First Press May 2014

First Press First Press is the monthly newsletter of First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu 45-550 Kionaole Road, Kane‘ohe, HI 96744

MAY 2014 | Volume 19 | Issue 4

IN THIS ISSUE

Women's Way Mahalo and photo recap...pg. 3

CHURCH NEWS

Seekers & Joiners (New Members) Class May 31, Sat, 9 am–3:30 pm, Makai Room Are you a First Prez member? You are if you've attended the Seekers and Joiners Class (new members class) and have been sworn in by the Elders of the church.

If you've not done both of these, then here's your chance to officially become a First Prez member. Sign up for the next Seekers and Joiners Class scheduled for Saturday, May 31st from 9 am to 3:30 pm in the Makai Room.

Pastor Dan Chun will lead the classes and will share from his heart the vision of First Prez, our core values, the teachings of the Presbyterian church, the miracle of our move to Ko’olau, and other helpful information.

It’s also a great way to meet others who attend FPC-Honolulu! If you’d like to join First Prez, transfer your membership, or just learn more about us, this class is for you!

To sign up, please e-mail rosella@ fpchawaii.org by May 25. We will need your name, phone number, e-mail and childcare request (if needed). There is no obligation to join the church after attending the class.

ON THE COVER

Vacation Bible School 2014 June 2-6, 9 am to noon

At Weird Animals Vacation Bible School (VBS), kids discover that Jesus’ love is one-of-a-kind. Weird Animals is a habitat filled with incredible Bible-learning experiences kids see, hear, touch, and even taste! Sciency-Fun Gizmos, teambuilding games, cool Bible songs, and tasty treats are just a few of the standout activities that help faith flow into real life. Plus, we’ll help kids discover how to see evidence of God in everyday life— something we call God Sightings. Get ready, kids and Weird Animals Team, to hear that phrase a lot!

Our kids will also participate in a hands-on mission project where we will be earning money to help the orphans at Rancho Milagro Orphanage in Mexico have clean pillows, sheets, and pillow cases. Our very own FPC High School Mission Team will deliver these when they go to the orphanage on their mission trip this summer.

Parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles and friends are invited to join us at 11:30 am in the Fellowship Hall each day of VBS for Tail End--a daily celebration of Jesus' love.

So mark these dates on your calendar: June 2–6. The fun begins at 9 am and ends at noon each day.

You may register your preschool

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(*limited) and elementary children (keiki who have finished K–5th grade) at www.fpchawaii.org or get a copy of the registration form from the Front Desk or the Children's Ministry area. Cost is $25 per child. Scholarships are available.

The registration fee will be waived for children of volunteers. *We have 25 spaces for preschool aged children (3 to 5 year olds) who are familiar with our environment. We will also provide childcare for the the keiki (three years and younger) of VBS volunteers.

If you are willing to take a walk on the wild side by volunteering at WEIRD ANIMALS, where Jesus’ love is one-of-akind, please contact Karen Makishima at Karen@fpchawaii.org or (808) 440 -6564.

We need volunteers for the following areas: • Decorations • Preschool • Bible Adventure • Untamed Games • Crew Leaders • Registration Partnering with you for our keiki....

Your WEIRD Animals VBS Director Karen Makishima

WOMEN'S MINISTRY

Women's News Mahalo to all the volunteers who made our annual Salvation Army Women’s Way and Ke Ola Pono Easter Project a huge success this year. (See photos to the right.) To the dancers, coordinators, baby holders, and entertainers: you made this day special for many women and their children. Special thanks to Lillian Hussein who spoke a message of reality and hope.

A critical component is everyone who gave items and money for the lovely gift bags we presented to the participants, and we can’t forget the junior highers who spent time helping to organize and fill those bags. Special shout-out to the caterers who provided lunch: Jan and Jenny Tsukazaki.

taking on the role of a leader—then every woman in the group will raise her hand.

Phyllis Hendry, the inaugural president and CEO of Lead Like Jesus, is the featured speaker for the Annual Women’s Retreat scheduled for June 6 and 7.

