FFooccuuss

Sunday, January 5th during joint worship service.

RECOGNIZING OUR LEADERS

Join us on January 5th as we dedicate our 2020 church leaders and fellowship afterward at a potluck lunch hosted by our English congregation. Please sign up with Kim Houff at Kim@firstumchonolulu.org or call the office with what dish you would like to bring to the potluck.

FUMC will be joining the Hawaii District UMC in marching int the MLK Parade. The parade begins at Magic Island with the formation of organizations at 7:30a.m., then moves out at 9:00 a.m., ending at Kapiolani Park. We will have an all church picnic at Kapiolani Park following the parade. Our Praise Band will be performing in the Rally Celebration in the park! Wear your FUMC shirt and join us in the parade!

Monday, January 13th 6-8 p.m.

This training is for all church leaders and those interesting in learning more about being a leader. Snacks and childcare will be provided. Contact Kim at kim@firstumchonolulu.org to RSVP and for more information.

2020 Vision: Glorifying God through our D. A. Y. S.

Church Events

1020 S. BERETANIA STREET, HONOLULU, HAWAII 96814 JANUARY 2020 – VOLUME LXVII, ISSUE 1

• Jan 1st – HOLIDAY: Facilities, Office & Foodbank CLOSED

• Jan 5th – Leaders Dedication followed by English Hosted Potluck

• 6th-10th – Tongan Prayer Week

• Jan 11th – Taking down the greens

• Jan 12th – Baptism of the Lord

• Jan 13th – Leadership Training

• Jan 20th – MLK Parade and HOLIDAY: Facilities, Office & Foodbank CLOSED

• Jan 24th – College Prep Class

• Jan 26-Feb 2nd – Family Promise

• Jan 26th –Disciple Fasttrack Intro Meeting

• Jan 26th – UMW Sunday

LEADERSHIP TRAINING

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. PARADE – January 20

2020 Vision: Glorifying God Through Our D.A.Y.S.

Dear FUMC ‘Ohana:

We have come to a new decade! And the New Year brings us to the year 2020. That reminds me of 20/20 vision – something which means that our vision is clear and focused. My vision for our church during this New Year is something that I hope we will find to be clear, focused, faithful and exciting. I’m calling it 2020 Vision: Glorifying God Through Our D. A. Y. S. – Discipleship, (the) Arts (including architecture), Young people, and Service. This is in line with our Priority Action Plan (always available on request from me) that was adopted in the first half of 2017 and it also enhances that plan with specific measures. Let me go through each of the “D. A. Y. S.”:

DISCIPLESHIP – the core of any church is to focus on how each participant in our ‘ohana (“family” in Hawaiian) grows in their knowledge, experience, and growth in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This year, we are adding to our Bible studies the “Disciple – Fast Track;” this is an abbreviated form of the renowned Bible Study program that studies most of the Bible. We are planning to offer this class on Sunday mornings before the 10 a.m. worship.

We will continue to offer other ways to grow in Christ.

ARTS – This area has many parts 1) Architecture - we will be escalating our building renovation in 2020 with major repairs to the sanctuary – beginning with the electrical work – and well as renovating Komuro Hall and parts of the education building. 2) The Arts – we plan to continue expanding our arts program by inviting more guest musicians and performers, as well as a plan to expand programming to enhance the arts, dance and music in our church.

YOUNG PEOPLE – We hope to hire a Christian Education Director focusing on the English ministry in 2020, to expand and improve our ministry to children and youth. We will again have a retreat with a guest leader, following up on the successful “What’s Your Story” retreat with Sarah Heath. We will continue our outreach to Queen Ka’ahumanu Elementary School through an ukulele class.

SERVICE – We will continue to challenge each of us to serve our Lord by serving our church, serving our community, and serving our world.

I hope that you will prayerfully live out the DAYS of 2020 in these ways, so that we will personally benefit, our church will benefit, and all will benefit, to the glory of God!!

*****

We will be installing new leaders at our January 5 service. On January 13, I hope that all of our leaders can participate in a leadership training led by Kim Houff.

*****

On Saturday, January 11 starting at 10 a.m., we will be saying goodbye to Christmas with the taking down of the Christmas decorations. We hope that many can participate – many hands make light work!

