Who is Opal Lee?

The Grandmother of Juneteenth.

By the Rev. Dr. Robert Steele

It has been said that, “One person with a compelling vision is a majority.” Opal is such a person.

This old African American women from Fort Worth, Texas, decided when she was 89 to lead a multi-city fundraising walk to Washington, D.C. The purpose was to advocate for a national holiday to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States. President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1,1863.

Many persons held in bondage as slaves were not told about their freedom until two and half years later. This fact was deliberately kept from them. This why is why the celebration is observed later in the year--on June 19th. Juneteenth has been celebrated within the African American community for many years, but it took the advocacy work of Opal Lee and many others to galvanize the nation’s attention. This led to Congress passing a law in 2021 to making June 19th a federal holiday. Let us give a very big shout-out to Opal Lee, “the Grandmother of Juneteenth,” In honor of the work that she championed! Now 97, she still walks two and half miles on Juneteenth commemorating those whose freedom was delayed.

 Bishop Deon Johnson, the Bishop of Missouri, one of our African American bishops, wrote this Collect for the Episcopal Church:

Holy and Righteous God, you created us in your image. Grant us grace to contend fearlessly against evil and to make no peace with oppression. Help us, like those generations before us, resist the evil of slavery and human bondage in any form and any manner of oppression. Help us to use our freedoms to bring justice among people and nations everywhere, to the glory of your name through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

~~~~~~~

Opal Lee's Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/therealopallee/?hl=en

_____________________________

Father's Day 2024

This past Sunday, we enjoyed our Dads and a bountiful chili pot-luck!

Mahalo to everyone who contributed!

_________________________________________

Convention 81

(Louisville, Kentucky June 23-28, 2024)

This year, Rev. Jenn and Nicholas Livingston are representing Hawai'i!

Bill Heran also will be going to General Convention, as a member of the Deaf Ministries delegation.



The General Convention is the governing body of The Episcopal Church. Every three years it meets as a bicameral legislature that includes the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops.

An important event during this General Convention will be the election of a new Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, as this convention marks the conclusion of Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry’s primacy.

Who is going to be there?

Lay and clergy, including deputies from each of the 110 dioceses in the United States and abroad, lay leadership and diocesan bishops, as well as members of the Episcopal Church Women, and other visitors will be present.

To learn more, go to:

https://generalconvention.org/gc81/

_________________________________________

Sweet Charity!

Mmmmmm. A lovely lick of ice cream swirled in your mouth! You close your eyes as you savor the flavorful sweetness. Ahhhh, the perfection.

And even better is the warmth and serenity of grace that washes over you when you open your heart and give generously. You rest in the arms of inner peace. There is no worry, there is no anger, when your heart is centered on responding to the needs of others.

Our 75^th Anniversary Campaign closes in a few weeks, and we haven’t yet reached our goals. All the exterior painting has been completed,

but there is more work to do!

Please consider investing in the maintenance and improvements of our church & campus. Yes, small gifts go a long way, and larger ones can bring us to the fulfillment of these goals.

Our church and its school began in the

Hind-Clarke Dairy buildings

75 years ago. 

Please join us for an ice cream social and coffee hour after service Sunday, June 30th!

____________________________________

REMINDERS

Rev. Jenn is away now,

spending time with her family.

Later this month, she will attend the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Louisville, KY, as a part of our diocesan delegation.

Rev. Jenn will return June 30th.

Holy Nativity Columbarium

Space Available!

6 double and 23 single niches in our columbarium are available for purchase. When compared to other columbarium on Oahu, HN offers a substantial value for HNC affiliated individuals & families.

Please contact Athena in the office for an informational packet.

hncparish@gmail.com or 808-373-2131

+++++++

Thrift shop bargains the month of June, all items with BLUE Tags 50% off.

___________________________________