Phyllis's message to us is that women are influencers: We are leading all the time.

But first of all we need to understand that leadership is all about love. It starts on the inside, in the heart. Phyllis's passion is to inspire women to stand up in the identity and power God has given them. When that happens, “There’s nothing we can’t do,” she asserts. “Women are doing incredible work around the world.”

Registration for the retreat begins on May 4 at the Women’s Ministry Table or online at www.fpchawaii.org (on the Women’s When Phyllis Hendry speaks, she usually Ministry page). asks the group, “How many of you feel you are leaders?” Often, only about 20 percent The retreat will be at our beautiful of women will raise their hands. “That is First Prez campus at Koolau. It will not heartbreaking to me,” Phyllis says. “There’s be overnight. It all begins with dinner on something about that Friday evening and continues ‘leader’ word,” she said. “For on Saturday with all three whatever reason, women meals. want to run away from it.”

Childcare will be provided.

But when she gives this See you at this encouraging definition—leadership and exciting retreat! is a process of influence, Questions? Contact Jenny at and anytime you seek to jenny@fpchawaii.org. influence the thinking, behavior, or development of people in their personal or professional lives, you are

Spring Retreat "Lead Like Jesus" June 6 & 7

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Ladies, What’s Your Sphere Of Influence?

“Leading like Jesus isn’t limited to the church setting. As the Creator and Lord of life, Jesus’ life of servant leadership stretched from synagogue leaders to family, friends, beggars, tax collectors, and Roman officials. His redefinition of servant leadership didn’t contain any qualifications or limitations. He really intends for me and you to influence the thinking, behavior, and development of every person who comes across our path.”

—Lead like Jesus Blog by Debbie Piper

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LIFE MINISTRIES

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BodyWorks Understanding God's Design for Your Life • a Life Training Class Sundays, May 18–June 22 It’s not what you do, it's who you are that matters to God. Let us help you on your journey of self-discovery, identifying your passions, your spiritual gifts, and your personal style through a dynamic, interactive course called BodyWorks. Join us Sundays beginning May 18th to open understanding about God’s design for us in service to the Body of Christ! Register for the class at the Life Ministries table on Sundays in the Fellowship Hall. Cost is $10 for the workbook.

OUT & ABOUT (FORMERLY RAA!)

Out & About at Foster Gardens May 28, Wed, 10 am, Foster Gardens Ticket Office God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bears fruit with seed in it…” and God saw that it was good.

Where can we see this land with vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees bearing fruit with seed? All around us, but in particular, The Foster Botanic Garden, right in the middle of busy downtown Honolulu.

A 14-acre garden planted in the 1850’s, Foster Botanic Garden is the oldest of the Honolulu Botanical Gardens and displays a mature and impressive collection of tropical plants.

Queen Kalama, wife of Kamehameha III, leased a small area of land to William Hillebrand, a young German doctor, who was also a botanist. He and his wife built a home in the upper terrace area of the present garden. He planted the magnificent trees that ow tower over the area.

The property was sold in the 1870’s to Capt. Thomas and Mary Foster, who added to it and continued to develop the garden. Upon Mrs. Foster’s death in 1930, the 5.5 acre site was bequeathed to the City and County of Honolulu as a public garden, and opened to the public in 1931.

Through purchases by the City and gifts from individuals, the garden expanded to over 13.5 acres and has become a living museum of tropical plants, some rare and

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endangered, collected over a period of 150 years.

Out & About invites everyone to join us in a docent-led tour of the Garden. Our docent will share various aspects and history of the gardens, some of which are the butterfly garden, the tropical greenhouse, their palm collection, and the Prehistoric Glen.

Please meet at the ticket office at 9:45 am where our docent will begin our 90-minute guided tour. Don’t forget sunscreen, hats, and water!

After our tour, we will enjoy a gourmet plate lunch and soft drink from the Kahai Street Kitchen, while sitting under trees in the park. (Bring mats to sit on.)

If the Gazebo is available, it will seat about 15. This will be a day of education while getting in touch with nature, great fellowship, and then enjoying a scrumptious meal. All this in such a metropolitan city as Honolulu!

