Kukui Lamalama - January 2019

continued on page 5 Volume 2019 Number 1 Kukui Lamalama  Martin Luther King Day Parade Adventures The Social Justice Committee is in charge of our place in the parade. It was quite an adventure this year! Mostly I learned what was supposed to happen from my past experience helping decorate and coming to previous parades. But Catherine Graham also told me how people prepared in the past. About six weeks before the parade, I looked on the Internet and found the place to send in our registration to the parade. I filled out the form and sent in the money. I never heard from them. Next I asked around about a truck for the band. David Hefner recommended we rent one from United Trucks out by the airport. I made the reservation for the biggest flatbed truck they had that had fencing on it. A few days before the parade, Catherine and I went over to United Trucks, measured the truck, chose the specific one we wanted and drove off to buy posterboard and materials for decorating. I took what I could from art drawers in our house, too. Sunday after church, Robinah and I set up in the church driveway for people to come help us make decorations. I’d written down the Reader’s Digest list of Martin Luther King’s quotes. Robinah wrote them on to the posterboards. Our appointment for picking up the truck was at 2 pm. We finally left the church with our decorative materials. Mike and I zoomed over to United Truck and arrived there at exactly 2pm. They were closed. Absolutely no one around. When I called the phone number, a recorded voice said they’d reopen at 8am the next day. We were to be at the parade at 7:30am. I pictured Dennis and the Marching Spirits. Mike and I rushed over to Home Depot Rentals. They’d just had their last truck reserved. The lady had an hour to come get it. We called different U-Hauls. Closed for the holiday weekend. Continued from page 1 Wouldn’t you think a holiday weekend would be a good time to rent a truck and clean out your garage? Oh, well. Home Depot said Lowe’s had a truck. We drove over there. The woman said it wasn’t running. We dragged back to Home Depot. They’d had a lovely truck turned in a day early, and we rented it and a small generator. Phew! I made it to the church by 4 pm to meet Dennis Graue who’d rented the speakers for the Spirits Band. Pierre Kleiber and his friend Charley came over and helped put the speakers up in the back of the truck. They also helped me put in a table and seven chairs, four for the band, the table and chairs for the booth about UU for Kapiolani Park. We slid in Marshal’s tent top that he’d been kind enough to loan us. Carefully I drove all this home where Mike, Robinah, and I covered it all for the night. Of course, you never have to worry about rain in the back of Kalihi Valley where we live! Pierre and Dennis had given me a lecture about how expensive all the sound equipment was, so when I slept I dreamed about masked hoods drugging our barky little dog and pulling the tarp off the truck. When I didn’t sleep, I kept running to the garage and peeking at the truck. At 5:30 am we drove the materials for the booth in Kapiolani Park there. Pierre got there just when we did. We muddled around until we found a place to put up the booth. Next we drove over to Magic Island to meet and decorate the truck. Dennis was there ready. Catherine arrived. She and Robinah continued painting posterboard. Troy and Mauricio Underbrink came and helped. Sue Yamane Carpenter, TJ, band members, all helped. Mike went to check with the organization for our place in line. They said they’d never heard of us but gave us slot 25 B. We lined up and joined into the parade behind many Mustang convertibles carrying Martin Luther King, Jr. royalty. We looked great, all decorated! Bill Scarvie arrived to play in the band. We had many great, happy adults. Mike drove the truck, and I waved shakas to people along the way. Some of our enthusiastic people were Lorraine Fay, Carolyn Eaton, Junko Davis, Lee Durran, John Hofstetter with his bike, Jill Rabinov, Mike Mottl, Carol Amos, Carla Allison, Eileen Cain, Jim Cooper, Allison Jacobs, Hilkka Easterbrook, Karen and Richard Valasek. Ron, from ADORE, brought his newly made banner to carry along with the church banner. I apologize for any participants' names I've forgotten - I know there were more who came to march with us. It was a great turnout! At the end of the parade the truck went one way, the marchers another. As planned, I drove the truck to the church for Dennis to remove the band equipment. Bill Scarvie and Sue Yamane Carpenter helped. Heavy stuff. I drove back to Kapiolani Park to see Marie Anne, Leanne MacIntyre, and Lorraine Fay at the booth. Lorraine, Marshal, and I took the booth apart and carried it to the parking lot with the help of a mother and daughter who got trapped when our chairs fell at their feet. Lorraine and I drove the tables and chairs to the church and pulled them in. I realize now that I just left all the decorations and banners in the front room of the church and blanked my mind. Sorry to the person who put them away for me. From the church I rushed to get the truck back by 3 pm. While parking the truck, I knicked the fender of a Toyota Tacoma and had to fill out a bunch of papers. Fortunately the owner didn’t arrive, but was unhappy when he called me at home later. Catherine drove me home. We missed the Patriots win in overtime. I'm glad I’m not organizing for the Super Bowl! We spent the next while in the spa listening to the birds. - Nancy Young  The Magazine of the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu January 2019  This is our only fundraiser for this year! Bring your children. Bring your friends. Bring your sense of wonder as the Church will be transformed into the Middle Eastern Bazaar as Aladdin may have