I've just returned from my second General Convention in the Episcopal Church, the first one being in Anaheim and this one being in Salt Lake City. 

 

In many ways General Convention is like old home week. I ran into countless people that I've gotten to know over the years across the breadth of the church, including many seminary colleagues from my time at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary.

 

And unlike my first General convention, this time I served on a legislative committee for Formation and Education. We were the committee of this General Convention that received the most resolutions to consider and we met every morning at 7:30 AM to deliberate what would go on the consent calendar and what would go to the floor of the House. Our committee handled matters including the General Convention's relationship with General Theological Seminary in New York, the General Ordination Examination, the Board of Examining Chaplains, and the relationship between the Executive Council and the Presiding Bishop.
 

At our diocesan convention in Hawai'i last year, the Diocese put forth a resolution in regard to divestment in Israel and Palestine. A version of that resolution (revised and combined with other resolutions) made it out of its legislative committee and went to the floor of the House of Bishops where it was voted down. A different resolution calling for a two-state solution in Palestine passed in the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops.

 

The Diocese of Hawai'i also submitted a resolution in regard to Queen Lili`uokalani being in Holy Women, Holy Men. That resolution prevailed and the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music will consider Her Majesty for inclusion along with Hiram Hisanori Kano.

 

This General Convention will go down in history as the convention that elected it's first African-American Presiding Bishop and where liturgical rights for marriage were authorized and where marriage was redefined in the canons. But to me, the more significant and long-lasting decisions were ones that did not get press attention. At this convention we agreed to make plans to revise not only The Book of Common Prayer but also the 1982 Hymnal. These decisions will have great impact on our life as a Diocese and I note that while I've done four same-sex weddings in my ten-year career, I've done nearly 500 Sunday services. The Book of Common Prayer and Hymnal 1982 will have a much greater impact on our lives together as Episcopalians in the Diocese of Hawai`i.

 

The change we have instituted will create challenges for us. But I'm mindful that God doesn't call us to stay the same. As our Presiding Bishop elect stated during his sermon at our closing Eucharist, "God loves us as we are, but God doesn't expect us to stay that way." And then he quoted Barbara Harris, the first female bishop in the Anglican communion who said, "The God who is behind us is bigger than any problem that's before us."

 

Rev. Moki is pictured above with Bishop Richard Chang and "flat Jesus", and also with Fr. Bill Miller and Hawaiʻi delegate Pam Fern from St. Clementʻs. Fr. Bill was at General Convention representing Episcopal Relief and Development in a booth celebrating 75 years of service.


Rev. Giovan King of St. Christopherʻs in Kailua, was an alternate, and attended with her husband Tom who was a volunteer. They took the pictures shown here (as well as others appearing in the opening General Convention article). Rev. Giovan was able to attend a host of different activities and booths during the Convention . Pictured above from left: Rev. Giovan with Presiding Bishop Elect Michael Curry; Bishop Fitzpatrick hard at work serving on the Commission on Ministry; and seated with fellow alternate, Rev. David Jackson at their desks on the the floor of the House of Deputies. Below, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jerfferts Schori on her way to vote for the 27th Presiding Bishop; listening to author Jan Karon, writer of the well-known Father Tim and Mitford series of novels; food and music at the Episcopal Relief & Development celebration.

Fr. Paul Lillie of St. Markʻs Episcopal Church in Honolulu, posted a thoughtful accounting of the General Convention that can be found in its entirety  HERE. " Attending General Convention provided me with a vision of the tremendous diversity of our church in all its forms," said Fr. Paul.  He served on the Prayer Book, Liturgy, and Music Legislative Committee, and heard testimony on all the resolutions dealing with this area. The committee was able to make recommendations before going to the House of Bishops and further on for disposition. 

June was a big month for the Diocese of Hawai'i, as Bishop Fitzpatrick ordained two into the Diaconate, and received a priest into The Episcopal Church.

On Saturday, June 13, the Rev. Dcn. Ernesto "JaR" Pasalo, Jr. was ordained to the transitional Diaconate at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church on Maui. JaR recently graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary and returned to his home parish for a fabulous celebration that included song, dance and roast suckling pig!  (Photos from the Good Shepherd Facebook page.)

On Sunday, June 14, the Rev. Dcn. Viliami Langi was ordained to the vocational Diaconate where he will serve at St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church in Honolulu.  In the St. Elizabeth newsletter, it was noted that "The church had folks spilling out of the aisles, the music required extra support pillars lest the roof give way, and the party after made the front page of the  New York Times society page!"  It was a blessed occasion with Diocesan Missioner, Fane Lino, close at hand.  Her husband, the late Fr. Saimone Lino, had planted the seeds before an untimely death in 2012, and those seeds have now blossomed.  (Photos and excerpts from the St. Elizabeth Vine & Branches.)

