WEEKLY NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
July 10, 2020

"PRIEST IN TRAINING"
WORSHIP
The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Service of Holy Eucharist
8:00 am & 9:30 am
Scripture Readings for this Sunday:
Genesis 25:19-34
Psalm 119:105-112
Romans 8:1-11
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

This past Sunday, July 5, worshipers were treated to a special sermon from Suzanne Kobayashi, who is currently in the Diocese's formation program to become a priest. She shared a bit about her journey so far, and some of the surprising facts about the Bible she has learned. Thank you Suzanne!

For the safety of everyone, we ask that you let us know the service you plan to attend. Email Pastor Gae at: christmemorialkilauea@gmail.com. Please wear a mask. At the beginning of each service Pastor Gae will explain how we will be receiving communion.

LIVE ZOOM WORSHIP AT 9:30
We continue to offer a live stream Zoom worship during our 9:30 service. We don't have WiFi as yet, and are connecting through a hotspot on a phone, so pray to the Angel of the Internet! Tune in at 9:30 (HST) through this link:
WE LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS:
Lorraine Fukuda and Judy Wakumoto Altar Guild Team
Lorraine and Judy have been a blessing to us, and especially as we have transitioned back to church.  In this era of COVID, Holy Communion isn’t set up in the same way. The team now has to provide a tray of hosts and a tray of filled communion cups to be consecrated. In addition, they set the table with the traditional chalice and paten; they clean all the linens and vessels; polish silver; fill all the candles with oil; and order all the supplies. We give thanks for their flexibility and faithful service.
Morning Coffee with Pastor Gae
Friends,

This past week, in a class I am attending, I heard the most wonderful definition of “ego” - “Any way we limit our infinite potential is ego.” Think about that. 

I was reminded of a retreat I went on years ago with Franciscan priest Richard Rohr. The retreat was based largely on his book Immortal Diamond . I had read that book and it was a real AHA moment for me. In fact it’s on my list of books everyone should read.  In the book, Fr. Rohr introduces what he calls the true self and the false self. Our ego is essentially a “false self”. He says it’s a container of what we think we are. If I am in my false self, I might think of me in terms of all the labels (female, 66/senior, priest, widow, mother, a stepmother, a grandmother, college educated, long and lanky, blah, blah, blah). I also might think of me in terms of beliefs that have come out of experiences. Some are good but some are due to unresolved grief, pain and hurt. Fr. Rohr said, “Most of us do not see things as they really are, rather we see things as we are.”  It’s not all bad, he said, it’s just “bogus.” All the labels don’t come close to the truth of who we really are. And many of the beliefs we hold about ourselves and others most likely aren’t entirely truth. 
At our retreat Fr. Rohr said that in order to grow on the spiritual path we need to “detox” from our attachment to that false self.  Jesus didn’t call it detox; rather he said you can’t pour new wine into old wineskins.  What’s the new wine? Could it be what he said about the kingdom of God that is within us?  Or when he said we can do even greater things than he did?   
What I like about the definition of ego that I heard this week, is its simplicity and practicality. In any situation we can ask ourselves, “Am I limiting my infinite potential?” If yes, we’re probably stuck in our ego, our false self. 

One question I’d sure like an answer to, is why we have to go through all the toil of ego building only to eventually learn that we need to let go of our attachment to it because in divine truth it is not who we really are? Oh well, I guess the answer to that question isn’t all that important. What is important is the letting go part and doing the work to become our true self. Who is that? Fr. Rohr quotes St. Catherine of Siena, “My deepest me is God.”

The good news is we have lifetime to work on it. Eternal life, right?

Your thoughts please. 

