Haili Church Holds Service of Rededication

On Sunday, February 27, 2022, Haili Congregational Church in Hilo, Hawai‘i, celebrated a soft reopening of in-person worship services with a limit of 50 people and COVID-19 protocols.

Leadership of the transitioning church, which is seeking a new pastor, decided to have a special blessing done by Papa Makua Wendell Davis to rededicate Haili Congregational Church. The Papa Makua blessed and consecrated the church, praying that the living waters Jesus talked about would flow from this church, throughout the community and into the world.

Haili's Hope Kahu, Moderator, Trustee President, and Diaconate Head participated in the ceremony which included generations from youth to our eldest living kupuna, 92-year-old Mary Desha Namahoe, who is the granddaughter of the late Reverend Stephen Langhern Desha Sr. and daughter of Stephen Langhern Desha Jr., both of whom pastored Haili Congregational Church.

The church door was adorned with a 15-strand ti-leaf lei made by member Sweetie Osorio, which she described as “made by many hands” as the ti leaves were gathered by church members from Haili Church and Kuhio Chapel.