Connection Point Church of the Nazarene

  You might miss the electrical outlet behind the trashcan and recycling bin on the church lanai, but most evenings and Sunday mornings this unassuming, gray outlet becomes quite popular. Though digital-device-addiction and therefore anxiety-inducing low batteries are a real thing in our world, this isn't the only reason for the outlet's popularity. The reality is within our congregation, my best estimate would be half our people live off the electrical grid. A few have solar panel systems that feed into batteries for their electrical needs, but many survive off a gas-powered generator that is turned off and on throughout the day to pace usage. That is, provided they have money and transportation to get gas that week. Some have no power source whatsoever. While it may seem like a petty thing to charge these often overly-used devices, it's easy to forget how quickly being detached from communication can hinder peoples' lives. Communication for work, medical is...

You may or may not have noticed a couple-week hiatus in these blog posts. I have been on the mainland with 2 students from our congregation as part of our 47-person group from the Hawaii Pacific District attending Nazarene Youth Conference (NYC) in Phoenix, Arizona. Yes, we did go to Arizona in the summer...yes, we did survive. As with most Christian camps or conferences, you always make wonderful memories, you bond with the group you attend with, and most importantly you experience moments of deep connection with the Lord. All of these things, though taking place within a public convention center in downtown Phoenix, are done within somewhat of a Christian bubble. I was grateful that immediately following the closing service of NYC, our district grabbed some boxed lunches, loaded a bus, and headed off to go do a tube float on the Salt River with the Southern California District. A glimpse at the arena full of Nazarene students and sponsors during one of our sessions Our Haw...