Volume 4, Issue 14
April 5, 2019
THIS SUNDAY: April 7, 2019
Fifth Sunday In Lent
Isaiah 43:16-21
Philippians 3:4b-14
John 12:1-8
Psalm 126

8:00AM
Joe Adorno (EM)
John Hanaoka (U)
Nora Takenouchi (AG)

9:30AM
Mary Margaret Smith (EM)
Nelson Secretario, Chris Wataya (R)
Bara Sargent, Ginny Martin (U)
Jan Hashizume (AG)
Raiden (A)
Nelson Secretario, Flora Rubio (HP)
UPCOMING EVENTS
Lenten Bible Study
Saturday, April 6 th
9:30 -10:30AM
Memorial Hall df

Ke Akua Youth Group Bible Study
Sunday, April 7 th
11:00AM - 12:00PM
Youth Room

Daughters of the King
Thursday, April11 th
7:00 - 8:00PM
Memorial Hall

Palm Cross Preparation
Saturday, April 13 th
8:30 - 9:30PM
Sloggett Center

Adult Bible Study on Weekly Gospel
Every Sunday, 9:00 - 9:30AM
Under the big tree

Sunday School
Every Sunday, 9:30 - 10:15AM
Memorial Hall

Aloha Hour
Every Sunday,10:45AM - 12PM
Under the big tree

Monday Crew
Every Monday, 8:00AM
Church Office
Laundry Love
1 st & 3 rd Wednesday, 5:30PM
Kapa`a Laundromat

McMaster Slack Key Guitar and Ukulele Concert
Every Wednesday, 6:00PM
Church

Choir Practice
Every Thursday, 6:00PM
Choir Room

Daughters of the King
2 nd & 4 th Thursday, 7:00 - 8:00PM
Memorial Hall
ALL SAINTS' WISH LIST
"Ask and It Will Be Given to You"
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

It is often difficult to read scripture and interpret it in real life situations. In this particular case “Ask and it will be given to you” has particular relevance to the needs of our church – although this is probably NOT the basis for a sermon!

In the course of a discussion at a reception a few years back during which we introduced a number of people to the newly re-furbished sanctuary, Fr. Ryan told one of the invitees that we needed to replace the chandeliers in the sanctuary. The existing ones do not work with the newly installed electrical wiring – the lights flicker. Anybody noticed?! Hearing our need, and understanding the practical situation, the person that Fr. Ryan was talking with offered, there and then, to finance the purchase of new lighting! The fixtures have been shipped from the mainland and should arrive any day now. Mahalo nui loa to this generous person who, for the moment, remains anonymous.

In a recent edition of your Epistle we let it be known that we were looking for a laptop to enable us to better manage the sound in the sanctuary during services. Lo and behold, we were blessed with the donation of a brand new Apple MacBook Pro thanks to the generosity of Suzi Holler and Bob Comstock. Mahalo nui loa to both Suzi and Bob.

In a subsequent Epistle we let it be known that we are in need of a bed for the guest bedroom in the rectory as our next long term supply minister will have family visiting while he is here. Praise the Lord! A queen-sized bed is now in the guest bedroom! Not only a bed but a couple of sets of sheets and pillow cases! Mahalo nui loa to Carl and Anna Yu who will be pleased to know that the bed is in place in the guest bedroom and is ready to be occupied tonight, Thursday, April 4 th !

Sometimes you don’t even have to ask, such as the time we needed to cut down the three, iconic coconut palms which stood between the church and the cemetery. The trees appeared in so many photographs of the church throughout the years but, sadly, they had reached the end of their lives and had become too dangerous to maintain. Some of you may remember that Fr. Ryan said a prayer out by the trees following the 9:30AM service, recognizing their long lives on the property, before they were cut down. With no prompting whatsoever, two visitors who had attended the service offered to cover the total cost of removing the trees! Mahalo nui loa to those two generous souls.

We would have paid for all of the items listed above but very generous donations have enabled us to re-direct those funds to outreach programs such as Laundry Love and the free Kapa`a Interfaith Association Thanksgiving Luncheon.

