Church Newsletter for the week of April 10: 💜 Teaching Series, Good Friday Service, Letters from the Diocese, Poetic Reflections, and more...

Class Introduction: The religious impulse begins with experience. We experience something mysterious and wonderful. Something greater. The numinous, the beautiful, the awe-inspiring. Something intuitively true. We find ourselves elevated and humbled simultaneously.

Then we seek ways to remember. Liturgy, prayer, theology, memory.

In this series, we will first seek to remember and honor our own experience of the divine. Then we will explore practices that can help renew and ground us.

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THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH WELCOMES YOU

We Episcopalians believe in a loving, liberating, and life-giving God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

As constituent members of the Anglican Communion in the United States, we are descendants of and partners with the Church of England and the Scottish Episcopal Church, and are part of the third largest group of Christians in the world.

We believe in following the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection saved the world. We have a legacy of inclusion, aspiring to tell and exemplify God’s love for every human being; women and men serve as bishops, priests, and deacons in our church.

Laypeople and clergy cooperate as leaders at all levels of our church. Leadership is a gift from God, and can be expressed by all people in our church, regardless of sexual identity or orientation.

We believe that God loves you – no exceptions.

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OFFICIAL LETTERS FROM THE OFFICE OF

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The first in-person House of Bishops’ meeting (held at Camp Allen, Texas) in two years was held on March 15-21st. The letters below are the official statements put forth by the Bishop's, as a result of these meetings.

The Pastoral Letter : April 2022

In the spirit of our understanding of Jerusalem as the Holy City of Peace, we call on all Episcopalians to hear the words of our Presiding Bishop, “As we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, as the Bible teaches us, we must find ways to work for the peace of Jerusalem, which will be found where there is true equity for all, true justice for all, and true freedom for everyone. Here it is clear that this is not simply an idealistic dream. It is the only hope, and we must not rest until it is realized.”

The peace of Jerusalem is a promise not yet attained, but it is proclaimed by the prophets of all three Abrahamic faiths. Their words embody principles of love, humility, forgiveness, putting others first, and a preference for the marginalized.

We can have little doubt that Jesus commands us to lift up those who are oppressed, hold accountable any who misuse their power, abhor the use of violence, exhibit penitence and offer accountability for sins that governments have done on our behalf, and act always in the spirit of peace with justice.

In this quest for peace and justice full respect must be accorded to the civil rights and religious interests of all persons and all holy places in the city must be equally protected and accessible to faithful Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and to all people of goodwill.

We remind ourselves that Christians have an obligation to devote ourselves to renewed ecumenical and interfaith discernment and collaboration in the spirit of our shared values. Jerusalem should be honored as a community for all Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and serve as a symbol and a focal point for such work as the Holy City continues to exert its theological and spiritual authority as a sacred space of ultimate reconciliation and unity. Now is the time to work toward a unity of perspective on Middle East peace and justice with our Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant siblings, as well as with the Jewish and Muslim communities who share our hope for peace. Our journey as the children of the Abrahamic traditions is a journey to a future built on shared values and commitments for the common good of all who call Jerusalem and the Holy Land their home.

Deeper communion with those in the region who already work for peace is also vital. Scores of organizations work at the grass roots on behalf of freedom, dignity, and economic opportunity for all, promoting mutual understanding across barriers of cultural and religious difference. Their efforts deserve the Church’s understanding and support.

In all this work, our permanent partners are the Christian communities in the Holy Land, especially the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. As the numbers of Palestinian Christians continue to decline, the region loses more potential bridge-builders and conciliators, as well as an integral part of the diverse landscape. We pray that our Church will encourage them to persevere, learn more about the region’s historical complexities, deepen our ties with its people and peace-building institutions, and promote ecumenical and interfaith peace with justice.

We offer this letter for the sake of God’s people, especially those in Israel and Palestine, whose faces are lit by neighborly light from the holy city of God itself. Why Jews, Christians, and Muslims have been called to live together in Jerusalem and the Holy Land is a mystery known only to God. But it is our responsibility as those who are part of the family of the children of Abraham to do all in our power to further and to deepen the commitment to peace with justice, and to its realization. We ask all to join with us and with the Psalmist: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls and quietness within your towers. For my brethren and companions’ sake, I pray for your prosperity; because of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek to do you good.”

