, what fears kept
you from doing so?
success. Before we move into the new fiscal year,
seriously assess your spiritual health by going
back and answering the questions. Then take the
initiative and get together with other members to
share and pray for each other. After consulting the
Lord, take small steps to grow in each of the 5Ms.
I’m praying for you. Let’s be in prayer for one
another.
The success of KUC is measured by your
MMMMM
MAGNIFICATION
Loving
God
MEMBERSHIP
Being a Part of
God’s Family
MATURITY
Becoming Like
Jesus
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MINISTRY
Serving Other
Believers
MISSIONS
Telling Others
About God
MAGNIFICATIONplanned for God’s pleasure
Twice a Blessing
formed for God’s familyMEMBERSHIP
Chris & Edith Bal:
Saved by God
presence of mind not to try to outrun two huge waves,
and enabled her to survive the crashing waves. “At
that time I said, ‘Thank you God, you saved me.’ I
couldn’t have outrun the waves.”
The Bals believe that God brought them together.
They met in 1962 in, of all places, a nightclub!At that
time they were both “of the world,” enjoying worldly
things: nightclubbing, smoking, drinking (& driving),
golfing on Sundays. Although they had both
experienced a previous unsuccessful marriage, they
were married the following year. “I always said that
God let it happen because He had a plan for us.”
They continued to go astray until Chris returned
in 1970 from deployment to Vietnam with the Army
National Guard, when they began to have serious
second thoughts about their wild lifestyle. Finally,
one day Edith told Chris: “I think God is telling us:
‘Stop now or something is going to happen to you.’
Let’s give this up.” By God’s grace, they were able to
quit nightclubbing, drinking, and smoking…
immediately, without longings or regrets! Golfing,
however, continued to be Edith’s passion until after
they had become members of KUC and were serving
on the Sunday afternoon prayer ministry. When that
conflicted with the KUC golf outings, “God
convicted me: ‘If you gonna serve me, you gotta
serve me all the way.’ So I said golf is not important
anymore, and I stopped cold. It didn’t hurt!”
The Bals continued to attend Kaahumanu Church
until circumstances came about that led Edith to no
longer be comfortable there. After asking God what to
do in prayer, she left the church in 1997. Edith
searched for another church home, finally settling on
KUC, and Chris followed her. They became members
in 1998, and have been serving the church in
increasing ways, and with increased devotion, ever
since. Both are Deacons and Visitation Team
members. Edith’s responsibilities also include being
in charge of the monthly Chapel Clean-Up and being
a member of the First Service Worship Team, in
addition to singing in the Chancel and Family choirs.
She observed: “Truthfully, we didn’t have a passion
for God until we came to this church. God saved us
for such a time and place as this.” He also saved them
to experience a second chance at marriage: 48 loving
years, blessed by God’s changing their worldly and
spiritual lives.
by Gaylord Kubota
Christian Bal grew up in Wailuku. His parents
were not Christians, but they sent him to Saint
Anthony School (but not the church) because it was
conveniently nearby. The nuns introduced him to
God, but it was not a personal God. Chris chose not to
become a Catholic and did not seriously attend a
church until he married Edith.
Chris experienced God’s intervention to save his
life while in the U.S. Army during World War II.
While on a rest break during a patrol looking for
enemy Japanese troops, fortuitous (divine?)
circumstances caused them to be warned about hand
grenades being thrown down from the hill above
them. That enabled Chris to dive away from where he
was sitting, just before the incoming grenades
exploded. “I believed that God was there. If He
wasn’t, I would be gone.”
Edith initially grew up near Kapalua. Unlike
Chris, her family had been Christians for three
generations before her. They attended the Hawaiian
Congregational Church across from Fleming’s Beach,
where she was baptized and, later, married. After six
or seven years, her family moved to Wailuku. She
regularly attended Kaahumanu Church thereafter,
until coming to KUC.
Edith experienced God’s intervention to save her
life while picking opihi on a Kahakuloa peninsula
where huge waves come in cycles of three. She
misjudged the wave cycle duration, and normally
would have been swept out to sea. However, God
provided a crevice to partially shelter her, gave her the
4
2012
DATES:
Monday, July 9 - Friday, July 13
TIMES: 8:00am - 12noon
(ends at 12:30pm on July 13)
FAMILY NIGHT
Friday, July 13
5:00pm
Making children
aware of the call of God
and warning them not to
harden their hearts.
FOR AGES: completed kindergarten to grade 5
REGISTRATION
- forms available in church office
- no fee
- bring registration forms in to church office or
to VBS on July 9, between 7:30am and 8:00am
God At Work in Our Youth by Pastor Ken
WINTER CAMP
MOBUC
EASTER BAPTISMS
Praise God for a successful
garage sale fundraiser in March
for this year’s Winter Camp.
