03 March 2016 - Waipahu United Church of Christ
Transcription
03 March 2016 - Waipahu United Church of Christ
WAIPAHU UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 1961-2016 THE OUTLOOK Lawrence H. Roller, Interim Minister MARCH 2016 WUCC Newsletter Moderator’s Story “Who Are You?” As members of the Happy Ohana, which comprise of members from Waipahu UCC and Kahikuonalani UCC in Pearl City, we entertain day care and nursing homes throughout the leeward side from Makaha to way up at Maunalani in Kaimuki. Several months ago I mentioned about entertaining the veterans in recovery at Tripler Army Hospital’s Adult Care Center. At many of these nursing homes we see those afflicted with Alzheimer’s. While there’s no proven cure for this disease to those afflicted, their memories are slowly being shot. There is hope in a cure, according to an article in TIME magazine, where clinical trials of a drug labeled LM11A31 may change the game for a cure. Not yet approved by the FDA, there are three other drugs that doctors have high hopes for. Not once did the article mention a treatment that didn’t involve prescription drugs, yet, a UCLA study showed that Alzheimer’s or dementia could reverse the symptoms of memory loss with a dietary program. There are a lot of exercises to stir a person’s memory in order to keep the brain cells working. It is said that for a person that’s afflicted, a good nap will often restore a bit of lucidity. I read about a son whose father was afflicted with Alzheimer’s and in a care home. While his father was sleeping, the son was singing softly to his father; songs that the father sang or enjoyed hearing. After singing many oldies and gospel songs, his father seem to be in a much more deep and peaceful sleep. The son then slowly recited the 23rd Psalm and continued to the Lord’s Prayer, that his father taught him as a child, and they always said it together as a family at night. As he was reciting the Lord’s Prayer, he noticed his father’s hands at his sides, stirred into---praying hands. When he recited the last words and softly said amen, his father opened his eyes and said “Oh, you’re here, how nice” A precious connection between father and child. bells? Mike Minakawa, Moderator Does this ring any Mike Minakawa In This Issue Moderator’s Story Board of Trustees Board of Christian Education Announcements and Photos throughout the pages Waipahu United Church of Christ 94-330 Mokuola Street Waipahu, HI 96797 Ph#: 808-677-3317 Email: [email protected] Website: www.waipahuucc.org 2 Board of Trustees Aloha Everyone! Well we held our very first Workday on Saturday February 20, 2016 for the new year. A total of 15 members showed up just eagerly waiting to jump on our list of things to do. Most of the visible work was done on the Community Center side of the property. The Hong Kong orchid trees were trimmed as well as the trimming of various shrubs. A large African Tulip tree (which seeded and grew quickly) was chopped down. It was about 30 feet tall and posed a potential danger to our fence line between the Wellness Center and our parking lot. Weeds and blown trash along the entire property's fence line were cleaned as well. Before you knew it, lunch was ready and we sat down to soup, salad, sandwiches and desert provided by Chef JoAnn and her crew! The Board of Trustees passed a motion that we will resume having Workdays every month versus every other month. It made sense that we will have an easier time "maintaining" the facility with this schedule. If you attended service in the last two weeks you were asked to vote on our annual fund raising events (Spring Chicken Sale and Fall Bazaar). For the Spring Chicken Sale, the majority (23 vs 18) voted in favor of Chicken Sales versus Zippy's Ticket sales. For the Fall Bazaar, the majority (26 vs 12) voted in favor of us running our own concessions and also renting concession space out. Since the Spring Chicken Sale is coming up quickly, we will be handing out another questionnaire asking which tasks you are willing to volunteer for. We need volunteers, many volunteers, in order to make both events successful. For years there has been just a few doing the all of the work and that makes it hard. Many, with each person doing a little, is far easier than a few doing everything. We hope you can volunteer for any kind of help that is needed. Well that's it for now. One Great Hour of Sharing Offering The One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) special mission offering of the United Church of Christ involves you in disaster, refugee/ immigration, and development ministries throughout the world. When a disaster strikes or people are displaced or made refugees by violence or extreme poverty, you are part of the immediate response and of the long-term recovery. Through OGHS you engage in holistic development programs including health care, education, agriculture, food sustainability, micro-financing and women’s empowerment. Because the UCC relates in mutual partnership to churches and organizations through Global Ministries and worldwide response & recovery networks, your contributions to One Great Hour of Sharing put you in the right place at the right time for the relief, accompaniment and recovery of the most vulnerable. You meet immediate needs and you address the underlying causes that create those needs in the first place. Thank you for your generous contribution. God Bless and take care-Mark H. Felmet-Chair Mase chopped unwanted tree on the property during workday Pastor Lawrence 3 Board of Christian Education Legend of the Dogwood Author unknown Aloha everyone! The month of February has been a time of transition for both