Thanksgiving Worship Services to be Held at HCUCC Churches 
The following churches will hold services on November 26:
 United Church of Christ-Judd Street, 7 pm
 Windward Coalition of Churches, 7 pm at Kailua United Methodist Church
Hosting a Prayer Day “E Pule Kakou” on November 26:
 Kaumakapili Church, 12 pm
 Kawaiaha'o Church, 6 pm
Early Thanksgiving Worship Services include:
 Wai’oli Hui’ia Church, November 19, 6 pm
 Interfaith Communities in Action, November 25, 7 pm at
 First United Protestant Church
 Nu’uanu Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, November 25, 7 pm at Temple Emanu-el

 Church Development Continuing Education Opportunity to be Held
Mark your calendars for a special clergy continuing education event to be held in January for anyone interested. Dan Romero, former Conference Minister of the Southern California-Nevada Conference, will offer a church development workshop on Saturday, January 24, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Conference Office. Full details and registration are forthcoming.

 Hawai'i Conference Focuses on Issues of Immigration
Immigration issues are of great concern in the United Church of Christ. A recent letter to Congress and a continuing education event for clergy being planned for January will help the Hawai'i Conference focus on the importance of these issues and the way they affect our churches and communities. 

The letter, which addresses concerns about legislative proposals in the 110th Congress, was written by the Coalition on Human Needs. The Justice and Witness Missional Team of the Hawai'i Conference added its electronic signature to the letter when the Coalition asked for organizational support and signatures. 

The legislative proposals mentioned in the letter include those that have kept immigrants from access to services and benefits essential to their well-being. These services include access to public housing and health care programs, Social Security, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. The letter points out that when lawmakers focus on undocumented immigrants improperly receiving these federal benefits and take measures to prevent this from happening, they actually end up having great consequences for citizens and qualified legal immigrants, while having limited impact on the undocumented immigrants the legislation targets. 

The letter calls on Congress to put aside politically-driven proposals and look for solutions that "promote strong, integrated communities and that are aligned with mainstream American values of compassion and integrity."

Immigration issues will be a topic of discussion among Hawai'i Conference clergy when Dan Romero, former Conference Minister in the Southern California-Nevada Conference and an immigration attorney, visits Hawai'i in January.

The continuing education event on immigration issues is planned for Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 9 AM to 2 PM, at the Hawai'i Conference Office. Details, including registration, are forthcoming. 

 Kaua'i Association Gathers at 'Ohana Ni'ihau O Waimea Church
The Kaua'i Association Fall Mokupuni held Sunday, November 9, was jointly hosted by the Ohana Ni’ihau O Waimea Church and Waimea United Church of Christ. The worship service, which celebrated the reception of Ohana Ni’ihau O Waimea Church into the Kaua'i Association of the United Church of Christ, was held at the Ni’ihau church. The renewal of license for ministry of Ohana Ni'ihau O Waimea Church Pastor Dana Kaohelauli’i was also celebrated. The service included remarks by Aletha Kaohi, messages given by Dana Kaohelauli’i and Waimea UCC Pastor Olaf Hoeckmann-Percival, and Holy Communion led by Hanapepe Hawaiian Church Pastor Rachel Schwab. The Marshallese Language Ministry of Koloa Union Church, under the leadership of Pastor Bemry Bunglick, sang a spiritual song in their native language.

The Fall mokupuni was celebrative and no business was conducted. It was well attended by pastors and representatives from Association churches. Following the service, participants enjoyed a delicious barbecue at the Waimea UCC parsonage where they were serenaded by island songs and shared great fellowship.

Fire Destroys Central Union Church Preschool
An early morning fire has destroyed much of the building that is home to the Central Union Church Preschool. 

Pastor Larry Corbett received a call at 4:50 a.m. on October 22 notifying him of the fire. The first person on the scene was a custodian, who received a call from the fire department when the new fire alarm that had been installed just days prior to the fire triggered an alarm. No one was hurt in the blaze. 

