Thursday, April 30, 2009

Memorial Service (Updated 4-27-09)

A Celebration of
Kit Lauer's Life
Thursday, April 30, 2009
6:00pm
at Hope Chapel
Heavy Pupus will be served at the Courtyard after the service.
If you were not able to pick up one of the trays to put the pupus (distributed last Sunday) , you may still bring some pupus to share (heavy pupus such as finger sandwiches, cheese and crackers, meatballs, sushi, chicken wings, etc.)
using your own tray.
So that the volunteers may attend Kit's memorial, we would appreciate if the food items you would bring are ready to serve in single portion sizes.
Thank you for your generosity and sharing.
***


Scattering of Ashes at Keawakapu Beach on Saturday May 2, 8:00AM


This Saturday, May 2nd at Sidewalks Entrance of Keawakapu Beach we will be celebrating Kit’s eternal life by the scattering of his ashes at 8:00 AM. Please note that only loose flowers can be released in the ocean.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

A Note From Maisha (taken from her post on Facebook)

Hi Everyone,

I wanted you all to know that, after a year struggle with leukemia, my beloved dad passed away friday night at 7:40 pm. He passed away right about the same time that he would normally be getting up to give his message on friday night. He had been in a lot of pain the last few days and he really wanted to go home. On friday he was in excruciating pain in his head and was sick for hours...we think that he had a brain hemorrhage. My mom and I, aunt Becky and uncle Buddy, and the main pastor of our church were all there. I'm thankful that he is with Jesus now and in no pain at all. My dad was such a wonderful dad to me though and my heart is broken.

The memorial service is this thurs at 6pm at Hope Chapel. You might be able to watch it live through facebook on "The Gathering Maui" or possibly on the Hope Chapel Website (www.hopechapelmaui.com). You can also check out www.kit-blog1.blogspot.com.

Thanks for all of the love and prayers...we really feel them. and I can't tell you how wonderful it is to read the notes and comments. I'm sorry I can't respond to each and every one...but I am deeply appreciative.
Maisha

p.s. I'm attaching a photo of my dad "preaching" at Mars Hill in Athens like Paul of the Bible did :) No need for that anymore dad...you finished the race just like Paul, and you made it!!!!

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Jason's Reflections on Knowing Kit

*Jason Spence is on Brazil and would not be back until April 30th, in time for Kit's Memorial Service. He e-mailed this reflection and we thought it's appropriate to post this on Kit's blog as the continuation of our expression eession for Kit.


Hello Everyone,


Like the rest of you, I’ve been reflecting on the privilege of knowing Kit Lauer over the years.


In the mid/ late 1980s, I knew him as Kit the “hammer”…but God transformed him into Kit the “lamb”. I remember in the early years a time when he was kicked out of one of our Hope Chapel Bible Studies for his too overbearing opinions. God use this though to temper him and soon he began to lead his own Wednesday evening small group in his house with his brother Buddy. Those were awesome days of worship and much evangelism through the Lauer Family gifts of hospitality.


Beginning in the early 1990s, my children were in baseball and soccer with the Lauer kids with Shelly/Kit coaching so we and many families spent lots of wonderful years at the Kalama park fields doing lifetogether. It was always fun hearing Kit yelling on the sidelines what Mikey and the other players should be correcting and cheering them on. Kit was such a jock!


In 1993-1994, Buddy and Sons Construction with Kit’s oversight built our house on Ponana Street . It turned out to be a positive experience. I remember Kit’s “can do stay in the budget” spirit. I chuckle when I think of the compassion he had for Rick Horowitz whom he hired to do some of the painting…which Kit had to do over in his own time and dime!


In the mid 1990s, Kit joined our staff as our church Administrator. Here are some things that stand out to me about those early years.


* I will never forget one of his major contributions. He was appalled over our message system of answering the phones and all us of putting little paper messages in our individual mailboxes…so he budgeted getting us all computers and using the inter-staff outlook box feature so that we could have instant communication.


