Ka Leo Mekokiko August - September 2017

THE VOICE OF UNITED METHODIST

Ka Leo Mekokiko

Hawaii District August - September 2017 VOLUME 33 NUMBER 8

Hawaii District Korea

Spiritual Immersion Experience Event Date: May 18-25, 2018

Registration Deadline: August 31, 2017

Come immerse yourself and renew your spirituality in this great cultural experience to South Korea.

During the trip, participants will attend Early Morning Prayer meetings, visit landmark Korean churches

to learn about their strategies for church growth, fellowship, and many more. The hosting church, Bu-

Pyeong Korean Methodist Church (부평감리교회) will provide lodging, meals and local transportation

throughout the trip. This is a great opportunity! Please register as we have limited spaces.

There is a physical copy of the registration form on the bottom of page 4 and also at

http://www.hawaiidistrictumc.org/ in Resources. Please fill it out and mail it to the Hawaii District Office

at: 20 South Vineyard Blvd. Honolulu, HI 96813 or email to info@hawaiidistrictumc.org as soon as pos-

sible. First come, first served basis.

WE PRESENT TO YOU

Sonya Lee

New Administrative

Assistant

Hawaii District Office

---------------------------------------

We would like to announce that

Sonya Lee is the new Administra-

tive Assistant at the Hawaii Dis-

trict Office! We are very grateful

for Leilani Zukemura’s dedicated

service as interim these past few

months. We give her much thanks

and we pray she may have a won-

derful retirement.

Sonya Lee is the wife of Pastor Won-Seok Yuh at Kahalu’u UMC.

She graduated from Otis College of Art & Design located in Los

Angeles, CA. She majored in Digital Media and received her

Bachelor of Arts in 2011. She moved to Hawaii from California

just last year after she got married. We are blessed to have her be

part of the aloha family. So come visit to the district office and

give her a warm welcome! Aloha, Sonya!

Please register online if you have not done so!

If you have any questions please contact

Rev. John (Sione) Finau (jfinau@live.com) or

Russel Langas (rlangas808@yahoo.com)

Ka Leo Mekokiko August - September 2017 2

Ministry Musings from the District Superintendent

ANNUAL CONFERENCE MISSION STATEMENT:

Inspiring the World as Passionate Followers of Jesus Christ

I had a chance to visit Vancouver, Canada after Cal-Pac Annual Conference. It was a long and an an-ticipated vacation of mine ever since I heard about the beauty of the Banff National Park. On my first day, I unexpectedly encountered with Terry Fox, whose exhibition was advertised on a big billboard at the front of Royal British Canada Museum. My tour guide explained about his story. His explanation about Terry Fox was pretty impressive. Terry was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian and cancer research activist. At the age of 18, he was diag-nosed with bone cancer and was forced to have his right leg amputated 15 centimeters above his right knee. He was only 19 years old. While he was in the hospital, Terry was so overcome by the suffering of other can-cer patients, many of them young children, that he decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer re-search. He would call his journey the Marathon of Hope. He died at the age of 22 but ran over 3,000 miles and raised 650 million dollars world wide for cancer research. What a legacy and the hope he has given to cancer patients. I was deeply touched by his vision and hope in the midst of his most desperate situation. Whenever your life presents or challenges you, please keep in mind the passage from Romans 15:13, "May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Have a restful and healthy Summer!

Rev. Dr. Se Hee Han

BISHOP’S CONFIRMATION RETREAT

The Hawaii District UMC is excited to offer a Confirmation Camp for Hawaii Youth! Bishop Grant Hagiya

will lead this special weekend for youth to fellowship with other Christians, learn more about their faith and

grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. So please register at the link below and join us!

Date: September 22-24, 2017 (Friday ~ Sunday)

Place: Camp Mokuleia, 68-729 Farrington Highway, Waialua, Hawaii

Who: Ages 11-18 years old (Middle School – High School Senior)

Activities: Swimming at the beach and pool, kayaking, playing volleyball,

hiking, and running through a challenge course.

Cost: $100 (Scholarship is available but limited to only neighbor islands)

Registration Link: https://calpaccamps.campbrainregistration.com/ * Restriction of 10 campers per Church. A chaperone is required to accompany the group.

* Registration ends: AUGUST 14

Ka Leo Mekokiko August - September 2017 3

MESSAGE FROM THE DISTRICT LAY LEADER

Greetings, Brothers and Sisters in Christ of the Hawaii District!