If people know what is on the All Saints’ “wish list” it’s amazing what can happen!

To that end, we will continue to publish the All Saints’ Wish List in your Epistle . As needs are identified, they will be publicized.

If you have any items to add to the Wish List, please contact Bill Caldwell
DO YOU NEED A SINGLE BED?
Free to a Good Home
With the donation of a queen-size bed for the rectory we now have a surplus single bed which is no longer needed. With built-in storage beneath the mattress, it is ideal for a kid’s room, spare room, whatever!

If you can use this bed, it is yours for free. (Donations are always welcome.)

Simply contact David Murray and make arrangements to haul it away.

David Murray
ALOHA FR. RAY AND JERE
BBQ Celebration and a Heartfelt Bon Voyage
With mixed emotions, we said goodbye to Fr. Ray and Jere at a BBQ feast held in their honor. Fun and fellowship were enhanced by the great weather. While we will miss them both, we are so thankful for the three months they shared with us.
Godspeed Father Ray and Jere. You will be missed.
ORDER YOUR EASTER FLOWERS NOW
Deadline is April 15 th
It’s hard to believe but Easter is just around the corner so it’s time to order your Easter Flowers. We will be collecting order forms for Easter flowers Sunday, March 31 st through April 15 th . You can download a copy of the Order Form by clicking on the link below or you can pick up a form at church.
HELP NEEDED
Preparing Crosses for Palm Sunday
Workshop
Saturday, April 13 th
Sloggett Center
On Saturday, April 13 th , we will be preparing palm crosses for Palm Sunday at the Sloggett Center starting at 8:30AM. Many hands make light work! Please join us if you are able. 
NEWS FROM THE SEARCH COMMITTEE
The Search Committee, after meeting with several groups and gathering data from the various Ministries and Preschool, has been meeting to write up the first draft of the Parish Profile. The Parish Profile is a narrative document with pictures that will cover aspects of the church and answer the following questions:

Who is All Saints’?
What do we seek in a rector?
What is our 5-10 year vision?

In addition the Parish Profile will contain pertinent facts like the history & property of our church, a financial overview, description of church leadership, etc.
 
The first draft is nearing completion. It will soon be submitted to the Very and Office of the Bishop for review. Once we get feedback on the first draft, the Committee will prepare a final draft for approval by the Vestry and the Bishop’s Office. Once approved, the Parish Profile will be the guiding document for our Search and will be made public for all to see.

We will continue to update you as the Search progresses.

If you have any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you. To submit your thoughts please click on the link below.
Mahalo

The Search Committee
Prayer for the Search Committee
O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou wouldst have us to do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, that in thy light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer , p. 832

Mahalo nui loa to the All Saints’ Search Committee

  • Linda Crocker
  • Collin Darrell 
  • Victor Punua Jr. 
  • Diane Sato
  • Vikki Secretario
  • Curtis Shiramizu
  • Dianne Tabura
JONATHAN IBANEZ
Celebration of Life
April 13 th
Please join us on Saturday, April 13 th , as we celebrate the life of Jonathan Ibanez. Visitations at the Church begin at 9:00AM with Service at 10:00AM.

“We give you heartfelt thanks for the good examples of all your servants, who, having finished their course in faith, now find rest and refreshment [in the kingdom prepared for him].”

Book of Common Prayer p. 503, 487
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR YOUNG WOMEN
Zonta Club Now Accepting Applications
Each year The Zonta Club of Kaua`i raises money for student scholarships, usually in the amount of $1,000, sometimes more, depending on how much money is raised and how many students qualify. These scholarships are for young women graduates of high schools and for a woman returning to the work force and planning to attend KCC.

In the past a few of our All Saints’ seniors have been recipients of scholarships, but anyone can apply. If you or anyone you know is interested in applying, there will be hard copy of the applications in the church office and it is available on line at https://www.zonta-kauai.org . Applications are also available at the various school counselors’ offices.

