Family & Community Network
action through heart connection
Lord of the deep waters, you call us from the safety of the shore to an adventure of the spirit: open wide our arms to embrace the world you dare to serve; through Jesus Christ, who gives life in abundance. Amen. — from Steven Shakespeare's Prayers for an Inclusive Church
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A network beyond church walls
Folks at St. Augustine's come together with community members to create loving bonds that help us serve our friends and neighbors. In partnership with organizations and individuals, St. Augustine's is working to build the Family & Community Network — an initiative to serve North Kohala through the unconditional love gifted to all people by our Creator. We seek to share God's love by serving all in North Kohala, including those who are vulnerable and marginalized. We seek to expand the idea of "family" to reflect the many types of families in our diverse and intercultural community: multi-generational, single parent, immigrant, LGBTQ+, economically challenged, food insecure, and anyone looking for a sense of belonging. Our hope is to nurture and maintain ‘ohana connections both inside and outside the church walls. The Family & Community Network helps us:
We are inspired by this place where we live and the Hawaiian culture into which Queen Emma and King Kamehameha graciously invited the Episcopal Church. Following Queen Emma's example and emulating our own ancestors who have served this community, we seek ways to help people and creation thrive. All are invited to participate! Consistent with our shared ministry model, St. Augustine's collaborates with teams inside and outside the church, working with others to serve families and celebrate the intersection of various age groups, cultures, and life experiences represented in the community. Over the past few years, we’ve been building partnerships with organizations like Kohala Cares, the Kohala Food Hub, and the Kohala Resilience Hub. Together, we’ll continue to build more partnerships. We look forward to collaborating with you! From Vicar Jennifer "We are all in the boat, headed for the deep water to cast our nets and fulfill the shared mission of all St. Augustine's members to be an inclusive gathering place “to be the love of God and to feel the love of God.” Following in the footsteps of the first disciples and guided by Christ in our hearts, let us cast our nets again and again. The "nets" we cast are our warm smiles and our quiet invitations to meet, chat, and share a meal. We cast the nets of God's limitless love, which is always at the ready. Let us cast the nets even when we are weary. Let us cast our nets when we doubt we'll catch anything. Let us cast them wide and without hesitation. With God’s help, we’ll find and share the abundant love this world needs." |
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