Morning Coffee Inspiration from Pastor Gae

Aloha friends,

 The past couple of months I have been asked to be a part of several marriage anniversary celebrations. None of the couples lived on-island, but they wanted to renew their marriage vows in our precious little sanctuary. The most recent is the one you will see in the photo below. A 50 year celebration! Don’t tell anyone, but I think I enjoy these ceremonies more than when I officiate at an actual marriage ceremony. It is so inspiring to see a couple still deeply in love after 50 years of marriage!   
I have officiated at many marriage celebrations throughout my 20 years of ministry. While the couple selects the readings they want from the Hebrew scriptures or the letters of Paul, I pick the gospel reading — the Beatitudes, Chapter 5 of Matthew’s gospel. There is a time in the liturgy following the gospel reading, in which I am supposed to give a few “words of wisdom” to the couple. I always tell them that I don’t have any special words but Jesus does. Everything the couple needs to make their marriage sacramental beyond the wedding day can be found in the Beatitudes.

Blessed are the poor in spirit… to be poor in spirit is to allow yourself to experience your need for God and your need for each other. It’s knowing that there is nothing the world can give, no amount of money or power or achievement can ever come close to the joy that comes when we know and experience God’s love

Blessed are those who mourn… to mourn is to let yourself feel not only your own pain, but the pain of the other. It takes risk to do that, risk to be that open and vulnerable.
Blessed are the meek… to be meek means to be gentle with one another. It means letting go of the need to manipulate or control. It encourages the other to feel his/her own sense of strength and to discover his/her own gifts.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… always seek what is just and fair in all aspects of life. 
Blessed are the merciful… to be merciful means to be ready to forgive in any situation AND to be able to accept forgiveness yourself.

Blessed are the pure in heart… to be pure in heart is to focus your eyes on God and nothing else. Purity of heart is to make a commitment to God… to seek God’s will in all you do and to share God in your relationship with each other.
Blessed are the peacemakers… abandon the need to make someone else into the enemy. We are all children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. Today that means to not be compromised by a culture that resists commitment and keeps God at a distance.

Living the Beatitudes is the perfect recipe for a couple staying together 50 years and still be madly in love. Frankly, I think the Beatitudes are the perfect recipe for all our relationships. I’m not sure we need much of anything else. I usually end my “words of wisdom” message by encouraging the couple to read and pray the Beatitudes regularly and definitely include them in their anniversary celebrations. As I think about it, all of us should pray them regularly.

What are your “words of wisdom” for a joyfilled, loving marriage? As always, please send me your thoughts.

Joy, joy, joy,
~Pastor Gae+

Celebrating a Golden Anniversary: 50 Years of Marriage 

Celebrating 50 years of marriage, Carole Anne and John Edward Quinn, Jr. renewed their vows on Sunday at Christ Memorial in a service led by Pastor Gae and witnessed by family and grandchildren, Shared by their daughter, “ Yesterday was just perfect for my parents. Thank you so much for your time and leading such a beautiful service. It is a day none of us will ever forget. ”

CONNECT

Quiet Morning ~ Introduction to Soul Collage by Maggie Lea
Saturday, October 19, 9:00 am-12:00 noon, includes lunch
Register Now! Limited to 20 participants
A Quiet Morning at Christ Memorial is a mini-spiritual retreat. Our 3-hour silent retreats begin at 9:00am with a Taize-style prayer service, followed by an instruction and practice, and we end with a healthy lunch. There is time built into the morning for meditation, journaling or labyrinth walks.

Our second Quiet Morning is an introduction to Soul Collage with Maggie Lea, licensed Educational & Clinical Psychologist, artist and SoulCollage® practitioner. 

Maggie will share how Soul Collage has assisted her in the journey of self-discovery. We will learn how to create our own “deck of cards” — each collage card representing one aspect of our personality or our Soul. 

There will be time for several readings of our cards to demonstrate how Soul Collage can provide a guidance aspect to our deeper questions of life. All materials are provided. Suggested faith offering: $10

All Quiet Morning are open to the public, and all faith traditions are welcome to join us.

Photo Gallery: Blessing of the Animals
 
It was a glorious day to honor Saint Francis of Assisi, our patron saint of animals and nature. Seventy parishioners, friends of Christ Memorial and newcomers joined us for the beautiful service of song, scripture and communion on our front lawn and with weather that treated us to a perfect day. The focus of everyone’s attention was our precious pets in every size — from Kealohi’s fish to Kilinoe’s horse. Pastor Gae blessed them all, including those who brought their dear companions in photographs, on their phones and in their hearts.

Special Guests in our Midst

We were blessed on Sunday with the company of actor Beau Bridges , his wife Wendy and actress Rachel Boston (greete d by our seasonal parishioner Debra Sands). Beau’s mother, Dorothy, donated the Christ Memorial altar rail in honor of her husband Lloyd Bridges. The beautiful and locally made altar rail was hand carved from Honduran Mahogany; it was dedicated by Mrs. Bridges and her family on Easter Sunday 2000. 
Bible Study
Every Wednesday 2:00 - 3:15 pm
Meets in Church Office
We are studying the gospel of Mark. This is a study group, not a lecture. We meet on Wednesdays, 2:00-3:15pm in the church office. If you are new to the bible, please come. We’re all beginners! Bring a bible, any translation. 