During the June 14 service, the Bishop also received the Rev. Raymond Woo, a cradle Anglican who moved to Rome and became a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest.  Rev. Woo has now been received into The Episcopal Church as a priest to serve in the Diocese of Hawai'i.  (Photo contributed by Raymond Woo.)

Congratulations to all!

This article was submitted shortly after Hui Pu, the Diocesan summer youth camp, that ended on July 10, and was Sarah's final youth event as the Diocesan Youth Director before her departure to Texas:

 

New adventures can be exciting, but I leave Hawai'i for Dallas, TX, this week with a heart heavy from sadness. I transition to a new home knowing that I am closing a chapter of my life that I have loved and a lay ministry that has been fulfilling and meaningful. This Diocese has incredible youth, and they have been a blessing to me in my work. The cooperation and collaboration of this Diocese in the past two and a half years to bring our youth into the spotlight and encourage deep faith formation has been immeasurable. 

 

This Diocese is full of incredible youth, strong in their faith, incredibly smart, and ready to stand up for themselves and each other. These youth are generous, kind, and accepting of each other's differences. I have witnessed amazing friendships form between youth from different islands, different cultures, and different ages. I have been honored to write reference and recommendation letters for teenagers who are hard working, unselfish, and ready to take on the world. Together with so many other leaders in The Episcopal Church in Hawai'i, we have been able to offer opportunities for these youth to gather, start traditions, and set a foundation and framework for positive collaborations between several Episcopal parishes as well as the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) and United Church of Christ (UCC) communities.

 

 

At the high school retreat in March, I was brought to tears as I watched and listened to teenagers pray. I was deeply touched by their ability to speak out about their hopes, dreams, and struggles that they have been able to share with me and with each other.  I reflected on all the youth events, retreats, trips, dinners, and gatherings from the past years, and was blown away by the bonds that so many of the youth have formed, and the comfort they have developed talking about God and about their faith lives. The Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) in July 2014 (pictured above) was one of the most God-Centered and formational trips I have ever witnessed.  It will be my frame of reference always of what a youth trip should be.

The past three summers of Hui Pu, our diocesan summer camp program, have been powerful, spirit-filled, and a model for Christian community. The 40-50 kids that have attended each summer have been filled with God's love, positive energy, and a sense of belonging that is not easily replaceable or explainable to those who have never attended camp.  I pray that it will continue to grow and flourish, but never lose that feeling of Christian acceptance and love that make it truly unique from any other camp experience. (Photos above and below are of the 'Opio group during this year's Hui Pu.)

It is my hope and prayer that what flame has been started in youth ministry in this Diocese will continue. It will be up to the Bishop and his leadership to ensure a smooth transition and a continuation of a position to help provide opportunities for youth to grow and flourish in our Church.   Please keep my family in your thoughts as we transition, but especially keep our youth, from all the islands, in your daily prayers.  Without them, our Church suffers a great loss of imagination, creativity, and open and willing hearts. Mahalo to the youth of this Diocese for bringing such joy and love to my heart in this ministry. I really love you all and leave you with blessings beyond what my words can ever express.  I am so proud to have been a small piece of your life. You are amazing and you are enough, just as God made you.

 

Editors note: We are happy to report that Sarah has settled in with her family in Dallas. The Klitzke's recently purchased a home, and she has begun working as a nurse.  Mahalo nui loa for all you have done for the Diocese of Hawai'i's youth Sarah!  God bless and be with you and your family always!

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HUI PU 2015: "Do Something"

The annual diocesan summer youth camp at Camp Mokule'ia in Waialua, took place over a period of two weeks, in three separate camp offerings.  Although the camp brings together youth from around the state that may belong to the Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and United Church of Christ, all youth are invited to attend.  This year's camp theme was "Do Something", where the focus was on service, kindness and standing up for what you believe.

Pictured above, the Ahe group of children in grades 3 - 5 started off the camp experience on June 26 for a weekend "preview" of what Hui Pu is about.  They took part in fun (and sometimes messy) activities, worship, games and crafts. During the camp, the Rev. Amy Crowe (far right) from Holy Innocents on Maui, and her husband and son joined the camp. 

The Lokahi Camp for middle school youth came next (pictured above and below). They were the largest group, spending a week together participating in a variety of team building activities (including a ropes course), crafts, prayer, worship, and of course, plain old fun!

Closing out the camp was the high school 'Opio group pictured below in black and with camp leaders in orange. A couple of them also served as youth leaders for the duration of the entire camp, including Trey Bruce of St. Nicholas (pictured in the center photo). Along with the many activities, games and worship opportunities included in the schedule, the group went on an evening hike at Kaena Point and took refreshing night swims.