the Sunday School and Youth Group. Special thanks and aloha to Joyce who volunteered to serve as the interim Youth Director, and has been leading exciting lessons focused on characters in the Bible every week. We are in the midst of preparing for our Easter celebration on Sunday, March 27th (which is fast approaching!). Feel free to bring anyone—your grandchildren, children, nephews & nieces—to join us for an Easter egg hunt, egg coloring, games and prizes. Everyone is welcome! Also, we are accepting donations of uncolored boiled eggs for the kids to color on Easter. If you are interested in donating eggs, please drop them off in the kitchen on Easter morning. Hope you have a blessed rest of the week! Jackie on behalf of the Christian Board of Education An old and beautiful legend says that, at the time of the crucifixion, the dogwood was comparable in size to the oak tree and other monarchs of the forest. Because of its firmness and strength it was selected as the timber for the cross, but to be put to such a cruel use greatly distressed the tree. Sensing this, the crucified Jesus in his gentle pity for the sorrow and suffering of all said to it: "Because of your sorrow and pity for My sufferings, never again will the dogwood tree grow large enough to be used as a cross. Henceforth it will be slender, bent and twisted and its blossoms will be in the form of a cross ~ two long and two short petals. In the center of the outer edge of each petal there will be nail prints ~ brown with rust and stained with red ~ and in the center of the flower will be a crown of thorns, and all who see this will remember." See more at: http:// www.christianstories.com/stories/ seasonal/easter/stories/legend-of-thedog- LENTEN CALENDAR 03/20/16- Palm Sunday service at 9:30 a.m. 03//25/16- Jook Dinner at 5:30 p.m. Good FRIDAY service at 6:30 p.m. 03/27/16- EASTER service at 9:30 p.m. Children FUN DAY 4 The Fundamentals of Successful Church Fundraising Workshop At Church Leaders Event on Feb. 27, 2016 by Sachi Fujita It was one of the best conference event I ever attended. Not only were there participants from all the Islands, many were persons I knew through my conference work, and through the different churches Tom served. Conference Minister, Dr. Charles Buck, reminded us that this event started 20 years ago as the Moderators’ Event with less than a dozen attendees sitting around a table at 15 Craigside Place. This year there were 182 attendees completely filling the Nuuanu Congregational Church sanctuary. This Event gave us insight into church financial dynamics: Who gives and why, and the role of Stewardship, Fundraising and Planned Giving. Another tool was how we learned to put these ideas together, for the best interest of our church members. The Cross By Max Lucado Why is the cross the symbol of our faith? To find the answer look no farther than the cross itself. Its design couldn’t be simpler. One beam horizontal—the other vertical. One reaches out—like God’s love. The other reaches up—as does God’s holiness. One represents the width of his love; the other reflects the height of his holiness. The cross is the intersection. The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards. How could he do this? In a sentence: God put our sin on his Son and punished it there. “God put on Him the wrong who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God” (2 Cor. 5:21 MSG). Jesus Christ is alive and He loves you! He created you and longs to have a personal relationship with you. You can know Him personally by receiving Him into your life. Receiving Christ involves trusting Christ to come into your life to forgive your sins and make you want what He wants you to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of your will. Praying is simply talking to God. He knows you. What matters is the attitude of your heart, your honesty. We suggest you pray the following prayer: "Lord Jesus, I thank you for your love and that you came into the world to die for me. I confess that I have directed my own life and that I have therefore sinned against God. I now want to put my trust in you and receive you in my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins. Make me the person you want me to be. I thank you that you answered my prayer and that you are now in my life. Amen." Is it the desire of your heart to make this prayer yours? If yes, pray now and according to his promise, Jesus Christ will come into your life. Dr. James L. Wilson, used by permission, all rights reserved .www.freshministry.org. 5 February Memories Officers & Committee members Ash Wednesday Service Children’s Choir WUCC Praise Dancers Men’s Chorus Jackie K. and Pastor John Kanikapila Ohana Ewa, Felix and Yolene Pastor Lawrence Birthday Celebration 6 Helen’s Retirement Celebration 7 Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID Permit #8 Waipahu, HI Waipahu United Church of Christ 94-330 Mokuola Street Waipahu, HI 96797 DATES TO REMEMBER Every Sunday is: First Sunday is: Tuesday, March 15 Wednesday, March 16 Thursday, March 17 Saturday, March 19 Sunday, March 20 Wednesday, March 23 Friday, March 25 Sunday, March 27 Monday, March 28 9:30 a.m. 9:45 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Sunday School Communion Sunday Board of Christian Education Meeting 5:30 p.m. Board of Trustees Meeting 10:00 a.m. Pule Ohana - Prayer Ministry 4:00 p.m. Church Council Meeting 8:00 a.m. Church Work Day 9:30 a.m. PALM SUNDAY 5:30 p.m. Sunset Lanai Dinner ~ Good Friday * Office Closed ~ 5:30 p.m. Jook Dinner 6:30 p.m. GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE 9:30 a.m. EASTER SERVICE ~ In Observance of Kuhio Day * Office Closed ~