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Aloha! When you read this, I will have officially been installed as your Vicar at St. Timothy’s by Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick. I am so honored and humbled to serve with you in this way in this beautiful church. I cannot thank enough those of you who attended and participated for coming out to be part of that wonderful service. It’s been an eventful and enjoyable seven months here already, and I look forward to loving and serving God and one another with you here at St. Tim’s for years to come. Last Sunday we began our new church program year, a time to refocus and refresh our efforts to worship and serve together… and a time to have fun and fellowship as God’s ‘ohana at St. Timothy’s. We also launched our Stewardship Season, and our committee chair David Caldwell got us off to a great start. Our theme this year is “Walk in Love,” and over the weeks ahead, with the help of several members sharing their own stories, we’ll think carefully and prayerfully about how we do that here at St. Timothy’s through the wise and generous management of our time, talent, and treasure as stewards of all that God has so generously given us. Stay tuned!  As another part of our new program year, I am starting a new Adult Sunday School class this Sunday, September 15, on “Faith and Science.” After service we’ll grab some coffee and refreshments and head to my office for Part 1. Our first session, featuring video and audio insights from the Rev. Dr. Scott Hoezee, will focus on the question: “How Can Science and Faith Inform Each Other?” If you’re planning to come, take a look at Colossians 1:15-23 ahead of time, and think about these questions:
 Last Sunday in worship, I shared the story of a big surprise at a church I attended that helped change its understanding of what it means to live our faith and serving others without favoritism or prejudice. We explored what James 2:1-17 and Mark 7:24-37 say about the balance of faith and works, as we touched on our theme verse for stewardship from Ephesians 5:1-2: “Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God.” That’s how we live our faith! This Sunday, we’ll dive into the gospel lesson, Mark 8:27-38, and think about Jesus’ question to his disciples: “Who do people say that I am?” So, who do you say Jesus is? And who am I? Who are you? Who are we? Those are fundamental questions that can help us invigorate our own relationship with our loving Savior. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday at 9 a.m. in church or on Facebook Live! Dear sisters and brothers, you are in my prayers, and I ask for your prayers for St. Timothy’s Church, for our dedicated staff and our devoted lay leaders, and for your vicar. May God bless you all. Aloha Ke Akua! Fr. Pete+ 
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 Aloha! This coming Sunday we begin our new “church year.” It’s the time right after Labor Day when some of us are back in school and back at work after summer travels… the time when we refocus our efforts to worship and serve together… and the time to have fun and fellowship as God’s ‘ohana at St. Timothy’s. One aspect of this new year is new adult Sunday school classes, including one I’ll teach on “Science and Faith,” which starts on September 15, and a new Daughters of the King class that’s being planned. This Sunday also launches our stewardship season, and I’m very grateful for the diligent work that our stewardship team, led by David Caldwell, has done over the past few months in preparation. Our theme this year is “Walk in Love,” and over the weeks to come we’ll think carefully and prayerfully about how we do that here at St. Timothy’s. I hope all of us will consider how we might strengthen St. Timothy’s and its varied ministries through the wise and generous management of our time, talent, and treasure as stewards of all that God has so generously given us. David will get us started this Sunday, and in weeks to come you’ll hear from other members of our ‘ohana about how and why they support St. Timothy’s.  Last Sunday in worship, we explored what the Apostle James said about faith in James 1:17-27— “Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers”—and what that might mean for our daily lives. And in the gospel lesson, Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, we saw Jesus blast the religious leaders who were so focused on “doing” the minutiae of the law (like washing hands before eating) that they missed the part about “being” godly. I encourage us all not only to hear God’s Word, but to put it into action in our everyday lives.  In the sermon this Sunday I’ll share the story of a big surprise at a church I attended that helped change its understanding of what it means to live our faith. We’ll explore what James 2:1-17 and Mark 7:24-37 say about the balance of faith and works, with a bonus focus on our theme verse for stewardship from Ephesians 5:1-2: “Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God.”