An Addendum to Pastoral Letter

At the 79th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Austin, Texas, The Episcopal Church, as it had over the past four decades, continued to address the complexity and contentious difficulties in the Middle East by resolutions. Among the adopted resolutions was B003, affirming the Church’s belief that Israel and Palestine should share Jerusalem as their capital and encouraging the whole Church “to engage earnestly in education, advocacy, and prayer for the renewal of a diplomatic and political process for peace in the region, and for the peace of Jerusalem.” The resolution called on the House of Bishops to offer a pastoral letter “supporting Jerusalem’s prophetic identity as the Holy City of Peace.”

A statement from the House of Bishops on the

Conflict in Ukraine

To the faithful in Christ Jesus throughout The Episcopal Church,

We are gathered at a moment of profound jeopardy to the principles of international law and peace. As we meet and pray together as a House of Bishops, Ukraine—an independent, sovereign nation that has posed no threat to others beyond its borders—has been invaded by military forces of Russia, without provocation and without justification.

On December 1, 1991, the people of Ukraine voted in a nationwide referendum on the question of their future. Nearly eighty-five percent of the electorate took part in that referendum. The question set before them was simply this: “Do you support the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine?” More than ninety percent of those casting a vote voted yes. The independence of Ukraine was, and remains, an act of clear, principled self-determination. In the thirty years since then the people of Ukraine have, through challenges and difficulties, forged a strong sense of national purpose and identity.

There is a direct link between our baptismal covenant to respect the dignity of all people in Christ and the demand to respect the will of nations to determine their own destiny— the rule of jus cogens, in international law—when expressed freely through the ballot box. We acknowledge and lament the failure of many of the nations where The Episcopal Church lives and gathers to respect and defend that fundamental principle in their own policies and actions in the years since the founding of the United Nations.

Yet that acknowledgment must not stay us from denouncing the utter depravity of the war now unfolding in Ukraine. It is evident that Russian military forces have directly and indiscriminately attacked civilian residences, medical facilities, even agreed corridors for the humanitarian withdrawal of civilians in areas of combat. These actions are a fundamental violation of the rights and dignity rightly accorded all people, and a flagrant breach of international norms.

As the bishops of The Episcopal Church, we pray:

• That the nations of the world call upon the Russian government to cease immediately this unjustifiable violence, especially against the innocent.

• That our siblings in the churches of Russia and Ukraine remind their leaders of Christ’s commandment that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves—a commandment we believe provides no justification for violent conflict unless in the defense of women, children, the elderly and those otherwise vulnerable.

• That God protect and defend those who, with great courage, have stood and spoken against the choice for war in the counsels of their governments, their churches, and in the public square;

• That God support and encourage our churches in Europe, and our sister churches of the Anglican Communion present there as well, who even now are receiving refugees in the cities they serve, and helping them rebuild shattered lives;

• That all refugees, regardless of the reasons for their flight or the country of their origin, be received with equal dignity, equal hospitality, and equal treatment;

• That the work of diplomats and peacemakers and the voices of all those in authority labor without ceasing to bring a swift and just end to this conflict, and the preservation of Ukraine’s independence and autonomy under conditions of security and tranquility;

And that the Prince of Peace, whom we know also to be the Judge of Nations, will work through us and all followers of Christ to build a more peaceful and just world—where all people can live in safety, where the will of all for their nations can be freely expressed and fully lived out, and where God’s dream of a Beloved Community of all people and nations is realized through the works of mercy and compassion.

We urge all faithful members of the Church to support the relief of the Ukrainian people as it is being carried out by Episcopal Relief and Development and by the Convocation of the Episcopal Churches in Europe.

Camp Allen, Texas, March 19, 2022

Resolution adopted by the House of Bishops

March 19, 2022

In light of the baptismal covenant’s promise to see Christ in all persons, and the recent and any actions by elected officials in Texas, Alabama, Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan, Missouri, Florida, Arkansas, Ohio, North Dakota, Mississippi, South Dakota, Nebraska, Indiana, South Carolina and any other states, municipalities, and school districts targeting transgender children and their families, we, the Bishops of The Episcopal Church gathered at Camp Allen, Texas, in March 2022, voice our love and continued support for all persons who identify as transgender or non-binary and their families. We decry legislative initiatives and governmental actions targeting trans children and their families. We urge all in our Church to create safe spaces and shield all people from harassment based on gender identity.

GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE: APRIL 15

POETIC REFLECTIONS

INTO YOUR HANDS

April 7, 2022

Leslie Scoopmire

One of the big blessings of the pandemic was being forced to worship online. Yes, I said it. It was something that I suspected we should be doing, but I could never justify the time, or find the energy, or come up with the money. Nor did we know where or how to start. Then along came COVID, and our bishop shut down worship the Thursday before Holy Week and barred us from the buildings, to keep us safe at home.

And so, using an iPhone 9 with a cracked screen, we began. And one of the first services I thought we could offer during the weeknights was compline. Two nights a week, there was this lovely little ten minute service meant to comfort us in our anxiety and surreal sense of separation. It was a soothing and wonderful way for lay people to stay involved in worship, as they could easily lead it with minimal instruction. A small but wonderfully generous crew of volunteers and I took turns leading these simple prayers. And now two years later, we still host compline online, with new volunteers, and it’s still just as lovely.

Compline offers simplicity. Of the four psalms offered as options, one of them is Psalm 31, verses 1-5. These spare verses address God directly, and with great trust, as one prepares for sleep.

In you, O LORD, have I taken refuge;

let me never be put to shame;

deliver me in your righteousness.

Incline your ear to me;

make haste to deliver me.

Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,

for you are my crag and my stronghold;

for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.

Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me,

for you are my tower of strength.

Into your hands I commend my spirit,

for you have redeemed me,

O LORD, O God of truth.

I can imagine it has been a popular prayer before sleep for millennia—I think back to stories of previous pandemics like the bubonic plague, when people went to sleep praying that they would live through the night—that was how quickly illness could overtake one from that terrible disease. The powerful image of God as the crag and stronghold is solid and sure—found also in Psalms 18 and 71. Contrary to what I had always assumed, a crag is a rocky promontory, NOT a shelter. It’s the kind of place from which people who are afraid of heights should NOT stand. You are safe when standing on a crag, but you feel exposed. You are on solid ground, supported by a massive outcropping of rock. So perfect a metaphor for life in a time of pandemic—that even when you feel vulnerable, God is beneath you, upholding you.

We certain clung to all those promises during the worst of times, didn’t we? And now, as we turn toward Holy Week, I think of Luke’s passion narrative, and of Psalm 31. The last words Jesus breathes from the cross come from Psalm 31:5—“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”

How many times have I read those words and not remembered the next phrase that follows? Jesus, undergoing one of the most cruel tortures a mind can devise, is not merely announcing his death. He is also expressing his absolute trust in God.

“Into your hands I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed me, O LORD, O God of truth.”

Think on it: As Jesus gives his last breath on the cross in Luke’s gospel, he is still proclaiming his faith and absolute trust in God, even in the depths of his suffering and with his impending death. Jesus is insisting that God is faithful, just at a time when a lot of people would wonder why God has abandoned them. This is very different from the other gospels, and is certainly a source of inspiration for all those who suffer.

The last two years have left many of us feeling raw, exhausted, and exposed. The familiar has been stripped away, along with our certainty that our worship and our liturgies can just tick along from year to year and cycle to cycle. But perhaps at the same time we can give thanks for the clarity that comes from being placed upon the crag, vulnerable and exposed, but also alive to the reality of God’s tender support beneath us. To teach us that we actually do depend on God when we ourselves have been depleted, to feel that we have been tenderly protected and redeemed—rescued from our sins and faults by the grace and protection of our living God.

As we turn toward Palm/Passion Sunday and Holy Week, may we hear anew the promise of those words, whether we are going through a rough hour, or a rough evening, or whether we are seeing the coral glistening of dawn break through the gloom of a long night. Loving Creator, I commend my spirit to You, for You have and always will redeem me, O Lord, O God of truth.

The Rev. Leslie Scoopmire is a writer, musician, and a priest in the Diocese of Missouri. She is rector of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Ellisville, MO. She posts daily prayers, meditations, and sermons at her blog Abiding In Hope, and collects spiritual writings and images at Poems, Psalms, and Prayers.

THIS IS MY OFFERING

A Prayer:

Magnificent Holy Father.

I stand before you at this altar. So many have given you more.

I may not have much I can offer. Yet what I have is truly yours.

This is my offering, dear Lord.

This is my offering to You, God.

Your offering enables us to maintain worship, prayer and study during this time. Help us continue to provide a beautiful, flourishing, and safe "Sanctuary for the Spirit" at our historic and faithful church on Kaua'i.