Preschool Director Marie Hook immediately initiated a school phone tree and within an hour all 170 families were informed.

Larry said everyone is grateful for the outpouring of love and support since the fire. One of the preschool parents owns a modular home building company and has stepped forward to provide portable units for affected classes to use when school resumes on Monday, October 27. He said many others in the community, including other schools, churches, and community groups, have called offering whatever assistance they can provide. 

The preschool was about to embark on a major fundraising campaign to replace the 104-year-old building. The fire will lend a sense of urgency to the campaign and hasten the timeline for the new building project.
Coincidentally, the Board of the United Church of Christ Insurance Board (UCCIB) is meeting this week in Honolulu. UCCIB President Cathy Green and Vice President for Insurance Operations David Nelson visited the church to inspect the damage.

David said the atmosphere among the church and preschool members was one of calm as they worked to clean up what they could. David and Cathy said they were impressed with how much had already been accomplished in the first hours following the fire. 

"We are happy to have been here at the time to assure Larry and the church that we will be following the case and assist wherever needed," said Cathy.

She said that although it is the insurance adjusters who will settle the loss, the UCCIB is always available to be an advocate for the church when needed. Back to the Top

Tri-Isle 'Aha Makua Held on Maui
The ‘Aha O Nā Mokupuni ‘O Maui, Moloka‘i Ame Lāna‘i (Tri-Isle Association) met on October 18 at Maui Evangelical Church in Kahului. Following a warm welcome from Pastor Walter Baloaloa, opening worship began. The worship centered on a poem by Cody Tacderas of Lana‘i Union Church. He wrote it as a reflection on his attendance at last summer's National Youth Event in Tennessee. 

Association President Kealahou Alika presided at the business meeting where Youlida Yoruw of Iao Congregational Church was recognized as a student-in-care of the Association. A program on safe churches followed and included workshops led by Caroline Belsom on implementing policies and Dorothy Lester on determining policies.

Lunch was provided by Maui Evangelical Church members.   Back to the Top

Kalawao Remembered
Nearly 70 Kalaupapa patients, staff and family members packed the chapel of the historic Siloama Church for a Service of Remembrance and Reconsecration on October 18, 2008.

Led by Hawai‘i Conference UCC minister David Kaupu, the service was the climax of the annual meeting of Ka Ohana O Kalaupapa, a support and advocacy group of patients, their families, and religious organizations (including the Hawai‘i Conference UCC). 

The purpose of the Remembrance and Reconsecration Service was to honor those who lived and died at Kalawao, the original settlement of the former Hansen’s Disease colony, now a National Historic Park.

Blessings were offered during the ceremony by leaders from three of the faith groups that had or still have congregations on the isolated peninsula on Moloka‘i.

Hawai‘i Conference Minister Charles Buck, representing the UCC, gave thanks that "even as thousands of women, men and children were abandoned [at Kalawao] by fellow humans, you (God) never thought to abandon them. You heard their cries, and you comforted them, and you walked with them, as they struggled to survive here, to understand their plight, and to maintain hope, faith and dignity." 

Roman Catholic Bishop Larry Silva shared the news that just prior to the service, he was able to visit an ancestor’s grave, whose location had been unknown to his family for years until now.

Latter Day Saints Stake President Arnold Wunder lifted up the work of Jonathan Napela, a Mormon, who, like the Catholic Father Damien, ministered to patients at the settlement in the 1800s. 

Following the Service, ho‘okupu were offered by family members of patients at the nearby cemetery of unmarked graves next to St. Philomena Church and across the road at the site of the Old Baldwin Home.
The large open meadow of the Old Baldwin Home has been proposed as the site of a monument to the over 8,000 persons sent to Kalawao and Kalaupapa. 

Members of Ka Ohana O Kalaupapa were told that the monument, which has received the endorsement of Hawai‘i’s legislators, was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives and is currently awaiting approval by the U.S. Senate. 

The Monument Bill, part of a larger package of 136 public lands bills, was supposed to have been heard on the floor of the Senate last month, but was postponed for consideration of the Wall Street bailout.