In those days, I wasn’t into computers since I smoked marijuana in my typing course in high school and never was good at typing etc…but one day arrived in my office which at that time Kit and I shared the same room….and there was a computer…right in the middle of my desk….I was shocked and Kit said…Get over it…you are not going to remain a dinosaur and he coached me that year how to use it…and the rest is history.


*Another big thing Kit did was organize a DCAT ( Doing Church as a Team) Saturday seminar at Hope Chapel which offered Christians a spiritual gifts, talent, personality/passion analysis to enable believers to discover the person God wired us to be…so all of us can serve in the right place for the right reasons at the right time. God used Kit to pull off large events that our current staff load was not able to do. My prayer is that this gift based, passion driven serving philosophy of material he developed can be used more frequently in the years to come.


*Of course the Friday Night service which rotated teachers in & out really took off when it was handed over to Kit and Buddy. God used them to bring it to the place it is today.


Moving into the 21st century….I loved the way Kit performed weddings and funerals. He was so sensitive to the parties involved. I will never forget his compassion of singing worship songs over the bedside of Randy Insley as he was nearing going to Heaven. I saw God that day. I always admired his touch, quite literally and spiritually that he had on people.


Speaking of touch….I will miss those massages Kit would give me in the Tues a.m. Senior Staff meetings. Often while he was waxing eloquently at length on some subject I would move over to his knees in front of the couch and sit on the floor and he would massage me while making his point/s.


Of course many of us have and will continue to benefit from Kit’s apologetic course. Kit was an amazing combination of intellect, humor and compassion. My brain cells always would hurt when he would corner me in the hall about his new insight on “infinite regression” or whatever he was saying or something!


In these last few years Kit excelled in team ministry thru mentoring, discipleship and delegation to our young adults. He taught us a lot about transferring the baton of leadership as exemplified in Ben Prangnell, Sam Gyorfi, Jeremy Napier and others whom he had a major role in spiritual & ministry development.

Kit served God´s purpose in his generation…and has helped equip a new generation…he´s been an amazing inspiration and example.


“For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep “Acts 12:36


May we follow in the footsteps of King David and Kit Lauer and serve God in our remaining days as well.


Sincerely,

Jason


Thoughts From Ray Mains

We all know that the Lord as a plan for all of us. We are told this many times and sometimes in many ways. Well last night surely was one to those ways.....of "His Good Planning."
  1. The Lord called Dr. Kit home to be with Him last night, His Plan.
  2. The Lord had many of us at Friday night service (which Kit started) together to praise Dr. Kit for the many things he has been doing to serve the Lord and help many of us in many different way, for some time now, Good Planning.
  3. Dr. Kit going home to be with the Lord at about the same time (after 7:00pm) he would be up there in front of us teaching us more about our Lord, Good Planning.
  4. Many of us were there and had the opportunity to hear the news about Kit going home at the same time together, just Good Planning, how fortunate it was that so many of us were and could be together hearing the news and being able to comfort each other. Just darn Good Planning.
  5. I'm so glad I was there with the others, and could listen to all that was being shared, in how this man, Dr. Kit has effected so many...Good Planning.
  6. Just about a month ago the Lord told me to get the mission photos (slide film of four trips with Kit, to PI ) together and start scanning that I would need to be able to share them with many, so I did, I had told my wife (Dawn) about this message and only her.
  • month ago got them all together
  • left for mainland a couple weeks ago
  • after return got another message to finish them up.
  • Wednesday night (4/22/09) stayed up late getting them ready for scanning.
  • Thursday morning (4/23/09) at 05:30am starting scanning, finished about 100 slides about 2:00pm and delivered them to Ben at Hope Chapel.
  • Ben asked, "can you talk a little about the slides and some of your time with Kit?", I said no, the Lord said yes, and so I did, Good Planning.
Thank you Lord for your Good Planning. Thank you Dr. Kit for all that you have done...love ya.

