Volume 5, Issue 8
February 28, 2020
THIS SUNDAY: March 1, 2020
First Sunday in Lent

8:00AM
Joe Adorno (EM)
John Hanaoka (U)
Dee Grigsby (AG)

9:30AM
David Crocker (EM)
Chris Kostka, Micah Kostka (R)
Hannah Kostka, CeCe Caldwell (U)
Faith Shiramizu (AG)
Noah (A)
Vikki Secretario, Nelson Secretario (HP)
UPCOMING EVENTS
Lenten Bible Study
"Walking with Jesus through Holy Week"
Monday, March 2 nd
6:30 - 8:00PM
Rectory

Laundry Love - Team A
Wednesday, March 4 th
5:00 - 8:30PM
Kapa`a Laundromat

Karate Car Wash
Saturday, March 7 th
9:00AM - 2PM
Sloggett Parking Lot

Edith Hashizumi Funeral
Saturday, March 14 th
9:30AM - Visitation
10:30AM - Funeral Service
11:30AM - Reception
All Saints' Church and Campus
RECURRING EVENTS
Sunday School
Every Sunday, 9:30 - 10:15AM
Memorial Hall

Aloha Hour
Every Sunday, 10:45AM - 12:00PM
Under the big tree

Monday Crew
Every Monday, 8:00AM
Church Office

Laundry Love
1 st & 3 rd Wednesday, 5:00PM
Kapa`a Laundromat
McMaster Slack Key Guitar and Ukulele Concert
Every Wednesday, 6:00PM
Church

Daughters of the King
2 nd & 4 th Thursday, 7:00 - 8:00PM
Memorial Hall

Choir Practice
Every Thursday, 6:00PM
Choir Room
Getting Ash Wednesday ‘ashes to go’

Posred Thursday, February 27, 2020, 12:05 a.m.
Rector David “Kahu Kawika” Jackson of the Kapa‘a All Saints Episcopal Church and Preschool applies ash crosses to Rob and Jo Roy of New Jersey Wednesday during the Ashes to Go ministry. Photo Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island
KAPA‘A — Rector David Jackson of All Saints Episcopal Church was enjoying his first Ash Wednesday after assuming his post Feb. 1 in Kapa‘a.

Kahu Kawika, as he is known among the church members, was at the heart of the church’s Ashes to Go, a service where busy people can receive their Ash Wednesday blessings.

“We’re staying at the Kaua‘i Marriott Beach Resort, and we saw they had this service,” said Jo Roy, a visitor from New Jersey. “This made us drive out here just so we can get ashes.”

The trip yielded more than just Ash Wednesday blessings, as Jackson provided the couple with some historical ancedotes surrounding the church, as well an an invitation to tour the chapel containing artifacts from King Kamehameha and Queen Emma.

Ash Wednesday, according to online sources, is a Christian holy day of prayer and fasting. It gets its name from the placing of repentance ashes on the foreheards of participants to the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to ashes you shall return.”

“Referring to the Old Testament, when people felt sorry for something they did, they wore garments of sack cloth meant to irritate the skin, and ash,” said Jackson. “This was symbolic of remorse. But it also reminds me to value life because life is not forever.”

Jackson said ashes come from the palm fronds worshippers receive the year before.

“We burn those leading up to Ash Wednesday,” the rector said. “Then we mix the ashes with holy oil. Otherwise, they’d just dry and fall off.”

Ash Wednesday, falling on the first day of Lent, marks the start of six weeks of penitence before Easter. It was preceded by Shrove Tuesday, or more commonly observed in Hawai‘i as Malasada Tuesday, or Mardi Gras in other parts of the country.

•••

Dennis Fujimoto , staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or [email protected].
Edith Hashizumi
February 5, 1932 - January 25, 2020

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her.
Long time member of All Saints' Edith Hashizumi passed away on Saturday, January 25 th, 2020. A celebration of her life will be held at All Saints' on March 14 th.

9:30AM Visitation
10:30AM Funeral Service
11:30AM Reception

If anyone has photos of Edith that could be included in a collage for the funeral, please email them to: [email protected]  
CAMI AND MORGAN BALDOVINO
February 22, 2020

Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder.
ALL SAINTS' VIRTUAL SWAP MEET
A Service of the Environmental Stewardship Ministry on behalf of the All Saints' `Ohana
From time-to-time certain items like furniture, appliances, or other items of value become surplus and we need to repurpose them but we don't have the time, knowledge, or energy to do that work. Fortunately, the  All Saints' Virtual Swap Meet  is here to help. If you have items you would like to see in a new home or if you need items to repurpose, turn to your  Epistle  and we will publicize your need. As items are requested from, or contributed to, the  Virtual Swap Meet , we will keep you informed.

