•Editor’s note: “Spiritual leaders answer” is a weekly column inviting Kaua‘i’s religious and spiritual leaders to share their doctrine’s perspective on a suggested subject. Every Friday, a topic is printed, inviting a response. Due to space limitations, submissions are edited.
•Editor’s note: “Spiritual leaders answer” is a weekly column inviting Kaua‘i’s religious and spiritual leaders to share their doctrine’s perspective on a suggested subject. Every Friday, a topic is printed, inviting a response. Due to space limitations, submissions are edited. Thoughts or suggestions for future topics are always welcome. Next week’s subject is on heroes. The topic at the end of the column is for the following week.
Rev. Caroline C. Miura
Bereavement and Spiritual Care
Coordinator for Kaua‘i Hospice
‘A‘ohe hana nui ka alu ‘ia translated means: No task is too big when done together by all.
I come out of the Christian tradition where Jesus mentored twelve disciples as a model for teamwork. Actually, the corps of volunteers was much larger if you count the women, which the Bible, given the politics of that time, neglects to mention. Any way you look at it a team was involved — simply because Jesus could only be in one place at one time. With his team, everyone working together could reach more folks in service to the divine.
Christians have a history of unintentionally turning their backs on this team model approach. Many faithful folks tend to go it alone, secretly valuing the concept of martyrdom, refusing at all costs to ask for help. Many believers want to give but are ashamed to receive, not realizing these are two sides of the same coin. Sadly, many good- hearted people miss the boat and suffer needlessly.
I am blessed to work with a wonderful group of people. It’s a privilege to serve with an inter-disciplinary team at Kaua‘i Hospice. The team is designed to put a safety net around patients and families who are living with life-limiting illnesses, people who want a high quality of life, comfort and care in their own homes for as long as they have to live.
This year, my hope and prayer is that we, as an island community — one island, many peoples, all Kauaians — would band together in one great team to serve the greater good. In our own small ways we are called to lighten the loads and burdens our neighbors are carrying, making for more light heartedness all around. Go team.
Wendy Winegar
North Shore Christian Science
The most effective churches I know find much of their inspiration for good teamwork — group work focused on a common cause — in Jesus’ “new” commandment “to love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13) The promise that goes along with it is “that your joy might be full.” Most simply stated, it’s the Golden Rule: “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.” (Matthew 7)
As a lay church, the Christian Science church relies on membership teamwork to conduct its services and run its specialized activities. The Bible lesson team puts together a sermon months in advance so it can be published in a timely manner to send out to the branch churches throughout the world. The same Sunday lesson sermon is read and studied at each branch. The Sunday services are conducted by first and second readers, who are members of the mother church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston, Mass. The service includes a solo, which is usually related to the subject of the lesson, accompanied by organ, piano or ukulele. The congregation sings hymns, prays together and listens to the lesson sermon. The ushers make sure everyone is comfortable, have the books they need and watch for any special needs during the service.
The real teamwork lies in the quality of thought brought to each activity. For instance, the ushers are actually standing guard at the door of thought, praying to know that divine love is all powerful, ever-present and in attendance to meet all needs. The readers must be sure that they have thoroughly studied the lesson sermon during the week and can read it clearly and understandingly so the healing message is fully communicated. The soloist prepares the congregation for the lesson, with their thoughts attuned to the Christ message in the lyrics and music. The congregation comes with an open heart, leaving their cares outside the door, to have a clear mind to listen to what Eddy calls “God’s thoughts passing to man,” the angels that meet the human need and bring loving solutions to life’s problems.
That is the ideal church team, working from the same playbooks — in this case the “Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” and a manual of by-laws written by Eddy to define and govern the structure and work of the church and its members. Eddy was well aware that a human institution needed practical guidelines to work in concert with the inspiration of the principle that bases the golden rule — actively acknowledged, governing the thoughts of the readers, the soloist, the ushers, musicians, and congregation.
In a short list of tenants of the church, she closes with a rousing platform for teamwork: “And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that mind to be in us which was also in Christ, Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure.”
Topic for next week:
• Will you speak to us on failure?
•Spiritual leaders are invited to e-mail responses of three to five paragraphs to pwoolway@kauaipubco.com
•Deadline each week is 5 p.m., Tuesday