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Join us for
MORNING PRAYER
May 5, 2024 7:00 & 9:00 am
Sixth Sunday of Easter
To attend online, join our Facebook LIVESTREAM*
Download this week's ORDER OF WORSHIP
Missed a service? Watch on YouTube any time.
*Note: If you have difficulty connecting to the livestream, try reloading your page.
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May 12 - Seventh Sunday of Easter
May 19 - Pentecost
May 26 - First Sunday after Pentecost
June 2 - Second Sunday after Pentecost
Find scripture readings for upcoming Sundays and learn about the liturgical seasons in the Episcopal Church here.
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Dear St. Augustine's 'ohana,
I will be off island for a week, journeying with Lucas to get him settled in and to finish selling our mainland home. I'm grateful to Lani Bowman and Jeanne Cooper for officiating our morning prayer services on May 5! I look forward to being back with you all May 12 for the last Sunday in this Easter season and Mother's Day.
In the meantime, here are a few reflections on this Sunday's gospel story in which Jesus says, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love."
In a world fraught with division, love sometimes seems elusive. Yet this is Jesus' greatest longing for us; his longing is so great he commands us to love one another. We are to go and bear the fruit of love -- fruit that will last.
To share love requires vulnerability. Love opens us to an array of experiences: joy and sorrow; tenderness and tension; fulfillment and disappointment; calm and chaos; patience and insistence.
Our human experiences of love involve intertwined emotions, none of which are right or wrong. They just are. When we open to these experiences, we learn to embrace love fully, remembering to savor both the ease and the difficulties love can bring.
When Kirk and I traveled in Brazil, friends there taught us the word "saudade," which refers to a deep and even painful longing for things we miss, such as places, foods, or people we love dearly.
As difficult as it is to feel such painful longing, it means that somewhere along the way we have come to know a love so profound and beautiful that we have become vulnerable to heartache. What a gift to know such love! When I think of the "saudades" I hold in my heart, I realize that the pains and the joys are knit together, and the pain makes the love stronger.
This is how love prevails, by our willingness to share love in ways that make us human and whole. Easter brings such love, even as we remember Christ's death. The sweetness of our sorrow helps us find ways to live Jesus' commandment, even when it's difficult.
Easter Blessings,
Vicar Jennifer +
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THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO | |
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Martina Manuel for cleaning the church & providing flowers this week.
JD Morgan for serving as lay reader last week.
Aunty Patsy and Eileen for arranging a cake and beautiful send-off for Lucas Masada Corey last Sunday, and to all who shared their love, kind words, and well wishes!
St. Augustine's members who pray for others each week.
The many members of St. Augustine's and the community who help sort donations and operate the Thrift Shop.
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ST. AUGUSTINE'S PRAYER CHAIN
Please pray for healing, guidance, strength, peace of mind, and comfort for: all who are affected by the Israel/Hamas war and wars around the world, Jason Wells, MariaElena Martinez, Linda Leonard Powell, Rita Masada, Olin Kane, Jeannette Hensel, Sabrina Lee, Rachel and Hoku Lancaster, Erin Manuel, the people of Maui and the Church of the Holy Innocents, Arcadio & Filomena Badua, Lisa Andrews, Guy Kaoo, Tula Brickel, Becky & Ludwig Simmet, Reni Aʻi aʻi Bello, Kaikoa-Aina Brown, Marlene & Harry Ching, Annecita Tamayo, and Lynn Dicus.
PRAYER CHAIN VOLUNTEERS
Volunteer to be part of St. Augustine's prayer chain! Contact Patsy Ching or Vicar Jennifer if you would like to:
- Pray for those who have requested prayers
- Be part of the phone tree that helps us know about prayer requests or emergencies
REQUEST PRAYERS
If you or someone you know would like to be added to our prayer list, please email Patsy Ching or Vicar Jennifer. You can request prayers for yourself, your 'ohana, or anyone in our community or beyond.