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday at 9 a.m. in church or on Facebook Live! Dear sisters and brothers, you are in my prayers, and I ask for your prayers for St. Timothy’s Church, for our dedicated staff and our devoted lay leaders, and for your vicar. May God bless you all. Aloha Ke Akua! Fr. Pete+  Aloha! And Happy Labor Day! Yes, Labor Day weekend is coming, but I hope you can fit worshiping with us on Sunday into your plans. In 1894 Congress declared the first Monday in September a national holiday to honor the nation’s workers and their contributions to the well-being of our country. Here in Hawai‘i, many of our workforce struggle to make ends meet, and we serve some of those folks in our Outreach ministry to help them overcome food insecurity. Please pray for all who work in our community, state, and country that their work may be fulfilling, productive, meaningful, and fair. And for those of us who are still working for a living, Happy Labor Day! (The church office will be closed on Monday, September 2.)  We have a new church logo! You’ll be seeing our new church logo popping up over the next few weeks—on our bulletin, website, Epistle newsletter, name tags, and more. Last Sunday in worship, we asked how the great film director Alfred Hitchcock might help us determine our life’s path. Like Roger Thornhill (played by Cary Grant) in the film “North by Northwest,” we often face a crossroads in life, and our decision of which way to go can shape our lives forever. We considered King Solomon’s major decision in 1 Kings 8, as well as Joshua’s big choice to follow the Lord in Joshua 24:15. And in John’s gospel, 6:56-69, Jesus asked his disciples to make their wholehearted decision whether to continue to follow him, or to leave him, as many in the crowds were doing. Remember Peter’s response: “Lord, to whom can we go?” We might ask the same thing—and rededicate our own decision to follow Jesus wherever he may lead us, to love and serve him. This Sunday we’re going to explore what the Apostle James said about faith in James 1:17-27—“Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers”—and what that might mean for our daily lives. And in the gospel lesson, Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, we will see Jesus blast the religious leaders who were so focused on “doing” the minutiae of the law that they missed the part about “being” godly. But how do we balance the hearing of God’s Word with the doing of it? Let’s find out on Sunday! This summer’s “Ministry Minutes” series during the announcements time has led the way to our stewardship season, which begins September 8. Now you’ve heard about all the ways the faithful members of St. Timothy’s serve one another and our community. Now, let’s begin to prayerfully consider how we might strengthen St. Timothy’s and its varied ministries through the wise and generous stewardship of our time, talent, and treasure. Be watching for more information coming soon. Our thanks go to our stalwart Stewardship Team, led by David Caldwell. I look forward to seeing you in church or on Facebook Live on Sunday at 9
a.m.! Dear sisters and brothers, you are in my prayers, and I ask for your prayers for St. Timothy’s Church, for our dedicated staff and our devoted lay leaders, and for your vicar. May God bless you all. Aloha Ke Akua! Fr. Pete+ Aloha! Can you believe we’re coming to the end of August? I can’t! My first six months as your vicar have sped by, full of wonderful memories—many joys, some sorrows, but lots of hope. I enjoyed a three-day clergy conference in Kapolei this past Monday- Wednesday; the sessions with Dr. Kwok Pul-Lan were spiritually stimulating, and the fellowship with other clergy was wonderful. Mahalo to all of you who participated in our Campus Clean-Up Day on Sunday, as your hard work made our church property more beautiful and useful as we prepare for our new “church year” in September. And special thanks to those who prepared our lunch! Last Sunday in worship, we looked at a slew of Scripture texts: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-24; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58. In light of our Clean-Up Day, we considered how to clean up our spiritual lives and throw out the things that hinder our growth. And that requires both wisdom—for which King Solomon wisely asked God—and spiritual nourishment—which we receive every week at communion, eating the bread and drinking the wine, so that Jesus is within us as we are within him. This Sunday, we’ll ask how the great film director Alfred Hitchcock might help us determine our life’s path. In our lives we often face a crossroads, and our decision of which way to go can shape our lives forever. How do we make the best choice? We’ll explore King Solomon’s major decision in 1 Kings 8:1, 6, 10-11, 22-30, 41-43. And we’llreturn to John’s gospel, 6:56-69, where Jesus continues to emphasize his teaching about his body and blood—and asks that his disciples make their wholehearted decision whether to continue to follow him, or to leave him, as many in the crowds were doing. So what can we gain from these Scriptures when facing our own big life decisions? Let’s find out on Sunday!  