I write to you today on the Feast of St. James the Great, one of the two sons of Zebedee that first followed Jesus. He and his brother, John, are called the “sons of thunder” by Jesus (Mark 3:17). James is with Jesus throughout the public ministry. In the story, he is on the mount at the Transfiguration and in the garden at Gethsemane. He and his brother were the forceful ones in the group (see Luke 9:49-54, and Mark 10:37). According to Acts 12:1-3, James was the first of the Twelve Disciples to suffer martyrdom when he was killed on the orders of Herod Agrippa I (in about 44 CE).

Such stories remind me that I live my faith in a very safe way. My decisions to share my story and tell others about Jesus Christ have never come with the threat of violence. I am usually inhibited from sharing by my own reserve and not wanting to be perceived as too pushy. I admit this was even true when I was planting a new congregation in Indiana. READ MORE

Bishop Bob will be off island from August 21 through September 27. He will be traveling to England for a meeting of the Provincial Leadership of the Society of St. Francis (communities of Episcopal/Anglican Franciscans throughout the world). He is the Bishop Protector of the Brothers of the Province of the Americas and the Protector General (Bishop overseer) of all the Provinces (with professed First Order Brothers and Sisters in Europe, Asia and Oceania who make vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and live together in community; and Third Order members throughout the world who are women and men who commit themselves to live out their Franciscan vocation in the world and live their own homes, may be married or single, and continue to support themselves financially, while meeting regularly for mutual support in local groups).

While in Europe already, Bishop Bob and Bea will take some vacation time with their grandchildren. Their son, Ed, is in the Army and stationed in Italy.

On their way home, they will attend the Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops (with spouses) meeting in the Dominican Republic.

Please keep Bishop Bob and Bea in your prayers as they travel.

When COVID-19 shut the country down (and much of the world) in March of 2020, the Rev. Amy Beth Crowe had just returned to a chaplaincy job at a hospital on Maui two months earlier. Little did she know what was in store for her. For the next two years, she worked tirelessly at the hospital, unrecognizable under scrubs, masks, caps, and even face shields and goggles. During those two long years, she managed to avoid getting infected... until that fateful day in June of 2022. READ MORE

As Camp Mokulēʻia's 2023 Summer Camp season wraps up this week, Assistant Director, Lynea Mitchell declared it a huge success!

"At camp, we aim to help the keiki and youth grow in all aspects of themselves and they sure did!" said Lynea. "With nearly 250 campers this summer, each week brought joy, laughter, personal and social growth, and memories to last a lifetime!" READ MORE

The Diocesan Support Center (DSC) is pleased to welcome Brett Johnson to the team! As a part-time Administrative Assistant, Brent provides operational support for everyone in the DSC, that includes keeping track of deadlines, goals, and maintaining the office calendar.

Brett is a former Starbucks training store manager with 13 years of experience. He excelled at preparing internal promotions for later management roles, and securing no-cost tuition reimbursement for hourly workers through Starbucks College Achievement Program. Most recently he worked at Aira, a tech company that provides real time and remote visual interpreting services for blind and low-vision individuals. Brett enjoys surfing, writing songs, and spending quality time with his girlfriend Stef when he’s not at work

The Rev. Raymond Woo, Vicar of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Honolulu, will be retiring as of January 1, 2024. Father Ray and his wife Viv will be moving to Penang, Malaysia, at the end of the year to be closer to their family in Singapore.

Father Ray has over 40 years of dedicated service in a variety of settings, most recently as the Vicar at St. Luke's for the past eight years. He has served on a number of Diocesan ministries, including the Commission on Ministry (COM), Standing Committee, and as a teacher for two graduating classes of the Waiolaihui'ia Center for Ministry (WCM), the Diocese's fomation program.

“I am very grateful to Bishop Bob for giving me the opportunities to serve in our Diocese," said Father Ray. "Viv and I bid a fond aloha and will miss all of you! We will always keep everyone in our Diocesan 'Ohana in our prayers.”

Congratulations to the Rev. Charles Browning and wife Cainna, who welcomed their fourth baby blessing! Clark Julian Browning was born on Sunday, July 16, weighing in at 8.7 pounds and measuring 21 inches long. In a recent social media post, Father Browning shared: "Everyone is healthy and happy and his parents are pretty tired!"

Today, July 27, is the deadline to reserve a room at the Sheraton Kaua'i Coconut Beach Resort at our reduced group rate. If you haven't already registered for the Diocese's 2023 Clergy Conference taking place on the Garden Island of Kaua'i, August 14-16, 2023, do so now! Deadline to register is August 4.

The theme is "A Splintered Vine Bears No Fruit: The fracturing of American Society and how the church can heal the breach" with guest speaker Jay Wittmeyer from the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center. Contact Canon Sandy for more info about financial assistance. For more information about the conference and to register, visit the event webpage HERE.