Please contact us at  [email protected] .

This week's entry is displayed below.
MUSIC MINISTRY NEEDS YOUR HELP
Asking For iPad Donation
All Saint’s is looking for the donation of an Ipad model 4 (2013) or newer. It is needed to remotely control the mixer on our church sound system. If you have one that is gathering dust in your desk drawer, please contact Ron Morinishi at (808) 482-4509 or

Mahalo.
Pancakes, Pancakes, Pancakes!
A Wonderful Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
The Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, hosted by Kahu Kawika and Muriel Jackson in the rectory, was a smashing success. Geoff and Kim Shields wielded the spatulas in the kitchen and turned out dozens of pancakes for the hungry attendees. Salads, bacon, sausage, roasted pork belly, fried rice, and other tasty treats were there to round out the meal. A good time was had by all. Click on the slideshow below to check out the festivities.
photo credit: Marge Akana
Lenten Series 2020
"Walking Through Holy Week With Jesus"
Please Join Kahu Kawika Mondays, 6:30 - 8:00PM in the Rectory

  • Monday 2 March: Palm Sunday – Jesus’ Triumphal Entry
  • Monday 9 March: Holy Monday – Jesus Clearing the Temple
  • Monday 16 March: Holy Tuesday – Jesus Cursing the Fig Tree
  • Monday 23 March: “Spy” Wednesday – Judas Agrees to Hand Over Jesus
  • Monday 30 March: Maundy Thursday – Institution of the Lord’s Supper & Jesus’ Arrest
  • Monday 6 April: Good Friday

Drinks provided
The Words of Pope Francis on Fasting for Lent
Have you ever wondered if the Pope gives up chocolate for Lent? You might be pleased to hear that he gives up "hurting words", "sadness", "anger", "pessimism" and many more corrosive and damaging emotions.

Let us follow his example!
Do you want to fast this Lent?

  • Fast from hurting words and say kind words.
  • Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.
  • Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
  • Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
  • Fast from worries and trust in God.
  • Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.
  • Fast from pressures and be prayerful.
  • Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy.
  • Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.
  • Fast from grudges and be reconciled.
  • Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.

-posted on the Belfast Catholic Events Facebook page
-Mary Margaret Smith
The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai`i
BISHOP'S LENTEN MESSAGE 2020

February 26, 2020
Aloha my Siblings in Christ Jesus,
 
As we begin Lent, I encourage you to take up the Presiding Bishop’s “A Call to Prayer, Fasting, and Repentance Leading to Action” (please watch his video at  Presiding Bishop's Call to Prayer, Fasting, and Repentance ).
 
With the reality of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we are reminded that we live in a small and highly interconnected world. What happens on the other side of the world does impact us here in the Islands. The same is true for incidences of injustice and oppression. Wherever one child or elder suffers, we all suffer and are responsible. When words of hate or fear drip from our lips, we participate in the destruction of humanity. Our daily choices contribute to the degradation of creation itself. The Presiding Bishop is calling us to a Lent of prayer, fasting and repentance to strengthen us as the disciples of Jesus Christ in our wayward world. 
 
I will heed the Presiding Bishop’s call to take up intentional daily prayer and weekly fast days. I am taking on a personal study of the First Letter of Peter. The Archbishop of Canterbury has asked the bishops attending this Summer’s Lambeth Conference to study 1 Peter (see  Lambeth: A Biblical Focus on 1 Peter ). I have decided to use Lent as a period of serious study in preparation for this important gathering of Episcopal/Anglican bishops from throughout the world. 
 
I am also taking up a special time of prayer specifically for the parochial clergy and the congregations’ wardens this Lent. I certainly pray for all of the clergy and lay leaders of our Diocese on a daily basis. I am keenly aware, however, that the leaders of our congregations face pressing challenges in the 21 st century. We are called to take up the challenges in our local communities. The local clergy and lay leaders are the primary teachers of the Gospel in our congregations and evangelists in our neighborhoods. 
 
I pray that everyone in the Diocese has a holy Lent as we prepare for Holy Week and the joy of Easter.
 
