Gail Breakey Named Outstanding Community Mental Health Leader
Gail Breakey, co-chair of the UCC Transition House Board, will be honored as an Outstanding Community Mental Health Leader at a special luncheon on May 4. Gail co-founded Hawai'i Health Start in 1985 and is currently Director of the Hawai'i Family Support Institute at the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work at UH Manoa and the organizer of the Hawai'i Association for Infant Mental Health. Gail is one of seven people to be honored at the 5th Annual Mental Health Mahalo Awards luncheon, which is sponsored by Mental Health America of Hawai'i.
Church of the Crossroads Members Honored
Jeff Fox, Sr., East-West Center Fellow, has been named Principle Investigator for a $1.4 million project funded by the National Science Foundation. Jeff will be studying the significance of health changes in communities that are transitional and researching the H5N1 strain of avian influenza. His study will be conducted in Vietnam.
Linda Rich received a Lifetime Achievement Award on March 25 by the local chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Linda currently serves as Executive Director of Salvation Army Family Treatment Services. She is also a practicum instructor and has taught at the Masters level at the University of Hawai’i School Of Social Work.
HCUCC Pastor Writes Book of Messages and Meditations
Walter Baloaloa, Pastor of Maui Evangelical Church, has written Nailangitan a Gameng: Koleksion Dagiti Mennamenna iti Makabiag a Sao ti Dios (Heavenly Gem: A Collection of Meditations on the Life-Giving Word of God). The book was published and released on Easter Sunday at a special event following the church’s Sunrise Service. The publication of the book coincides with Walter’s 37th anniversary as a church pastor. Gameng is the first Ilocano book of spiritual essays and meditations on the richness of the Bible and its power to give inspiration to people. The book includes an introduction by Conference Minister Charles Buck. Click HERE to read an April 2 Maui News article about the book
Ann Nakagawa Named CFO of the Year
Makiki Christian Church member Ann Nakagawa of Farmers Insurance Hawai‘i has been named Chief Financial Officer of the year among private companies by Pacific Business News (PBN). To read the PBN article about Ann, click HERE. For an extended, in-depth article, take a look at the March 19, 2010, issue of PBN.
Suzie Schulburg Named Pacific Century Fellow
Central Union Church member Suzie Schulburg, Chief Operations Officer at 15 Craigside, was named one of 31 Pacific Century Fellows, a program that connects seniors in the community with social and government leaders who are committed to finding creative solutions to challenges facing the community, state and nation. For more on this story, click HERE.
UCC Members Judge Kamehameha Schools Song Competition
The Kamehameha Schools 90th Annual Song Competition is a chance for students to develop leadership skills, cooperation and good class spirit, while sharing the beauty of the Hawaiian music and its cultural heritage. At this year’s competition, held Friday, March 19, two of the judges were Kawaiaha‘o Church members Nola A. Nahulu and Carinthia Harbottle. Nola is also the choir director at Kawaiaha'o Church.
Church of the Holy Cross Member's Story Reaches Many
In Sunday's Hawaii Tribune Herald newspaper, Church of the Holy Cross member Brenda Olcott shares her experience following the disappearance of her daughter Meghan last November. She is speaking out with the hopes that people will become aware of the dangers that are out there so no other family will have to share the same experience. Meghan is the granddaughter of Church of the Holy Cross Pastor Tom Olcott. Click HERE to read the story. Brenda wants to share this reminder: if you know a child who is missing, time is critical. Call 911 and visit www.missingkids.com or call 1-800-THE-LOST for help.
Friends in Prayer
Kailua Christian Church member Chris Nakamatsu wrote the February 20 faith article for the Honolulu Advertiser. Click HERE to read this article on prayer
UH Hilo Distinguished Service Honorees
Harold Tanouye, Jr., and Mitchell Dodo from Church of the Holy Cross are among six persons who will be honored by the Alumni and Friends Association of the University of Hawaii Hilo next Friday, February 26, at the UH Hilo campus. Harold, who is President of Green Point Nurseries, will receive the Distinguished Service Award for his extensive service and contributions to the community, including letting UH agriculture students use his farm as a lab for learning. Mitchell Dodo, Vice President of Dodo Mortuary, will be recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus. He is the fourth generation to lead the family business. For more on this story, click HERE.
Webinar on High Impact Community Ministry
Joy Skjegstad, national speaker and consultant on nonprofit management and ministry development, will lead a webinar series on how to develop an “outreach” engine that drives your church forward. “High Impact Community Ministry” will be held on four Tuesdays: February 23, March 2, 9, and 16. These web-based, hour-long webinars are designed to help understand why outreach is essential to the future of your congregation, how to research the community around your church, and how to encourage people to get out of the pew and into engagement with community ministry. For more information and registration, click HERE.
Fundraising with New Technology: Webinar
Coy James, Director of Stewardship for the Cathedral of Hope UCC, has been responsible for raising more than $3 million a year for his congregation. As a longtime lay leader, Coy understands stewardship from both sides of the offering plate. He will offer advice for creating an effective stewardship system to sustain annual congregational budgets in his webinar “21st-Century Stewardship: Best Practices for Fundraising with New Technology.” It will take place on February 18, at 7 p.m. EST, and run for one hour. For more information click HERE, or contact David Plunkett at david@progressiverenewal.org.
Faith Community Nurse Training
Faith Community Nurse Training is a course on combining professional nursing and health ministry in the congregational setting. The course will be held over five days, from March 1 to March 5, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day, at Castle Medical Center. Emphasis is placed on the whole person, body, mind, and spirit, to encourage patients to live a balanced, healthy lifestyle. Registration is $100, which includes course materials and refreshments. For more information, click HERE. To enroll, contact Sue Pignataro at spignataro@hawaii.rr.com or call 247-2828.