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.

Live off island? If you have a prayer intention or would like to pray for those on our prayer list, email our office. To be part of the church collective means we all share in the cost of being a church. We want our church to have inspiring worship; pastoral care for those in need; beautiful church grounds; programs to learn and grow; and tools to reach out to those who are seeking a closer relationship with God. See the different ways you can share your gifts, on our Giving page HERE.

DONATE TO CHRIST MEMORIAL

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!

PASSING THE PLATE

PAYPAL

http://www.christmemorialkauai.org/radicalgiving.html

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Sunday school will be held at 8:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall across from Christ Memorial with beloved teachers Leona and Keana.

Masks are required.

Aloha ke akua.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Helen Mitsui Shared Blessings Thrift Shop in Kilauea is seeking Volunteers for 2021.

Each volunteer shift is a 2-4 hour commitment for a minimum of one day per week. Experience in Retail, Customer Service, and/or Retail a plus, but not required.

Volunteers are invaluable to serving our community. Our goal is to reuse, repurpose and recycle goods — keeping as much as possible out of landfill — while providing our community with access to reasonably priced, quality merchandise.

Here are ways you can help:

* Greeters welcome shoppers and monitor our COVID guidelines.

* Customer Care helps shoppers to ensure a pleasant shopping experience.

* Merchandisers organize departments, restock the floor and display retail goods.

* Philanthropy distributes merchandise to organizations in need.

* Donation Intakers receive, sort and process donations.

Work-from-Home volunteers help prepare merchandise for sale. We are especially looking for help in these areas:

* Games: checking games to ensure all components are intact

* Stationery: packaging up cards and envelopes

* Holidays: preparing merchandise for Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Valentines, 4th of July, and more

* School, Office, Art Craft Supplies: organizing and packaging materials for reuse

* Toys: sorting, cleaning, and packaging toys

* Hardware: sorting and packaging tools, materials, electronics and appliances

Requirements?

*Team players with a genuine interest in serving the community and contributing to the reuse movement.

* Willingness to support COVID-19 safety measures set by Shared Blessings

* Physically able to lift 50 pounds (Merchandisers and Donation Intakers only)

Benefits?

Serving the community and our environment is rewarding work. We have a lot of fun! New merchandise is donated daily, so the element of surprise and wonder is constant. Get a first peek and more!

Interested?

Click on the reply button here! Let us know 1) your interests, 2) your availability to volunteer and 3) your contact information. Mahalo!

PRAYER REQUESTS THIS WEEK

Let us pray for our own needs and those of others. We remember especially those on our prayer list. Healing of body, mind and spirit for: Bill, Janice, Marilyn, Webb, David, Linda, David, Satya, Penny, Scott, Gordon, Suzanne, KB, Kim Edge, Helen, Noah, Hal, Huy and the Nguyen family, the Oliveria family, and the Hanchett family.We pray for the people of Ukraine. We pray that you will bring people together in worship. Enliven your church and bless Michael our musician, our clergy and lay leadership. We pray for our sibling Episcopal congregations on Kauai: St John and St Paul, West Kauai, St Michael & All Angels, Lihue and All Saints, Kapaa; and for all churches on the North Shore. We pray for our own congregation of Christ Memorial, Kilauea for those present, online and absent - that all of us together may be united in your ministry.

ONGOING ACTIVITIES

Thrift Store Hours :

Monday 2:00 pm -5:00 pm

Tuesday 2:00 pm -5:00 pm

Wednesday 9:30 am -12:30 pm

Thursday 2:00 pm -5:00 pm

Friday 2:00 pm -5:00 pm

Saturday 9:30 am -3:00 pm

Donations Accepted:

Monday 2:00 - 5:00 pm

Wednesday 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

Saturday 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

For a safe shopping experience, we can only allow 8 shoppers in the store at any time.

All must wear masks and use hand sanitizer.

VISIT THE THRIFT STORE WEBSITE

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

Meets in the Parish Hall:

Monday 6:15 - 7:15 pm & 7:30 - 8:30 pm

Tuesday 10:00-11:00 am & 7:30 - 8:30 pm

Wednesday 7:30 - 8:30 pm

Go to www.kauaiaa.org for more info.

Keep up-to-date with messages from the Bishop. Click on the buttons below to view the Bishop's weekly Monday & Wednesday messages, and find links to online worship in the Diocese.