Stories

  • Story: Fish Stories - June 28, 2026 Jeremiah 28:5-9Matthew 10:40-42 I’m not a fisherman. You’re not likely to find me along the shore with a long fishing rod or standing in the shallows somewhere with a net. What I do know about fishing, however, is a piece of advice I’ve only picked up in recent years. “It’s called fishing, … Continue reading Story: Fish Stories
  • Story: Worthy Birds - June 21, 2026 Genesis 21:8-21Romans 6:1b-11 During the summer, some of the birds in the Hawaiian mountain forests like to gather into flocks. You’ve probably seen flocks of mynas around Hilo, and one evening I saw a big flock of cattle egrets, which was impressive, and I’ve also seen flocks of seven or eight nene … Continue reading Story: Worthy Birds
  • Story: The Merciful Myna - June 14, 2026 Exodus 19:2-8aMatthew 9:35-10:8 This may sound a little bit odd to you – it sounds a little bit odd to me – but one of the mynas that lives near our church decided to listen to the sermon. Without falling asleep, which is a nice trick. And as you know, I’ve been … Continue reading Story: The Merciful Myna
  • Story: The Sorry I’iwi - June 7, 2026 Hosea 5:15-6:6Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 Last week an oma’o had to learn that he couldn’t judge an entire species of bird because of the bad behavior of some of them. Specifically, he had to abandon his idea that all i’iwi are evil. It’s a pity that this week’s story is about an i’iwi … Continue reading Story: The Sorry I’iwi
  • Story: Those Birds - May 31, 2026 Genesis 1:1-2:4a2 Corinthians 13:11-13 A lot of the honeycreepers in the mountain forests have brightly colored feathers. I think I’ve mentioned that before. The ‘apapane and the i’iwi are bright red and black. The ‘amakihi and the ‘akiapola’au are bright yellow. The ‘elepaio has these fascinating speckles in its feathers, even if … Continue reading Story: Those Birds
  • Story: Whatever It Was - May 24, 2026 Acts 2:1-21John 20:19-23 I don’t know what it was that he found in the tree. Maybe it was a collection of seeds. Maybe it was some burrowing insects. Maybe it was material for a nest. Whatever it was, he was the only house finch to know about it, and as far as … Continue reading Story: Whatever It Was
  • Story: Bully’s Progress - May 17, 2026 1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11John 17:1-11 He was a year or so old, and he wore the red and black of an adult ‘apapane. He still thought of himself as young and growing and learning, and truly he was all of those things. He was also the target of a bully in his … Continue reading Story: Bully’s Progress
  • Story: One Might Know - May 10, 2026 Acts 17:22-31John 14:15-21 This story didn’t take place on our island, because although one of the birds in it lives on Hawai’i, the other doesn’t. I took this picture on Kauai, though both birds also live on O’ahu. The one on the left, swimming in the water, with its red beak and … Continue reading Story: One Might Know
  • Story: Courage - May 3, 2026 Acts 7:55-60John 14:1-14 The ala’e keokeo – also known as the Hawaiian Coot, and I guess it is pretty cute – lives along the shorelines, particularly enjoying the old fishponds built by the Hawaiians because the edges are rich in the water plants they like to eat. “Ala’e” means forehead, and “keokeo” … Continue reading Story: Courage
  • Story: Good Advice - April 26, 2026 Acts 2:42-47John 10:1-10 What do you need to know if you’re an ‘elepaio? It helps that most of the ‘elepaio are very curious, so they tend to ask themselves the questions and then find out the answers. Is it sunny on that side of the tree? Are there bugs to be had … Continue reading Story: Good Advice