Men’s Fellowship
Every Monday at 10:00am
Meets at Kilauea Bakery and Pizza (Kong Lung Market Center)
Christ Memorial Men’s Fellowship group is growing!

We meet every Monday morning for coffee or breakfast and discussion at the Kilauea Bakery.

We decided to move the time back to 10:00am, so we hope you will join us!

For more information, see Patrick O’Connell at worship or email him at paoco65@gmail.com
Fall Sunday School
Every Sunday, 8:00 – 9:00am
Meets in the Church Office

Our Sunday School kids started their fall program by playing an active role in setting the agenda. Their first activity was to discuss and draw a mind map of “What do we want to learn about church.”  See the result below! Join our curious group of young students every Sunday 8:00-9:00am.
We welcome volunteers and parents to assist in our Sunday School program. For more information, contact Keana keana@ischool.org or Leona lcblankley@aol.com , both well-established early childhood educators on Kaua'i.

SERVE
Volunteers Needed

Little churches like Christ Memorial depend on every member serving in some capacity. We welcome our seasonal residents to serve too. Here are some of our current needs. Email Pastor Gae if you are interested in learning more! Please note that most of these do not require commitment every week. Volunteers are on a schedule depending on time availability.  

Sunday Morning Hospitality
~Hospitality table after 8:00 am service
~Hospitality table after 9:30am service
~Take down after 9:30 am service 

  Worship
~Chalice Minister for 8:00 am service
~Altar Guild assistance after 8:00 am service
~Altar Guild clean up after 9:30 am service

 Finance & Office
~Treasurer
~Clerk for Bishop’s Committee meetings
~Counters following 9:30 am service
~Christmas mailing preparation (we will do this in late October as a team!)
~Filing

Property
~Labyrinth care (need a small lawn mower)
~Foster care of a gravesite

  Children’s Ministry
~Assistant teacher 8:00 am service
Helen Mitsui Shared Blessings Thrift Shop News

Halloween is a big celebration on Kaua’i, so the Thrift Shop team is quickly transforming the displays to Fall colors and decor. Shop early for the best selection of Halloween costumes and Thanksgiving decorations. New merchandise will be added weekly. Our customers have so much fun!
Thrift Shop Hours for Shopping and Donations

Tuesday, Thursday & Friday: 2:00 - 5:00pm
Wednesday: 9:30am - 12:30pm
Saturday: 9:30am - 3:00pm
Sunday: closed (fellowship 11am - 12pm)
Monday: closed

PRAY
Special Ministry of Christ Memorial ~ Open for Prayer
Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:00pm
Feeling a little overwhelmed with life? Just drop in to Christ Memorial for a little peace and quiet.

One important ministry of Christ Memorial is the opening of our church doors, Monday through Friday, during the day. It’s amazing the number of people who drop in to pray, meditate, or just to seek a few minutes of quiet. Unfortunately fear has crept into many churches. Pastor Gae believes our country would be very different if all churches kept their doors unlocked.

Our Sunday prayer list includes those whom our visitors have asked us to pray.

Live off island? If you have a prayer intention or would like to pray for those on our prayer list, email Pastor Gae at gdchalker@gmail.com .

 GIVE
There is no better investment on planet earth than the church
No other organization has been operating continuously for 2000 years and no other organization will continue to exist throughout eternity. Other organizations are doing good work, but there simply is not any organization with more potential to change the world than the church of Jesus. The church is where lost people are saved, hopeless people find hope, addicted people are set free, broken people are restored, hungry people are fed, and rejected people are accepted and loved. The most beautiful thing about what happens in the church is that God gets the glory for it all, because the church is God’s.

Ways to Support Your Church
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Your financial support and generosity allow us to create and enhance the beautiful environment and worship that you and your family enjoy on a weekly basis.

Change to Automated Giving
Thank you to those of you who automate your giving and have a plan to support your church. Your consistent, planned generosity makes it possible for us to budget and dream responsibly. Want to change to automated giving? It makes life easy, especially if you travel. Contact our Treasurer Scott Oliver for information at j.scott.oliver380@gmail.com .
Check
Thank you to all of you who still like to write checks. Please make checks payable to Christ Memorial Episcopal Church and mail to PO Box 293, Kilauea, HI 96754.

 Stock
Through the decades, many have given stock to Christ Memorial, enabling us to be a consistent presence in Kilauea. For more information on contributing stock, contact Scott Oliver at j.scott.oliver380@gmail.com.



Sharing our Property for Support and Recovery Groups
Christ Memorial wants to be known in the community as a healing place for the body, mind and spirit. We are seeking support and recovery groups to meet on the property, either in the Parish Hall or the Office. If you know of a group looking for a place to meet: grief support, eating disorders, anxiety, Al-Anon, Gamblers Anonymous, etc., please tell them to contact us.

If you know of a group looking for a place to meet: grief support, eating disorders, anxiety, Al-Anon, Gamblers Anonymous, etc., please tell them to contact Pastor Gae.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) groups meet at Christ Memorial Parish Hall every week on these days and times:

  • Tuesday at 10:00 am
  • Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday at 7:30 pm
Connect with the Diocese of Hawa i ' i

To keep up with the news from the Diocese of Hawai'i, please click on the buttons below:

Newsletter Mission: Our weekly newsletter was launched this year 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 2019 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

‌