Pastor Installation
The Association of Hawaiian Evangelical Churches will install David Kawika Twigg as Pastor and Teacher of Ka Hana O Ke Akua Church on Saturday, March 20, at 1 p.m. For more information, contact Carol Burke at 696-3214.

UCC Young Adult Service Communities
UCC Young Adult Service Communities is a national network of service communities hosted in local churches for young adults ages 19-30 for the summer program and ages 21-30 for the year-long program. Through these programs young adults can experience Justice Advocacy/Service Opportunities, Leadership Development, and Faith Conversation. The programs are open to applicants of all faith backgrounds. Participants may qualify for a part-time AmeriCorps Education grant. For more information and on-line application, click HERE, or contact Mary Schaller Blaufuss at 216-736-3214.

 Reminder of Kahu Subsidy Fund Deadline
The Small Hawaiian Churches Kahu Subsidy Fund supports small membership Hawaiian Churches. Application forms were sent to eligible churches January 25. For those churches that have received this packet, the deadline is March 12.

  Tsunami Scare Fails to Dampen Celebration
Punctuated by disaster warning sirens in the background the morning of February 27, 2010, the conch shell at Kalahikiola Congregational Church could be heard clearly as it signaled the start of the Rededication Celebration.

“The tsunami has brought back some emotions and feelings of when the earthquake happened,” said Ron Hester, former Moderator and one of the leaders of the rebuilding effort. “It’s a celebration, but it reminds me that there are people that are hurting even during this occasion….It helps me remain respectful.”

On October 15, 2006, a 6.7 earthquake destroyed part of the building, making the 150-year old sanctuary unsafe to use.

With the help of the UCC Insurance Board, donations from members and the wider community, and a lot of hard work on everyone’s part, the sanctuary was restored and a rededication service planned for February 27.

No one expected the 8.8 earthquake in Chile, nor did anyone expect the scare of a tsunami approaching the Hawaiian Islands at the exact same moment that the service was to begin.

But that is what happened.

And just as church members did the morning of the earthquake over three years ago, they once again gathered in that place. This time, friends from around the Hawaii Conference and the local community gathered by their side.

As the tsunami warning sirens faded, the sound of the oli to welcome guests and the music of the worshipping community grew even louder.

In his sermon based on 1 Chronicles 28, George Baybrook, Interim Pastor at the time of the earthquake, reminded everyone gathered why the church decided to rebuild.

“We didn’t do this because we are on the historical registry. We didn’t do it for the tourists. We didn’t do it to say, ‘We are good. Come see what we built,’ we did it for the glory of God.”

Gathered in the new, beautifully restored sanctuary, church members recalled the days prior to and following the earthquake.

The night before the quake, the youth group was in the building and one of the passages they studied was Haggai 2:6-9: “In a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of Hosts.”

This was the last scripture read in the old sanctuary, which had been built in October 1855 by missionary Elias Bond.

In the days following the earthquake, the Council met and two decisions were made: To rebuild the church and to appoint a restoration committee to lead the effort.

“We had never been faced with such a humongous task except when they first built this church in 1855,” said Pastor George during his sermon.

Throughout the day, the leadership of Pastor George, who retired in December after the restoration project was completed, and the efforts of the entire congregation and community were lifted up and celebrated.

“In a comforting way, we knew it would come back together,” said Pat Ku, Chair of the Rebuilding and Restoration Committee. “And by God’s grace it all came back together. It’s amazing, the amount of people that stepped up to the plate and helped.”

“Pastor George brought us through this process in ways we didn’t know we needed,” said Ron. “It’s been an honor to be a part of this congregation who listened respectively to different ideas but always, always, turned to God for the final answer.

Ron added that in many ways, the rededication service is so much more than just the rededication of a building.

“It is also a chance to rededicate our lives to God and to the love and respect we have for each other,” he said.

This rededication was visibly shared in the shell lei each person received as they arrived for the celebration.

“It was coral and shells which were the mortar that held the stones [of the former building] together,” said Ron. “The shell lei for each person is a symbol that the church family and the community are the mortar that holds us together as a faith community.”

Another symbol is the rock wall that now surrounds the church. That wall was built from the stones of the original church. Many people remember the first pictures after the earthquake when, as Pastor George described, Kalahikiola and its fallen rocks became a postcard for the earthquake in newspapers and on the television.

A local company took those stones and made a rock wall that now surrounds the property.

“There was no question in my mind that the rocks weren’t going away,” said Pat.