Last Sunday we also concluded our 11-week “Ministry Minutes” series. We did this in order to honor those who serve in various ways at St. Timothy’s, and to encourage you to pray about ways you might serve here in the days to come. We learned about our Outreach Ministry, the Welcoming Hearts Team, our Sunday School for keiki, the Eucharistic Ministers/ Eucharistic Visitors/ Lectors ministry, the Bishop’s Committee, the Altar Guild, STEAM (St. Timothy’s Episcopal Audio/visual Ministry), the Music Ministry, the Daughters of the King, and Adult Formation opportunities. All these ministries (and others, including our Grounds-keeping Crew and our Acolytes!) need more volunteers and participants, so please think about them prayerfully. I’m so grateful for all who serve, usually in many more ways than one. Starting September 8, during our announcement time, we’ll hear from other members as we begin considering how we might strengthen all the ministries of St. Timothy’s through the wise and generous stewardship of our time, talent, and treasure. More on that coming soon! I look forward to seeing you in church or on Facebook Live on Sunday at 9
a.m.! Dear sisters and brothers, you are in my prayers, and I ask for your prayers for St. Timothy’s Church, for our dedicated staff and our devoted lay leaders, and for your vicar. May God bless you all. Aloha Ke Akua! Fr. Pete+  Aloha! We are nearing the end of what turned out to be a very busy summer season at St. Timothy’s, and we’re hard at work preparing for our new church year starting in September. After serving six fruitful months as your vicar and to celebrate my birthday, this week Dan and I are taking a very short vacation (Wednesday through Friday) at Camp Mokule‘ia. Then next Monday through Wednesday, August 19-21, I will be participating at the Diocesan Clergy Conference in Kapolei. Of course, I will still be accessible by email or phone. This Saturday our Bishop’s Committee has its monthly meeting, and we’re so glad that our Bishop’s Warden, Nancy Chun, is back on island this week! Last Sunday in worship, we considered the gospel lesson, John 6:35, 41-51, in which Jesus explained to his disciples that he is the bread of life, and whoever comes to him will never be hungry. The religious hypocrites questioned Jesus about this, and he explained further, noting that the prophets say, “They shall all be personally taught by God.” We explored what that meant—and how to accept God’s invitation to that holy classroom in the presence of Jesus our Savior and Mentor. This week, we’ll look at several texts: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-24; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58. In light of our Campus Clean-Up Day this Sunday, we’ll think about how to clean up our spiritual lives and throw out the things that hinder our growth. That requires wisdom! After King David dies, God asks the new King Solomon what he wants. And Solomon answers wisely… asking for wisdom! This prompted me to think of the wise souls I’ve encountered in my life, and what I’ve learned for them. Who are the wise people who have helped form you along the way? And who are you sharing the wisdom you’ve gained in life with others? Let’s think about that together. This Sunday we’ll conclude our “Ministry Minutes” series. For the past couple of months our lay leaders have been sharing information about all the ministries that help make St. Timothy’s the loving and worshipful church that it is. We’ve done this to honor those who serve, and to encourage you to pray about ways you might serve here in the days to come. We learned about our Outreach ministry, the Welcoming Hearts Team, our Sunday School for keiki, the Eucharistic Ministers/ Eucharistic Visitors/ Lectors ministry, the Bishop’s Committee, the Altar Guild, STEAM (St. Timothy’s Episcopal Audio/visual Ministry), and the Music Ministry, and last Sunday we heard about our Daughters of the King chapter. This Sunday we’ll learn about current and upcoming Adult Formation opportunities. All these ministries need more volunteers and participants, so please think about them prayerfully! I’m so grateful for all who serve, often in many more ways than one. Mahalo! I look forward to seeing you in church or on Facebook Live on Sunday at 9
