an online publication of the
Church of the Holy Nativity, Aina Haina
July 8, 2020
In this Issue of the Banyan Tree:  

"What is it that we come to church for?"

School starts on August 4: A letter from Interim Head of School Jeanne Wilks

Our ongoing support of Episcopal Prison Ministries

Our Keiki celebrate 4th of July

Please Dedicate  Flowers to celebrate a loved one!

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Do you receive the Banyan Tree and find the content is missing?  Do you close this email, open it again, and still find no content?  
Here is what you do: open the email, scroll to the bottom of it and click on "View Entire Message." What a relief! It works!

Upcoming Services
at Holy Nativity
(Go to the front page of our website, "www.holynativityhawaii.com" 
and click "Sunday Banyan")

July 12, 2020
Sixth Sunday
after Pentecost
Holy Euchairst -- 9am
In-person & ONLINE


July 19, 2020
Seventh Sunday
after Pentecost
Holy Eucharist -- 9am
In-person & ONLINE

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Thursday Centering Prayer
(Thursday afternoons, 4-5pm)
Join us online using "Zoom." Go to www.zoom.us and click on the phrase,"Join a Meeting."  When prompted, type in the Meeting ID, which is 330990103.

(Please note that our Wednesday 10am Eucharist
postponed until further notice; please pray for one another during this time!) 

Serving this Sunday 
(July 12)  
Sixth Sunday
after Pentecost

9am Morning Prayer
Officiant & Preacher: 
   The Rev. Libby Berman
Deacon: The Rev. Bob Steele
Eucharistic Minister: Louisa Le Roux
Readers: Barbara Abe & Alison Kittle
Acolyte: Louisa Le Roux
Prayers of the People: 
   Frank Condello
Usher: Rich Miller
Altar Guild: Nina Livingston's Team


Serving next Sunday 
(July 19)  
Seventh Sunday
after Pentecost

9am Morning Prayer
Officiant & Preacher: 
   The Rev. Libby Berman
Deacon: The Rev. Bob Steele
Eucharistic Minister: Kim Garner
Readers: Lila Johnson & Kathy Otani
Acolyte: Kim Garner
Prayers of the People: Jean Steele
Usher: Ed Moore
Altar Guild: Sandra Braham's Team

The Sunday Readings


 
Rector
The Rev. Libby Berman
hncrector@gmail.com

The Vestry
Sr. Warden: Austin Nakoa
Jr. Warden: Joe Kindrich
Treasurer: Jean Steele
Recording Secretary: Nancy Thomas
Members at Large: Justin Donahue, Rich Miller, Lila Johnson, Jeff Taylor, Ed Moore, Wyn Aubrey-Child, Nina Livingston, Tusi Mayer, Gretchen Yamaguchi

Office Hours:
Monday-Thursday, 9am-1pm
(808) 373-2131
hncparish@gmail.com
www.holynativityhawaii.org
 
Parish Bookkeeper
Kathy Kia
hncoperationsmanager@gmail.com
 
Parish Administrator
Punahele Coldwell
hncparish@gmail.com
 
Prayer List

In our parish, we pray for Sylvia, Lola, Heather, Rico, Chris, Stephen, Lora V., Vivian, and Stephanie, David and Anna Kennedy, and for those who have contracted the Corona virus and those caring for them and/or seeking a vaccine or other measures of relief.  We pray for those in Hawaii who are facing unemployment and under-employment.

We also pray for all victims of violence.

To add a name to our prayer list, please contact Punahele Coldwell in the church office at (808) 373-2131 or 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. 
Interim Head of School 
Jeanne Wilks

Rooted in the Episcopal tradition, Holy Nativity School is dedicated to excellence in education within a small and personalized environment. Built upon principles of respect and inclusion, Holy Nativity School values each child's individuality as it develops principled citizens who recognize their role in the local and global community.  


Holy Nativity Thrift Shop
(808) 373-3744

Wednesday & Friday: 10am - 2pm
Saturday: 9am - 12pm

Click here to visit the Thrift Shop webpage.

CELEBRATING HOLY EUCHARIST JULY 12

JOIN US IN PERSON OR ONLINE for WORSHIP ON SUNDAYS AT 9AM. 
The Church is now open regularly on Sunday mornings for our 9am worship.   We also continue to offer this service on "Zoom."  To join us, go to the front page of our website (holynativityhawaii.org)  OR look for your email copy of our Thursday "Banyan Tree."



WHAT IS IT WE COME TO CHURCH FOR?