When? Wednesday, May 28 at 10 am.

The entrance fee for the Garden is $3 and lunch will be $16. Sign-up on the two preceding Sundays, May 18 and 25 after the 8 and 9:30 am services, where cash or a check will be collected.

A word of caution: the ground is grassy and uneven and not friendly to wheelchairs and walkers. There is limited parking so you may want to carpool.

KO‘OLAU KIDS

Children's News What's Happening Downstairs Vacation Bible School

Mark your calendar—Vacation Bible School will be June 2-6, 2014.

CHURCH NEWS

First Prez App Early Adopters Rock!

by Shayna Kusumoto

Are you an early adopter? You are, if you're one of the 469 folks already using the new First Prez app! But just in case you haven't gotten around to downloading it yet, here are some basic instructions.

On your iPhone, iPad, Android, Galaxy or Windows phone, go to your app store and do a search for "First Prez App."

Christ-centered content that needs to be shared with the world. The big question is, "How do we get this life-changing content into people’s hands?" There are 1,000,000 smart phones sold daily. Fifty percent of data is now consumed on mobile devices, and that percentage is ever growing.

Roughly two-thirds of Americans have an app device. And mobile users spend an Browse through the app's great features, average of 80 minutes in apps every day. and please opt to receive notifications from And THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is why us via your smart phone, too. we created the First Prez App—to equip YOU with mobile technology to share Features of Our App Christ-centered messages, information • Sermon video, audio, and notes and events, and to make the truth of Jesus • Bible reading plan and the whole Bible incredibly accessible.

• Event calendar In addition to making solid biblical • Maps teaching accessible to the world, we also • Online giving wanted our First Prez App to keep people • Information about the church connected with calendar events and social Right now the First Prez App has the networks, to be integrated with our online last four sermon message series: Christmas giving, and in the future to be able to do Presence, God's Questions For Us, Book of much, much more.

Acts, and one called "Best of the Best," for those unique sermons that didn't fit neatly Get the First Prez App and Share It Check it out right now at http://get. into a series. The full-length sermon audio and video, and sermon transcripts are now theapp.co/28f2. Or just do a search easily accessible from your mobile device! for "First Prez App" in your app store, You can also easily share sermons through download, install, and open it. Subscribe to our notifications. We hope you like what Facebook, Twitter, and email. you find. Help us spread the Word!

Job Opportunity

Our Children’s Ministry is still looking for one full-time paid employee for the position of Administrative Coordinator.

If interested in finding out more information about this, contact Karen Makishima at Karen@fpchawaii.org

Why Did We Build It?

Every day First Prez is creating incredible

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People

WHAT YOU SAID

Why Is Your Mom a Blessing? All the Good Things We asked you the question on Facebook for Mother's Day, and here's what you posted: "I love my mom for her joyful optimism, even in the face some great tragedy or challenges in her life. It is often contagious and always inspiring and uplifting. I thank God for her gracious example of aging so joyfully."

- Carol Ching Tomita "My mom shows me by example how to live a humble life of compassion and servanthood. She survived the most difficult hardships and still focuses on the beauty in this world. She has the voice of an angel, and I am blessed with her unconditional love! I want to be like mom when I grow up!"

- Claire Tanoue "I was blessed to have Myrna Penass give me up for adoption with love and have Genevieve Williams adopt me with love.

Every Mother's Day I pray for the ultimate sacrifice that Myrna did so we both could have a better life which we did. Genevieve prays everyday for Myrna knowing that the Lord answered her prayers through her. I will never meet her but she is always in my heart, God Bless her today and always."

- Marianne Schultz "My mom is a blessing because she dropped everything to fly here when I was sick and needed her most. She has helped with chores, cooking, and watching my children when I was too weak to do these things myself. Instead of doing all of the touristy things that I'm sure she'd love to do, she's says she is here to take care of me."

- Helen Stratton-Eardley "She is a blessing because she reads my feeling and understand my unspoken words.

