In our parish, we pray for Kelly, Hanohano, Chris, Lola, Sylvia, Lora V., Heather, Ronnie, Wayne, Coco, June, Beverly, Susan, Cindy, Thalia T., David, Sofia,
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 are posting a brief day by day meditation from Forward Movement. It's a great way to start your morning! Just click on the website above.
Our Church of the Holy Nativity parish office has been hopping! Rhona Slingerland, Holy Nativity School’s accountant, has temporarily taken on our bookkeeping work, a firm called ProService has taken over our payroll processing and Allison Kittle has been making updates to our website as well as helping produce the Sunday service booklet. Bill Seeley has taken over mail-fetching and making bank deposits.
Rosemary Domecki, our Senior Warden, has obtained the diocesan records retention requirements and will be heading up an effort to review the boxes of old documents stashed in closets and the office corners, with a view of reorganizing our record-keeping and, yes, shredding some of the old and useless paper.
Skye Legros joined the staff last week as Property Manager, responsible for our entire campus, and he has been quickly moving into relationships with our numerous renters and mastering the security system and the dozens of keys, labelled and unlabelled, which are now his to command.
Bill Seeley has introduced a team called "Aloha Greeters" to answer the office phone. He has enlisted Jean Steele and Allison Kittle and is looking for other eager volunteers to sit by that phone for three or four hours once a week. (It’s an opportunity to do a crossword puzzle or read a novel—unless Rev. Libby asks you to help with another needed task!) If you would like to become an Aloha Greeter—even if only in the next few weeks or months while the parish office is in transition to its efficient and effective future—please be in touch with Bill or Jean. --Jean Steele
WHO'S IN THE PEW? LILA JOHNSON!
Lila Johnson is a woman who has a big appetite for taking on responsibilities. She was born in California’s Central Valley and Lila attended San Francisco State, earning a B.S.N. A college roommate convinced her to take her first nursing job in Hawaii, and here she stayed. After Lila and her physician husband increased their family with son, Christopher, Lila, as a stay-at-home mom, became a “professional volunteer,” working with a number of local, state, and national volunteer organizations.
It was a nursing colleague, Adele Koch, a founding member of Holy Nativity, who initially invited the Johnsons to worship with us. They were attracted by the spirituality and worship as well as the then rector, Charlie Crane and the parishioners being so warm and welcoming. Also, an active Sunday School program for Chris convinced the family to become Episcopalians.
Lila’s volunteer activities included the American Cancer Society, rising from local leadership to the Board and serving as National Secretary of the organization. She also volunteered with the county, state, and American Medical Association Auxiliary as well as the Association of Junior Leagues International. All this required a lot of travel, but Lila learned how to sleep right through those red-eye flights to Atlanta, Chicago, and New York!
Her work with the American Cancer Society, and its focus on preventing disease, led her to pursue a Master of Public Health degree at UH. While in school, she served an internship at the CDC Office on Smoking and Health in Atlanta, and after graduation was offered a position in the Tobacco Prevention and Education Program at the Hawaii State Department of Health. She has been the Program Manager for the past five years
At Holy Nativity, Lila serves on the altar guild and the vestry—where she applies her knowledge of parliamentary law to the proceedings. She is also a worship lector and a Eucharistic Minister. Lila surely has a lot of responsibilities; we are so glad she is among us at HNC!
HOLY COMMUNION: THE SACRAMENT
IN TWO PARTS
Beginning on May 16, in line with our bishop's safely guidelines, we will make consecrated wine available at the time of communion (for the first time since March of last year). While "communion in one kind," (bread only) is considered a complete sacrament by the church, many among us have missed receiving the consecrated wine. We are not yet able to drink from the "common cup"; nor is it clear when or if it again will be possible. Meanwhile, we will begin offering consecrated wine, dispensed in small disposable cups, on May 16. As you come forward to receive the bread at the altar rail, you are welcome to take the wine, as well, or not, as you wish. -Rev. Libby
PUBLIC WITNESS & SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Episcopal Support for Veto of HB499:
A protest was staged last Friday afternoon at Washington Square, the governor's home. Demonstrators held signs asking the governor to veto HB 499, which allows as much as 40-year extensions of leases of Hawaiian lands. Drivers in passing cars honked and waved.
The Reverend Kaleo Patterson, who we know from his Episcopal Prison Ministry and as President of Pacific Justice and Reconciliation Center, called for the series of protests. Another is planned for 3:30-5 p.m. Friday, May 14. Finally, a 24-hour vigil is scheduled for Friday-Saturday of the following week. Because donors have contributed to the insurance and security costs for the Cathedral, there is parking for protestors there.
Our bishop, The Rt. Rev. Robert Fitzpatrick, noted that the church was founded in Hawaii in the 1860's with the aid of the monarchy. "Respecting Hawaiian sovereignty is a core value for us,'" he said.
Repairing the Wailupe Stream
Councilman Tommy Waters invites interested residents to join a zoom meeting on this topic on May 25 at 7pm. The presentation by the City Department of Design and Construction is being sponsored by "Aina Haina Prepared," volunteers who are working to build a resilient network of support for recovery from local emergencies. To register for this event, send email to: ainahainaprepared@gmail.com.