Also, we are continuing with
recycling bottles and cans and
have raised a little over $2000
so far. KUC’s own Doyle Choi
has agreed to be the keynote
speaker for the camp. Doyle is
completing seminary in
Washington and is eager to
return and help us out with the
camp.
If you drove past the campus on
February 18, you might have
seen a sea of bright lime
t-shirts. We hosted the 2nd
Annual MOBUC (Maui One
Body Under Christ) Junior
High Event on our campus.
Over 50 youth and adults from
7 churches were in attendance
this year. Leaders from Hope
Chapel Kihei and Calvary
Chapel South Maui organized
the event with our help.
Praise God! He is moving in
the hearts of the young people.
15 youth were baptized on
Easter Sunday! (Their photo is
in the header on the front page.)
And 12 youth became members
of KUC! It has been said that
most people make a
commitment to Christ between
the ages of 4 and 14 (Nazarene
Church Growth Research).
Let’s keep our youth ministries
in our prayers!
5
MATURITYcreated to become like Christ
Vacation
Bible
School
shaped for serving GodMINISTRY
When you review the Treasurer’s Report in your copy of Kahului Union
Church’s Annual Report, do you take notice of the “offerings and
pledges” that are reported for the year? Or, as you prepare your
individual income tax return each year, do you wonder how your KUC
contribution summary (which details your monetary contributions for the
prior year) was compiled?
Meet the Members
of the Finance Team
by Bernie Saiki
(l-r): Alice Ohta, Amy Nako, Sally Murayama, Bill Higa, Janet Higa, Mustard
Murayama, Herb Toda
While Hideo Abe and
Herbert Toda are the CoFinancial Secretaries who lead
this team, they say their
responsibilities are made easier
by the reliable KUC members
on the team. Amy Nako, Alice
Ohta, Donna Petro, and Sharon
Yamada serve on a regular
basis; Bill and Janet Higa, Pearl
Higa, and Mustard and Sally
Murayama serve on a rotational
basis.
They meet each week,
beginning after the first service
ends. They’re responsible for
recording monies received in
the first and second services
clockwise from top left: Pearl Higa, Hideo Abe,
Sharon Yamada, Donna Petro
and in the Nichigo-bu service.
Tasks include counting the
tithes and offerings, recording
each member’s contributions
with computer software,
preparing the deposit, and
depositing it at the bank.
Donna and Sharon’s computer
skills are important to quickly
balance the numbers and to
report the information to our
membership on a timely basis.
They each have an
assignment and they all work
quickly and efficiently, but the
atmosphere is friendly and
light. They have fun together,
sharing stories and encouraging
6
one another during the short
break after they complete
recording the first service
receipts. Since it’s a year-round
ministry, they do cover for each
other when needed; and it all
seems to work out, week after
week. When asked about the
year-round commitment, Herb
responds, “I don’t find it to be a
hardship. I’m glad I can do
something to help.” That same
attitude is reflected in all of the
Finance Team members who
work quietly behind the scenes
to put together those numbers
for us, and we thank them for
their faithful service.
Summer Missions 2012 by Pastor Dexter
We’ve spent six Sunday afternoons together preparing for cross-cultural ministry. We looked at five
reasons for missions, assessed and compared our basic traits for team interaction, wrestled with Jesus’
teachings on how we spend our lives and on true greatness, shared our testimonies conversational style,
wrestled with cultural issues from an actual case-study, and planned. With your support in prayer, we’re
ready to go!
TEAM ARIZONA May 27-June11
Team Arizona will be
serving at Indian Bible College.
IBC is a non-denominational
Bible College set apart for the
training and discipling of
Native American Christians.
In order to offset the cost
for students and to provide
adequate teaching and dorm
facilities, IBC depends highly
upon churches to render
support by either contributing
financially or by sending work
teams to help with
property renovations
and development.
Team Arizona
will be involved with
several renovation
and landscape
improvement
projects. The team
will be leaving Maui
on May 27 for
Flagstaff and will be
led by Pastor Dexter.
back row (l-r): Lee Wilson, Pastor Dexter, Walter Ohta,
Pat Watanabe front row: Cheryl Nakasone, Gail
Teruya, Bernie Saiki
TEAM NEW MEXICO June 22-July 8
Led by Pastor Ken, Team
New Mexico will be serving at
Navajo Ministries and Sanostee
Baptist Church.
Navajo Ministries is located
in Farmington, New Mexico.
They serve people, primarily
Navajo, in the Four Corners
region of New Mexico,
Arizona, Utah, and Colorado to
provide hope and restoration
through programs that establish
self-sufficiency, resilience, and
Christian values. Since 1953,
they have helped meet the
physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of
Navajo families and children.
Sanostee Baptist Church is
located about 1.5 hours south of
Farmington, in the desert.
Pastor Rick Begay, a Native
American, has great
vision and heart for
his people and strives
to lead them to love
the Lord and their
neighbors.