She always be there when I need her. she is a liar; she give her food for me saying that she's not hungry but actually she is, she give me her coat saying that she is not cold but actually she is cold. She is a great blessing from God." - Hennie Julia W.

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What's the buzz with First Prez people

by Marcia Wright May! Fresh breezes and sunshine fill the air. Expectancy of good things to come swells our hearts as we rejoice on this side of the empty tomb! Our Easter celebration was a glorious joining of hearts, voices, and instruments as we praised God for the gift of His Son and the resurrection.

Heidi Lum will be graduating from Fuller Theology Seminary in June. She will graduate with a Master of Arts in Global Leadership. “Praise God! It’s been a long road. My family will also be joining me for two months in Swaziland on my 20th trip and our family’s fifth trip. We will go to minister in the village of Mgambeni.” Heidi is the Executive Director of Advocates for Africa’s Children. www.afachildren.org Casey Morrissey did a great job promoting the Iolani School fair on KHON2 TV morning news. Maybe we were watching the beginning of a budding newscaster?

Connie Tschillard had a quilt featured in the Hawaii Quilt Guild E Ho’onanea I Ka Mili Kapa “Come and Be Soothed By the Quilting” show at the Honolulu Museum of Art School. Connie’s quilt was titled “Peaceful Hearts.” The quilt show included many different styles of quilting and quilters from many different backgrounds.

Connie is a crafter extraordinaire and is also known for her beautiful Hawaiian dolls.

Royal and Aurora Fruehling attended the event and shared this news with me.

The Fruehlings also attended the Volunteer Appreciation Evening for Hawaii Literacy. Royal has been volunteering since 2000. Adele Chong also volunteers with this group. It sounds like fun!

In memoriam of Roy Gritter, a life well lived. Here are snippets from an article about Roy Gritter (51) from Calvin College’s (Grand Rapids Michigan) news magazine

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“The Spark.” Roy had a fix-it-ministry. He found joy fixing and volunteering in which ever community he lived. Be it cleaning at Hanauma Bay both in and out of the water to answering fish questions. He carried buckets of paint as he rode his bike in Chinatown to paint over graffiti wherever he found it. “I have a lot of fun. Ephesians 2:10 says, 'We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand.’ The way I see it, God had all this prepared for me.”

That Roy lived an honest life of service to Jesus and the community is certainly a good thing. May we find encouragement in his example to live lives of similar dedication to Christ.

The “On the Move” section of Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that Adelia (Dung) Chung was elected by the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific Foundation to its board of directors.

Adelia is co-owner of Spectrum Wealth Management and also president of the Alana Dung Researched Foundation. She also serves on the Chaminade University board of governors. Congratulations, Adelia.

Bub Wo attended the Assets School Annual Fundraiser and had his picture in the Honolulu Pa’ina section of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Thank you for your service, Bub. Our own Beebe Freitas was honored by the Oahu Chorale Society with an evening of music, good food, and lots of fun.

Vivace! 2014 A Night in Paris was attended by a number of First Prez members and of course the First Prez Choir was well represented!

Go out with JOY living a resurrected life in Christ doing and sharing good things with all you meet. Be renewed by God’s word in your hearts and minds. Aloha Ke Akua. manoaw@hawaiiantel.net

FINANCE & ADMIN

Upon This Rock Update Our "Upon This Rock" capital campaign is on the right track. Here's the "temperature reading" so far:

As of March 31, 2014

PRAYERLINES

• Campaign Goal = $7M • Actual Pledges received = $3,473,517 • Actual collection to date = $2,896,459

Daily Prayer of Examen

by Patti Marshall

If your life is anything like mine, 2. Begin to review your entire day. Give sometimes it seems to be moving at too fast thanks to God for all that He brings to of a pace. There is a great need to breathe, your mind. “When the Spirit of truth reflect, and recapture some moments comes he will guide you into all truth” of peace and a tangible awareness that (John 16:13). Ask God to show you two Emmanuel, God is indeed with us. Even things. on days when we are more restful and less • Notice when you lived out of love and engaged with activity, it is important to freedom in Jesus Christ: “Whatever is fix our gaze upon God’s face and seek His true, whatever is honorable, whatever company. is just, whatever is pure, whatever is A rhythm of prayer that helps me to pleasing, whatever is commendable, more fully engage the presence of God in if there is any excellence or if there every day life is best known as the Prayer is anything worthy of praise, think of Examen (examination of the soul). about these things “ (Philippians 4:8).