Yes well will miss him...
Capt. Ray

Friday, April 24, 2009

"Today You Shall Be With Me In Paradise"

Kit went to be with the Lord tonight (a little past 7PM). We will miss you here Kit, but we know that the heaven is doing a warm welcome. You've run the race well, you've fought a good fight ...

Let us continue to pray for Shelly, Maisha, Mikey and the whole Lauer family. You may leave a comment here or on the Facebook pages.

Karen wrote a beautiful good bye, honoring Kit, on her blog. Click here to go there.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Friday Night Service Dedicated to Kit


This Friday night we are dedicating our service to Kit! In the midst of fighting leukemia, Kit has taken every opportunity to share God's word with us. So we are setting aside this Friday night to share with Kit what he means to us and how God has used him to bless our lives. In place of the regular message time slot we are going to be hearing from a members of our church family, sharing in worship and, Lord willing, Kit would like to speak a few words as well. Don't miss this Friday night's expression session in honor of Pastor Kit.


To those of you reading this blog and can't make it to the Friday Night service (maybe you're in the mainland or out of the Country) remember to tune into our live broadcast over the internet. Here is the facebook link to the streaming video. CLICK HERE to go there.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

A Much Needed Update

I wanted to update you all on how my dad is doing. I'm sorry that we haven't blogged for awhile but Kit it was having a very difficult time this past week. He has-for the most part-been very, very sick with brief moments haven't feeling "okay".

My dad prayed out to God last night to help him in his pain, and I believe that God is using the wonderful women of hospice to do just that. My dad is feeling a whole lot better right
now. Basically, he feels like a new person. It is so great, uplifting, and just cheers our spirits to see him like this.

This Friday night service will be a type of dedication to Kit. So, if you guys can make it, that would be wonderful.

I want to remind everyone that "The Journey" booklet will be coming out in print soon, thanks to some wonderfully magnanimous friends who are so close to my dad's heart :) When the booklet is out, we will let everyone know how they can get copies.

We love you and Kit's praying for you all and is very thankful for your love and support. He is still preparing for the May 9th seminar and really needs everyone's prayers for the strength to do it. My dad wants you to know that his heart is with his fellow sufferers and says that you are kindred spirits. It's his prayer that this post will be a lifter of your spirit.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Want to Listen to Kit's Good Friday Message? Now Available Online



Good Friday Service Now Available to listen to 
at Hope Chapel Website.  
Click here to go there.



Tuesday, April 7, 2009

How Kit is Doing

My dad found out yesterday from his blood test that his cancer cells are increasing at a very high rate.  The normal white blood cell number is between 4 and 11.  My dad's count is over 100.  

This is not good as the cells multiply at an exponential rate; so, when something kicks them in and they start going...they go fast. These bad white blood cells (blast cells) eventually make the blood very thick and useless and transfusions will not work.  Another round of chemotherapy is not really an option as my dad is so weak and fragile, and I don't think the doctors would allow it.  This is typically how acute leukemia progresses and so, in the physical, it is not really a surprise.  

That being said, we ask for prayer because God is bigger than that and He made our bodies.  His will is going to be done...and I am praying that His will is to keep my dad around a little longer. I know you all want that too.  My dad is still planning on speaking this friday...so, for those of you who can't make it, and are on facebook, you can watch a live feed when you join the group "The Gathering Maui".

Here is a verse that our good friends, Joe and Karen Johnson, put on their blog for my dad I thought that it was awesome:

There was given me a thorn in the flesh. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me...For when I am weak, then I am strong. II Cor 12:7-1

We love you all so much and are so thankful for you. 
Maisha and the Lauers

Saturday, April 4, 2009

The Gathering Maui on Facebook


Hello everyone, it's Maisha. My dad spoke last night and it went well :-) He plans on speaking again next friday for Good Friday (6 pm and 8 pm). He's been very tired and has been battling fevers and nausea, so he could use prayer for that.

I wanted you all to know that if you're on facebook, you should become a fan of "The Gathering Maui". You can watch a live feed of the friday night service if you're not able to make it, and it gives blog updates on there as well. It's pretty cool.

much love,

The Lauers