experienced it. While we cannot guarantee transport by Magic Carpet, we will provide tantalizing food and beverages, fascinating, personal tarot card readings (at a small extra cost), auctions galore, a raffle and entertainment featuring Master Storyteller, Jeff Gere and his Arabian Nights Shadow Puppet Show. Stop by the table in the Church every Sunday, to hear about ticket prices, volunteer opportunities, and needed donations. All proceeds will be used to fulfill our Mission: to boldly grow Compassion, Justice and Joy within our Faith Community and throughout our Hawaii Ohana. Articles (from members or other UU leaders) submitted to the church magazine will be selected on the basis of their informative and/or inspirational nature or value to the life and ministry of this congregation. The editor has the authority to make the decision to not include a submission. Print versions of the magazine will be limited to selected 4 (or 8 back to back) pages. Board President, Nancy Schildt (L) and Catherine Graham (R) smile as Madame V (aka Veronica Morgan) predicts a very successful Middle (Photo by C.B. Morgan) A friend of mine described himself once as someone who likes to be alone in a crowd. I remember where I was sitting when I heard that. And I remembered the crossword puzzles I’d worked on at tables for one in busy brunching bars. I remembered the books I’d read on benches in a park where so many clicked their Rollerblades across the brickwork and where bats cracked fly balls to the outfield for a weekend warrior softball player to nestle beneath and yell “I got it!” Yeah, being alone in a crowd was something I knew well. So when I arrived last night into a crowd of neon green shirts emblazoned with #everybodycounts, all seeming like they knew one another, me seeming like I didn’t know anyone except the person who brought me, I had an old familiar feeling. I listened to the leader explain the importance of interviewing people experiencing houselessness. I began to understand how an evening walking the streets and speaking with people who live outdoors on his island might help the most vulnerable among us receive much needed aid and support. I got it. The leader divided the obnoxiously green-clad crowd into geographic regions. And the plan was to cover every stretch of road, park, alley, parking lot, or other space in that region to complete the annual Point in Time count for the Office of Housing and Urban Development. The group my friend and I joined was made up of co-workers at a transitional housing service provider. So throughout the night this crowd made up of folks who all knew one another referred to us as “those two” or “you guys.” It wasn’t an unfamiliar feeling. Confidentiality and my own sense of the sacred prevent me from sharing here any personal details about the individuals I spoke with. But when we spoke with someone, we used one of two different colored sheets to record answers: white meant an individual and green meant family. All of the sheets my friend and I used were white. And the same had been true for our little group. But when we came upon a camp behind a Walgreens, I heard a little sound of delight rise up from a few of our friends bent over and chatting through the unzipped flap of a tent. They needed a green sheet. Even after her interview, the woman who needed the green sheet told others in the group, and they were delighted, too. I didn’t ask about the delight. I had a feeling the box of completed interviews stacking steadily with solely white sheets told the tale. I got it. And as we distributed certificates for meals at fast food restaurants to people in the parks together, I told my friend who brought me how grateful I was to do this. But what I really meant was how grateful I was to be together in the crowd, even a crowd—especially a crowd—ablaze as we were with the brightest green I have ever seen. Many blessings of togetherness to you all. Rev. T. J. Index Rev. T.J.'s Message: I Got It Saturday, March 23, 4:00 to 8:00 pm. Middle Eastern Bazaar 2 T.J.'s Message 3 A.D.O.R.E. 4 MLK Parade, con't. 5 Family Promise 6 Chalice Circles 7 Gallery on the Pali 7 Make Plans Now! The Middle Eastern Bazaar Editorial Policy A.D.O.R.E. Book Club The next A.D.O.R.E. Book Group gathering is Sunday February 3 from 11:45 - 1:45 upstairs in meeting Room 1. We will be discussing Robin DiAngelo's transformational book, White Fragility. We discussed this transformational book at both the December and January A.D.O.R.E. gatherings. Note: The A.D.O.R.E. gatherings are different from the A.D.O.R.E. Book Group gatherings. We believe that White Fragility is so important, inspirational, relevant, necessary and "a must read and discuss" that it demands multiple gatherings to truly do it justice! We encourage you to join us on February 3 for the book group. Don't hesitate to reach out to me with any questions. Much Aloha, Lee A.D.O.R.E. At the 1/27/19 A.D.O.R.E. (A Dialogue On Race and Ethnicity) meeting, we held a deep and insightful discussion of the second half of Robin DiAngelo's book, White Fragility: Why It's So Hard For White People to Talk About Racism. Acclaimed writer Claudia Rankine praises this book commenting, Robin DiAngelo's "White Fragility" brings language to the emotional structures that make true discussions about racial attitudes difficult. With clarity and compassion, DiAngelo allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to 'bad people.' In doing so, she moves our national discussions forward with new 'rules of engagement.'This is a necessary book for all people invested in societal change through productive social and intimate relationships. At the January A.D.O.R.E. meeting, we also acknowledged and honored Ron Takamoto who created our new colorful, beautiful A.D.O.R.E. banner, which we will carry and display