During our Sunday services, you can write prayer requests on a piece of paper. Prayers will be read aloud or silently (per your request) during the Prayers of the People.
ONLINE FORM
You can also send us prayer requests through our online form.
Mahalo for your care and prayers!
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SUNDAY SCHOOL - For children ages 3-10, every Sunday morning at 9:00 am with Youth Director Kathy Matsuda.
FELLOWSHIP HOUR - Every Sunday after our 9:00 am service. We gather to enjoy conversation, coffee, and treats in Walker Hall. Please bring some savory or sweet treats to share if you like! Mahalo to all who have been providing delicious food and to Jeannette Hensel for bringing coffee.
TEEN GATHERINGS - No teen night this week!
CHOIR - Join us Wednesdays at 5:00 pm to sing through the hymns for the following Sunday. All are welcome!
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Monday May 6 - Kohala Quilting Group 3:30-6:30PM, Join Nicole Gomes and her quilting group to create your own quilt square for Kohala's Community Quilt. All are welcome and no experience required.
Friday, May 10, 11:00 am - Celebration of Life and Holy Eucharist for Rose Rosimo, followed by a reception in Walker Hall.
Saturday, May 11, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm - Mama Jam Mini-Bazaar -
Mahalo everyone for your help in preparing for Mama Jam! Here are some logistics for the event and call for volunteers:
- Please bring foods by 8:00am to Walker Hall.
- Vendors & helpers park inside fence on grass. Gates locked at 8:30am
- Wear St. Augustine's t-shirt if have.
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Help Needed for Tent set-up: Thursday May 9th 3:00 pm gathering tents, 3:30 pm set-up. We need help.
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Friday May 10th, 3:00 pm table set-up in Walker Hall after Rose Rosimo celebration service 3:00pm. St. Aug. members can start set-up in hall.
- Saturday May 11th, 7:00 am hall open. Vendors are welcome from 7:30am to set-up and be ready by 9:00am. We need help moving out chairs for audience.
If you are interested in donating items or time please contact Kathy Matsuda. See poster below and please share with your Kohala friends!
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From Top, Clockwise: MV World Odyssey at sea in the Indian Ocean, Kara Fernandez with her parents Pi'ilani and Robert Jr. at Khao Yao Park in Thailand, Arriving at Ho Chi Minh City, Haew Narok Waterfall in Khao Yao Park in Thailand, Map of Kara's Semester at Sea voyage. Photo credits: Kara Fernandez | | |
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COLLEGE AWARD RECIPIENT REPORT - SEMESTER AT SEA
Kara Fernandez was a middle school student when she first learned about Semester at Sea thanks to a trip to UH Hilo organized by her teacher, Jenny Stevens. During this trip, Kara saw a Semester at Sea flier hanging on a bulletin board by the campus recreational center. She went home, researched the program and kept this program in mind to explore in the future. Six years later she gathered the courage and applied to the program. On September 27, 2022 she found out she was accepted into the fall 2023 voyage and made her Semester at Sea dream a reality.
She and 500 other students including a group of dedicated academic staff set sail aboard the MV World Odyssey on September 9, 2023 in Belgium. Kara was the only person from UH Hilo, and one of only 5 people from all of Hawai’i who went on the voyage. They visited 10
countries in 3 months (or 105 days) with the final ports of call outlined in the map above.
From the moment they left Belgium, the trip was full of unexpected twists. Kara was supposed to travel to Morocco but Morocco experienced a 6.8 magnitude earthquake on September 8 2023, so the ship was rerouted to Malaga, Spain. Kara was also originally scheduled to go through the Middle East however the war in Gaza broke out when they were just a day away from entering the Suez Canal en route to Oman. With Oman no longer an option, the ship
turned around and sailed back through the Mediterranean Sea, made a quick stop in Gibraltar and the Canary Islands then headed down the west coast of Africa.