For more information about the scholarships and copies of the application forms, please follow the links below.
MAHALO CHRIS FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE
A Well-Deserved Retirement After 26 Years
Last Sunday we celebrated the retirement of Chris Wataya as Church Administrator. Chris will be sorely missed but we understand that this is an opportunity for her to move forward with family, friends and other pursuits - just like all of us other "retired" persons! Congratulations and Mahalo Nui Loa Chris.
SPECIAL OFFER FOR KE AKUA YOUTH GROUP
All Saints' Scholarships Cover ALL Expenses
All Saints' Vestry encourages all youth to take advantage of this opportunity to attend the Inaugural YOUTH DAY at Camp Mokule`ia on the North Shore of O`ahu. All members of the Ke Akua Youth Group are eligible for these scholarships which will not only cover the registration but also roundtrip airfare from Lihue to Honolulu . If you are interested, contact Cami to make arrangements.

The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai`i is excited to announce the first inaugural YOUTH DAY on Saturday, April 27, 2019, from 10:00AM - 5:00PM (registration begins at 9:00AM).

Youth day is for students in grades 6-12, and will feature guest speaker and worship leader, Easton Davis . Youth will enjoy a full day of worship, lunch, zipline, games, kayaking, paddle boarding and swimming in the pool! Cost is only $10. For more information, download the flyer HERE , or visit their website HERE and register today!
LIFE TRANSFORMED: THE WAY OF LOVE IN LENT
Rest


Drawing on the ancient practice of setting aside Lent as a period of study and preparation for living as a Christian disciple, we are pleased to present weekly teachings from Life Transformed: The Way of Love in Lent . Learn more at episcopalchurch.org/life-transformed .
READ Ezekiel 37:1-14

We do not live in a culture that encourages REST. All too often, we are forced to work harder and longer hours, and it shows in our health. Yet, from the beginning, God – who rested on the seventh day of creation – set rest into the pattern of all life. Truly practicing the Way of Love means spending time with God in sabbath rest. Not everyone has the luxury of long breaks and vacations, or even days off. Still, we can help each other find ways internally to pause and receive the gift of sabbath. The act of rest and restoration is a part of the cycle of rebirth that is God’s hope for us and gift to us.

In the exciting story of the Valley of the Dry Bones, we hear the way God sent God’s breath, the Holy Spirit, onto a field of bones. That very breath was enough to reanimate them and bring them back to fullness of life. Making sabbath rest has the same impact. Sabbath rest provides the opportunity for God to refresh us, to breathe new life into us. When we neglect sabbath time with God, we can begin to feel withered and tired, just like those dry bones. This is no coincidence. When we constantly run from activity to activity without breathing and returning to God, we become depleted and dry.

The gospels record numerous times when Jesus retreated to a place of sabbath to reconnect with God and to receive the strength he needed to continue his ministry. In Luke 5 when the news about Jesus spread and crowds gathered around him, Jesus withdrew and prayed. Studies have shown that people who take regular breaks from work have higher rates of creativity and productivity. It should come as no surprise that the ritual of baptism follows the pattern of death into life – that is the sabbath cycle in action.

REFLECT: It has been said that we don’t take a sabbath, but rather make sabbath. Rest is an intentional act. Do you currently have a practice of reserving a block of time each day, week, or month for sabbath rest? If so, how does it restore you? If not, what has the effect of that lack felt like? Lent is a chance to reevaluate our patterns of living. Is God calling you to explore the gift of sabbath this Lent?

Published by the Office of Communication of The Episcopal Church, 815 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017

© 2019 The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. All rights reserved.
Video Series

Join the Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining, rector of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Gladwyne, Penn., as she introduces weekly lessons from Life Transformed: The Way of Love in Lent.

This week we bring you two installments of this video series.
Video: Life Transformed – The Way of Love in Lent - Bless
Video: Life Transformed – The Way of Love in Lent - Rest
The Way of Love in Lent Calendar
To download your own copy of the Way of Love in Lent Calendar , please follow the link below.
A Message from Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick
Friday, March 29, 2019

PLEDGE TO CARE FOR CREATION

Please read the following message regarding the Pledge to Care for Creation. I have signed the pledge and I urge every member of the Diocese of Hawai`i and the Episcopal Church in Micronesia to sign as well. As residents of islands, we know too well the impact of global warming, the resulting change in weather, and the damage to the ocean. This is a statement of commitment.