This Saturday, July 29, is the Diocese's first ChurchBiz Conference being held at the Cathedral of St. Andrew. Here are a few reminders for all attendees:

Free ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi classes are starting up again on Tuesdays, beginning on September 5, 2023, and running through the school year. Classes will be led by Kumu Kū Souza, known by many in the Diocese as a Kumu at ‘Iolani school, and island-wide as both a Kumu Hula and member of the trio Walea (https://www.waleamusic.com) who recently won three Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards (and were nominated for the most awards in its history!)

Once again, there will be a beginners' class (or for those who need a refresher) and a continuing class for those returning. Classes will be offered online through Zoom. ʻŌlelo I classes will be held Tuesdays at 5:00 PM (returning students at 6:00 PM). For more information, or to sign up, please contact Canon Sandy Graham HERE.

Hawai'i was well represented at The Episcopal Church's "It's All About Love: A Festival for the Jesus Movement," held in Baltimore, Maryland, July 9-12, 2023. Hundreds turned out for the 3-day event that featured over 90 different presentations, workshops and plenaries, centered around the themes of evangelism, racial reconciliation and creation care. Pictured here is Canon Sandy Graham showing off the fancy swag giveaways shared with the "It's All About Love" logo in Hawaiian. To view some of the Festival videos, including Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's worship sermon, click HERE.

The Rev. Diane Martinson from St. Peter's shared the following: One of the inspiring comments I heard occurred at a gathering to meet members of the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church. One of the members, the Rev. Charles Graves, a young man who grew up shaped by the church, stated, “I’ve seen the doom and gloom statistics. That’s why I’m here! I am profoundly optimistic. We in the church are in the best position we have ever been in to be the lighthouse.” He pointed out that when a realization exists that the systems of the past no longer work, that is the best time to be the church, to lean forward. Although the future is scary because it’s new, the future is God’s and we are called to trust. The gospel calls us not to be fearful of that which we are losing but to trust in the resurrection and what God is revealing to us.

The latest installment in the Retired Clergy Families Talk Story Project is now posted on the Diocesan website HERE. In this posting, Carol Connell, widow of the Rev. John Connell, shares some important and practical advice when a loved one passes away. The Talk Story Project is a (growing) collection of stories from Diocesan-related retired clergy, spouses, and widows. Stay tuned for more!

Next monthly gathering: Tuesday, August 1, 2023, 11:00 AM at Epiphany Episcopal Church, Honolulu. Eucharist followed by lunch.

It has been brought to our attention that scammers have been targeting several priests in our Diocese, using their names in text messages asking to send gift cards and/or cash. Once virulent in email scams, criminals are using text messaging more and more. Be aware and ALWAYS check with your church or priest when receiving communication of this sort. For more information, visit the Federal Trade Commission website.

For the past 15 years, the Cathedral iof St. Andrew has been collecting school supplies for students of Kalihi Waena Elementary School, and this year's drive will be coming to a close at the end of the month. You can drop off donations of traditional school supplies as well as paper towels, hand soap, Kleenex and footwear/slippers at The Cathedral. For more information, contact Ann Hansen HERE.

Tickets are now on sale for St. Paul's 64th Anniversary Dinner taking place on Sunday, August 27, at the Hawai'i Okinawan Center. Guest speaker will be the Rev. Cn. Franklin “Frank” Chun, former 'Iolani School chaplain that helped with the translation of “Da Jesus Book” and "Da Good and Spesho Book." The menu will feature Mochiko Chicken, Roast Beef with Fresh Mushrooms and Gravy, Macadamia Nut Crusted Fish with Ginger Butter Sauce, and Shoyu Pork. Tickets are $65 pre-sale, or $75 at the door. Children's tickets are also available. To purchase your tickets, contact Fay deJesus (808) 636-5061, Maribel Duldulao (808) 429-7127, Julie Dureg (808) 255-9938, or Phyllis Miller (808) 497-5848.

Folks from the Church of the Holy Apostles turned out in force at Hilo's Annual Pride Parade and Festival, held on Saturday, June 24. (Photo from the Holy Apostles Facebook page)

Day Camp is in full swing at Church of the Holy Apostles in Hilo, with ten campers ranging in age from 5-10 years old! Our creative counselors plan games and activities each day to keep each camper engaged while helping them learn the Fruit of the Spirit! So far we have discussed and experienced love, joy, peace, and patience! With field trips to the Botanical Garden, library, beach and zoo, our campers are having a blast! We are so grateful to the Church of the Holy Apostles 'Ohana for providing the space, lunches, and so much support! The keiki say mahalo! (Contributed photos)

[July 13, 2023] The United States Mint has unveiled the design for its quarter honoring the Rev. Pauli Murray, the first Black woman to be ordained a priest in The Episcopal Church and a renowned activist for racial and gender rights. The quarter will be one of five new designs that will be issued in 2024 as part of the U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarters program, which celebrates the contributions of women to American history. READ MORE

Required Safe Church Training - This is a reminder that Safe Church training is mandatory for all clergy, employees, vestry members, and most volunteers. Please read The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai‘i Safeguarding Policy and the Diocesan Safe Church Training Webpage. This training needs to be renewed every three years. Contact your church's Safe Church Administator or priest for more information, or if you have questions, email Nani Carroll.