a.m.! Dear sisters and brothers, you are in my prayers, and I ask for your prayers for St. Timothy’s Church, for our dedicated staff and our devoted lay leaders, and for your vicar. May God bless you all. Aloha Ke Akua! Fr. Pete+  Aloha! This seems to be a busy week, what with school starting for our keiki, the Olympics continuing (and concluding this Sunday), a political season heating up, and all sorts of to-dos on our calendars to check off. But I hope you didn’t miss what happened on Tuesday—it was the day the Church observes the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ. (See Luke 9:28-36 or Matthew 17:1-8.) At this point in the gospel story, Jesus had been seen by thousands as he taught and ministered. But there’s always been a mystery about Jesus—we never really get a clear image of who he was. Even his closest friends, his disciples, had so many questions about him. Jesus spoke with authority and healed many. But who was he? The Transfiguration gives us a glimmer of light on that question. Jesus takes three of his closest friends, Peter, James, and John, to the mountain top, and there it is revealed to them who he is. They witness Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus as one whom they knew. And the Father proclaims: “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Jesus’ face shone with a glorious light, and the three disciples fell on their faces and worshiped. Even with this firsthand experience, however, they still understood very little of what Jesus was about. I don’t know about you, but I can identify with them! Perhaps our mission in life is to seek the face of Jesus ourselves, to do all we can to see the brightness of his glory—even in the faces of those around us. So try spending some time this week on that mountain with the disciples and see where Jesus calls you to follow.  "The Transfiguration," an 1885 painting by Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834-1890) Last Sunday, we considered how the prophet Nathan confronted King David over his sin, and how David responded (2 Samuel 11:26—12:13a). David had committed a whole bunch of grievous sins and, in a powerful “gotcha moment,” Nathan tells him the story of a beloved pet lamb taken from its devoted owner by a rich man who wanted to serve a lamb supper to a guest! David was angry and wanted to know who would do such a thing. “You are the man!” Nathan tells him. Gotcha! And while David could have deflected or denied the charges, or claimed royal immunity, he owned up to his sin and confessed to God (and Psalm 51 records his confession). Now, while we may never sin as grievously as David, we still must deal with the hurts we cause by confession and seeking forgiveness—knowing that God’s “gotcha covered.” God never gives up on us. God’s got a hold of us forever! This Sunday, we’ll turn our focus to the gospel lesson, John 6:35, 41-51. Jesus continues explaining to his disciples that he is the bread of life, and whoever comes to him will never be hungry. The religious hypocrites question Jesus about this, and he explains further, noting that the prophets say, “They shall all be taught by God.” What does that mean, to be taught by God? We’ll explore that on Sunday! Now look at those three bold-faced, underlined quotes above. From the Transfiguration, we see who Jesus is: the Son, the Beloved of God. From last week’s text, we see who David was: the man who sinned so grievously. And in the gospel for this Sunday, we see who we can be: devoted students of God, learning the way of Jesus. We too are beloved by God, we too sin and are forgiven, and we too are called to follow Jesus closely. Something to think about this week! On Sunday we’ll also continue our “Ministry Minutes” during the announcement time. As you know, this summer our ministry leaders have been sharing the various ministries that help make St. Timothy’s the loving and worshipful church that it is. We do this to honor those who serve, and to encourage you to pray about ways you might serve here in the days to come. So far, we’ve learned about the Outreach ministry, the Welcoming Hearts Team, our Sunday School for keiki, the Eucharistic Ministers/ Eucharistic Visitors/ Lectors ministry, the Bishop’s Committee, the Altar Guild, STEAM (St. Timothy’s Episcopal Audio/visual Ministry), and last Sunday we heard about our Music Ministry. This Sunday we’ll hear about our Daughters of the King chapter and the many ways they serve all of us at St. Tim’s. All these ministries need more volunteers and participants, so please think about them prayerfully! I’m so grateful for those of you who have stepped up in recent weeks to volunteer, and for all who serve, often in many more ways than one. Mahalo! I look forward to seeing you in church or on Facebook Live on Sunday at 9 a.m.! I
