I'm back!

Hello everyone! Well, I am now fully back from my sabbatical leave and I thank God, my family and our church for giving me this time to be away. I felt so welcomed my first Sunday back in the pulpit on September 6th and the observance of the Lord's Supper was wonderfully meaningful for me. Thanks to Earl and Didi Sabate for the beautiful maile lei; I felt so special! I was extremely blessed to know how supportive you were all summer of Pastor Ken Drake's leadership, along with Gail and our four summer interns! Their hardwork and creativity made it possible for me to leave the church in their capable hands. A special Mahalo to Tony and Brenda Pratt and to all of you who worked hard to offer the Welcome Back Picnic for me this past Sunday. Even our first-time guests who stayed for the meal would agree wholeheartedly that Kinoole Baptist Church offers the very best potluck in the world, amen? Amen! I must admit that I was a bit uncomfortable going first in the line and sitting with my wife Karen the entire meal! Somehow it seemed like I should have gotten up and served some water but thank you for allowing me to be the guest of honor! I also appreciated the hearty rendition of "For he's a jolly good fellow!" And to top it off, the cake was exquisite! Great choice!

Besides rest and a renewed spirit, as I met with pastors and other church leaders and visiting in their churches this summer, I am convinced that we must "live and leave a legacy of faith" for the generations coming after us. Psalm 71 & 78 remind us of the vital responsibility to pass the baton of faith to those who come after us. They clearly spell out the mandate from God that this is our time to serve the world and not ourselves. The very next day, we were able to share the love of Christ to the veterans at the Care Home and visit with Calvin Kaya, Jimmy Fujimoto and Mrs Henry Ayabe. What a blessing! We all missed Pastor Alberto Camacho but our prayers are with him and his parents in the Philippines as he spends the next several weeks attending to their special medical needs.

Can you believe that this November will mark sixty-three years that God has planted our church here in Hilo to be a lighthouse of His presence and power? This Sunday, Gail is leading another group through Class 101, an Introduction to Church Membership because everyone here at Kinoole Baptist Church learns to Love God, Love People and Serve. This is more than just a motto; it is our God-given mission! He is waiting on us. Can He count on us to follow Him faithfully as ducklings who follow the mother duck? See you Sunday! Daniel