I hope you’re enjoying the summertime. I went surfing the other day………that is,

surfing the website www.calpacumc.org, and found that this is an informative, useful

tool to gain insight and ideas for working toward transforming lives for the sake of our

Lord Jesus Christ. The theme of the website is: “Inspiring the world as passionate fol-

lowers of Jesus Christ so all may experience God’s life-giving love.” And from what I searched,

the theme is most apropos. There’s even a link to a website that can help local churches create or

improve their own websites.

My being a “baby boomer”, presents a personal challenge to be technically and electronically savvy. I

haven’t embraced using Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, although I do occasionally “Like” things on

Facebook postings that friends share. I have yet to produce a PowerPoint presentation—a project that’s

on my Bucket List. I often have to remind myself that I can obtain information on almost anything in

less than a minute by using the Internet, instead of looking in a phone book or trying to remember the

title of a most interesting article that I read the other week.

The connectional nature of the United Methodist Church can be optimized by using www.calpacumc.org and the general UMC website www.umc.org to motivate and inspire you to serve God and neighbors in our communities and around the world.

You will be affirmed by seeing that other local churches are providing similar ministries as you are,

in their neighborhoods or you may be inspired to enhance something you’ve been doing for

years.

By reading articles on the websites, you will “meet” people like yourself who love God as a follower

of Jesus Christ and want to show compassion and mercy to others.

Your eyes and hearts will be opened by God’s wondrous works that are accomplished by local

churches, that are bringing joy to people in our backyards and all over the world.

You will be able to sign up for online workshops and classes to further your study and understanding

of the Bible, to learn of other countries and missions, and to discover ways to pray and do crea-

tive worship.

I encourage you to allow God’s Spirit to become a more vital, practical part of your daily life by using

these websites.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly farm more than all we

can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.

Amen. (Eph 3:20-21).

Your sister in Christ,

Lynn Owan

Transforming Vital Congregations, Transforming Christian Leaders, Transforming Lives, and Trans-

forming the World.

https://calpacumc.formstack.com/forms/signupemail

Ka Leo Mekokiko August - September 2017 4

Clergy Convocation 2017

WHEN: Tuesday, August 29 - Thursday, August 31, 2017

WHERE: Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa, Palm Spr ings, California

COST: $300 - covers meals, speaker, workshops, supplies, etc. This does not include

the hotel cost for your room. A reasonable rate with the hotel has been

arranged; retirees receive a $100 discount off the registration.

WHAT: Visioning with Bishop Grant Hagiya; Keynote speaker : Br ian McLaren

Ministerial Education Fund Scholarships are available for clergy whose churches cannot afford the cost of registration and/or hotel expenses. If you need an airfare scholarship, please contact the District Office by email at: hawaiidistrict@calpacumc.org.

To register: <http://www.calpacumc.org/event/clergy-convocation-2017/>

For Hotel Discounted Reservation: <https://aws.passkey.com/event/15588824/owner/1792/home>

2018 Hawaii District Immersion Trip to Korea

Registration Form Event Dates: May 18-25, 2018

Deadline: August 31, 2017

Qualifications: Pastor & spouse, lay leaders (Spouse must fill out a separate form)

Legal Name:_________________________________________________________________________

Birthdate:________________________________________ Circle: Male Female

Spouse’s name (if attending):____________________________________________________________

Phone Number: _____________________________ Email: ___________________________________

Home Address:_______________________________________________________________________

Title:_______________________________ Local church:____________________________________

If Lay Leader, please describe your position in detail:

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Are you planning to stay longer than the dates of the event? Circle: Yes No

If you circled Yes, write down your anticipated dates:_________________________________________

IF ACCEPTED, you must pay $500.00 deposit (non-refundable) within 7 days after receiving an email confir-

mation of acceptance. You will be informed later for the airfare’s remaining balance.

Other costs such as lodging, meals, and local transportation will be provided by the hosting church in Korea.

Ka Leo Mekokiko August - September 2017 5

Bits and Pieces…

Please pray for Mrs. Su`e Siofele, spouse of Pastor Joe Siofele, Associate Pastor at Aiea UMC. She is getting stronger, and the doctors are determining a treatment for her heart.

Continue to pray for Mrs. Saofetalai Taufetee - spouse of Rev. Faaagi Taufetee at Pacific Islanders UMC, Rev. Manako Kemoeatu (retired) and his wife, Ahea.