Shepherding the Shepherd: UCC 2030 Clergy Network Event
Chicago Theological Seminary will host the first 2030 Clergy Network event in Chicago, Illinois, June 1-3. This network was created to connect UCC clergy members who are in their twenties and thirties. The three-day event is designed to be an educational opportunity as well as a social resource for young clergy. The cost of the event is $50, which includes a copy of the new book, This Odd and Wondrous Calling: The Public and Private Lives of Two Ministers, by UCC clergy Lillian Daniel and Martin B. Copenhaver. Scholarships are available to help with registration and expenses. For more information, click HERE.
Aloha Pastor Phil
The Rev. Phil Mark of United Church of Christ-Judd Street will be retiring this February. The church will honor his ministry with a dinner at Empress Restaurant on Sunday, February 28, at 5:30 p.m. The cost to attend is $25 per person, or $250 for a group of 10 (to fill one table). Please RSVP by February 7. For reservations and more information call 536-8418
Stories of Kohala
Jenny Lee In of United Church of Christ–Judd Street was recently featured on Hawai`i Public Radio’s “Collecting Oral Histories of Hawai`i’s People.” Jenny shares her experience growing up in Kohala and moving to Honolulu at a young age. To listen to her interview, click HERE.
Kahikolu Member Awarded
Naleen Andrade, a member of Kahikolu Church, was honored by the Mental Health of America Organization, Hawaii Chapter, as Outstanding Community Mental Health Leader 2009. Dr. Andrade is an advocate for mental wellness, and promotes mental health rights through out the State. To view the article click HERE.
Mokuaikaua Pastor Shares
Mokuaikaua Church Associate Pastor Brian Boshard shared thoughts on Christmas, faith and the church with the Honolulu Star Bulletin. Click HERE to read the interview posted on Christmas Day.
Hopes for the United Church of Christ in 2010 
Caroline Belson Assistant Moderator
I am hopeful that the leaders of the UCC, in all settings, will be able to develop a clarity of vision for the UCC that will enable the organization to sustain itself for many more years, even decades. All of our churches are experiencing changes in the make-up of their congregations, in the communities in which they serve, and in the world in which we live. Who the church is today is quite different from who the church was even a generation ago. If the UCC is to continue, it must acknowledge and respond to the factors contributing to these changes. It is my hope that the year will be one of intense exploration and learning about the UCC, its Conferences, Associations and local churches in the context of the changes that have taken place around us.
Julia Matsui Estrella
Unified Governance Committee, representing Pacific Islander and Asian American Ministries
As an active volunteer in the United Church of Christ from 1971—serving on the UCC Executive Council from 1975-81 and serving as one of the founders of COREM [Council for Racial and Ethnic Ministries] my hope for our United Church of Christ in the year ahead is for local churches to engage actively in the discussion of UCC governance. Important decisions on governance are being made on the national level without much guidance from people sitting in our pews. We need to huli this process so that the discussions start from the grassroots level. As I write this, I am on my way to Cleveland, Ohio, to attend the first meeting of the "Unified Governance Committee" representing PAAM [Pacific Islander and Asian American Ministries]. I hope I can share what I learn at that meeting with all of you so that together we can make wise decisions for the future of the United Church of Christ. Please feel free to invite me to your congregation for 'talk story' on this important issue.
Ann Ito
Executive Council, representing UCC Disabilities Ministries
It is my general hope that each of us in our beloved UCC continue to speak and work for justice and mercy in our troubled and troubling communities, nation, and world. Times are increasingly hard, uncertain, a
nd anxiety laden. It is my further hope that in all settings of the church we each recommit to more fully loving and serving God and one another as we have been loved and nurtured by God. May we each better see and understand how we have wittingly and unwittingly contributed to the oppression, exclusion ,and discounting of others; and may we forgive ourselves and others as we have been so unselfishly forgiven and then re-embrace God and God's service anew.
Richard Kamanu
Local Church Ministries
My hopes for the UCC in 2010 are that: we can still be unified even after there is a settlement on the unified governance; the church will continue its efforts to be a inclusive, accessible-to-all, compassionate and caring church; the church will continue its efforts in encouraging a new generation of pastors and leaders for our church.
Lana Ka‘opua
Executive Council
As a member of the Executive Council, my hopes are to advance the
work of unified governance at the UCC and to ensure that all voices are raised and heard in ways that honor our covenant relationships with the church and with each other. As a member of the UCC family, my hopes—indeed, my prayers—are that we provide together a space for meaningful worship, nurture, fellowship for all, and strengthen our voice in the call for health equity, gender inclusiveness, and compassionate response in the face of global disasters and emerging social justice issues.
Akendo Onamwer
Local Church Ministries
Because of the historical tie that we have, I am hoping that this tie be strengthened in any way we can. We can do this by starting dialogues/talks between the churches here and in the islands. We can come in and offer any assistance that we think the churches down there may need. We can initiate that by connecting with the islanders here in the US to learn more about them.
Jeannie Thompson
Unified Governance Committee
My hope for the UCC is that God will bless us with the courage to trust the Holy Spirit and each other as we continue the ministry and mission of Jesus the Christ within a 21st century context. In this endeavor, history is a blessing, but it can also be a burden when we continue to harbor old suspi
cions, old political struggles, old animosities. Perhaps it would be helpful if we allowed Christ to take those burdens from us, to heal the animosities that linger, and to replace political arrangements with genuinely faith-filled relationships.