Joy, joy, joy,

Pastor Gae ✝️


Previously Announced Reminders:
Celebrating Our History: Do You Remember?
Do you remember any of the priests listed below? Help us as we plan for our first big event in our newly renovated Parish Hall. This fall we are going to be remembering our history!
Tell us when you came into the church and what you remember: Accomplishments of the priests who served, events, challenges and even funny stories. We are also looking for photos of the following priests who served Christ Memorial and St. Thomas.  Email what you know to Melody Lotspeich at mellomack@gmail.com.
~Marcos E. Carver, 1917 – 1925 Founder and Priest-in-Charge of missions on the Island of Kauaʻi
~Henry A. Willey, 1924 – 1945
~Harold Wilmot-Smith, 1945 – 1948
~Paul R. Savanack, 1949 – 1950
~Norman R. Alter, 1950 – 1952
~E. Lani Hanchett Layman-in-Charge, 1951 – 1952, Deacon at CMEC in 1952, ordained Priest in 1953, later became the 1st Hawaiian Bishop, and 1st Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaiʻi
~Keith Kreitner, 1952 – 1953
~Samuel N. McCain, Jr., 1953 – 1958
~Thomas D. Hughes, 1958 – 1960
~Charles T. Crane, 1960 – 1962
~Thomas K. Yoshida, 1962 – 1966
~Charles G. Hopkins, Jr., 1966 – 1969
~Elsberry W. Reynolds, 1969 – 1970
~George T. Eppley, 1972 – 1973
~Richard S. O. Chang, 1973 – 1979 later became the 4th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaiʻi
~Robert E. Walden, 1979 – 1981
~Jan C. Rudinoff, 1982 – 1984
~James P. Eron, 1984 – 1992
~A. Donor Macneice, 1993 – 2005
~Shirley Ellingboe, 2009 – 2010
~Roberta R. Taylor, 2011 – 2016
Manners for Zoom Worship and Meetings
Are there good manners for Zoom worship and meetings? Yes there are!  We consulted with the spirit of Emily Post and here is what we heard:

  1. Connect at least 10 minutes before the service or the meeting to make sure everything is working correctly.  
  2. If possible keep your video on. We like to see you.
  3. Have your audio always on mute unless advised by the facilitator.
  4. Be present. Don’t multitask. Sit still. Having your water or coffee nearby is fine but since your video is on, probably best not to be having a meal.  
  5. Try your best not to leave early. For Sunday worship, meditate on the words of the Eucharistic Prayer. While people in church are receiving communion, close your eyes and imagine Jesus saying, “This is my body given for you.”  
  6. If your computer drops you out, come back on but make sure your video is on and your audio is muted.  

THANK YOU!
Parish Hall Available For Rent
Wouldn’t it be great if our Parish Hall featured:
  • Yoga and exercise classes
  • Exercise for seniors
  • Monthly discussions about social issues
  • All kinds of Healthy Living groups
  • Bridge, Chess or Mahjong 
  • Healthy eating lectures and movies

Help us get it going. Please share with those who might be interested in starting a program.
Ongoing Activities:
Our Thrift Shop is Open!
We are open for donations and shopping!

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 2:00 - 5:00 pm
Wednesday 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Saturday 9:30 am - 3:00 pm

For a safe shopping experience, we can only allow 5 shoppers in the store at any time. All must wear masks and use hand sanitizer.

Wait until you see our newly renovated Thrift Shop !
Want a preview? click here

Now Twice A Week!
Monday 10:00 am-11:15 am:
Spiritual Lessons from the Book of Genesis

Wednesday 2:00 pm-3:15 pm:
(Gospel of John)

Email Pastor Gae if you are interested in attending at christmemorialkilauea@gmail.com
Connect via Zoom for both study sessions:

Online Centering Prayer & Scripture Reflection
Tuesdays, 9:00 - 9:45 am (HST)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7532197968

We will continue to have Centering Prayer every Tuesday morning on Zoom, 9:00 - 9:45 am. We begin with a scripture reading for the day followed by 12 minutes of meditation. Then a reflection is read and anyone who would like to share an insight is invited to do so. We finish with prayer time for those in need of healing.  
The Labyrinth - Meditation in Movement
The Power of the Turn by Eve Hogan
(Reprinted from www.spiritualityhealth.com_
A standard labyrinth that takes its inspiration from the one at Chartres Cathedral has more than 20 180-degree turns.

