In our parish, we pray for Kelly, Hanohano, Chris, Lola, Sylvia, Lora V., Heather, Ronnie, Wayne, Coco, June, Beverly, Susan, Cindy, Thalia T.,
those who have died from acts of violence recently in Atlanta, Georgia and Boulder, Colorado, and for all who have contracted the Corona virus, caregivers, and those facing unemployment. We pray for the spiritual, emotional and physical well-being of the undocumented children in detention centers.
We also pray for victims of violence around the world.
If you wish to add a name to the prayer list, please be in touch with Puna Coldwell in the parish office at hncparish@gmail.com
We are posting a day by day meditation from Forward Movement. This is a great way to start your day with prayer. Please consider clicking on the website above.
Lorraine Mau, always led the Palm Cross making (on the day before Palm Sunday). This year, she has continued from home. Picture taken by Kate Mau.
HOLY WEEK
WITH THE ALTAR GUILD
We are so grateful for Sandra Braham, and the Altar Guild for all you do! See below an excerpt from Sandra, of what it looks like during this season of the year.
Holy Week is the end of Lent and a very special time. The altar guild is behind the scenes. We have already ordered the Easter Lilies and Easter Flowers. Palm Sunday leads off, and the Altar Guild has arranged to have coconut palms cut down. Someone from the altar guild does the stripping of the palms from the branches and washing of the palms. The altar guild then turns out on the day before Palm Sunday to make them into palm crosses.
The Altar guild has changed the purple coverings on the Crosses in the Church and Chapel to Red. The Frontal on the Altar is changed to Red. This is for Holy Week. Two major days during Holy Week are Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
On Maundy Thursday, while congregation is sitting at the end of the service Altar Guild strips the Altar and re-veils it in Black for Good Friday. The altar is also covered in a black veil. All crosses are veiled in black.
Holy Saturday is when the team assigned for Easter comes in to remove the veils, change the altar hangings to white, place the Pascal Candle in the Church, the Easter Lilies and Easter Flowers.
Sandra
Some of our amazing parishoners (pictured above) making Palm Crosses for this year's Holy Week
Meditation on "A grain of wheat"
(excerpted and adapted from the Rev. Bob Steele's homily, preached at HNC on March 21, 2021)
"Unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit..." (John 12: 24)
We, as individual grains of wheat--and as a parish--have all experienced changes last year...every facet of our lives has been impacted...eating...
gathering...travel...and worship... (These changes, though,) provide for us times for re-assesment, re-evalution, and re-imagining...
Each of us can take this Lenten season to ask what things in our lives need to fall into the earth and die in order for us (as individuals and in our parish) to bear fruit...
We no longer all gather in person for worship, for example...but our online service has enabled us to include off-island participation, new opportunities for our youth on the tech team, and innovative music through our choir... We cannot see our students at Holy Nativity School in person, but the vestry and school board are working hard to think of new ways of working toward a common mission through all the parts of Holy Nativity--the church and the school, the Thrift Store and community gym.
I hope we have the courage to let die those things that prevent us from living fruitful lives. I am absolutely certain that, with God's grace and help, we can move closer to this goal.
(Please let Rev. Libby or Rev. Bob know, if you would like a copy of the full sermon text.)
FLOWERING THE CROSS
ON APRIL 4
Easter Sunday will include the HNC tradition of "Flowering the Cross." We invite and encourage people coming to the service on April 4, to bring fresh flowers from home to cover the bare, wooden cross.
These are the first words you see when you go to our Holy Nativity website. Right below them is the parish mission statement. Then comes an invitation to “give in support of our mission.” CLICK HERE
If you haven’t tried it, you may not know that CLICK HERE takes you to our new software which is named Tithe.ly . The first time you use it you will enter your name and bank account or credit card number. You will give yourself a password. Every time you want to make a donation at our website, you will only need your name and password. You may make payments against your annual pledge or set up a recurring gift or contribute for flowers or other special purposes.
This little Banyan article would be longer if Tithe.ly were more complicated. It isn’t!
HOLY NATIVITY'S 2021 DIRECTORY
IS AVAILABLE NOW!
What better time, than to stay connected. The Parish Directory will be available at Sunday Service for the next two weeks. If you prefer a directory to be mailed to you, please email our Parish Administrator, Puna Coldwell with your contact information at hncparish@gmail.com.
