Shonnie Calina (Miss Shonnie)

Grades K, 1, 2 and 4 had lessons that taught the original meaning of Christmas, Kalikimaka. After our lessons, keiki got to make something to take home and give to ʻohana as a show of aloha and also God’s great love for us. Papa malāaʻo made angels to remember the message of Jesus being born. Papa ʻekahi made cards to give someone, telling them they were loved and thanking them too, which is what God did when His Son was given to us. Papa ʻelua made simple nativity ornaments. They were framed with plain popsicle sticks to remind us of how simply Jesus came into this world and how he was haʻahaʻa. Papa ʻehā put together a paper nativity ornament too, also showing a similar manaʻo.

Although each grade level’s lessons were differentiated, the message remains the same. It is a message of great love and hope. One full of promise that “on this day, a child has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!”

Papa ‘Ehā is learning the various seasons of the Church Calendar this year.  Although we learned about the season of Advent at the beginning of the school year, they are now putting into practice what they learned in this month long season before Christmas.  Each school day they will pull a card that holds one thing they could do for someone else.  It is a way to keep the focus off ourselves and really think of others.  Advent is really a time to prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  Doing good for others, having a spirit of kahiau and aloha, helps us ho’omākaukau.  In a season where people are rushing around, often stressed, and so busy about the shopping, let us stop, reflect, and love those that God has blessed with!  Aloha, after all, is the best gift anyone can give or receive!

E nā keiki o ka papa ‘ehā: Look at the picture below. What is your mana’o about this image? How does this connect to the current season of Advent? Does it connect? Leave a short, two to three sentence, mana’o in the comments.

“Thank You” by the Katinas from Shonnie Calina on Vimeo.

This morning’s Thanksgiving Chapel was so blessed! It was a wonderful time of giving thanks to God for His blessings and His love for us. Kahu Kaunaloa shared a great depiction of the leper who was healed by Jesus and the heart of thankfulness he had. Prayer and Bible readings were shared by God Squad keiki, Jayden, Alexis, Ethan, Kricia, and Michael, to remind us to just be thankful. Our Praise and Worship Team offered a mele that speaks of how to be thankful to and for Jesus Christ.

We honored our veterans for their service and prayed over them. We also took a moment to remember Po’o Kula of Maui Campus, Lee Ann DeLima, and give thanks to God for her life while she was here on this earth.

Overall the message was to have a thankful heart, be thankful, say “thank you”, and give thanks to God. No matter how hard or dark it may be, we can all find at least one thing to be thankful for! May God bless each one of you during this time of Thanksgiving.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Always be joyful.  Never stop praying. Give thanks no matter what happens. God wants you to thank him because you believe in Christ Jesus.”

Papa ʻelima recently had a lesson that focused on friendship. We discussed how Jesus was the ultimate example of what a friend is. We also created a list of traits that they would want in a friend. They were then asked to look at the list and reflect if they, themselves, were that type of friend. Deep reflection!

We started with an activity that helped to illustrate how “face to face” friendship is easier to have when going through ups and downs, but when we are “back to back”, meaning not having an honest or loving friendship, ups and downs were very difficult to work through.

Friendship, like all pilina, takes lots of love, selflessness, and sacrifice.

This past Monday was our October Chapel (‘Ekalesia).  Again it was a blessed time in the Lord!  Our keiki sang a “Song of Peace”, we heard Bibles verses being shared, and we had a time of remembrance and reflection for one of our KS ‘ohana who recently passed away. Kahu Kaunaloa spoke to us about how to be still and know that God is still God even in those times of loss.  He and Kahu Gaymond presented a beautiful mele.

The message that day was on the act of giving and the kind of kūlana or attitude we should have when giving to others.  Our foundational mo’oleo came from the book of Mark chapter 12. Later Aunty Nell from Operation Christmas Child shared of her experiences in Columbia where many keiki received their shoe boxes with such joy and thankfulness.

May our faithful Heavenly Father continue to be present with us and bless our worship time together as an ‘ohana!

Kindergarten recently learned the story of Abram and Sarai and how God told them to move to a new land. Out of their pilina with God, they went, not knowing exactly how things were going to turn out. They still left their home and trusted in God. God said He would be with them and He was, everywhere and every time. We discussed how God is a promise-keeper and He is with each of us too, everywhere and every time!

Papa ʻekahi is currently learning the events of the life of Moses. They recently heard the story of when God opened the Red Sea and saved the Hebrews. After the Hebrews got to the other side safely, they gave big thanks to God! The students crossed a pretend Red Sea and then wrote about what they were thankful for. We are still in the process of learning who God is through His word!

Bear good fruit!  Our call to bear good fruit is the spiritual theme for all three KS campuses this year.  We discussed this mana’o at our first Kula Ha’aha’a Chapel (‘Ekalesia) of the school year.  We learned about a five year old boy who, just this past May, felt in his heart to help a man who was homeless/houseless.  It reminded us that loving others is key to making our world, community, ‘ohana  and various pilina, better and safe.  Even in our classrooms, we can love and show that by being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.  This connects to the ‘ōlelo no’eau, “Nānā ka maka, ho’olohe ka pepeiao, pa’a ka waha.”  So go and bear good fruit, hua maika’i, as the Bible says, and be blessed!

Click to watch the Praise and Worship Team!

Ekalesia_Sept162015_video – 1 from Shonnie Calina on Vimeo.

When we think of fruit, so many come to mind. Favorites like mango, grapes, banana, strawberries, and lychee are up there on the list! However when God talks about fruit, He isn’t always talking about the kind we eat. The 3rd grade classes are just beginning their journey on the path of learning what the Fruit of the Spirit are. We discussed that the “fruit” are really our actions. Above are some of their drawings of how we are able to have the Fruit of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace and patience. So stop a 3rd grader today and ask them about the Fruit of th Spirit tree.

Galatians 5:22-23

This year our Keiki Kahu for Kula Haʻahaʻa is Jayden, a 5th grader in Mrs. Kay’s class. After some thought, prayer, and discussion with parents, Jayden joyfully agreed to this kuleana. He already had the task of doing the call to worship at our all school convocation last week Friday.  He did a fantastic job reading God’s word to our entire kula. One of Jayden’s duties as a Keiki Kahu is being a pono example for others, a trait that he has already been blessed with.  This morning we prayed a blessing over Jayden for God to guide him and help him in his role as a Keiki Kahu this year. Leading isn’t always easy, but God can do anything through a willing leader! ʻĀmene!