Judging from the enthusiasm of the church members as they gathered for the rededication, it became clear that just like the rocks that crumbled to the ground that October day in 2006, Kalahikiola Church is also not going anywhere either. But under the new leadership of Pastor Tom Fernandez, and the church’s recommitment to the wider church and the community, Kalahikiola Church will continue to be a cornerstone faith community for generations to come. 

One Great Hour of Sharing Appeal for Chile Announced
The threat of a Tsunami has passed for Hawai'i but the devastating effects of the 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile February 27 continue to be of concern to everyone around the world. Below is an initial post from Global Ministries and includes information about how churches and church members can help.

A devastating magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck Chile early Saturday, February 27, 2010, shattering buildings and bridges, killing at least 78 people and setting off a tsunami that threatened every nation around the Pacific Ocean — roughly a quarter of the globe.
Messages of care, concern and support have been sent to Rev. Ulises Muñoz, Obispo Iglesia Pentecostal de Chile; Rosario Castillo, Educación Popular en Salud (EPES); Dora Canales, Comunidad Teológica de Chile, UCC-Global Ministries Partners, and Elena Huegel, Missionary with Global Ministries.

CWS emergency staff have been in contact with colleagues on the ground in Chile, who report their people are safe. CWS has worked in Chile to provide emergency preparedness training and assistance to the country's sizable population of Colombians, displaced to Chile by conflict. CWS works with two Chilean agencies, FASIC (Fundacion de Ayuda Social de las Iglesia Cristianas) and IMECH, the Methodist Church of Chile.

As part of the international ACT Alliance network, CWS will work to provide emergency assistance such as food, water and shelter to those affected by this disaster. CWS staff continue to be in contact with people in Chile and colleagues in other ACT Alliance agencies to ensure a timely and responsible response. CWS staff are also preparing for a tsunami response in Hawaii should any be needed.

One Great Hour of Sharing solidarity grants have been authorized for three Global Ministries partners in Chile and Church World Service to support immediate response initiatives.

OGHS and -Global Ministries staff are monitoring the unfolding disaster situation and will continue to update this site.

How Can I Help.

1. Pray for the people of Chile their leaders and emergency and emergency response workers.

2. Please help the people of Chile by sending gifts payable to your congregation marked for Chile Earthquake & Tsunami with the request they be sent through your Conference office on to Wider Church Ministries.

OR

Send gifts, made out to United Church of Christ and marked in the memo portion "Chile Earthquake & Tsunami" to Wider Church Ministries; 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115.

OR

Click HERE to make a secure online donation to the International Emergency Fund, please note "Chile Earthquake & Tsunami" in the comments section.

 Lahuiokalani Kaanapali Church Re-Dedicates Sanctuary
Lahuiokalani Kaanapali Congregational Church in Honokowai, Maui, dedicated its renovated sanctuary on Saturday, February 20, 2010, with a Hawaiian blessing officiated by Kahu Kamaiki Anakalea. The service took place during the second day of the Association of Hawaiian Evangelical Churches (AHEC) 'Aha Halawai, In addition to the 'Aha Halawai delegates, members and friends of the church were also in attendance.

With the sprinkling of water for purification and the cleansing of old spirits, salt (pa'akai) to protect the new spirits, the untying of the maile lei to sever the old and make way for the new, and a prayer, the blessing was complete. Hawai'i Conference Minister Charles Buck was the preacher, and member Aileen Trout, who was intstrumental in the renovation efforts, led the worship service.

The leaders of the construction work, Steven Sandi, Jim Kohler and Jerry Norman, were recognized and thanked.

  UCC Transition House Becomes Affiliate Ministry
At its February 6 meeting, the Conference Council voted to accept United Church of Christ Transition House as an affiliated ministry of the Hawai‘i Conference. According to Conference Bylaws, "affiliates are organizations which in their purpose and program are in harmony with the purposes of the Conference." 

UCC Transition House was founded by Church of the Crossroads to respond to the rising problem of domestic violence in Hawai‘i. The ministry provides a safe home where women and children who have been involved in domestic violence can go for support as they transition from a situation of abuse to a safe living environment.

For the past several years, UCC Transition House has been a ministry of the O’ahu Association. At its January meeting, the Hawai‘i Conference Justice and Witness Missional Team met with the representatives from UCC Transition House Board to discuss ways the Team could assist with additional support for the ministry and to address the issue of domestic violence in our state. 

In explaining why it desires affiliation, UCC Transition House co-chairs Grant Lee and Gail Breakey wrote, “the issue of domestic violence and the concern for women and children whose very lives are threatened by domestic violence are in harmony with the purposes of the Justice and Witness Team and the overall Hawai‘i UCC Associations and Conference.” 