Mahalo,
+Bob
 
The Right Reverend Robert L. Fitzpatrick
 
Bishop Diocesan 
The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i

Bishop-in-Charge
The Episcopal Church in Micronesia
Pledge to Care for Creation Taking Off Across Church
1,000 Pledges Sought by Earth Day, April 22 nd
[March 29, 2019] Episcopalians and friends concerned about all of God’s creation are joining Presiding Bishop Michael Curry in pledging to take action to protect and renew God’s world and all who call it home. The goal is to gather at least 1,000 pledges with concrete, personal commitments by Earth Day, April 22.
 
Building from the Episcopal Vision for Care of Creation statement developed by the Presiding Bishop’s Office and the Advisory Council on Stewardship of Creation for the 79 th  General Convention, this  pledge , and the accompanying  Reflection Guide , is a tangible and practical way to show love for God’s world.
 
As Bishop Curry noted, “Many of us are ready to pledge and help to care for God’s creation. Like the Bible said, God so loved the world that he gave his only son. That means the real world: all of us and all of it. And this is one way we can participate in helping to care for God’s creation. This is dear and near to my heart and the heart of God.”
 
“We hope people understand this is more than adding your signature to a petition,” said the Rev. Melanie Mullen, director of reconciliation, justice and creation care. “Pray with the pledge and the Reflection Guide during Lent. Think about what you love in God’s Creation, where your heart breaks over environmental injustice, and how you’d like to simplify your life – consume less, share more. Then, by Easter Monday – Earth Day – let’s celebrate our shared commitment.”
 
Dioceses everywhere are lifting up the commitment. At her March 2 ordination and consecration as Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas, the Rt. Rev. Cathleen Chittenden Bascom and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry encouraged the congregation to take the Creation Care pledge.

The three overarching elements of both the vision and the pledge - loving, liberating, and life-giving - arise directly from the call to live as the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement and as people who live the Way of Love.

We long to grow  loving, liberating and life-giving  relationship with God’s Creation. In this urgent moment, we pledge to protect and renew this good Earth and all who call it home. Together, we commit to specific actions, trusting we can do more as a body than any person could alone.

  • LOVING: We will share our stories of love and concern for the Earth and link with others who care about protecting the sacred web of life.
 
  • LIBERATING: We will stand with those most vulnerable to the harmful effects of environmental degradation and climate change – women, children, poor people and communities of color, refugees, migrants.
 
  • LIFE-GIVING: We will change our habits and choices in order to live more simply, humbly and gently on the Earth.

The accompanying  Reflection Guide  was created in partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of California and includes meditations, prayers, scripture and action steps related to each element of the Pledge. The same diocese is launching a related creation care opportunity: a Carbon Tracker that helps individuals, congregations and entire dioceses to assess and reduce energy use and climate impact. Discover more about the tracker and other resources at  https://www.diocal.org/climate .
 
“This isn’t a new curriculum you need to jam into an already busy Lent,” said Amy Cook, head of the Episcopal Diocese of California’s faith formation working group. “For lots of us, Lent is naturally a time for reflection and simplicity. We hope the pledge and the reflection process around it will lead people to deep discernment and commitment to new life this Easter and beyond.”
 
Learn more about the ministry of Creation Care in The Episcopal Church at  www.episcopalchurch.org/creation .
To hear what Presiding Bishop Curry has to say about Creation Care follow the video link below.
AN EPISCOPAL DICTIONARY OF THE CHURCH
What Does It Mean?


