Stewardship Letter and Pledge Card

By now you may have received Rev. Libbyʻs letter about Stewardship Season along with a helpful data sheet showing how Holy Nativity spends its money and what income sources fund the budget. One source is the pledges made by our parishioners who support Holy Nativity in their annual giving plans. We ask you to consider giving from a place of gratitude to our work in the community and the world. There are several ways you can pledge: 

• online here
• complete the pledge card that was in your Stewardship Letter and return it in the self-addressed stamped envelope
• bring the pledge card in and place it in the koa bowl during Offertory at Sunday service

All pledges help to support the work and worship at Holy Nativity Church.

Below you will find the first video of our Stewardship series: a fun take on pledging.

Outreach Update

Quick! Name three of Jesus’ parables!

Surely one is the Good Samaritan, the story of a man helping another who was injured and robbed. He got him care and paid for it, too. Hearing that story, we admire the giver’s kindness and generosity. He responded to a very real need.

At our Church of the Holy Nativity, we try to emulate that giver. We operate a thrift store to meet others’ needs and use its income to help others, too. Similarly, our gym provides others space for exercise and fellowship. Our school embraces children to build “character, heart [and] excellence.”

In September, a number of us gathered on the lanai during coffee hour and brainstormed—in a happy cacophony of voices—what outreach we should undertake in 2024. We had already given $4500 to Samaritan Counseling Center. We also consulted Wyn Aubrey-Child, now living in California, a former social worker, who had vetted many of the charities we have supported in the past. A list was developed and presented to the Vestry which approved it. 

$6500 went to food for the hungry: Angel Network Charities at Calgary-by-the-Sea Lutheran Church and Saint Matthew’s food pantry in Waimanalo. Family Promise received $3500 to stabilize employment and shelter for one family. Our diocesan prison ministry and Pacific Justice and Reconciliation Center received $1000 each. Episcopal Relief and Development, an organ of our national church, received $1000; and this was augmented by $1000 from the Hjorth Fund. Finally, the Institute for Human Services was given $2000 and Wally House, $500.

Every month, we send part of our income to the Diocese where it helps fund our Diocesan camp, Mokule’ia, assistance to small mission congregations, grants on the occasion of special and urgent need and much more. (Visit the Diocese’s website.)

Alas, we also have to spend money on copy paper, building maintenance and utilities—but we try to keep these to a minimum, because Outreach is one way we tell others about how much God loves us all.

Are you feeling concern about the upcoming elections? Join Episcopalians around the church to pray for the nation and the world.

Everyone is invited to join Election Night Virtual Prayers hosted by The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations from 8 to 10 p.m. Nov. 5. Bishop Sean Rowe, who will become presiding bishop on Nov. 1, will offer an opening reflection and prayer. Episcopalians from around the church will hold silence and lead participants in prayers together for peace, the nation, and all people and countries.

Join the event via Zoom by registering here, or watch a livestream on The Episcopal Public Policy Network’s Facebook page. (Note: If you would like simultaneous Spanish interpretation, please register for Zoom.)

What to Expect When Youʻre Electing

For a complete explanation about what happens after Election Day, check out this resource from The Episcopal Churchʻs Office of Government Relations.

News from HNS

MAHALO for an incredible weekend.



Thrift Store

Fall Festival

Saturday Nov. 9

9am-2pm

The space in this photo looks empty right now, but at 9am on Nov 9, our Holy Nativity gym will be filled with volunteers, silent auction coordinators, and customers, those both new to us and regulars from over many years. If you would like to volunteer, please contact our Thrift Store Manager, Alyssa Wooten, at hntsmgr@gmail.com. If you would like to shop, just show up! In all cases, we invite your prayers. Our volunteers recommend recipient organizations that will receive 100% of the proceeds from the day. May God's will of great generosity be done--Amen!

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Advent Reading & Conversation:

The Heart of Christianity

Dr. Bill Heran, our ministry intern, will be offering a four week seminar during Advent. The workshops will be based on a book, The Heart of Christianity by Marcus Borg. Some of the topics discussed will be: our prayer life, basic elements of Christianity and personal transformation. 

We will meet on Sundays in December at 10:45am, after coffee hour, in Monteiro Chapel. The series will begin on Sunday, Dec 1st. Books (optional) are available for purchase in the church office. 

Our Parish Administrator will be back in the office Nov. 4th

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REMINDERS

Join the Churchwide Virtual Celebration. The Investiture of Presiding Bishop-elect Sean Rowe THIS Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024

What: The Episcopal Church will officially welcome the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe as its 28th presiding bishop with a smaller, simpler investiture service aimed at reducing carbon footprint and increasing churchwide virtual participation.   

When: Nov. 2, with a prelude featuring a “roll call” of dioceses starting at 9:30 a.m. ET. The service itself starts at 11 a.m. ET. 

NOTE: The service starts 5 AM in Hawai'i.

Where: The Episcopal Church’s Facebook page, and on link below:

https://www.episcopalchurch.org/investiture/

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