“No ia mea, e nā hoahānau, e kūpaʻa ʻoukou, me ka nāueue ʻole, me ka hoʻomau i kā ʻoukou hana nui ʻana i ka hana a ka Haku, no ka mea, ua ʻike nō ʻoukou, ʻaʻole i make hewa kā ʻoukou hana ʻana ma ka Haku.” Korineto I 15.58

“Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58
 
Aloha ma o Iesu Kristo, ko mākou Haku,

+Bob

The Right Rev. Robert L. Fitzpatrick
Bishop Diocesan
The Episcopal Diocese of Hawaiʻi
The Episcopal Church in Micronesia

TEACHINGS BY CLERGY

February 21, 2020

Our fifth Teachings by Clergy piece is by the Rev. Heather Patton-Graham, Chaplain, ʻIolani School, Lower School, Honolulu.
Unlike, perhaps, anything else we do when we are together gathered for worship and the Eucharist, the recitation of the Nicene Creed unites us with Christians near and far, not just our neighbors in the Episcopal church across town, or any Episcopal Diocese anywhere, but with brother and sister Christians, globally. This, the only existing ecumenical statement of faith crafted and accepted what seems like eons ago, the Nicene Creed is foundational. It is bedrock. It is our solid footing, more or less our ‘Constitution.’

As a quartet together, the four qualities of being “Church,” as spelled out in the Creed- one, holy, catholic, apostolic- are called “The Four Marks of the Church,” and they work in concert with one another to describe our unique Episcopal expression of Church. Our branch of the Jesus Movement is, at its beginning and ending, unified, all-encompassing, and endowed through time and history with a connective thread through those who have gone before us straight to Jesus Christ, and that thread is indissoluble. Generation after generation after generation, we, as Church, are as close to Christ as we can be now, and as we ever have been, because of this thread.  READ MORE
Laundry Love Kaua`i Needs You
VOLUNTEER NOW!!
After four years of dedicated service to Laundry Love, Chris Wataya is ready to step down from her position as dryer for Team A. The ministry is in search of a permanent replacement for Chris. The opportunity involves only 8 Wednesday evenings per year, about once every six weeks. It involves arriving around 6:00PM and finishing around 7:30PM. Please prayerfully consider if this ministry’s call to serve the needy is a way for you to answer God’s call.
THE REV. NAIM ATEEK TO SPEAK IN HAWAI`I
At the invitation of Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick, the Rev. Naim Ateek, Palestinian Episcopal priest, will be in Hawai`i from March 12-23, 2020. The public is invited to attend the following events:

  • March 14 at The Cathedral of St. Andrew, Von Holt Room, where Naim’s topic will be “Palestine: The US Role, Past and Present"

  • March 21 at the Parish of St. Clement, where Naim will speak on “Christian Zionism: A Palestinian Perspective”

Between March 15-21, Ateek’s schedule includes: meeting with interfaith leaders, co-hosted by Bishop Fitzpatrick and the Rev. David Popham, Conference Minister, Hawaʻii Conference United Church of Christ; meeting and sermon at Church of the Crossroads; presentation at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Kula, Maui; preaching at St. Clement’s, and meeting with students and faculty for Justice in Palestine UH.

On March 22, his last evening in Honolulu, the Rev. Naim Ateek will be made Honorary Canon of the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaiʻi. For more information, download the flyer  HERE .

FROM THE EPISCOPAL CAFÉ
An Invitation

February 25, 2020

It’s the day before Lent, the day when pancakes, donuts, and feasting are the norm. A day when we take stock of what we can let go of and what we can take on to deepen our faith. We’re almost at the beginning of the great 40 days where we hear the stories of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. For some, today is the day to focus on what is to come — getting out the bibles and journals, finding new books on prayer, shutting down social media accounts, cleaning the pantry of sugar and soda, setting aside time for meditation, marking the calendar for extra worship services, finding a service opportunity, connecting with neighbors. 
 
Or maybe it’s just another day. A day to pack lunches and shuttle kids to and from school, practice, and games, another day to pay the bills, fold the laundry, and wash dishes, another day to feed your family, another day to manage tasks and outcomes at work, another day to nurture relationships, another day to feel like there’s not enough hours in the day. Maybe you’re not even thinking about Ash Wednesday and Lent, maybe it’s enough to make it through the next few hours.
 