*****

THIS JUST IN: There is breaking news on the future of our denomination. Go to www.unitedmethodistbishops.org and scroll down to the article entitled United Methodist Traditionalists, Centrists, Progressives & Bishops sign agreement aimed at separation.

Let us pray for FUMC and our UM denominations as a whole in 2020.

Grace and aloha,

Pastor’s Page

January 5 Pastor Tom Choi preaches on "The 12 Days of Christmas," explaining the reason we have 12 days of Christmas plus the meaning of the gifts of the Wisemen. New leaders will be installed. Holy Communion will be celebrated. A special bonus: each person will have the option of being anointed with oil made from frankincense and myrrh and receive a "gold coin" of foil and chocolate. These represent the three gifts the Wise Men gave to Jesus.

Text – Matthew 2:7-12

January 12 Pastor Tom Choi preaches on "The Baptism of the Lord," explaining the reason we have baptism as one of the two sacraments in the United Methodist Church. At the end of the service, there will be an innovative ritual of writing on a piece of dissolve paper ways of fulfilling and renewing the baptismal covenant and then having them dissolve into water.

Text: Mark 1:9-11

January 19 Pastor Tom Choi preaches on "Is the Dream Dead?" On the weekend during which the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is celebrated, there are questions whether the “dream” that Dr. King envisioned is in jeopardy.

Text: Galatians 3:26-29

January 26 The subject of this day’s proclamation will be announced later in January.

Si’i Kaunga Pilikimi ‘I he ‘Eiki,

Fakafeta’i ki he ‘Eiki he’etau a’usia ‘a e Ta’ufo’ou ni. Tuku kololia he’ene tafoa ‘a e hala fononga ‘o tau tu’uta lelei he 2020 ko ‘ene ‘ofa pe.

‘Oku tau Kalanga fakataha mo e Saame 103: Fakafeta’I kia Sihova hoku laumalie mo ia kotoa pe ‘oku ‘iate au, Fakafeta’i ki hono Huafa Ma’oni’oni e, Fakafeta’I kia Sihova hoku laumalie, pea ‘oua na’a ngalo ‘ene me’a’ofa fulipe. ‘Aia ‘oku ne fakamolemole ‘a e angahala fuape, ‘aia ‘oku ne faito’o ‘a e mahaki kotoa pe, ‘aia ‘oku ne huhu’i mei he ‘auha ho’o mo’ui, ‘aia ‘oku ne fakakalauni’aki koe ‘a e ‘ofa mo e fai faka’atu’i, ‘aia ‘oku ne fakamakona ‘I he lelei ‘a ho’o a’ua’u, Tupu fo’ou hange ha ‘ikale ho’o talavou.

‘Oku ou fakamalo lahi atu ki he ngaahi fatongia kotoa pe kuo tau ikuna he fu’u ta’u kafakafa kuo tau situ’a mei ai. ‘I he’etau kamata ‘ia ‘a e mahina ‘uluaki, ‘oku uki kitautolu: SANUALI: “KE TAU FAKAFETA’I HOTAU PAPITAISÓ, KO E KAMATA’ANGA ‘O ‘ETAU FETAUHI’AKI MĀ’ONI’ONI KI HE ‘OTUA MO HOTAU KAUNGĀ’API. ‘Oku fakamanatu kiate kitautolu ke tau manatu ki ho tau papitaiso ‘I he kovinanite na’e fai ‘e he tau ngaahi matu’a kiate kitautolu, te’eki te tau ‘ilo, ke hoko ‘etau mo’ui ko e mateaki ‘o Kalaisi ‘o a’u ki he ngata’anga. Ko ia ko kitautolu kotoa pe kuo papitaiso, kuo kopano kitautolu ki he famili ‘o e ‘Otua, pea ke tau ‘ofa ki he ‘Otua ‘aki hotau kotoa, pea tau ‘ofa ki he kaunga’api ‘o hange ko ‘etau ‘ofa kiate kitautolu foki. Ka pehe ‘a e kamata’anga ‘o e ta’u, pea tau fononga aipe, ‘ofa ki he ‘Otua, pea pehe ki he taha kotoa pe. ‘Oku ou talamonu atu ki he teu ‘o ‘etau Uike Lotu pea pehe ki he toenga ‘o e ta’u ni. Tauange ke mou ma’u ha Ta’ufo’ou fonu Kelesi’ia mo e Mohu Tapuekina foki.