If the bill is not taken up by the Senate before the close of this Congress, it will need to be re-introduced at the next session that begins in January. 

The Hawai‘i Conference has furnished testimony and provided financial assistance in support of the Monument Bill in honor of the many patients who were members of its two churches, Siloama and Kanaana Hou. Back to the Top

 UCC Transition House Receive Gift from Weinberg Foundation
The UCC Transition House has been selected by The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation to receive a gift of $10,000. This gift is part of the Foundation's annual "Sharing the Joys of the Holidays" project. Geraldine Kundis, Resident Director of the UCC Transition House, will receive the money during a special luncheon on December 12 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel.

Marvin Wong, a member of Kawaiaha'o Church and one of the organizers of a recent golf tournament (click HERE to read more about this event) to benefit UCC Transition House, was instrumental in securing this gift for UCC Transition House. He and a friend, Billie Gabriel, who is a well-known event promoter and fundraiser, approached the Weinberg Foundation about the ministry of UCC Transition House. It was that contact that led to the ministry being included in the annual Weinberg Foundation project. Back to the Top

O'ahu Association Holds Fall 'Aha Mokupuni at Kailua Christian Church
The Fall 2008 ‘Aha Mokupuni of the O‘ahu Association, held at Kailua Christian Church on October 11, was an educational event. The theme “Stewardship: Remember, Respond, Rejoice,” allowed delegates and visitors to look at the way we are all stewards of what belongs to God.

Diane Weible, Associate Conference Minister for Stewardship, shared a message on the theology of stewardship and how we relate to it as church members. Three workshops were offered. Diane led a workshop that gave participants an opportunity to look at and share with others our attitudes about money and possessions. Waialua UCC member Doric Little led a workshop entitled “Are You a Credible Spokesperson for Your Church?” And UCC—Judd Street Pastor Phil Mark and member Wendy Mow-Taira talked about stewarding your congregation’s memories into God’s future.

Following the workshops, an hour was set aside for a report of decisions made by the Association Board of Directors concerning the three ministries supported by the Association: Transition House, Lani Kamaha’o and Nu’u Ministries.

The decisions approved by the Board on behalf of the Association and shared at the gathering included:

1) Asking Transition House to apply for separate incorporation to allow for substantial additional resources to allow for the ministry’s sustainability;
2) Recommending Nu’u Ministries be named as a “special committee” of the Association because its purpose is to be a scholarship committee to address the needs of the Samoan churches and community;
3) Ending the Lani Kamaha’o camp program effective November 30, 2008, and to end the employment of its staff member effective December 31, 2008.

The ‘Aha Mokupuni ended with communion and was followed by a delicious lunch served by Kailua Christian Church members. Back to the Top

AHEC Churches Gather on Kaua’i
An Ecclesiastical Council and a service to recognize the licensing of a pastor for ministry were the highlights of the fall ‘Aha Halawai of the Association of Hawaiian Evangelical Churches.

Conference Minister Charles Buck and Waihe’e Protestant Church Pastor Kamaiki Anakalea led worship services on Friday, October 10, to begin the two-day gathering hosted by Koolau Hui’ia Protestant Church in Anahola on Kaua’i.

The Ecclesiastical Council to examine Judith Napua McShane Burke for ordination was held Saturday, October 11. It concluded with a unanimous vote to proceed with ordination of the candidate, which will be held February 14, 2009, at Ola’a First Hawaiian Church.

A Service of Recognition of Licensed Ministry with Ko’olau Hui’ia Protestant Church for Jocelyn Mokihana Powers followed. The Rev. Richard Chun preached the sermon and delivered the installation prayer. Kaua’i Association pastors were in attendance to support the church, association, and their colleague. 
Back to the Top

Ministry and Mission in Uncertain Times
During a one-hour webinar on October 14, Alban Insitute consultants Alice Mann and Susan Beaumont provided insight into the current economic situation and the opportunities and challenges spiritual leaders in our congregation face. Over 50 people from denominations throughout the United States participated, all trying to understand what the new economic realities will mean for our congregations this year and into the future. 