Wherever you are and however you feel, Lent is waiting for you. The next season of the church year comes as a gift amidst the worries and anxiety of the world and the blustery weather for those living in the Northern hemisphere. It comes as a gift in its honesty and vulnerability for tomorrow we will be reminded of our death. We begin in the darkness of Ash Wednesday feeling the cross marked on our forehead and from there we move through the 40 days with nothing to fear. For we know that death is no longer ours to fear. If the church can handle death and face it head on, can’t the church be the place to hold our doubts, anxieties, brokenness, and sin? 
 
Even with all the talk about taking on things or letting something go during the season, Lent doesn’t require anything of us other than to pay attention; to be open to the Spirit at work in the world and believing that the Spirit is at work in us.   
 
Lent invites us to be honest letting our hearts lead the way; voicing out loud what keeps us up at night, naming the places we’ve fallen short, and seeking forgiveness. 
 
Lent invites us to turn towards God with our whole being; offering our voices in prayer, gathering for worship, and seeking out our neighbors. 
 
Lent invites us to hear the stories of our faith with new eyes and ears; hearing Jesus’ voice call us to follow him, wondering with the woman at the well who Jesus is, and hiding in the dark of night with Zaccheus. 
 
Lent invites us to be still; to breathe deeply, to sit in stillness, and trust in God’s abiding presence. 
 
Lent invites us to make space for God, others, and our spirits. 
 
Lent begins tomorrow. Whether you’re ready or not, whether you remember or not, whether you believe or not, the season is opening its doors for you. With a wide welcome, hear the voice of God gently inviting you to know you are loved and to place your trust in God’s story. 
 
Here’s to the next 40 days and all the ways God will meet you.

Kimberly Knowle-Zeller is an ordained ELCA pastor, mother of two, and spouse of an ELCA pastor. She lives with her family in Cole Camp, MO. You can read more at her  website  or follow her work on  Facebook .
WHAT WE BELIEVE
Lent
Early Christians observed "a season of penitence and fasting" in preparation for the Paschal feast, or Pascha (BCP, pp. 264-265). The season now known as Lent (from an Old English word meaning "spring," the time of lengthening days) has a long history. Originally, in places where Pascha was celebrated on a Sunday, the Paschal feast followed a fast of up to two days. In the third century this fast was lengthened to six days. Eventually this fast became attached to, or overlapped, another fast of forty days, in imitation of Christ's fasting in the wilderness. The forty-day fast was especially important for converts to the faith who were preparing for baptism, and for those guilty of notorious sins who were being restored to the Christian assembly. In the western church the forty days of Lent extend from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday, omitting Sundays. The last three days of Lent are the sacred Triduum of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Today Lent has reacquired its significance as the final preparation of adult candidates for baptism. Joining with them, all Christians are invited "to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word" (BCP, p. 265).

Life Transformed: The Way of Love in Lent - TURN

March 1, 2020 – Lent 1
The journey through Lent into Easter is a journey with Jesus. We are baptized into his life, selfgiving, and death; then, we rise in hope to life transformed. Drawing on the ancient practice of setting aside Lent as a period of study and preparation for living as a Christian disciple (known as the catechumenate), we are pleased to present weekly teachings from  Life Transformed: The Way of Love in Lent.  This resource, which ties the Easter Vigil lessons to the seven practices of the Way of Love, encourages Episcopalians and others to reflect on salvation history; walk toward the empty tomb; and embrace the transforming reality of love, life, and liberation. Learn more at  episcopalchurch.org/life-transformed .

READ  Romans 6:3-11

For the ancient Church, the Easter Vigil was the night when catechumens (those who had been studying for months in preparation of their baptisms) would enter into the waters of new birth and emerge members of Christ’s body, the Church.

Our current baptismal practices rarely do justice to the drama that those nights would contain. We have evidence that catechumens would be asked to stand on a hair-shirt (a mark of penitence), confess their sins, and renounce Satan and all the forces of wickedness that drew them from the love of God. As they did so, they would turn toward the West – the direction associated with death, since the sun always sets over the western horizon. Then, they would  TURN  and face the East – the direction of new life and resurrection.

As they watched the sun begin to rise, they would make their profession of faith and walk into the large font. Indeed, the fonts would likely have been shaped as crosses or sarcophagi (a larger, more elaborate casket) to call to mind Paul’s words about being buried with Christ in baptism. A jar of oil would be poured over their heads, and they would be dressed in a gleaming white garment. Finally, they would be ushered into another room where all their Christian brothers and sisters would greet them. The room was lit with the new fire of Easter, and they were invited to taste their first Eucharist.