We also praise and thank the Lord for Rev. Tevita Maile of Kahuku UMC, who is recovering and get-ting stronger from his surgery. He is now retired and has moved back to Maui.

Please pray for Mrs. Marilyn Van Gieson, who was the editor for our district newsletter - Ka Leo Mekokiko from 2003-June 2014. She is recovering at the hospital after the Marco Polo Condo Fire.

Please pray for those who were affected by the Marco Polo condominium fire in Honolulu.

Claremont (CST) Needs Your Prayers (Claremont Facing Financial Difficulties) By Kathy L. Gilbert June 8, 2017 I UMNS

Claremont School of Theology, one of The Unit-ed Methodist Church’s 13 seminaries, is having financial problems that may mean the school will have to leave its current campus in California, said the Rev. Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan, president. At the same time, Claremont is celebrating its largest enrollment in the last 35 years. The class of 2017 is the largest ever, with nearly 80 stu-dents receiving degrees. The 2017 class also includes the first class of hybrid/online students. “At a time when Claremont School of Theology is experiencing its greatest success, we are facing our greatest challenge,” Kuan wrote in a letter to donors, alumni and friends. The school has always faced financial challeng-es, Kuan told United Methodist News Service, and has never been able to build an endowment necessary to support its operations. “As a semi-nary, we cannot rely just on tuition revenue and annual fundraising,” he wrote in a June 7 email. The school moved to its current location in 1957, and Kuan said there is “significant” deferred maintenance needed to revitalize the campus including retrofitting large buildings for earth-quake safety. Kuan became the seminary’s pres-ident in 2013.

“We would rather put funds toward our focus — educating our students to be agents of transfor-mation and healing in a hurting world,” he said. All options are being explored, Kuan said, includ-ing relocating or embedding within a university or moving to a more efficient location. Kuan credits the increase in enrollment to “reclaiming our identity as being United Methodist in origin and affiliation and ecumenical and interreligious in spirit.” “We rebuilt our relations with the denomination, especially with annual conferences and local churches,” Kuan said. “In the last three years, our United Methodist student population has in-creased by more than 50 percent.” Three years ago, Claremont launched a hybrid/online program that offers Master of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry degrees. “Among United Methodists, bishops in our region have been able to appoint our students to serve in churches while they complete their theological studies,” Kuan said. Claremont is a fully accredited school but is un-der sanction by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges because of its financial problems, Kuan said. The school will celebrate its 60

th anniversary this

year, he said. “We are planning to be around for at least the next 60 years.”

Ka Leo Mekokiko August - September 2017 6

HAWAII UNITED METHODIST UNION 20 South Vineyard Boulevard Honolulu, HI 96813 Phone: (808) 536-1864 Email: hawaiidistrict@calpacumc.org

KA LEO MEKOKIKO August - September 2017

Back to School Bash………...…………….........p. 1

Korea Spiritual Immersion Trip...…………….. p. 1

New Administrative Assistant……….…….…...p. 1

Claremont Needs Your Prayers...………………p. 5

Clergy Convocation 2017.………..……………...p. 4

DISTRICT CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR 2017

July 29 Back to School Bash Christ UMC

Sept. 4 Labor Day District Office closed

Aug 3-5 Tongan American Caucus Conference First UMC Sept 16 YMW: Diversity Talent

Show/Bake Sale TBA

Aug 5 7th Annual Summer Fest Kailua UMC Sept 22-24 Bishop’s Confirmation

Retreat Camp Mokuleia

Aug. 5-22 Missionary Itineration Various church loca-tions Sept 23 UMW District Annual

Celebration Aiea Korean UMC

Aug 10-12 Transforming Ministry Conference Portland, Oregon Oct 15-19 Strength For The

Journey Camp Mokuleia

Aug 17-20 Women’s Walk to Em-maus

St. Anthony’s Retreat Center Nov 4

UMW District Leader-ship Team Meeting/Retreat

TBA

Aug. 26 UMW Mission Festival Trinity UMC Nov 10-11 YMW: Next Generation Limitless Event TBA

Aug. 29-31 Clergy Convocation Palm Springs, CA

If you would like us to promote your event or extend congratulations, or if you have a prayer request to lift up

to our District churches, please email to hawaiidistrict@calpacumc.org by the third Monday of each month.

Thank you!