Team New
Mexico will help
Navajo families build
a future with God
through leading
back row (l-r): Chad Kosaka, David Paresa, Joni
Ishikawa, Kamalei Batangan, Lyla Eldredge, Alice
Vacation Bible School
Watanabe, Val Matsunaga front row: Allen Shishido,
Pastor Ken, Pat Watanabe
at a Navajo church
selected by Navajo
very warm conditions to install
Ministries and at Sanostee
audio/visual equipment at
Baptist Church. This team will
Sanostee Baptist Church. The
experience the day-to-day life
equipment will help Pastor
of mission work both off-site at
Begay as he preaches and
VBS locations and on-site at
teaches and will enhance the
Navajo Ministries.
ministries to the children and
Pastor Ken and several of
youth.
the guys will be working in
continued on page 8
7
MISSIONSmade for a mission
The Great Commission is My Commission !
made for a missionMISSIONS
from page 7 Summer Missions 2012
THE OBJECTIVES
The primary objective of both summer mission trips is to give team members a close-up view of the
great need for trained and discipled Native American pastors to minister to their people. Native Americans
are the fastest growing demographic in the United States; however, fewer than 5% of Native Americans
(and less than 1% of Navajo) know Christ, and many are still involved in their native religion. Average
Navajo church attendance is 25 people.
Another objective is to give our team members a glimpse into Navajo culture and the barriers that must
be overcome so that the Navajo might hear and receive the gospel.
The last objective: raise “workers for God’s harvest.” We pray that team members will clearly hear
God’s call to physically return and/or partner with these ministries to reach Native Americans for Christ.
PRAYING FOR THE TEAMS
Please pray that our hearts will be enlarged, our vision of God expanded, our faith stretched, our
compassion deepened, and that we will know a joy that we never before experienced.
Nichigobu by Pastor Ken
に
ち
ご
ぶ
Amen and Amen. Let the name of the LORD
Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations,
be praised at all times.
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength,
We bid a fond goodbye to Yokichi and
ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.
Nancy Suzuki. They have been wonderful
Bring an offering and come before him;
examples of what it means to live our lives for
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
the Lord and for His purposes. They have
Tremble before him, all the earth!
helped in keeping the Japanese-language
The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. ministry moving forward. A Japanese-language
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
Bible study has begun in Kihei and will
let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!” continue to meet under the leadership of Mimi
Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
Lopresto. A new children’s ministry was also
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
started under the leadership of Chikako
Then the trees of the forest will sing,
Sorayama. We are grateful to these two women
they will sing for joy before the LORD,
for their love for God.
for he comes to judge the earth.
As of this writing, selection of the NichigoGive thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
bu Pastor is still being considered due to
his love endures forever.
citizenship or visa status issues. Please
continue to lift up search team members Reiko
1Chronicles 16:28-34 (esv)
Irimata, Mariko Hisata, Mimi Lopresto, Bob
Takitani (chair), Mabel Sakuma, and Gaylord
Kubota.
Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him, and he will act.
Psalm 37:5 (esv)
8
kahului union church
PRESCHOOL
What looks like “only play” at the preschool is what encourages the
children’s growth and development of skills. At Kahului Union
Church Preschool we seek to instill the following in the children as
they play, sing, color, listen to stories, and do table work:
! values based on the teachings of Jesus
! social and interpersonal skills: taking care of each other,
!
!
!
!
!
playing cooperatively
self-help skills: taking care of personal needs
develop language skills and listening comprehension
encourage creative thinking and expressions
self-regulation of behavior
sense of self-worth based on knowing God as Creator
REQUIREMENTS
- child must be at least 3 years old by December 31, 2012
- child must be toilet trained
TO APPLY
- obtain an application form by calling 871.6955 or by emailing
[email protected]
- applications are being accepted now
“We can’t tell you how much help your donations are to us. You make it possible for us to fill the
food bags to distribute to the needy and homeless.” Patrick Foyle, Director of Operations
In Partnership with the Salvation Army
The Salvation Army-Kahului serves lunches daily Monday through Friday and on Sundays after
worship service. They service approximately 100 people daily, a monumental task for them.
In 2011, KUC donated food, hygiene, and other non-food items valued at $1,586. KUC also assisted
284 children with school supplies. (Due to insufficient funds, some of the students did not receive
backpacks last year.)
“It is heartwarming to know that KUC is assisting our neighbors in a special way. We appreciate the
monthly donations that you provide. It is an extension of God’s love, and we thank you profusely for
making the food basket a viable ministry.”
9
MISSIONSmade for a mission
Looking for a Christian preschool for your child,
grandchild, or great grandchild? Consider
Kahului Union Church Preschool!
Non-Profit Organization
US Postage Paid
Permit No. 15
Kahului, Hawaii 96732
KAHULUI UNION CHURCH
101 W. Kamehameha Avenue
Kahului, HI 96732
Address Service Requested