The UCC Transition House Board of Directors continues to reach out to churches as it seeks to support this ministry to domestic violence victimes. Board members hope that this affiliation with the Hawai‘i Conference will allow for even more opportunities for churches through out the Conference to participate in this ministry and become more aware of domestic violence advocacy issues.

   Aha Mokupuni Dates Announced
Mark your calendars now to be sure not to miss these important Association Events.
 Hawai’i Island Association: April 24, Opihikao Church
 O’ahu Association: May 8, Kanana Fou Church
 Kaua’i Association: May 14-15, at Hanapepe Hawaiian Church
 Tri-Isle Association: May 21-22, at Iao Congregational Church

  Lumana’i Scholarship Applications Available; Awards Banquet in April
The 9th Annual Lumana’i Awards Banquet will be held Thursday, April 22, at Central Union Church. The Lumana’i Awards recognize outstanding high school seniors of Samoan descent who have made significant contributions to their school, community and culture. Click HERE for scholarship application. Deadline to apply is March 12, 2010. 

 Haiti Relief Update
As of Feb. 2, more than $650,000 had been raised by the UCC Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund, according to Susan M. Sanders, UCC's Minister for Global Sharing of Resources. Global Ministries of the UCC/Disciples of Christ is supporting longtime partner CONASPEH in relief efforts among member congregations. Planning is underway to re-establish outreach, social services, and to rebuild churches in Haiti. It is anticipated the UCC will be responding to the disaster for the next five to eight years. For more on this story click HERE.

 Pastoral Changes
Eric Ebisu, Senior Pastor of Pearl City Community Church, will conclude his ministry there on March 17. His final Sunday at the church was February 7. 

The Meet and Greet Event was held on January 16 at Central Union Church, co-sponsor of the event with the Hawai‘i Conference. Geoffrey was elected by the General Synod last July and took office in October 2009. He understands the importance of visiting with UCC members throughout the country to hear their visions, hopes, and dreams for the future of the denomination. Hawai‘i is one stop on a listening tour that includes visits to several Conferences.

Kaumakapili Pastor Richard Kamanu pointed out the sense of being disconnected from the denomination that UCC members in Hawaii often feel because of distance. “One of the things I would like to see happen is more connection with the national setting and the ministries of those of us who are so far removed from the continental U.S.,” he said. “It’s so difficult for us to relate the mission to the people in the pews. All they see is a church that’s way over there. They have a difficult time imagining that the church is them.”

The desire to feel more connected was heard often in the weekend conversations among Hawai‘i UCC members. Geoffrey said he has heard the same desire in other settings. He promised that those in the national setting will be more attentive to the concern.

When Conference Minister Charles Buck asked Geoffrey what new thing he had learned on his listening tour, Geoffrey quickly commented on the commonality he has discovered despite the very diverse settings he has visited. “One thing I have learned is the enthusiasm for the mission and ministry of the UCC among people who come out for the listening sessions,” he said. “I didn’t really have a sense of the enthusiasm and commitment before we started these visits.”

Many of the questions from those gathered were about how to reach out to younger people and invite them into the church. Geoffrey indicated that this is a concern shared by many in the church.

“In previous generations, younger people automatically became a part of a church of their tradition. It doesn’t work that way anymore,” he said. “This idea of using the technology of today is one thing being tried by some of our churches. Also, we cannot assume that if we send out the invitation, young people will fill our pews. Some of our churches are beginning to rethink what they do and are beginning to position themselves outside the walls of the church. He said a new faith community may look very different from what we see today with our current buildings and programs. “It may look like a community that gathers via the internet,” he said. “Unimaginable. How will they break bread? But there may be a way. We’re going to have to live into these realities and be bold.”

Geoffrey introduced a new incarnation of the Stillspeaking Ministry, which will be called Stillspeaking Voices. The ministry will help train UCC members to converse effectively with clarity and passion about what it means to be a member of the United Church of Christ. “The UCC message is a good one, but knowing how to share it is often a challenge,” he explained. Stillspeaking Voices will help UCC members communicate the good news of the United Church of Christ.

Geoffrey shared a story of his moving to Cleveland from Syracuse, New York, where he served as New York Conference Minister prior to becoming the UCC General Minister and President. He needed to find a barbershop, and one day he received a flier about one opening up right there in downtown Cleveland. Geoffrey said he wanted to give it a try and on that particular day he had his red comma pin on as he was sitting in the chair. The man in the chair next to him asked what the pin meant. “I could have frozen. But I started to talk about my faith, and this church, and things that we’re about, our commitment to justice, our spiritual understanding,” he said. Geoffrey said the reactions were surprising in that many of the people in that room had never heard of the UCC and even said they didn’t know there was a church like the UCC out there.