Although it can be done twice a day, most • Notice when you did not live out of people find that engaging in this practice love and freedom in Jesus: “Let us test before bed is very effective. Examen and examine our ways, and return to involves setting aside 10-15 minutes and the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40). Spend taking prayerful notice of your entire day. some time dealing with those things For this to become a holy prayer habit that God brings to mind in repentance. is sustainable, choose approximately the same time each day and find a place where 3. Give thanks to God for the opportunity you can be undisturbed and undistracted. to review the day, and to notice when Also, feel free to make this prayer your own you did or didn’t live like Jesus. Ask God in a way that fits your own personality and for guidance and grace for tomorrow: reflects your own unique relationship with “Now to Him who is able to do far more God. abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that There are basically three simple steps works within us, to Him be the glory that make up the Prayer of Examen: in the church and in Christ Jesus to all 1. Preparation—Take time to still and quiet generations forever and ever. Amen” your soul: “Surely I have composed and (Ephesians 3:20-21). quieted my soul; like a weaned child Keep a journal and discern with a mentor rests against his mother, my soul is or trusted friend what God downloads to like a weaned child within me” (Psalm your spirit during these short seasons of 131:2). Focus your attention completely prayer. As this practice becomes a habit upon God in this moment: “In Him we for you, allow yourself the freedom to live and move and have our being” (Acts welcome with gratitude the changes that 17:28).

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the Holy Spirit births in you. Stick this out for several days, and you will see how the practice grows on you and gives surprising depth to the hours of your days. The Prayer of Examen will likely become a practice you will delight in coming back to over and over again as you pay attention to the movement and presence of God throughout your every day life.

Kim Butts. Prayer Connect. Sept. 29, 2013

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NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID KANEOHE, HI PERMIT NO. 120

45-550 Kionaole Road Kane‘ohe, HI 96744 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

WORSHIP SERVICES

Sundays at 8 am, 9:30 am, 11:11 am Visit our website at www.fpchawaii.org

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MAY 2014 Upcoming Events May 1 May 2 May 10 May 11 May 18 May 20 May 24 May 26 May 28 May 31

Caregiver Support Group Singles' Ohana Cinco De Mayo Dinner PGA Golf Outing, Jr. High Overnighter Mother's Day Life Training classes begin, Blood Drive, Youth Sunday Men's Ministry Dinner Military Mom's Night Out Memorial Day - Church Office Closed Out & About Foster Botanical Gardens Visit Seekers & Joiners Class

Recurring Events Sundays Worship Services at 8, 9:30 and 11:11 Mondays MONDAYS: College-Age Bible Study and Fellowship Tuesdays Mighty Moms Wednesdays Gathering (High School), Old Town,

Alpha Course, Dance Ministry Thursdays Choir, Men's SPARTAN Group Fridays F2, First Prez Crafters, 5th Quarter

Write a caption for this photo, and enter to win! Post your suggestion on our facebook page: www.facebook.com/firstprez or email it to shayna@fpchawaii.org and we'll post it for you.

Captions with the most "LIKES" will be published in next month's First Press. Winner will receive a $10 gift certificate to Ko‘olau Kitchen. Go now to www.facebook.com/firstprez, and enter your caption as a comment on this photo!

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If you would like to opt out of receiving our newsletter by mail, please email pkamahele@fpchawaii.org or call 532-1111 First Press can be viewed online at www.fpchawaii.org/?page_id=19 Submit articles by May 15 for the June 2014 issue to: shayna@fpchawaii.org.

We reserve the right to edit articles submitted. Art director • Shayna Kusumoto; Copy editors • Patty Kamahele, Julie Lockyer, Rosella Shishido, Linda Verdugo, Sarah Williams