am praying for you, dear sisters and brothers, and I ask for your prayers for St. Timothy’s Church, for our dedicated staff and our devoted lay leaders, and for your vicar. May God bless you all. Aloha Ke Akua! Fr. Pete+  Aloha! Are you watching the Paris Olympics? I’m trying to catch some of the gymnastics, diving, and surfing, among other sports. The skills and abilities these young people so brilliantly embody can be astonishing to witness. And while we celebrate the medals that Team USA is winning, we also pause to appreciate the fact that more than 200 countries are represented this year, with their athletes competing from the Seine River to the Pacific Ocean. The fact that all those nations can come together in a time that seems so divided and war-torn is a testimony to the God-given human spirit. If only we could expand that spirit of cooperation, hope, and siblinghood! And so we pray for peace and justice in this hurting world. Last Sunday in worship we talked about how badly King David messed up (2 Samuel 11:1-15)—committing adultery, conspiracy, bribery, and murder by taking Bathsheba and sentencing her husband to death on the front lines of battle. We realized that the only way to avoid anything like that debacle in our own lives is to look to Jesus, to expect him to pop up in the midst of our temptation, our fear, our feelings of being lost and alone. That’s what happened to his disciples during the storm on the sea, when Jesus came walking to them on the water—popping up just when they needed him. Can we trust Jesus to pop up when we find ourselves about to sink? This Sunday, we’ll focus on 2 Samuel 11:26—12:13a and Psalm 51. We’ll pick up
from the cliffhanger of last week to discover how David responds when boldly confronted about his grievous sin. It’s one of the most well-known “Gotcha Moments” in history. But it’s an amazing model for humility, repentance, and honesty with God. Take a look at those Scriptures and we’ll see what we can learn from David about living a forgiven life. We’ll also continue our series of “Ministry Minutes” during the announcement time. As you know, this summer our church ministry leaders have been sharing the various ministries that help make St. Timothy’s the loving and worshipful church that it is. We do this to honor those who serve, and to encourage you to pray about how you might serve here in the days to come. So far, we’ve learned about the Outreach ministry, the Welcoming Hearts Team, our Sunday School for keiki, the Eucharistic Ministers/ Eucharistic Visitors/ Lectors ministry, the Bishop’s Committee, the Altar Guild, and this past Sunday we heard about STEAM—St. Timothy’s Episcopal Audio/visual Ministry. This Sunday we’ll learn about our Daughters of the King chapter. All these ministries need more volunteers and participants! I’m so grateful for those of you who have stepped up in recent weeks to volunteer, and for all who serve, often in more than one way. Mahalo! I look forward to seeing you in church or on Facebook Live Sunday at 9 a.m.! I am praying for you, dear sisters and brothers, and I ask for your prayers for St. Timothy’s Church, for our dedicated staff and our devoted lay leaders, and for your vicar. May God bless you all. Aloha Ke Akua! Fr. Pete+ Aloha! We are certainly living in interesting times, aren’t we? So much is happening in our country and in the world that it’s easy to get lost in worry or discouragement. In times like these it’s good to remember Isaiah 26:3: “Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace, in peace because they trust in you.” Or as the King James Version (as well as a popular gospel song) puts it, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” How do we do that? Daily prayer times. Reading the Bible every day (and the devotional resource we provide, Forward Day by Day), can be a big help in that practice. Perhaps avoiding the news headlines as much as possible. And another good way to keep our mind focused on God is to participate in worship every Sunday! Last Sunday we talked about building projects. In 2 Samuel 7:1-14a, King David yearns to build God a temple, because while he is living in kingly comfort in a cedar palace, the ark of God sits in a tent, and that bothers David. But, through the prophet Nathan, God tells David no. He is not the one to do it; instead that’s a job for his son. You see, if you’re going to build something, you have to do it right, and do it at the right time for the right motives. What does that mean for St. Timothy’s? Over the next months and years, we’ll find that out together! In the meantime, please keep our church in your prayers. By the way, a couple of you asked for a copy of the sermon, so it’s posted on my blog page on the St. Timothy’s website. You can click here to read it. This Sunday, we focus on 2 Samuel 11:1-15, Ephesians 3:14-21, and John 6:1-21. Since we talked about having a devotional time, why not read these scriptures this week to prepare for Sunday? We’ll learn how David royally messes up by pursuing Bathsheba, and then by trying to cover up his sin. And it only gets worse. How do we deal with this story? What does it mean in our lives? Well, that’s where the Ephesians text and the gospel may help us! So let’s find out together. We will continue our series of “Ministry Minutes” during the announcement time. This is a way to introduce various ministries that help make St. Timothy’s the loving and worshipful church that it is, to honor those who serve, and to encourage you to pray about how you might serve here in the days to come. So far, we’ve learned about the Outreach ministry, the Welcoming Hearts Team, our Sunday School for keiki, the Eucharistic Ministers/Eucharistic Visitors/Lectors ministry, Bishop’s Committee, and the Altar Guild. This past Sunday we took a break, but this Sunday we’ll hear from another ministry leader. All these ministries need more volunteers! I’m so grateful for all of you who serve, often in more than one way. Mahalo! Our amazing Bishop’s Warden, Nancy Chun, will be on the continent for the next few