‘Ofa lahi atu mo e Lotu, Faifekau Linita ‘U. Moa

Sermons for 10 a.m. Service Pastor’s Pen

LUNCH ON THE LOOSE Thursday, January 16 11:30 a.m. Paesano Ristorante (Pearl City) All are welcome to join us for lunch and fellowship at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 16 at Paesano Ristorante, 98-1277 Kaahumanu St, Aiea, HI 96701.

Contact Kim at kim@firstumchonolulu.org or the church office at 808-522-9555

COMMUNION FOR SHUT-INS In February, we will begin bringing communion to shut-ins who are unable to come to church on the first Sunday. If you know of a shut-in who would like to receive communion, please contact the church office.

2020 VISION: DISCIPLESHIP

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN Happy New Year to you all, and I pray that 2020 will bring forth once again, opportunities of spirituality, learning and fellowship in mission. We will be celebrating UMW Sunday on January 26th, 2020, and our District President, Atina Pascua, has agreed to be our guest speaker. We also invite the Tongan Women’s Chorus to sing for us on that day. May God guide us all as we keep on working and lifting up women, children and youth all around the world. Tauange ke mou ma’u ha Ta’u Fo’ou fiefia, pea ‘oku tau lotua ‘a e ta’u 2020 ko ha ta’u fakakoloa ‘i he fakalaumalie, feako’aki mo e feohi ‘i he’ene misiona. Te tau fakamanatu ‘a e ‘aho ‘o e Hou’eiki Fafine ‘i he ‘aho 26 ‘o Sanuali 2020, pea kuo tali lelei ‘e he Palesiteni ‘o e Vahenga, Atina Pascua, ke lava mai ‘o lea he ‘aho koia. ‘Oku fakaafe’i atu mo e hiva ‘a e kau fefine Tonga ke nau hiva ‘i ho tau ‘aho. Fakatauange ke kau mai ‘a e ‘Otua ‘i hono tataki kitautolu, ‘i he’etau ngaue’i mo hono lotua ‘a ha’a fafine, fanau iiki mo e fanau tupu ‘i he tapa kotoa ‘o hotau mamani. Hauoli Makahiki Hou Tupou Seini Kelemeni The English Circle of United Methodist Women will meet in the second floor Library on Wednesday, January 8, at 11:30 a.m. The program, “Women in Strength”, is our annual Pledge (to Mission) Service. New ladies are always welcome. Bring a sack lunch and come join us! The Tongan Circle meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm at Komuro Hall.

YOGA CLASS Thursdays at 12noon Did you know that FUMC offers a FREE Yoga Class every Thursday! Part of discipleship is taking care of the body which God has given us. Beginners are welcomed and encouraged to participate! All levels are welcome. Invite a friend! Bring a towel, water and a mat if you have one. If you don’t have a mat, one will be provided for you. To register for this FREE class, email office@firstumchonolulu.org or call 522-9555, Monday through Friday, 9-3 p.m.

NEW STUDY—DISCIPLE FAST TRACK

Come be a part of the 12-week Disciple Fast Track Bible Study studying the Old Testament. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about God’s Word and discuss what you learn with a small group. The introductory meeting is on Jan. 26. We will meet from 8:30-9:45 a.m. in Butterworth Chapel. Disciple Fast Track, an adaptation of the original, bestselling Disciple Bible Study, provides a viable option for busy people seeking comprehensive engagement over time with the entire biblical text. Fast Track groups meet for a total of 24 weeks, devoting 12 weeks each to the Old Testament and the New Testament. Participants read a manageable 3-5 chapters of the Bible daily in preparation for the weekly meetings, which last approximately 75 minutes. A brief illustrated review video enables participants to recall important facts and ideas; lively and engaging video presenters then offer insights into the current week’s session.

