Church Newsletter for the week of November 28: New Painting by Saim Caglayan in the Prayer Chapel, Upcoming Teaching Series, Thanksgiving Reflections and More... 🙏 🙏

When our last priest Gae Chalker was here she asked Saim Caglayan if he would paint an island-inspired Virgin Mary at the innocent age when she was called to carry the Christ Child, a time when she would have been about 14 years old.

This painting (pictured below) was done to include the blue sky of the universe and her halo or nimbus being infused with that sacred holy light.

The poem If You Want (see below) by St. John of the Cross was read at the dedication of this piece in the sanctuary of CMEC at the service on Christ the King Sunday ~ King of the Universe, November 21, 2021.

This painting can be seen in our prayer chapel on the

right side of our sanctuary.

We are grateful to Saim and Maggie for this beautiful gift to our church.

POEM READ AT THE DEDICATION:

"IF YOU WANT"

you want

the Virgin will come walking down the road

pregnant with the holy

and say,

“I need shelter for the night,

please take me inside your heart,

my time is so close.”

Then, under the roof of your soul,

you will witness the sublime intimacy,

the divine, the Christ

taking birth forever,

as she grasps your hand for help,

for each of us is the midwife of God,

each of us.

Yes there, under the dome of your being

does creation come into existence externally,

through your womb, dear pilgrim—

the sacred womb of your soul,

as God grasps our arms for help; for each of us is

His beloved servant

never

far.

If you want, the Virgin will come walking

down the street pregnant

with Light and sing….

“If You Want”, by St. John of the Cross

UPCOMING TEACHING SERIES

RE -THINKING CHURCH:

What if Church is not something we have to do?

A six-week exploration of the basics.

Skepticism and criticism are essential in the search for truth:

“What is skepticism in principle but

enquiry, investigation, examination? and what is criticism but separating, distinguishing, judging,

determining between the true and the false, the good and the bad.”

–William Porcher DuBose

GENERAL TOPICS

The Scriptures: What in the World is God doing?

Spiritual Growth & The Church’s Life: Practical Worship and Changing Belief

Holy Baptism & The Church: God in the Here and Now

Holy Eucharist: Our Holy Common-Union

The Prayer Book Rule of Life: Day by day we bless you

STEWARDSHIP REFLECTIONS

Thanksgiving:

The Gift of Blessing

We live wonderful lives. This is as much a practical statement as it is a theological one. I am not suggesting, by any means, that we do not suffer, that everyone lives with the same opportunity or freedom, or that we do not have personal and societal trials that we must endure. We all suffer, we all participate or live in systems of oppression, we all have hard times. But in the cosmic scale of time and place, our lives are full of moments of connection, tears of joy, kindnesses from others, occasions of celebration. We are rich with blessings.

Thanksgiving Day is a day to recognize the blessings we share, no matter the simplicity of our table, or who is gathered or not gathered around it. Matthew’s Gospel reminds us that no amount of regret or worry can add to our lives, today is not a day to enumerate unfulfilled wishes. It is a day to consider how God takes care of us. Jesus invites us to consider the sparrow, the grass, the lilies – all who live their lives giving glory to their Creator without anxiety about accumulating or adorning. We, like those lilies, grasses, and birds receive blessing out of proportion with our input. We are blessed because we are God’s, created to love and to be loved.

Is the gravy lumpy this year? Did the Detroit Lions lose their annual game? Are the sweaters that Mom makes us wear to dinner today itchy? Worry not. You are richly blessed. You who gather in body or in

spirit share a meal and good conversation. You are loved by an audacious God who cares for you without measure or equal. After the meal, as you contemplate a second slice of pie, I invite you to reflect on how you might love as abundantly as God does. How might you ease the anxiety of others, sharing from your abundance? How may you be a blessing to others as God has blessed you?

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 is back! Keiki are welcome to attend this Sunday, November 28th during our 8:00 a.m. service. Bring keiki to the Parish hall across from the church to be taught by our much-loved teachers, Leona and Kiana.

Masks are required.

Aloha ke akua.

THRIFT STORE IS OPEN

Shopping 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

Please wear a mask

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

Healing of body, mind and spirit for:

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: Janice, Marilyn, Webb, David, Shane, Linda, David, Scott, Alicia, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Helen, Sataya, Will, and Elaine. We pray that you 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 Kauaʻi: St. John and St. Paul, West Kauaʻi; St. Michael & All Angels, Līhuʻe; and All Saints, Kapaʻa; and for all of the churches on the North Shore. We pray for our own congregation of Christ Memorial, Kilauea – those present, online, and absent – that all of us together may be united in your ministry and that we all may be one.

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

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.