weeks—please keep her in your prayers. We’ll miss her! You’ll have to put up with me doing the announcements while she’s gone. I look forward to seeing you in church or on Facebook Live Sunday at 9 a.m.! I am praying for you, dear sisters and brothers, and I ask for your prayers for St. Timothy’s Church, for our dedicated staff and our devoted lay leaders, and for your vicar. May God bless you all. Aloha Ke Akua! Fr. Pete+
Now I’m not handy by any stretch—Dan is, not me. But I look back at some of the building projects I got myself into, successes and failures! As a kid I’d help my Dad with projects in his basement workroom with all his tools on a pegboard. He would tell me, measure twice, cut once! Sometimes I got that backwards! One project Dad and I did was to build a Pinewood Derby race car. Every year Cub Scouts like me would build their own little race cars out of a block of balsa wood, put on the wheels, paint and decorate it, then we’d have a race down a big raised board. One year I think I put the wheels on wrong and I came in pretty far back. But the next year, Dad and I were determined to do better. We worked so hard on that copper-painted Pinewood Derby race car. It tested fast! I was so ready to take on my buddies at the pack meeting…. Which I then totally forgot about. I didn’t go! I never got to race that car! I could’ve won. So, when you build something, you have to do it right. And, you have to do something with what you build! Build it right, and make it go. Years later, back when I was in my 40s, the deck on my house was getting very wobbly. It was 25 years old, the wood was grayed and wrinkled and splinter inducing. And it shook when you were on it. That’s not a good feeling when you’re 16 feet off the ground. Several handy friends experienced in deck-building offered to help me rebuild it. We could easily take down the old one and put up the new one in one weekend, right? Wrong. Not if you want to do it right. I went in to get a county permit, which some people said why bother, but I wanted to do it right. I consulted with both Home Depot and Lowes to do it right. Got the materials, ready to go. And even with all the help I had, it was a far more difficult, complicated, and exhausting job than I expected. The work went well with my experienced do-it-yourself buddies. We tore down the old one and set up the new improved version over a long 3-day Labor Day weekend. It looked great. I called the county inspector to come approve our handiwork. Didn’t think it would be a big deal. But when I got home from work I saw a big red “warning” tag attached to the permit sign out front. We’d flunked! Had to fix lots of things… Including the fact that the railings on the stairs were one inch below the required height! The stair railings were also improperly built. And we had attached the whole deck incorrectly to the house. And on and on… I was devastated. I called the inspector and asked, how were we supposed to know the specifics of the county codes so we could’ve built it right in the first place? Because the permit office would provide no guidance. Home improvement stores refused to provide guidance—they could get in legal trouble if they told you wrong! The inspector said, “Well, you’re just supposed to know it!” Or ask them specific questions, which I didn’t know to ask. Well, my expert construction buddies were all gone now, but over next four full weekends one friend and I worked to make our deck legal. Somehow we managed it. And with a few final tweaks we passed the re-inspection. Now we could have a legal cookout on it! When you build something, do it right! Even if it is difficult to accomplish. Okay, why these stories about building projects? Because David had a big building project in mind, as we heard in 2 Samuel 7. He has settled into his own palace of cedar, but he complained to the prophet Nathan that while he was living in kingly comfort, the ark of God is in a measly tent! We need to build a temple for the Lord. And the prophet Nathan encouraged David to go for it. But that night, God came to Nathan in a dream and told him he’d gotten it wrong. It’s always wise to check with God before speaking on God’s behalf! God said, “Now hold on. Not so fast. David isn’t the one to build me a house to