The drama and mystery of the moment are palpable even now, and it is no wonder that this ancient rite has been adopted into our modern Easter practices and every baptism. In our baptism, we have turned from a life of sin and begun to walk the Way of Love back to God. In our baptism, we have turned from death itself and been joined with Christ in his everlasting life. And in our baptism, we have turned from living a life alone and have become one with the whole Church as members of the Body of Christ.

REFLECT : In his letter to the Romans, Paul lays out his theological belief that baptism is the  turning  point in our new life with Christ. It is the time that we leave the life of sin and death behind us to be born to life that is eternal. What are the places in your life that need to be turned back to God so that new life can break fort h?
Published by the Office of Communication of The Episcopal Church, 815 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017
© 2020 The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. All rights reserved.
Lent 2020: A Call to Prayer, Fasting, and Repentance Leading to Action

An Invitation from Presiding Bishop Curry to Turn and Pray on Behalf our Nation
As the season of Lent approaches, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry invites Episcopalians and people of faith to turn and pray on behalf of our nation. Click  HERE  to listen (and view the text) of his video message.

To read an interview with the Episcopal News Service about his call to prayer and fasting during Lent, click  HERE .

Let us pray.

Almighty God … We humbly pray that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of your favor and glad to do your will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in your Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to your law, we may show forth your praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in you to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 THE EPISCOPAL NEWS SERVICE
Lennon Yuan-Rung Chang consecrated and installed as bishop of Taiwan

Posted Feb 25, 2020
Bishop Lennon Yuan-Rung Chang (center) at his consecration as bishop of Taiwan on Feb. 22, 2020, with Bishop David J. H. Lai (left), bishop of Taiwan 2001-2020, and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry (right), chief consecrator. Photo: Diocese of Taiwan

[Diocese of Taiwan] “Hello, Taiwan! It is a blessing to be with you on this glorious day, and I know that I speak for all the archbishops and bishops that this is a glorious day!” With that joyful introduction, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry began his sermon to an expectant crowd of over 400 people gathered inside and outside St. John’s Cathedral in Taipei on Feb. 22 to witness the ordination, consecration, installation and seating of the Rev. Lennon Yuan-Rung Chang as the sixth bishop of Taiwan.

Despite growing concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, it was considered safe to continue with the consecration service, although the evening’s consecration banquet was canceled and travel restrictions meant that the archbishop and bishops of Hong Kong were unable to participate. The service was performed in Mandarin Chinese and English, and Curry led the service as chief consecrator. The co-consecrators were Bishop David J. H. Lai of Taiwan, Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick of Hawaii, Archbishop and Primate of Japan Nathaniel Uematsu, Bishop Haruhisa Iso of Osaka (Taiwan’s companion diocese) and Bishop Greg Rickel of Olympia. Archbishop and Primate of Korea Moses Yoo, Bishop Todd Ousley of the presiding bishop’s staff, Bishop John Smylie of Wyoming, most of the Province VIII bishops and a group of 15 clergy and church members from the Diocese of Osaka gave the service a special international flavor. Clergy stoles, flowers and decorations were all in traditional Chinese red, while firecrackers and a taiko drum performance enlivened the celebrations during the service, as did the combined choir from three Taipei churches.

Chang, 64, is married to Hannah Fen-Jan Wei and has two daughters and three grandchildren. He graduated in 1975 with a diploma in industrial engineering from St. John’s and St. Mary’s Institute of Technology, the predecessor of St. John’s University, Taipei, where he was also baptized in 1970. As associate professor of mathematics at St. John’s University from 1983 to 2016, Chang was ordained a deacon in 1995 and a priest in 1999. He served as chaplain of St. John’s University (1997-2016) and vicar, later rector, of Advent Church on the St. John’s University campus, which serves as both university chapel and parish church.

