an online publication of the
Church of the Holy Nativity, Aina Haina
April 22, 2020
In this Issue of the Banyan Tree:

"This Inbetween Time" 
(by the Rev. Alison Dingley)

Survey from the 
Outreach Committee

Greetings from Stanley and 
Rose Mary in Atlanta

The Steele Scholarship 

HNC Prayer List to be "Refreshed"

...and photos from the church, for those who haven't seen these familiar scenes lately!

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Do you receive the Banyan Tree and find the content is missing?  Do you close this email, open it again, and still find no content?  
Here is what you do: open the email, scroll to the bottom of it and click on "View Entire Message." What a relief! It works!

Upcoming Services
at Holy Nativity
(You can find a copy of the services and the usual information about how to join us in worship online by clicking "Sunday Banyan" on the front page of our website.)

www.holynativityhawaii.org

April 26, 2020
The Third Sunday
after Easter
Morning Prayer with Music-- 9am
ONLINE


May 3, 2020
T he Fourth Sunday after  Easter
Morning Prayer with Music -- 9am
ONLINE

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Thursday Centering Prayer
(Thursday afternoons, 4-5pm)
Join us online using "Zoom." Go to www.zoom.us and click on the phrase,"Join a Meeting."  When prompted, type in the Meeting ID, which is 330990103.

(Please note that our Wednesday 10am Eucharist
postponed until further notice; please pray for one another during this time!) 


Serving this Sunday 
(April 26)  
The Third Sunday 
of Easter

9am Morning Prayer
Officiant:  The Rev. Libby Berman
Deacon: The Rev. Bob Steele
Student in Formation: Frank Condello
Lectors: Kim Garner & 
   Rebecca  Verghese
Prayers of the People: 
   Julia  Yamaguchi

Serving next Sunday 
(May 3)   
The Fourth Sunday 
of Easter

9am Morning Prayer 
Officiant:  The Rev. Libby Berman
Deacon:   The Rev. Robert Steele
Student in Formation: Frank Condello
Lectors: Ed Moore & Barbara Abe
Prayers of the People: 
   Wyn Aubrey-Child
The Sunday Readings


 
Rector
The Rev. Libby Berman
hncrector@gmail.com

The Vestry
Sr. Warden: Austin Nakoa
Jr. Warden: Joe Kindrich
Treasurer: Jean Steele
Clerk: Nancy Thomas
Members at Large: Justin Donahue, Rich Miller, Lila Johnson, Jeff Taylor, Ed Moore, Wyn Aubrey-Child, Nina Livingston, Tusi Mayer, Gretchen Yamaguchi

Office Hours-Staff may be working from home; please call ahead to make sure someone is in the office; thank you!
Monday-Thursday, 9am-1pm
(808) 373-2131
hncparish@gmail.com
www.holynativityhawaii.org
 
Parish Bookkeeper
Kathy Kia
hncoperationsmanager@gmail.com
 
Parish Administrator
Punahele Coldwell
hncparish@gmail.com
 
Prayer List

In our parish, we pray for Lora V.,  Frank, Dorie, Rita, Wayne, Victoria, Sandee, Ronny, Donna, Sylvia, Blake, Bruce, Helen, Wes, Terri, Kendall, Bob, Yoko, Lola, Robert Y., Bobby Y., Lois C., The King Family, June A., Diane M., Pamela F., Heather, Richard P., Guthrie, Teri, and for those who have contracted the Corona virus. 

 

We are posting a day by day meditation from Forward Movement.  This is a great way to start your day with prayer.  Please consider clicking on the website above. 
Interim Head of School 
Jeanne Wilks

Rooted in the Episcopal tradition, Holy Nativity School is dedicated to excellence in education within a small and personalized environment. Built upon principles of respect and inclusion, Holy Nativity School values each child's individuality as it develops principled citizens who recognize their role in the local and global community.  


Holy Nativity Thrift Shop
(808) 373-3744

Our Thrift Store currently is closed until at least April 30, given the COVID-19 outbreak.  Please check here or on the website for more information.  Take care; we hope to see you soon!

Click here to visit the Thrift Shop webpage.


This "Inbetween" Time

--the Rev. Alison Dingley
(former Interim Priest and friend of HNC)

As Rev. Libby said in her sermon this past Sunday, this week is often a time of let down and re-orientation in the normal rhythms of Church life. Church life is far from normal this year!

As we are about two months into a life of physical distance, a greatly diminished economy, and previously unimaginable fear and uncertainty, impatience is setting in, fears increase, and many of us just feel kind of blah. On some level we all want to go back to normal, but if we reflect just a little bit we know that whatever normal we finally experience will not be the old normal and it may be a long time away.