live in.” You see, God wanted the people to experience some stability and security regarding their worship of God first. God wanted a permanent home with the people, yes. But now it was time to fight the battles to secure the land. It was time to establish peace in the kingdom, and that would require all of David’s attention. It wasn’t yet time to build God a temple. God gives Nathan more to tell David. God will make David a house—a dynasty. God will raise up David’s offspring and establish his kingdom. And David’s son, King Solomon, will indeed build the first magnificent temple of God. God’s plan would unfold deliberately and divinely. It would take time. It would need the proper context—a secure kingdom under the authority of David and his descendants. But it would happen. After all, God is everywhere—whether in a tent, a temple, or a church building like this one—wherever the heart of God is, God makes a home. David wanted to build God’s temple, but doing that right meant not doing it yet. Of course, today we see the tragic fighting in that area of the Middle East, as Israel and Hamas seem to be destroying everything rather than building things. We pray for peace and justice in that wounded land. So when you build something, do it right. In the right way, in the right time. This hit me this week because I’ve been doing a lot of dreaming about St. Timothy’s. And I look forward to dreaming about our future together with you all. Now some of you can talk story about how St. Timothy’s started in ‘Aiea, and I look forward to hearing your memories. I found an old history in our files that said the real beginning of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Mission in ‘Aiea was back in March 1953, though it wasn’t until later that the church was named. Back then I’ve learned ‘Aiea was a quiet town surrounded by sugar cane fields. The church first met in the auditorium of ‘Aiea Elementary School on Moanalua Road, then met later in the old ‘Aiea plantation community building. Groundbreaking for the first St. Timothy’s church building was in 1955. Our current chapel building was built later and dedicated on January 30, 1972—52 years ago. And over several years after that our campus continued to grow. I love this chapel building with its high ceiling pointing toward heaven. You can see our roof from several highways. People know we’re here. I love this stained glass cross too, it symbolizes the vibrant faith of the faithful here. We can see it here, but it also shines on Moanalua Road. St. Timothy’s was built with love and dedication, and today we continue to enjoy the results of that hard work. There’s a lot of history that we remember and honor, but I also want to look forward. What do we want to build at St. Timothy’s for the future? Physically we’re making progress—our new parking lot is a huge help in terms of safety and just looking so much better. The Bishop's Committee is now focusing on our solar power project and you’ll be hearing more about that in the days to come. But what other ways could we improve this, our church home? And not just with our physical structures, but spiritually—what do we want to build at St. Timothy’s for the future? What prayer ministries should we foster? What formation and education opportunities should we offer for children, youth, and adults? What ongoing ministries that we hear about in our Ministry Minutes do we need to strengthen and expand? What community outreach opportunities should we prayerfully consider? What fellowship gatherings shall we pursue to strengthen our ‘ohana inside and out? What steps do we need to take forward in order to return to full parish status? What do we want to build at St. Timothy’s? These are exciting questions, and in the years to come you and I will all be working on answering them together. Because if we want to build something, we want to do it right. In the right way, in the right time. And how do we go about answering these questions about the future of St. Timothy’s? Well let’s take a look at the gospel lesson from Mark 6. Jesus was entering his rock-star phase here; people are coming out of woodwork to get to him. As Jesus and his disciples are sailing away in a boat to a deserted place for some R&R, all these people recognize him and hurry on foot to get there ahead of their boat! That “deserted place” is now far from deserted. But rather than get upset at them swarming all around him, what does Jesus do? “As he went ashore, he saw the great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” So he gets back to work with them. And his ministry prospers. That’s the key to a prosperous future of ministry here at St. Tim’s: Compassion. Compassion for one another here in this ‘ohana, compassion for the community around us, compassion for the whole hurting ‘aina in need. Now, we might get so caught up in what we want to do for God that we forget to invite God into the conversation. David