In his acceptance speech after his election as bishop on Aug. 3, 2019, Chang said, “Building on the work of Bishop David J. H. Lai over the past 20 years, I will continue to go forth in the name of the Lord.” His inspiration and role model is Bishop James C. L. Wong, first Chinese bishop of Taiwan (1965-70) and founder of St. John’s University, whose motto was “Transforming lives through the life of Christ.” Chang sees himself as inheriting Wong’s legacy, and in his sermon Curry referred to Wong’s life and witness, exhorting the congregation, “I want you and your bishop-elect to claim this high calling, to transform lives through the life of Christ, through the love of Christ, through the goodness of Christ. Bishop Wong was right! I hope you are as excited about this as I am!” He ended his sermon with some personal encouragement to Chang: “Help us to follow Jesus, help us to find our way to God and to each other, and may the legacy of Bishop Wong be your ministry in the future!”

At the end of the service, Curry paid tribute to Chancellor Herbert H. P. Ma, presenting him with a letter of thanksgiving in recognition of his ministry, constancy, wisdom and faithfulness over the past 65 years to the Episcopal Church in Taiwan, which was established in 1954 as a missionary district of the Diocese of Hawaii and is now a member diocese of Province VIII.
Meal organizers realized that people in and around town “were not only hungry in belly but hungry in heart and soul,” Stout said. “There is a lot of lonely eating on the island.”

He invoked Mother Teresa, who once said that loneliness is the West’s greatest  disease .

“We decided very early on that we were not going to advertise this as a homeless meal and that we weren’t going to emphasize the St. James Church thing,” Jane Sherwood, who co-chairs the ministry with Bostock, said in an interview. “So, we are the Community Meal at St. James. While we are church-sponsored, we are not Bible-thumping. We’re trying to live by example; our actions are louder than our words.”
Bishop Chang
Bishop Bob Fitzgerald participates in the ordination of Bishop Lennon Yuan-Rung Chang in Taipei, Taiwan. Photo credit: Bea Fitzgerald
The Anglican Church of Canada launches new podcast featuring indigenous voices

Posted February 11, 2020
Photo Credit: The Anglican Church of Canada


[ACNS, by Staff Writer] The Anglican Church of Canada launched a podcast last week (3 February) entitled “Sacred Teachings: Wisdom of the Land”. The podcast is an eight-part series featuring indigenous speakers, who will share their insights, wisdom, traditions and stories about the sacredness of creation.

In a  trailer  for the podcast shared on Facebook, Ginny Doctor of the Mohawk Turtle Clan said that the series would explore the meaning and importance of the natural world to the First Peoples of the land. She said: “it is our responsibility to live in harmony and balance with all of creation. In this time, when young people across the globe are calling out for justice and for all of us to stop destroying our natural world. We offer to use some wisdom and reflections to inform and inspire the way forward.”

The first episode features Archbishop Mark MacDonald, the National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop. He talks about St Francis of Assisi and reflects on the idea of being in communion with creation. Since 2007, Archbishop Mark has served as pastoral leader to indigenous peoples in the Anglican Church of Canada.

The podcast initiative is a joint project between Indigenous Ministries and Anglican Video.
Indigenous Ministries supports the indigenous peoples of Canada – First Nations, Inuit, and Métis – spiritually, socially, economically and politically.

Their  page on the Anglican Church of Canada’s website  says that “as active participants in the life of the church, we strive for reconciliation with the Anglican Communion and work towards Indigenous self-determination.”

Anglican Videois part of the internal communications system of the Anglican Church of Canada. It produces video resources for parish and individual use, as well as producing documentaries on spiritual topics.

The podcast can be found on  Vimeo ,  Spotify  and  Podbean .
HALE HO`OMALU
MARCH COLLECTION
Toiletries: bar soap/shampoo
Place your donations in the red wagon by the door to the sanctuary on Sundays. Hale Ho`omalu also needs and appreciates monetary donations as well as gift-in-kind items.

Please note, we do not accept food items that are not mentioned on the monthly list and we do not accept clothing, toys or similar items unless a specific plea for such items is published in the  Epistle . Your  Epistle  Staff will inform you of any special requests for donations.
SUNDAY SCHOOL THIS WEEK
Stories of the Kingdom of Heaven
We are all invited to God’s kingdom. Here, in Matthew, Jesus describes this kingdom in everyday images. Perhaps his disciples asked him what this kingdom is like. Perhaps they expressed discouragement that the coming of the Messiah in Jesus did not come about the way they expected, with universal acclaim and acceptance. Perhaps they wondered why more people do not hear the word of God and act on it. Jesus’ stories tell us about the coming of the kingdom of heaven on earth and give us hope and encouragement about how the reign of God will come about.