I've been exploring some of the history of Holy Nativity recently.  In the files, I found an undated pamphlet of the first church building, above, and also a sermon text from the first rector, the Rev. John Morrett, who began his long ministry at HNC in the early 1950s.  I was struck by how old these documents seemed; the photo is black-and-white and the sermon words are typewritten and smudged.  I found the message in the sermon, however, to be absolutely timeless.  After asking the question, "What is it we come to church for?," Father Morrett wrote, we come "(for) common prayer, to hear a good sermon, (to get) a sense of doing right and (to enjoy) the social gathering." 

More important, however, was what he went on to say:  "Beyond these things," he wrote, " we want to get in touch with some nebulous, intangible power called God.  We look for a spiritual experience that gives us something we can take away with us."

From those in our congregation at Holy Nativity, I hear that same significant message.  We join our church community in worship because we "want to get in touch with...God" and we believe that "when two or three are gathered," God is our midst.  I have been so heartened by the strong attendance at Holy Nativity since the pandemic began.  Yes, some of us come to church regularly in these days because we are not traveling this summer.  But many who have been attending regularly tell me they feel a strong sense of the Spirit in our corporate worship, as well as a sense of encouragement and hope about the future.  Folks are attending, they say, because they are "receiving something they can take away."  These experiences of the Holy lift us up out of our daily and worldly concerns and into something safe, positive and unchanging.  They strengthen us as we return to face our challenges and unite us as we join our own prayers with those of others.   

Have you thought recently about why you come to church?  Does one of the motivations listed above move you?  Or something else?  Or are you drawn to the idea of experiencing God in church but wondering why you haven't?  (Father Morrett writes, "Sometimes we get a 'lift,' so to speak; and sometimes we don't!"). In any case, we are glad for your presence and witness.  If ever you would like to talk about your own spiritual journey or our worship together, please let me know.  I would be grateful and privileged to have the opportunity to talk with you.  

--Rev. Libby+

HOLY NATIVITY SCHOOL TO OPEN AUGUST 4 WITH SAFETY A TOP PRIORITY

Aloha Holy Nativity Church 'Ohana,

We are looking forward to our students returning to campus this August 4, 2020 and have been preparing our campus for the HNS Summer Program which began Monday, July 6.  

As part of that preparation, we have developed a Re-Opening Plan, which includes our policies and procedures to ensure safe operation and mitigation of COVID-19.   Our beautiful Holy Nativity campus is such a blessing.  The spaciousness, overall design and layout allow us to return to school without our students having to wear face coverings.  God is so good!  All adults on campus will wear face coverings or face shields and campus visitation is suspended.  To help with contact tracing, we will take student temperatures daily and keep records of student health.  We actively continue to watch the events of the day, and follow information from WHO, CDC, HDOH, and DHS, as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics, to ensure we are providing the best learning environment and healthy opportunities for our keiki.

We remain grateful for your partnership in this ministry and covet your prayers for our summer program and start to the 2020-2021 school year.

God bless you,  

Jeanne Wilks
Interim Head of School
ONGOING SUPPORT OF THE EPISCOPAL PRISON MINISTRY 


Our congregation has made a second gift for the imprisoned and the newly released.  Our Thrift Shop contributed three boxes of men's clothes and congregants contributed bags more.  The clothing was supplemented by several boxes of paperback books, collected at the U. H. Richardson School of Law, directed to those who remain imprisoned.  We are grateful to the Reverend Kaleo Patterson who has made these needs known to us.  An amusing aspect of this gifting is computing how many boxes and bags can fit in a modest-sized car!  But we ma d e it work!
--Jean Steele, for the Outreach Team

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HNC FLOWER MINISTRY
If you would like to remember someone's birthday or anniversary, or dedicate flowers in memory of a loved one, please just complete the form below and put it in the church offering plate--or  contact Puna in the church office (hncparish@gmail.com or 808-373-2131).  The cost the church approximately forty dollars each week, but any amount is welcome. No donation is required.  

Name(s) of person(s) dedicating flowers:
________________________________
Date of dedication: ________________
Dedication: ______________________
________________________________

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THANKS TO OUR KEIKI FOR THEIR CREATIVE WORK THAT CELEBRATES THE USA AND HAWAII



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SAVE THE DATE: SEPT 12
Our re-scheduled Celebration of New Ministry will be held on Saturday, Sept 12 at 4pm, with Bishop Fitzpatrick presiding.  Please let Rev. Libby know if you would like to help with the planning for that service.