There is a maritime tradition when you pass the equator you celebrate passing 0 degrees latitude with a Neptune Day ceremony. The ceremony was a transition of Kara not knowing anything about life at sea to becoming a notable seaworthy “sailor.” Kara passed the equator somewhere off the coast of Liberia and after passing the equator the water became very rough with the boat having to navigate swells as large as 12 feet. After being delayed by 60 mph winds
at sea, Kara was quite happy to step foot on land in Cape Town!
Kara’s favorite countries were the Asian countries: Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. Asia felt more like home and she was able to taste delicious food that that brought her comfort. She had been away from home for two months by this time and festive holidays were happening back home so being in Asia felt familiar to her even though this trip was her first time out of the country and her first time in Asia. When Kara’s journey came to an end her parents, Pi’ilani & Robert Jr., came to meet her in Thailand.
Semester at Sea is an academic program and during the voyage Kara took five classes that will contribute to her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology that she expects to earn in May 2025. Being abroad taught Kara to feel confident and brave enough to travel by herself. She feels the trip also brought her out of her shell more. She had always felt independent but this experience built her resiliency.
Kara would like to thank the St. Augustine’s College Award committee. Her 2023-2024 College Award was helpful for paying for basic expenses like food when she went off the ship to explore the different cities. She would also like to thank everyone at St. Augustine’s who prayed for her while at sea. There were certain points of the trip that were concerning and she would like to thank everyone for their prayers that they made it back safely.
Mahalo Kara for sharing your adventures with us!
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GIVE TO ST. AUGUSTINE'S COLLEGE AWARD FUND
We are currently reviewing applications for the 2024-2025 College Award Fund. If you'd like to contribute to the fund, please visit our online giving site at https://bit.ly/staugustinescollegeaward and select College Support Fund. You can also give during Sunday service or via check anytime. Please contact Kathy Webb or Cindy Sakai with any questions.
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HAWAII WILDFIRE PREVENTION PRESENTATION
Elizabeth Pickett, Co-Executive Director of Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization gave an engaging presentation last Sunday on the current state of Wildfire Risk & Prevention here in the islands. Her presentation was full of practical tips on how to minimize the risks of wildfires at your home and ways to protect your family and plan for the upcoming dry season. To download a free Ready, Set, Go! Preparation Guide, please visit: https://www.hwmo.org/get-prepared-materials. Mahalo to Deacon Lani Bowman for organizing this event and providing pupus and to everyone who attended!
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PICTURED ABOVE - first row l to r - Kathy Matsuda, Ginger Gohier, Keala Kahuanui;
second row l to r - Chasidie Keyes, Fara Boisvert, Kathy Webb, Ekela Kahuanui;
third row l to r - Mei-jen Stokesbary, Jennifer Masada, Sandra Tran;
fourth row - Travis Travers. Not pictured: Michelle Simpson and Libby Leonard.
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FOOD PRESERVATION WORKSHOP
Last weekend, St. Augustine's partnered with the Kohala Resilience Hub (KRH) and Kohala Food Hub to offer a three-day workshop on canning food. We provided the certified kitchen, KRH provided grant funding for our trainer and food ingredients, and Kohala Food Hub helped us source local food.
Eleven Kohala residents (including St. Augustine's members Ginger Gohier, Kathy Matsuda, Kathy Webb, Libby Leonard, Michelle Simpson, Mei-jen Stokesbary, and Vicar Jennifer) spent a total of 10 hours learning these important skills from Keala Kahuanui, who is certified in food preservation.
We learned two canning techniques (water bath and pressure cooking) and produced 14 pints of dill pickles and 14 quarts of beef stew. These are shelf stable for a year without the need to refrigerate. The ingredients were sourced from local farms through the Kohala Food Hub, proving that we can support local agriculture to preserve the bounty of the ‘aina right here in Kohala.