PARISH
The term “parish” is used in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and earlier editions, and means a self-supporting congregation under a rector, as opposed to a mission or other congregation under a vicar. Some state laws provide for the incorporation of Episcopal parishes, and the election of rectors, wardens, and vestry members. Many diocesan canons distinguish between a fully self-supporting congregation with a full-time priest and one which is not, calling the former "parishes" and the latter "missions." However, other Episcopal dioceses call all congregations "parishes," or simply "congregations." In English canon law, a parish is an area under the spiritual care of a priest. The term is used without any specific definition other than a "Congregation of this Church" in the canons of the Episcopal Church.

The preceding definition came from an  Episcopal Dictionary of the Church  and can be found  here .
FROM THE EPISCOPAL CAFÉ
Is Now the Time for “Burger King” Churches?

Posted March 31, 2019
The neighborhood church is dead. Long live the special interest church.
 
If you doubt that pronouncement, map where the attendees or members of your congregation live. Also plot the locations of all churches – regardless of flavor (i.e., denomination) – in the geographic area in which your congregation lives.
 
The parish system originated when the Christian Church tailored its organization to meet the requirements of being the Roman Empire’s established religion. Ecclesiastical and/or secular authorities divided territory into non-overlapping, contiguous dioceses. Dioceses were subdivided into geographically defined parishes, with a church and at least one priest assigned to each parish. The nation states that emerged after the collapse of the Roman Empire retained the parish system for their established Churches.
 
The parish model theoretically provided ministry to everyone. Ministry, particularly in pre-printing press days, primarily consisted of administering the sacraments, caring for the sick, burying the dead, and managing the institution.
 
The parish system has two potential disadvantages. First, as population shifts occur, church buildings and parish boundaries once tailored to fit the population distribution may no longer align with where people live. Second, the parish system presumes a sufficient supply of clergy to staff all of a diocese’s parishes.
 
The Church of England’s Diocese of Birmingham recently proposed ending its parish system for both of those reasons. Birmingham’s population has migrated from rural areas to urban and suburban areas, producing an imbalance between the location of church buildings and people. The Diocese also has too few clergy to assign one priest to each parish.
 
The Episcopal Church (TEC) does not have formal geographic boundaries for its parishes and missions. Nevertheless, TEC has functioned for most of the last two centuries as though it had a de facto parish system. TEC divided the nation into geographic dioceses. Dioceses often aimed, intentionally or otherwise, to situate a parish or mission in each town, neighborhood, or other population cluster. Each of those congregations then usually sought to develop the finances to afford its own full-time priest, the primary distinction between parishes and missions.
 
Both disadvantages of the parish system are evident in the American context. First, population shifts from rural to urban and suburban areas have left many once thriving congregations struggling to afford a priest and to maintain buildings. Second, many rural congregations experience great difficulty in calling a priest because priests generally prefer urban or suburban living. This distribution problem is frequently misdiagnosed as a clergy shortage.
 
Another factor compounds the parish system’s problems, especially in the United States but also increasingly in the United Kingdom. We are living in a “Burger King” culture. Individuals want everything, including religion, their own way. No longer do people almost reflexively walk to the nearest congregation of the faith group inherited from their parents. People want to choose where they worship – if they attend any worships service at all. Growing numbers in both the U.S. and U.K. now opt to identify as spiritual but not religious, agnostic, or atheist.
 
Persons who do choose religion increasingly want to choose whether to belong to a Christian church or faith community of another religion. Those who choose Christianity then choose which flavor of Christianity they like, at least the flavor they currently prefer, and may move from one flavor to another. Over half of U.S. Episcopalians, for example, are not cradle Episcopalians.
 
The desire to choose is so strong, that coupled with the American love affair with the automobile, people unhesitatingly drive past one or several congregations of the desired flavor to find a congregation that offers what they seek in terms of worship, programs, ordained leaders’ personality style or type, parking, etc.
 
The neighborhood church is on life support, if not dead.
 
Is there a healthy alternative to the parish system?
 
Intentionally becoming a destination church – what I more broadly call a special interest church – offers a promising alternative, especially in the U.S. where the parish system is not mandated by law.
 