ADULT STUDY The 11:30 Sunday Bible study class will begin a new study on January 12 entitled Earn. Save. Give.: Wesley’s Simple Rules for Money. John Wesley believed money was important as a way of expressing and living out Christian faith. To Wesley, the task was simple: earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. In this essential little book, pastor and author James A. Harnish presents Wesley's concepts and beliefs in plain, useful language, suitable for individuals to grapple with and groups to discuss and act upon. This is a great time to join the class. If anyone is interested in the class and is unable to attend on Sundays,,contact Kim (kim@firstumchonolulu.org or call the office) about starting an additional class.

2020 VISION: ARTS

FAMILY PROMISE January 26-February 2, 2020

The mission of Family Promise Hawaii is to mobilize existing community resources to aid families with children experiencing homelessness and help them transition to sustainable independence. We will host up to four families for the week of January 26-February 2. Please see Kim Houff or stop by the church office to sign up to serve in one of the following areas: set-up (Sun, January 26 at 11:45 a.m.), dinner preparer, evening host, breakfast preparer, takedown (Sun, February 2 after service) or to do laundry at the end of the week.

2020 VISION: SERVICE

MUSIC AND MORE This past year, the arts have enhanced our worship including performances by Pacific Academy of Performing Arts, brass quintet for Easter and Christmas Eve services, and, most recently, a harpist who allowed people to try playing the harp. Look for more opportunities to enjoy and participate in worship through the arts in 2020!

LEE FAMILY – MISSIONARIES IN CAMBODIA The Lee Family is one of the missionaries we support as a church. We received a letter thanking us for our prayers and support in 2019. They serve the people of Cambodia through various ministries including livelihood programs for widows, education for street children, training in agriculture, scholarships, managing dormitory, hosting pastoral training, organizing youth soccer tournament, and many more! Please continue to pray for the Lee Family.

ENGLISH YOUTH GROUP

Water is everywhere right? Well not really. But with God, all things are possible. Our youth, the "Lemonade for Love girls", have not only brought clean drinking water to the lost and forgotten in Nepal, but they also brought the living water through their love for Christ as they served at a youth camp in Nepal on their December mission trip. They were blessed to have Ashleigh Houff as part of the youth team that week. Her heart is also to serve and share God's love. We thank you all for your love and support for this mission. I am so proud of these young ladies who set a strong example that God will use anyone willing to make a kingdom difference. We look forward to what kingdom difference the youth will make in 2020!

Mark Brekke, Director of Youth

YOUNG PEOPLE’S MINISTRY

Enjoy these pictures from the Young People's Christmas lunch they prepared on Christmas Day, an annual tradition.

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2020 VISION: YOUNG PEOPLE

YOUNG PEOPLE’S MINISTRY

Enjoy these pictures from the Young People's Christmas lunch they prepared on Christmas Day, an annual tradition.

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Bringing the light of Jesus Christ into the world on Christmas Eve

DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN’S EDUCATION

We have a part-time staff position open for a Director of Children’s Education for the English Ministry. We are looking for an experienced person for our English Ministry’s children’s program. Connections to military helpful. For more information, contact Pastor Tom Choi at office@firstumchonolulu.org or call the office at 808-522-9555 during office hours Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Photo Credit: Aloha Images and Designs

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First United Methodist Church 1020 South Beretania Street

Honolulu, Hawaii 96814-1492

(808) 522-9555 Fax (808) 528-3992

Website: www.firstumchonolulu.org

Church Leaders & Staff Pastors: The Rev. Dr. Tom Choi

The Rev. Dr. Linita ‘U. Moa

Director of Discipleship & Community Engagement:

Kim Houff

Assistant to the Pastors: Sandi Brekke

Facilities Director: Paini Harris

Director of Youth: Mark Brekke

Director of Young People’s Ministry: Mele Pepa Latu

Choir Directors: Tupou Seini Kelemeni, Fololiena Maka

Accompanist: Jason Eom

Finance Administrator: Ongo Koli

Custodians: Heamasi Koli, Pat Sheppard,

Pongi Vehikite, Sia Lolohea

********* CONNECTIONAL LEADERS:

Resident Bishop: Bishop Grant Hagiya

District Superintendent:

Rev. Dr. Se Hee Han

Check out our website: www.firstumchonolulu.org

Email: Office@Firstumchonolulu.org

Instagram: firstumchonolulu

Facebook: First United Methodist Church Honolulu

Twitter: HonoluluFUMC