Although Susan and Alice were honest about the climate of general uncertainty and economic stress facing our congregations, they also offered hope in the form of suggestions for how to be leaders during this time and how to create an atmosphere where stories and past experiences can be shared. They believe hearing our stories is something that can lend perspective to the current situation for everyone in the community. 

Susan and Alice suggested that this economic crisis offers an opportunity to take a closer look at the ministries in which a congregation is involved and to make hard decisions about whether it continues to be effective in the overall vision of the church. They also emphasized the spiritual benefits that can come to the life of a congregation as together members share their stories, reflect on feelings of God's absence (using the Psalms as a model to remind people it is ok to feel that way), and trust in God's presence in all situations and times. 

Click HERE to view Susan and Alice's Powerpoint presentation. Back to the Top

‘Ohana Ni'ihau o Waimea Celebrates Important Milestones
The members of ‘Ohana Ni'ihau o Waimea have finally seen their dream come true—they have become the owners of the land on which their church is built.

On October 4 a special ceremony to mark the conveyance of this land was held at the church. The conveyance of land was a result of the Redress that followed the 1993 Apology by the United Church of Christ to native Hawaiians for the church's involvement in the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

In the ceremony, both the Hawai‘i Conference and the Waimea United Church of Christ conveyed parcels of land to ‘Ohana Ni‘ihau o Waimea, including the property where the church and fellowship hall stand. Ted Robinson, who served as Chair of the Redress committee when it was formed in the mid-1990s, spoke during the ceremony. Conference Council Chair Caroline Peters Belsom, representing the Hawai'i Conference, and Pastor Olaf Hoekmann-Percival, representing Waimea UCC, presented copies of the land deeds to Kahu Dana Kaohelaulii, pastor of 'Ohana Waimea o Ni'ihau. 

Caroline told those gathered that she came that day wearing two hats. She was representing the Hawai'i Conference as Conference Council Chair and also as a member of Waiola UCC, a church that is a member of the Association of Hawaiian Evangelical Churches and the Aha O Na Mokupuni O Maui Moloka’i ame Lana’i (Tri-Isle) Association.

"As a native Hawaiian, I encourage all of you to choose to forgive, and as you allow this ekalesia to grow on these lands whose deeds you will soon hold, you will be allowing yourselves to better see and understand the lessons learned from that period of time of the overthrow," said Caroline in her remarks to those gathered.
An atmosphere of joy filled the sanctuary as those present celebrated with the members of the church.

“It’s exhilarating,” Ilei Benjamina, a member of the church, said in reference to the conveyance of the property. “It’s been 20 plus years that we’ve been waiting for this.”

The members of the congregation, all originally from Ni‘ihau, have been worshipping together for more than 35 years. About half of them moved to Kaua‘i in the 1970s to work on the Gay and Robinson Sugar Plantation. Family members who still live on Ni‘ihau and come to Kaua‘i for medical care, because there is no doctor on the island, also consider the Kaua‘i church their home.

At first, the Ni‘ihau Christians worshipped in local churches on Kaua‘i. Then, almost four decades ago, Abraham Nizo invited everyone to his home for Sunday morning worship. About 50 people started gathering each week in his small plantation home.

After Hurricane Iniki destroyed the former Waimea Hawaiian Church building in 1992, the congregation that had been worshipping there voted to merge with the former Waimea Christian and Waimea Foreign congregations. The new Waimea United Church of Christ began meeting in the Old Stone Church building in Waimea and the former Hawaiian Church building remained vacant.

Waimea UCC decided to rebuild the old church, and after it was dedicated in 1995 invited the Ni‘ihau congregation to use it for worship services. By this time, Kahu Nizo had passed away and Dana Kaohelaulii, who was also working as a supervisor for Gay and Robinson, was licensed by the Kaua‘i Association to serve as the church’s pastor. Kahu Dana and the congregation of ‘Ohana Ni‘ihau o Waimea moved into their new home. In 2006 Kahu Dana retired early to become the church’s full-time pastor. Waimea UCC continues to support and sponsor this congregation.

