THE PARTY LINE
FRIENDS: this is YOUR
column. Send in announcements, joys,
concerns, whatevers to the church.
Email: ardisg@cchonolulu.org Phone
number: (808) 595-7541. Mail: 2345
Nuuanu Ave, Honolulu, HI 96817. Let's continue to share our lives even if we can't worship from the pews in our sanctuary or chat over great food at Aloha Hour.
TLC
FACE MASKS
Gwen
Murakami, seamstress and crafter extraordinaire*, has spent her time at home
sewing fabric face masks. Knowing there
continues to be a need for masks, Gwen has offered to give them to CCH members
needing them.** One to two masks—free of charge—will be sent to CCH members requesting them. But, first come,
first served! Please email your request
to Kathy Young who will send them through the mail. Include your snail mail
address and whether you want one or two masks and if you want a certain size (7”,
7.5”, 8”, 8.5”, 9”).
Kathy's
email: kayoung@hawaii.edu
*Gwen
demanded that I cut out the “seamstress and crafter extraordinaire” description but since I
am the editor of this newsletter, Gwen is NOT the boss of me!
**Gwen
also adamantly refuses to take any payment for the masks. You can donate to “Community
of Church of Honolulu” if you choose to. But this is strictly optional.
SPEAKING OF FACE MASKS . .
.
Francis #1 submitted this
photo for The Party Line with this note:
“Palaka by Locals Only . . . Sparky Doo, my
brother in law is the palaka aloha shirt king of Hawai`i. He made the family
masks – reversible to black with hepa filters.”
(Editor's
note: Frances #3 here, observing that it's just like Lori Wong to look chic
even with a face mask. But, I'm not a bitter person.)
REPORTING FROM HOME
by Annie Miller (retired)
and Martha Hernandez (not-yet-retired)
We have a rule in our 850-foot condo. If you bring
something large in, you must take something out.
Then Martha, grateful to still be working, was told to take
all her equipment home so she could work from here.
A month ago.
To an 850-square-foot condo.
Where the only computer desk is
in my room.
She now works out of there. Her room is basically home to
lockdown necessities that fit nowhere else, and our golf clubs that haven’t
been used since March 9. I pretty much try to stay out of the way, and have
dinner ready when Martha can take a break. She works from 2-10 pm and rarely
leaves her computer, joining meetings on Zoom and getting many messages on
Slack and texts on her phone while she
does her graphics.
Our day begins early and we both start slow now, a habit
I’ve grown to love in retirement. We read the paper and our devices and walk
for at least an hour every day, which lifts our spirits immensely.
The rest of our day is filled with her work, home projects
and keeping in touch with family and friends. We are trying to clear even more
out of our little home and keep it clean even if we don’t have guests coming
(which is not like us).
This “lockdown” has also given Martha time to try and
figure out more of the CCH website intricacies — and eccentricities. She and Shana
Nishimura Yoshida, who has been helping us with the technical side of the
site, had a Zoom conversation last week that featured 2 hours of looking at the
back side of the website and speaking some nerdy tech language that was so far
over my head I got altitude sickness. Martha is also getting a collection of
portraits of the previous nine CCH pastors ready to put up in the office to
welcome Pastor Holly.
I’m just trying to put a dent in my retirement bucket list.
Much of that involves digitizing pictures, music and papers, to get those out
of our tiny home too. They bring some wonderful memories, but it is mostly
tedious work and there is no real deadline. After 36 years of constant
deadlines, that feels funny. So does working on it in the living room.
But we will never complain … well maybe a little, about our
washer breaking and having to wait three weeks — we hope — for a replacement.
We know we are blessed in so many ways and we are so grateful we have each
other to get through this. So many are having such a tough time. Our hearts
ache for them and all we can do is try to make it better in small ways.
We pray for them and for all of us. And we keep the faith
and believe it will be a better world when this is over.
Blessings,
Annie and Martha
 |
| Annie digitizing |
 |
| Martha's new home office |
MUSIC
SHARED
In
a recent Zoom (online video meeting) Bible study of the Mathew Easter passages,
Pastor Frances included music from YouTube that the participants could listen
to and sing along with. Music can be powerfully evocative and Christian music (in
all genres) can especially pack a religious and artistic punch. Here is a sampling of such music. Where applicable, permission to stream music is
granted through LicenSing, Copyrighted Music for Churches, Streaming License
#20384329. Click on the links to get to the songs.
Easter
Medley
The
first video comes from Patrick and Mona Chock. Mona shared that: “Our friends
Manny and Phyllis Dayao shared this link of their son and his family giving a
musical Easter offering. Easter Day has passed but we thought church members
might enjoy seeing and listening to this via the weekly CCH updates &
sharing.” (Thanks for sharing, Patrick
and Mona. This is an amazing musical offering and we will definitely enjoy this!)
Let
There Be Peace
This
was an Easter offering from the choir and children of Church of the Crossroads.
Every musician was taped from their home. One family had three generations
singing from Dallas, Seattle, and Honolulu!
Beautiful and moving (and an editing marvel).
Let
There Be Peace - CCR Virtual Choir - Sy Miller & Jill Jackson - arr. Joel
Raney.
The
Prayer
Celine
Dion, Andrea Bocelli, Lady Gaga, Lang Lang, John Legend perform "The
Prayer" during One World: Together at Home on April 18. This
concert raised significant amounts of money to meet the challenges of the corona
virus pandemic.
The
Pittsburgh Blessing
Original
song "The Blessing" by Cody Carnes, Kari Jobe, and Elevation Worship
The
Pittsburgh Blessing | Virtual Church Choir, Apr 10, 2020.
“What
started out as a crazy idea, turned into a powerful worship moment in our city.
In less than 2 weeks, nearly 30 churches unified to sing a blessing over our
city of Pittsburgh. This video was revealed during many of the Easter online
services in churches across the city of Pittsburgh during the COVID-19
pandemic. Our desire was that it would be a blessing spoken over our homes and
communities. Thanks to the many churches and individuals who made this happen.
He is for you, Pittsburgh!”
My
Everything
Owl
City (Adam Young) is a contemporary pop singer, songwriter, musician, and poet
who happens to be Christian. He has written this modern hymn. This is the official music video.
First
verse:
When
my hope is lost
And
my strength is gone
I
run to you, and you alone
When
I can't get up and I can't go on
I
run to you, and you alone
'Cause
you're my light in the dark
And
I sing with all of my heart
It
Is Well With My Soul (this one was a favorite
of our Bible study Zoom group)
The
Nashville Studio Singer Community -
Virtual Cell Phone Choir - “It Is Well With My Soul” arranged by: David Wise.
“31
of Nashville’s Studio Singers using their cell phones during Nashville’s Safer
at Home order to record and lift their collective voices to share a message of
hope and encouragement during these challenging days. It is well.”
TEXT: MUSIC:
Horatio
Gates Spafford Philip Bliss
1.
When peace, like a river,
attendeth
my way,
When
sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever
my lot,
Thou
hast taught me to say,
It
is well, it is well with my soul
Chorus:
It is well (it is well)
with
my soul (with my soul)
It
is well, it is well with my soul
2.
Though Satan should buffet,
though
trials should come,
Let
this blessed assurance control,
That
Christ has regarded
my
helpless estate,
And
hath shed His own blood for my soul. (Repeat chorus)
3.
And Lord haste the day
when
the faith shall be sight,
The
clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The
trump shall resound,
and
the Lord shall descend,
Even
so, it is well with my soul. (Repeat chorus)
Public
Domain
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