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Come to
Your Church by the Ocean
in Beautiful Puako.
Worship
Sunday, April 21, 2024 at 9 AM (HST)
Fourth Sunday of Easter
Following Jesus, the Good Shepherd
For most of us, the risks associated with speaking out for what we believe, for justice and wholeness for all, include loss of popularity, ridicule, or online trolling. However, that is not the case in many areas of the world, where people are imprisoned, tortured, or killed for speaking out about the practices and policies of their government. Perhaps for most of us, to “lay down our lives” means to give ourselves unstintingly to the cause or task before us. And in giving of ourselves, we discover the wonderful truth of the gospel passage, that love and energy are given back to us. We are re-energized, revived, resurrected.
Kahu Nani's Manaʻo
The images of shepherd and sheep did not originate with Jesus. They are often found in the Hebrew Scriptures. During the Babylonian exile, Isaiah 40:11 offers comfort in the hope of a new exodus with the Lord as the shepherd, leading the sheep (people) home. Likewise, Jeremiah uses the image of the future “good” shepherding of the Lord, which he contrasts against the irresponsible shepherding that Israel’s present kings (shepherds) are offering. The Good Shepherd is able to provide comprehensive care for his sheep, as Psalm 23 also notes. The other gospels also report Jesus speaking of himself as a shepherd — see Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:3-7 — but it is here in John’s gospel, John 10: 11-18, where that image is most fully developed. Jesus identifies himself as the Good Shepherd with an “I am” statement, so prominent in John’s gospel. This emphatic phrase has the force of stressing the “I” (compare John 6:35 “bread of life” and 8:12 “light of the world”). The stress of “I” attests to the special relationship Jesus has with his followers and distances the religious leaders as those blind to the peoples’ needs. The Good Shepherd is an ideal model, one who is devoted to the flock, unlike the hireling, who will run away when danger is near.
Read the Revised Common Lectionary Scriptures for this Sunday, April 21, 2024 from the New Revised Standard Version Bible translation.
Acts 4:5–12
Psalm 23
1 John 3:16–24
John 10:11–18
Download or print the Order of Worship for the service.
Got Kids? Click for the Children's Bulletin.
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Meeting ID: 349 331 7110
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Update Your Directory Photo
Mahalo, to all who have contributed and pledged for the new sign.
Currently, Hokoloa Sign Donations and Pledges are at $7,175.
Mahalo Nui Loa
Held in April every year, National Volunteer Month is a time to celebrate the contributions of volunteers. It is an opportunity to recognize the impact of volunteerism and encourage more people to get involved in their communities.
Hokuloa Church is blessed with volunteers. Each worship service is supported by nearly a dozen volunteer roles - liturgist, song leaders, greeters, hospitality hosts, and others. Every week volunteers develop and print the Order of Worship, manage the church email, serve as docents at the Thursday open house, update our website and social media pages, prepare the Weekly Update email, maintain the church building and grounds, and serve our neighbors in local mission work. Hokuloa's volunteers embody the Hawaiian values of kuleana, laulima, and pono.
There are about 10 members of the Hokuloa ohana who volunteer during our worship service each week. Volunteers open and close the church, provide flowers, greet everyone who worships, serve as liturgist, provide food and host the after-service hospitality, manage the audiovisual equipment during the service, count the offering, and facilitate the Talk Story time on Zoom. Several of these tasks can be done from remote locations. Volunteers also do administrative tasks (monitor email, record worship attendance, print the worship bulletin), serve as docents for the Thursday open house, and maintain the church and grounds. Special services such as Easter and Christmas require even more volunteers.
Hokuloa Church uses Breeze, our church management software to schedule volunteers - it is essentially an electronic clipboard. Each month, Breeze sends an email asking for volunteers to sign up for the various volunteer roles on specific dates. Please contact the church office if you are willing to receive the sign up emails. Contact Anne Marie Murphy if you have any questions.
Hokuloa's Prayer Group
Hokuloa Church has an active Prayer Ministry. You are invited to share your intercessory prayers, joys, or concerns during worship each Sunday. You can also request prayers during the week by emailing the church office. You may ask that your prayer request remain confidential. Non-confidential prayer requests are shared with the Prayer Support Group.