“Destination church” is not a new concept. “Destination church” typically connotes a church that offers something so special that it draws people from well beyond its immediate neighborhood, analogous to how magnet schools attract students from across a school district. English cathedrals, and often American cathedrals, are destination churches. A large downtown congregation may be a destination church because of its expensive, high-quality music program or some other, probably costly, distinctive programming.
 
The concept of special interest church adapts the idea of a destination church to fit congregations of all sizes and resource levels. Let’s stop pretending that any one congregation can, or even should attempt to, minister to everyone. Wealthy congregations, like Trinity Wall Street, will never attract people who believe, as St. Francis of Assisi did, that walking in Jesus’ footsteps requires disavowing all worldly possessions. Large congregations, such as St. Martin’s in Houston, will never attract people who seek the family-like experience that comes from knowing every member of the congregation. Conversely, small congregations cannot offer either the anonymity or diverse programming possible in a large congregation. Not every congregation has the youth, leaders or money to offer top-quality youth ministry.
 
What does your individual congregation do really well? Honest answers, for most churches, will number only one to a half-dozen items. No congregation, no priest, can do everything exceptionally well. To identify strengths, truthfully compare your congregation to other congregations in the community (of all flavors) and in the diocese. What does your congregation do so well that other congregations could learn from it?
 
Paul wrote that “I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22) Paul’s statement was clearly a hyperbole. He could not change his race or gender. He remained a tentmaker, being neither a peasant nor a noble. As identity politics underscores, nobody can literally be all things to all people. Let’s stop tilting at windmills, attempting the impossible, and deluding ourselves about congregational limitations. Instead. build on your strengths.
 
Furthermore, with the multiplication of denominations (making lemonade out of the lemons of schism), extremely few communities have just one church. Only very large congregations have the people, staff, and resources to offer a truly wide variety of first-rate programming for children of all ages, adults of all ages and interests, professional quality music, effective social advocacy that makes a difference locally and globally, etc. People today increasingly reject the mediocre as unsatisfactory. Instead, people want to be associated with the truly excellent, whether in their choice of a smart phone, health care, or a religious congregation. Great congregations today measure success by the quality, not the quantity, of their ministries and missions.
 
Dream about what your congregation might look like if it single-mindedly focused on its few outstanding strengths. Then design and deliver ministry and mission programs to bring that dream to fruition, boldly scrapping everything else and realigning resources, including lay and staff time, with that dream.
 
The neighborhood church is dead. Long live the special interest church!
 
George Clifford served as a Navy chaplain for twenty-four years, has an MBA, taught ethics and the philosophy of religion, and now serves as priest associate at the Parish of St Clement in Honolulu . He mentors clergy, consults with parishes, and blogs at Ethical Musings .
HALE HO`OMALU APRIL COLLECTION 

Instant Oatmeal (in packets), Peanut Butter, Jelly, Crackers

Place your donations in the red wagon by the door to the sanctuary on Sundays. Hale Ho`omalu also needs and appreciates monetary donations as well as gift-in-kind items.
Please note, we do not accept food items that are not mentioned on the monthly list and we do not accept clothing, toys or similar items unless a specific plea for such items is published in the Epistle. Your Epistle Staff will inform you of any special requests for donations.
SUNDAY SCHOOL THIS WEEK
Jesus Goes to Jerusalem
Zechariah the prophet tells of a king who comes to Jerusalem “triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). 

So Jesus comes to Jerusalem, humble and riding on a donkey, hailed as king, one who “comes in the name of the Lord.” His entry—an act of political theater— inaugurates the coming of the reign of God. 

But when he arrives at the temple, Jesus finds it a marketplace, a den of robbers, rather than a house of prayer. So he acts to purify the place that should be a place to worship God rather than to transact business. 

We need to pay attention here—because this is the time when Jesus’ life and ministry and message come together. His life and his mission are to inaugurate the reign of God on earth, and here he lives that out—not in his words and his stories but in his very life as he enters Jerusalem to represent God’s kingdom, humble and riding on a donkey. 
IN BRIEF . . .
These news briefs were featured in previous issues of "The Epistle"

Please submit your story ideas to the Epistle Staff at epistle@allsaintskauai.org.