at parades and other racial justice and human rights events. We proudly carried it while marching in the January 21st Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade in Waikiki! For the 2/24/19 A.D.O.R.E. meeting, we will view and discuss the documentary Island Soldier by Nathan Fitch. It is about the effects of dependence and colonialism on Micronesia from where many citizens enlist in the U.S. military and unfairly don't reap the benefits. Because we will need enough time for discussion after the 80-minute documentary, the meeting will last for 2 /12 hours, 11:40am-2:10pm. Pizza for $1.50 per piece and free childcare will be available. For questions regarding A.D.O.R.E. meetings and events, please contact Jill Rabinov and Allison Jacobs at: adore@unitariansofhi.org. The Kaka'ako Chalice Circle Beyond meeting twice a month for deep listening sessions, Chalice Circle Participants Gather sometimes just for fun. If you are ready to experience being listened to and connecting with others in a way you may have yet to experience in your life, join a Chalice Circle. Always open to new members, contact Carla Allison for information at cbm@hawaii.rr.com, 396-1488. Current Locations, Dates & Times: Hawaii Kai: 2nd & 4th Mondays @ 6:30 - 8:30 pm Makiki: 2nd & 4th Tuesdays @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Kailua: 2nd & 4th Saturdays @ 3:00 - 5:00 pm Kaka’ako: 2nd & 4th Mondays @ 6:30 -- 8:30 pm Pali: 1st & 3rd Mondays @ 6:30 -- 8:30 pm Pictured: Members of the Kailua Covenant Group Gallery Team Invitational Show ABOUT THE EXHIBIT: Talented artists and church members from the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu operate and maintain Gallery on the Pali and present shows to the public. This exhibition features art, paintings, photography, quilts and cloth hangings, and batik paintings created by various Gallery team members. The exhibition runs from Jan. 13, 2019, through Feb. 22, 2019. Artists in the exhibit are Brennan Simcock, David Friedman, Lorraine Fay, Kay Armstrong, Marshall Heaney, Dan Carpenter, Nan Kleiber, and Jackie Burke. For more information, please call the First Unitarian Church Office at (808) 595-4047 or e-mail Gallery@UnitariansofHI.org On the web @ Unitariansofhi.org/exhibits Since opening in 2006, Family Promise of Hawaii has assisted hundreds of homeless families with much needed programs and services that help them transition into affordable housing. Four times a year, Nuuanu Congregational church shelters up to four families for a week’s stay. The families then rotate to a different setting. The First Unitarian Church has made the commitment to provide dinner for two of the seven days the families are sheltered. Our Kailua Covenant group recently volunteered to participate as one of our Community Volunteer Projects. Janice Davis, Nancy Schildt, Kay Armstrong, Beth Beyers and Betsy Brandt acted as dinner hosts for the evening. Menu preparation was easy (thank you, Costco!) and the cost minimal since it was divided amongst our entire Covenant Group. Unfortunately, the spinach cooked in coconut milk missed its photo op since it was still on the stove. Interacting with the families was a thoroughly enjoyable experience; the children and babies were especially delightful. A happy announcement was made that one of the families would soon be moving into affordable housing. As the Family Promise website explains, "a network of interfaith congregations hosts our families four times a year, for a week at a time. Hosts provide the physical space to sleep and meals to the families and children enrolled in our emergency shelter. Support groups provide meals and volunteers to support hosts. Families arrive at the host site around 5:30 pm and depart in the morning around 7:00 am. If you are a member of a congregation or community group who would like to serve families experiencing homelessness, contact volunteer@familypromisehawaii.org. Family Promise is currently recruiting congregations in the Windward, Honolulu, and Central Oahu area to host families. Lisa Wong Jacobs, Family Promise volunteer coordinator for our church, will be sending out information prior to the next rotation. This is a perfect opportunity for a church team, Chalice Circle or even just few friends to participate in an enriching experience and help fulfill our Family Promise commitment. Gallery on the Pali Family Promise First Unitarian Church of Honolulu A Welcoming Unitarian Universalist Church Submission Deadline: The deadline for both hard and electronic copy for the Magazine is noon on the third Sunday of the month. Bring hard copy submissions to the church office; email electronic copy to: Magazine@unitariansofhi.org Section Word Limits: Please limit your copy to 100 - 200 words. N.B. The editors may edit any submission for content, length, and/or clarity. Mailing Policy: All members and friends with email addresses registered on our website will receive an email notification when the newsletter is uploaded and ready to view. If a member does not have an email address, paper copies of the Magazine are available at the church for Oahu-based members. The Magazine will be mailed to any member or friend upon request and following payment of the subscription fee.  Mail Subscriptions: The Magazine subscription fee is $20.00 per year payable in advance . The subscription year runs January to December. New subscriptions will be prorated on a quarterly basis. Publisher: Nancy Schildt Editor and Composition: Jane Raissle Distribution: Suzette Tom  Publication Information  Return Service Requested  2500 Pali Highway Honolulu, HI 96817  Phone: (808) 595-4047  Office Hours: Tuesday - Friday 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  Web: www.unitariansofhi.org Twitter: UUHonolulu Facebook: First Unitarian Church of  Honolulu 