and Nathan were ready to build God a house, they assumed that was what God wanted. But God says, “Actually, that’s not what I need right now.” We can fall into the same trap, whether it’s about building something physically here, or starting a new community ministry or small group. If God is not kindling the dreams, we’ll only burn out and feel disappointed and defeated. How do we know what God wants for us? How do we avoid confusing our desires with God’s? We must spend time in prayer, individually and together as a body, dreaming together in the power and creativity of the Holy Spirit, listening for God’s guidance. So let’s build the future here, and let’s do it right, in God’s timing and in God’s way. You remember that Kevin Costner movie “Field of Dreams.” It had that famous tagline, If you build it, they will come. Well, that often doesn’t seem to be the case with churches! People rarely just come to a new or different church. They need to be invited. They need to feel welcome. They need to sense hope and joy among the people they meet here. They need to be treated with compassion. I believe strongly that all those things are happening right now at St. Timothy’s. So let’s build on what we have for the future. And let’s build it right—in God’s time, in the Spirit’s power, following the compassionate example of Jesus as he leads the way forward. Amen? Amen.   David Dancing Before the Lord Aloha! Last Sunday we offered special prayers for our nation in the aftermath of the tragic shooting at former President Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania. As I said Sunday, violence has no place in our political process, or anywhere for that matter. I encourage you during this eventful political season to keep praying for our country, for peace and justice. And I encourage you to vote in the primary election here next month. Regardless of our views, let’s hold each other in prayer and much aloha. Last Sunday we talked about two different dances: King David’s uninhibited dance of worship and praise to God upon the return of the ark of the covenant to God’s people… and the uninhibited dance that King Herod’s step-daughter offered in exchange for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Both of these were pretty wild dances, but performed for completely different motives. All of us dance in life, in our relationships with our family, co-workers, neighbors, friends, and even strangers, so let’s ask ourselves why we dance: to fit into the culture, or to honor and praise God with all our might? Several people mentioned after the service that they were surprised I didn’t ask everyone to stand and dance in church! I wish I’d thought of that. Well, feel free to do so—or perhaps you can simply dance in your hearts! This Sunday we will be focusing on 2 Samuel 7:1-14a and Mark 6:30-34,53-56. In the Old Testament lesson, King David yearns to build God a temple. While he lives in comfort in a cedar palace, the ark of the covenant sits in a tent, and that bothers David. But God tells him no. If you’re going to build something, you have to do it right, and do it at the right time for the right motives. What does that mean for St. Timothy’s? Let’s find out together! We are continuing our series of “Ministry Minutes” during the announcement time. This is a way to introduce various ministries that help make St. Timothy’s the loving and worshipful church that it is, to honor those who serve, and to encourage you to pray about how you might serve here in the days to come. So far, we’ve learned about the Outreach ministry, the Welcoming Hearts Team, our Sunday School for keiki, the Eucharistic Ministers/Eucharistic Visitors/Lectors ministry, the Bishop’s Committee, and this past Sunday, Joanne Mahuka (whom we also blessed for her Episcopal Church Women national honor!) told us about the Altar Guild (please click here for more information). This Sunday we’ll hear about our Daughters of the King. We have a few more Ministry Minutes to come. All these ministries need more volunteers! I’m so grateful for all of you who serve, often in more than one way. Mahalo! Coming this fall: A new adult Sunday School class! Thanks to those of you who completed and returned the Adult Formation Questionnaire we circulated for several weeks. I’ve put together a plan for the 2024-25 church year, and we’ll start with the most requested topic in September. More to come, watch this space!
I look forward to seeing you in church or on Facebook Live Sunday at 9 a.m.! I am praying for you, dear sisters and brothers, and I ask for your prayers for St. Timothy’s Church, for our dedicated staff and our devoted lay leaders, and for your vicar. May God bless you all. Aloha Ke Akua! Fr. Pete+ |
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St. Timothy's Episcopal Church
98-939 Moanalua Rd. 'Aiea, HI 96701 Phone: (808) 488-5747 |
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