That leaves us in a painful, hard and scary inbetween time. The good news is that we know about those in church life. We just are not used to having them during Eastertide! Advent is an inbetween time. Lent is an inbetween time. Holy Saturday is an especially inbetween time.

The programmed inbetween times in the Church year reflect the inbetween times our Hebrew forebears went through after the Exodus from Egypt and during their exile in Babylon. Those times were the most fruitful in their spiritual and theological development. When what had been familiar sources of strength, stability and spiritual connection were taken away, they found their way to a more direct and stronger reliance on God.

Perhaps we in the Church have a similar opportunity now. We no longer have the bustle and close community of Sunday worship, but we are discovering different kinds of community online. We have financial challenges, but have time and space to re-think our priorities. We miss being physically present with each other, but we are becoming aware of how much we all need each other and how connected we are to all of our fellow humans.

No one knows what life will be like next month or next year. It will be different. What we do know is that God will be in it, loving us and holding us together. It is my prayer that we grow in that love and share it in whatever ways are available to us.

Aloha ke Akua
Alison+
 
FROM THE OUTREACH COMMITTEE

ALOHA EVERYONE,

Please spend a few minutes to fill out this short survey to help us best serve you, keep in touch and keep our spirits up and faith strong during this challenging time.  How wonderful it is to be able to spend more time at home with our loved ones, and in our captivity, get all the things done around the house that we have been meaning to do for the longest time!!   
 
THIS SURVEY IS SO THE CHURCH FAMILY CAN BE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

(Thanks to those who have been in touch with responses to this survey.  We have begun a ministry of calling everyone in the parish to check in and say hello.  Please let us know if you'd like to volunteer to reach out to our parishioners.)

PLEASE circle YES OR NO, so that when you call or e-mail, you will remember your answers!

QUESTION 1
BIBLE STUDY WITH ZOOM (INTERNET)        
YES.          NO.        (LEADER TO BE DECIDED)

QUESTION 2
APPOINTMENT CHATS WITH REV. LIBBY.        YES.        NO.

QUESTION 3
BOOK STUDY (WITH CHRISTIAN FOCUS) ON ZOOM. (INTERNET)       
YES.     NO.     (LEADER TO BE DECIDED.)

THANK YOU EVERYONE.  PLEASE EITHER E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR ANSWERS,   wynaubrey@gmail.com  or feel free to call with your answers at: 808-366-1386.

MAHALO,  WYN.
P.S.  If anyone has any other ideas or suggestions of how to  keep in touch, feel free to let me or any member of the Vestry know.


GREETINGS FROM DEAR HNC FRIENDS STANLEY AND ROSE MARY
(now in Atlanta)

Hi Rev. Libby and our many friends at Holy Nativity,
Happy Eastertide!

We are nesting in our new home in Atlanta. With the stay-at-home directives, Rose Mary has not ventured beyond the walls of our apartment for the past five weeks. I have been out for the purposes of "hunting & gathering" as well as walking exercise, weather permitting. Our home is very comfortable even as certain of our furniture deliveries have been delayed. The shipment from Honolulu of our books, art, personal effects, etc. finally arrived this week.

FaceTime, Messenger and Zoom have been wonderful means to communicate regularly with our family. We are.eagerly looking forward to the day when we can once again reach out and connect with the people around us.

We miss our Holy Nativity family. At the same time we feel fortunate and blessed to have made this move when we did.

Please stay in touch. Our address and phone are below.

Aloha,

Stanley and Rose Mary
3460 Kingsboro Rd NE #349
Atlanta, GA 30326
(808) 388-6659
Steele Scholarship Award

Jean and Bob Steele have funded a need-based scholarship for Holy Nativity School students whose parents or guardians are members of Holy Nativity Church. The scholarship committee, with Vestry approval, awards scholarships using HNS financial information and after HNS has completed its financial package. There are two rounds. The first, in mid-late April, focuses on returning students. The second in mid-May focuses on new students and families whose financial circumstances have altered since their original application.  For more information, please contact the Financial Aid Office at Holy Nativity School.  We thank the Steeles for this wonderful gift, which we know our HNC children will use well!  --Ed Moore and Rich Miller, chairs

HNC PRAYER LIST
It is important for us to "refresh" our parish prayer list regularly.  If you wish to offer one or more names for our newest list, please let our parish administrator, Punahele Coldwell, know by email (hncparish@gmail.com) or phone (808-373-2131). We will begin using the refreshed list on May 17.


COMPLINE ONLINE at SSJE.ORG
The brothers of Saint John the Evangelist (from whom our Lenten Study series came) are offering Evening Services of Compline at ssje.org. They welcome folks to join them.  The text is provided.

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