Sunday worship is conducted completely in Hawaiian, with members holding well-worn copies of Ka Buke Himeni Hawaii and singing familiar hymns in their own melodic style. Ilei said she loves the beauty of the old Hawaiian language.

Church President Ehu Kanahele, who started attending the church with her parents when she was young, agreed.

“I’ve always loved this church since I started coming here with my Mom and Dad,” she said. “I love the people who attend it, and I love being able to worship in our own language because it’s more understandable.”

Member Nawai Kahale celebrates the unity she finds within the church family and the wider church.

“For me, the thing I love the most about this church is the way we come together in one unity, one accord, to worship the Lord,” she said. “But when you go to other churches with different kinds of worship and get to know the people and they get to know you, you are all one family.”

Last July, the Kaua‘i Association approved standing for the church. The Association will celebrate and recognize this newest Hawai‘i Conference UCC church at its November 9 ‘Aha Mokupuni, which will be hosted by ‘Ohana Ni'ihau o Waimea and Waimea UCC. 

Click HERE to read the text of Caroline's remarks. 
Click HERE to read the text of Ted's remarks.
Back to the Top

O’ahu Association Board Votes to Close Lani Kamaha’o
On September 18, 2008, the Board of Directors of the O‘ahu Association voted to close the Lani Kamaha‘o outdoor retreat site effective November 30, 2008.

This decision followed a recommendation by a special committee appointed by the Board to examine the relationship between the Association and the three ministries it currently supports. These ministries are Transition House, Nu’u Ministries, and Lani Kamaha‘o. One of the tasks of the special committee was to determine if there were sufficient budget, resources and people to provide oversight, manage risk and carry out fundraising for all three ministries.

In regards to Lani Kamaha‘o, the special committee concluded that although the retreat site provided opportunities for camps and retreats, it had never proven itself capable of developing the site and sustaining its program on its own, and would continue to rely on the O‘ahu Association support for the foreseeable future.

Because of the financial burden this will place on the Association, the special committee recommended that the outdoor site be closed and that a new vision for outdoor ministry be developed, one that is based on a business plan that ensures the development and sustainability of the ministry for the long term.

The Board of Directors voted to accept both recommendations. It also approved employing program director Pat Brown through December 31, 2008, and that any remaining Lani Kamaha‘o operating funds be given to Pat as severance in recognition of her dedicated service to the retreat site. Back to the Top
 

Global Worship Resources Being Sought

Pilgrim Press needs your help.

A new book of worship resources is in the works, and the author, Maren Tirabassi, has invited the Hawai'i Conference 'ohana to contribute liturgical resources that highlight the cultural experiences unique to many of our churches.

Maren most recently co-authored God in My Life, a collection of stories from teenagers and church leaders, which included stories from UCC--Judd St. member Matthew Leong and Conference Minister Charles Buck.

This new book, entitled Gifts in Open Hands--More Resources for the Global Community, is a follow-up book to Gifts of Many Cultures, a collection of worship resources. The first book included Hawaiian resources, and because this second book provides resources for the global community, the author has invited churches in the Hawai'i Conference to submit liturgical resources that come out of each church's unique experience.

Although she has specifically requested Hawaiian prayers by children, teens, and adults, worship resources from any ethnic tradition are welcomed. These can include calls to worship, opening prayers, litanies, confessions and assurances of grace, blessings, dedication prayers, and affirmations of faith. Imagery inspired by the global experience is of particular interest. Black and white art suitable for reproduction by a congregation and original music will also be accepted.

All work needs to be original to the sender. The deadline for all submissions is April 30, 2009. Although an English translation would be helpful, it is not required. Email giftsinopenhands@gmail.com for questions or submissions. Hard copy submissions can also be sent to: Maren C. Tirabassi, 271 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, NH 03801. A self-addressed stamped envelope must accompany the submission if you would like it returned to you.
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News Archive
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