October 29, 2026 Minister’s Message

Aloha, mai kākou,

Two upcoming important opportunities: (please email me if you wish membership or keiki blessing are of interest to you)

It is time to welcome new members. We will have a couple of opportunities for you to join a “Pathway to Membership” class, one next week and one on 11/15. We plan to welcome new members on Sunday 12/6.

On Sunday 12/13, our service will focus on the future for our children.  In the service, we will hold a “Blessing of Children” for each child of families who wish to participate. Please let me know if you and your children would like to participate.

Three wonderful happenings from last week:  (Shared with you here in pictures!)

On Monday Oct. 19th,  Anakbyan Hawai’i, a Filipino Youth Organization, hosted a panel discussion connecting the histories of exploitation and organized resistance of farmers and workers from Negros Island to Hawai’i to Crockett. Zac Fraser, who leads our Caican Philippines initiative and is taking over after Nan Kleiber’s steadfast leadership for a couple of decades, brought this to our church. Almost 50 were in attendance – the panel explored the solidarities that emerge across the supply chain given these shared histories of struggle. As our sister congregation in Caican is located on Negros Island, this was an excellent opportunity to learn more about the conditions our fellow UUs in the Philippines must endure as they seek to express their own truth and meaning. Here is a collage from the evening. I was thrilled to meet young leaders who also embraced our ongoing project, “The Vote is Sacred”; two of them changed into our T-shirts to show their support!

On Saturday, our board held the annual retreat at my house. Mary MacKay masterfully designed the day, to focus on the year and to focus on our strengths! Jim led with his quiet and warm wisdom. I ran around making sure chairs were comfortable. We brainstormed and envisioned the year.  A most enjoyable and productive day! We look forward to a year of community growth and love.

Our music director, Noe Baladad, found the opportunity for our church to receive a beautiful piano – in sight and sound! Our old one was failing the piano tuner told us and Noe and others noticed. So this came just in time! And FREE! We just covered moving expenses. Noe and I hustled to get the piano, approved the moving expenses, scheduled the move, and it was IN for Wednesday choir practice. We are so grateful to our benefactors, to Noe for arranging everything, and to the moving crew who have helped Noe move pianos since she was 8 years old!

This Sunday, we will have a special piano segment to celebrate our new piano, featuring our virtuoso, Noe. I hope to see you in church on Sunday for “Awakening to the Living World.” 

Aloha,
Rev. Deborah