Participants spoke of how UCC members could learn a lesson about sharing faith from salespeople who know how to talk about their product with passion and how to excite others. Several people were able to share with Geoffrey about the diversity in Hawai‘i Conference churches and the struggle for ethnic churches to maintain their identity as members assimilate into the American culture. A plea was made for UCC resources, such as the Book of Worship UCC, to be translated into the native language of our churches so that we will “all be on the same page.” Others talked about the small Hawaiian churches and how they struggle to uphold their cultural identities while at the same time finding a way to be one with their brothers and sisters in other congregations.

“Your Conference knows a whole lot more about the needs of churches in Hawai‘i than we do in Cleveland,” acknowledged Geoffrey. “There may be ideas, resources, concepts or connections that we can draw on from your Conference. I would like to get to know some of the small churches in Hawai‘i personally.”

Issue of interfaith dialogue, community building, ecumenism, and celebrating diversity were just a few of the other topics covered during the sharing.

Hans Holznagel, Associate for Leadership Gifts for the Financial Development Ministry of the United Church of Christ, accompanied Geoffrey. Hans spoke of how OCWM gifts from churches had allowed the United Church of Christ to wire funds immediately to partner churches after the devastating earthquake on January 12 in Haiti (see story below).

During lunch, participants met and visited with Geoffrey and Hans. During their time in Hawaii, Geoffrey, his wife Patricia, Hans, and his wife Kathryn were able to connect, learn, and share with many members of HCUCC churches.

   Reaching Out to Haiti
We see the devastion coming out of Haiti every day on the news, and although we keep the people of Haiti, our mission partners, and missionaries in prayer, many of us want to do more. The UCC and other aid groups stress that monetary gifts are the best help at this time and caution members about trying to respond in other ways. They have issued a list of things for churches to consider as they look for ways to reach out. Click HERE to view that list. 

Worship materials are also available to address the Haiti earthquake during worship on Sunday. The Rev. John Tamilio III of Pilgrim UCC in Cleveland has written a prayer; Carolyn Winfrey Gillette has composed a hymn, "In Haiti, There Is Anguish," to be sung to the tune, "Beneath the Cross of Jesus”; and a bulletin insert on Haiti Disaster Relief has also been prepared. Click HERE to visit the UCC Disaster Response page for these links.

 Major Earthquake Rocks Haiti
A 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti just before 5 p.m. yesterday with major damage and loss of life feared. The earthquake, which struck 10 miles west of the capital city of Port-au-Prince with a population of over 2 million, was followed by many aftershocks, some measuing 5.0.

An initial emergency response grant from One Great Hour of Sharing funds is being sent to Global Mission partners CONASPEH and House of Hope. Global Ministries personnel Kimberly and Patrick Bentrott and their son Solomon have been contacted and are doing ok.

Click HERE to read the initial Haiti earthquake disaster post on the UCC/OGHS website along with information on how to make a donation.

  Coconut Wireless Moves to Mail Chimp
Beginning with the January 13 edition, the Coconut Wireless will be delivered using Mail Chimp software to your inbox each week. As our numbers have increased, we have outgrown the old system and this switch should resolve recent delivery issues we have experienced. As we migrate to this new system, at first your Coconut Wireless might be placed into your spam or junk mail folders. Make sure you include coconutwireless@hcucc.org as an approved email and let us know if you experience any difficulties. And if you know of someone not yet receiving the Coconut Wireless, send us their email and we will add them to the list. 
 
 A Tough Subject to Face
Issues surrounding death and dying are not easy to engage in a culture that often denies it as a part of life. “Facing Death and Dying” is a resource offered for this difficult subject and is intended to assist churches, associations and conferences as they study the range of choices which surround their understanding of death and dying. For more information, and to view a list of resources, please click HERE.

 Join the Rally
The Hawai’i Council of Filipino Ministries (HCFM) will hold a Youth Joint Fellowship on Friday, February 26, 6:30 p.m., at Filipino United Church of Christ in Waipahu. An HCFM Rally will follow on Saturday, February 27, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Moanalua Community Church Pastor Larry Wayman will present an interactive message during the rally. Registration fee is $5. For more information call 263-5400. Honolulu Cosmopolitan Pastor Felizardo Taripe 

 New Interim Pastor
Linda Petrucelli has been called to be the Interim Pastor of Hilo Coast UCC on Hawai’i Island. Linda will officially begin on February 1. 

 Pastor Installation
The O'ahu Association will install Norma DeSaegher as Pastor and Teacher of Waipahu UCC on February 28. The service will begin at 4 p.m.