As we walk, these turns become a rich opportunity for us to look at all the things that have happened in our lives and how we have responded to them. We can rethink whether a new or different perspective is possible.

We tend to immediately label things that happen good or bad without taking the time to look at the situation from multiple angles. Often, it would behoove us to consider our labels to be a hypothesis instead of the truth, be open to other possible outcomes, and then watch to see how everything actually turns out.

I like to call this ability to see things from more than one viewpoint “the power of the 180-degree turn.”

Several years ago my beautiful labyrinth on Maui, which usually sits beside a gentle, babbling stream, got swallowed up by a raging flash flood. My immediate reaction was to be upset and label the event as very bad. In the moment, I even considered it a tragedy. But things unfolded differently. Many people showed up to help rebuild the labyrinth, money poured in from all over the world to support the project, and the resulting labyrinth was a new and improved version of the first. What I thought was bad was actually a blessing.

If you choose to take a deeper look at your life as you walk the labyrinth, allow the 180-degree turns to represent major events of your life. As you make each turn, pause to consider the labels or beliefs you adopted at the time of that event.

As you walk to the next turn, use the stretch between the turns to consider what the lessons and blessings from that event may have been. Who did the situation bring into your life? What did you discover? How were you strengthened? Where did it lead you? As we do this exercise, we often realize that it wasn’t necessarily the event or the thing that happened that solely caused us suffering, but rather the decision we made about it, the belief we held or the way we behaved in reaction to it.

You cannot change the past, but you can change how you view the past and whether you allow it to continue to upset you.

Explore walking through your past as you walk into the labyrinth and see if you can practice forgiveness, acceptance, letting go, or even gratitude as a new response to the things you have encountered.

When you reach the center, practice being present, here, now. Notice where your life’s journey has led you so far. See if you can experience peace in the present moment as a means of strengthening yourself and fortifying yourself for the journey ahead. Take this time to consider all you have learned so far and set your intention for moving forward.

As you turn to walk out of the labyrinth, imagine you are walking into the future. Explore walking mindful of your thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes, choosing powerful responses to the numerous 180-degree turns that you are yet to encounter.
NOW MEETING IN PERSON:
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (AA)
Monday: 10:00-11:00 am
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 7:30 pm

Go to www.kauaiaa.org and look for the Northshore AA groups. 
GIVE
Our giving is important, especially now.

Although we aren’t gathering in the sanctuary for worship, our church bills are still the same. We’ve had questions from our Sunday worshippers and now our Zoom worshippers about how to give. Your continued gifts really matter, especially in this time of uncertainty.  
If you like to give by check, please send to:
Christ Memorial Episcopal Church,
P.O. Box 293, Kilauea, HI 96754

Or consider changing to Automated Giving. It makes life easy. Just click on the button below to make a one-time or recurring donation. 

Thank you for your love and care for our Christ Memorial community!

Quicklinks:

Newsletter Mission: Our weekly newsletter was launched to inform our island community, as well as connect with our broader community of old and new friends, near and far. Whether you live on Kaua'i, visit seasonally or joined Christ Memorial for the first time during vacation, we welcome you into our global family. We endeavor to include inspiration, new ideas, practical advice and updates on news and events of Christ Memorial. Let us know how we can serve you best in 2020 by replying to this newsletter or emailing us at ChristMemorialKilauea@gmail.com

Have you met Pastor Gae? Pastor Gae wants to get to know you all – phone chats, home visits, morning coffees, afternoon teas or walks on the beach. Near or far, reach out to meet or share your thoughts at gdchalker@gmail.com or (623) 208-9436.
Christ Memorial Episcopal Church
2509 Kolo Road, Kilauea, HI 96754
Mailing: PO Box 293, Kilauea, HI 96754
Phone: (808) 482-4824