Keala's passion for food preservation comes from her experiences as a long-time crew member (since 2000) and cook on the Hawaiian voyaging canoe Makali’i. She and her crew are committed to providing food provisions for voyages from home on Hawaiʻi island.
Through Project Hanauna Mau, Keala continues to learn and teach ancient and modern food preservation methods to maintain this practice of food sustainability for wa‘a (canoe) and moku (island). She says preserving local food is important "not only for long distance voyages but for provisioning our homes, and for occasions such as welcoming newborn babies & mamas, kupuna recovering from surgery, preparing for hurricane season and recovering from devastating fires."
During our weekend of training with Keala, we were inspired by her vision for spreading knowledge about food preservation. Through her stories about provisioning the wa‘a crew and providing nourishing meals to survivors of the Lahaina fire, we gained not only practical know-how, but also a keen desire to share this training in Kohala.
In the months to come, you'll see gatherings in Walker Hall as our group practices our newly learned skills. We'll be hosting more trainings in the fall, so please stay tuned!
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WELCOME KOHALA COMMUNITY QUILTING PROJECT!
Community Quilting Group
Mondays 3:30-6:30 James Walker Hall
Nicole Gomes started this quilting group as a safe space for people to enjoy eachothers company and create together. This project started as a One Nation One Project fellowship, aimed at promoting arts participation in communities to influence social cohesion and wellbeing.
In response to this effort, Nicole is facilitating the creation of a community made quilt that captures the essence of Kohala with the theme “No Place Like Home”. This project is open to anyone who wants to participate. And there are many reasons to participate! Research has proven that participating in the arts can reduce stress, enhance cognitive and mental function, prevent depression, reduce loneliness, increase longevity, and support success in education.
Please consider contributing to this quilt. Nicole and her group will be meeting every Monday in Walker Hall from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm. All are welcome!
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GODLY PLAY UPDATE & PHASE II FUNDRAISER
We are eight months into our new Montessori-based Godly Play Sunday School curriculum and it has been a fantastic start! Mahalo to everyone who has supported the program by sending their keiki and donating stories.
Godly Play stories are designed to ignite imaginations and expand children’s understanding of our Creator. The props are key, made with quality materials, built to be used for many decades of spiritual storytelling. We have completed the fall stories and are now raising funds to purchase the spring stories.
Vicar Jennifer has created a Godly Play sponsorship notebook that is available in Walker Hall. Please take a look to read about each story and get a sense of the materials we need to purchase.
If you feel called to sponsor a story or part of a story, please do! You can sponsor a story by signing your name (and the amount you want to contribute) in the notebook.
Sunday school is open to all keiki ages 3-10 and takes place during the 9AM service in the Sunday School room. Feel free to contact Vicar Jennifer or Youth Director Kathy Matsuda with any questions. Mahalo for your continued support or our keiki and our future generations!
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ST. AUGUSTINE'S THRIFT SHOP
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THRIFT SHOP - FREE STUFF SATURDAY!
Join us this Saturday from 8 to 11 am - ALL toys, books, DVDs and CDs are FREE!
VOLUNTEERS
We have an excellent volunteer team and would love to have a few more helping hands! Choose how many hours you help - from 2 hours a month to as many as you'd like. Email Kathy Webb at admin@staugustineskohala.com for more information. Mahalo for your help!
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NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF HAWAI'I
Stay up to date with our brothers and sisters across the diocese! The latest issue of the Hawaiian Church Chronicle (April 25 2024) features an article on Reading with Keiki and an update from the Diocesan Youth Retreat.
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If you have information to share, please let us know! This is a space to help us stay in touch in a variety of ways, such as news, offers of assistance, or garden bounty (fruits, veggies) you would like to share. Please email Vicar Jennifer or Kathy Webb: VicarJennifer@staugustineskohala.com or admin@staugustineskohala.com Submissions due by Thursday morning for Friday's newsletter. | |
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS | |
MESSAGES FROM OUR BISHOP
& PRESIDING BISHOP
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