In the parable of the sower and the seed, the sower is God or Jesus, while the seed is the kingdom of God, or divine revelation. The different kinds of soil represent the different ways that we receive the word. In this story, Jesus tells us that, despite some failures, the sower’s (God’s) work ultimately succeeds for the most part. When we see people who are indifferent to God or who are distracted from the spiritual life by worldly matters or who lose their faith in God because their relationship to God is only superficial, we can become easily discouraged and even doubtful that the kingdom of heaven will ever come. But Jesus tells us that it will come for those who love God with heart, soul and strength. The way to receive and understand the world of the kingdom is by centering ourselves on the pure love of God.

In the parable of the wheat and the weeds, Jesus talks of the kingdom on earth as a mixed body of saints and sinners until the final sifting by God’s agents. He tells us to be patient and tolerant with others. He warns us not to usurp divine judgment because we, like the farmers, cannot always tell the difference between the saints and the sinners. I may seem more like a saint than that grumpy old man in the next aisle, but my own saintly qualities may be due only to my good health and good fortune, while he may surpass me in quiet good works in spite of terrible health and misfortune. How can I judge? We need to maintain a constant quest for holiness, without being unrealistically purist, as does the church. Churches and groups that try to exclude all sinners often end up with a community of one.

In his parables of the mustard seed and the yeast (leaven), Jesus then gives us symbols for the power of God. What looks like a very small, almost invisible presence will eventually grow to an all- embracing reality. This must have been good news to the disciples who, unlike us, had not seen Jesus’ call to the reign of God catch hold in the world.

A mustard seed is very tiny, but it grows from near invisibility to a huge tree that can even provide homes for birds. So it is with the kingdom of God. In time—in God’s time—it will grow to its full grandeur and to universal, all-embracing hospitality for all people.

The story of the yeast in the bread gives the same message. Jesus encourages his disciples by showing them the surprising effect that such an imperceptible force can have on the whole society, just like the yeast in a large lump of dough. And like the yeast, God’s plan works almost invisibly to bring about its purposes.

Where else can we see God present? It is possible to see God present and active in everyday life and ordinary things if we look at them with wonder. That is the Good News. God has come to us and dwells with us. God has come in Jesus, who shows us God’s presence every day. Look around! God is with us and stays with us, no matter what!
IN BRIEF . . .
These news briefs were featured in previous issues of "The Epistle"

Please submit your story ideas to the Epistle Staff at [email protected] .
ALL SAINTS' SERVICE BULLETINS AVAILABLE ONLINE
Go to allsaintskauai.org, the last time under "Worship Services" is "Download E-Programs". Click on that link to download the current service bulletin.

RIDES OFFERED TO BOTH SUNDAY SERVICES
If you need a ride to and from church call Chris Wataya at 808-652-0230.

ALL SAINTS' WISH LIST
If any ministry has an unmet need, reach out to put it on the All Saints' Wish List and it will be published in the Epistle . Contact Bill Caldwell at [email protected] .

LAUNDRY LOVE VOLUNTEERS AND DONATIONS
For more information go to Laundry Love Kaua`i or contact Geoff Shields at [email protected] or Bill Caldwell at [email protected] .

PASTORAL CARE CONTACT INFORMATION
Whenever you have a need for support, please call (650) 691-8104 and leave a voice mail. The system will immediately forward the information to the Pastoral Care Committee who will respond to each request. If you prefer, you may send an electronic pastoral care request via email to [email protected] .

PRAYER CHAIN MINISTRY
Individuals who want to participate in the Prayer Chain Ministry must re-enroll to continue receiving the email communications . To re-enroll, please visit the newly established   Pastoral Care web page  or contact the Church Office at (808) 822-4267.

SUBMITTING A PRAYER REQUEST
Prayer requests will now be   submitted online   or by contacting the Church Office at (808) 822-4267.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Names can be added to the Prayers of the People petitions by using the  Prayer Chain Request form  or by contacting the Church Office at (808) 822-4267. Names will remain in the Prayers of the People for a maximum of four Sundays before a name must be resubmitted.

HOME COMMUNION FOR SICK AND SHUT-INS
All Saints' Eucharistic Visitors are available each Sunday (pending availability) to bring Communion to those who are sick or shut-in. Requests for a Eucharistic visitation can be made by calling the Church Office at (808) 822-4267 or emailing [email protected] .