There's a movement going on in the Diocese... but it's unlike anything most people in Hawai'i have ever seen or heard of before, until now. Folks on O'ahu and Kaua'i are reaching out to those in need, one laundry load at a time, and the response has been overwhelming.  

On Kaua'i, All Saints' Episcopal Church has hooked up with the national organization, Laundry Love, whose mission is "to partner with individuals, groups and laundromats to care for the poor, vulnerable and marginalized throughout the U.S."  The program, which started up over 12 years ago, was inspired by "T-Bone", a homeless man in Ventura, CA, who was asked, "How can we come alongside your life in a way that would matter?" His response was honest and practical. "If I had clean clothes I think people would treat me like a human being."  There are now nearly 100 locations across the nation doing Laundry Love.

It was during the January Annual Meeting at All Saints' when Fr. Ryan Newman brought up the possibility of doing Laundry Love on Kaua'i. After talking to the owners of the local laundromat, Laundry Love Kauai held its first event on June 17. At that first run, 55 loads of laundry were done for grateful patrons in the small laundromat in Kapa'a town. Although the program is intended to help those in need, anyone can come and get their laundry washed, dried and even folded for free by volunteers called Love Ambassadors. Donations have been pouring in from members and those around the community. One family in the community has committed to providing the soap and dryer sheets each month, and monetary donations help with the nearly $400 in quarters needed for each event. Laundry Love Kauai offers up the service on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 5:30 - 8:30 PM. At their last event on July 15, they did 81 loads of laundry, almost hitting their goal of 90. To view an article in the Garden Island newspaper about Laundry Love Kauai, click HERE.

On O'ahu, nine Episcopal churches have joined forces to form the Laundry Aloha ministry, funded in part through a Diocesan Council grant. Fr. David Gierlach of St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church in Honolulu, serves as the coordinator for Laundry Aloha and said that the topic came up during a monthly Jubilee Committee meeting.  At that time, eight parishes agreed to work together and request a $10,000 grant to launch the program. Each parish would match a pro rata share of the grant, for a total of $20,000 to fund Laundry Aloha.  Fr. David estimates that with each extra large load of laundry costing about $5, they could provide 4,000 loads of laundry to the needy.  

Although the Laundry Aloha program doesn't physically provide laundry services, clergy and volunteers go directly to the homeless to minister and pass out nylon bags that contain a roll of quarters, two detergent pods, and information about their church.  At St. Elizabeth's, Fr. David said that the elders gather together each month to put the bags together.  In a TV news report, Fr. David shared that grateful folks are now coming to the church for the bags, with some offering to help around the property and in the gardens. 

The Blanchett family of St. Mary's (pictured at right) display the bags of quarters and detergent that they put together and pass out.  Fr. David Blanchett, Associate Priest at St. Mary's, has been passing the bags out since Easter. "At times I have approached people who appear to be very depressed, lonely, or just plain upset," said Blanchett in an article that appeared in the Star Advertiser. "When I see their expression after receiving a packet just change, like a lighted light bulb in a dim room, my heart feels at peace, because I feel I was at the right place at the right time. Hopefully, we are putting some joy in their hearts. When money is tight, maybe our giving helps to free up funds that could buy that quart of milk, box of diapers, bag of rice, or maybe go to a movie or bus ride." (Photo by Bruce Asato, Star Advertiser.)

To view the news report on Laundry Aloha that appeared on KITV News on July 31, click HERE and the Star Advertiser article by Pat Gee dated July 11, HERE. 

Mo'ili'ili Service Center Launched at St. Mary's:

Honolulu Churches Join Forces to Serve the Homeless

Every last Thursday of the month, St. Mary's serves as the Mo'ili'ili Outreach Service Center, offering much needed services and food to the homeless. Volunteers from St. Mary's, Good Samaritan and St. Luke's Episcopal churches work together to provide meals. The center, which has been in operation for just a few months, provides free comprehensive services and programs for those at-risk and experiencing homelessness. Partner agencies include the Hawaii Foodbank, John A. Burns School of Medicine's Mobile Medical Unit, Action with Aloha Substance Abuse Counseling, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, and the IHS Housing and Employment Programs. Pictured above, church members prepare a delicious lunch for the service center patrons.   (Photos from the Good Samaritan July Newsletter.)

Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Kailua is holding a Keiki Summer Garden Ministry through mid-August that offers children an opportunity for gardening, exploration, and as pictured above, ipu making. The gourds are sanded down and polished into a lovely hula implement used to keep the beat, or as a decorative piece. (Photos from the Emmanuel Weekly Email.)  

The children also prepared packets of Rainbow Papaya seeds to be passed out at the 69th Annual Kailua Independence Day Parade (pictured below). The packets contained the message "What's green and growing in your life?" Emmanuel's "float" announced their upcoming and hugely successful Chocolate Extravaganza event on October 3, and along with seed packets, they passed out 600 pieces of chocolate (yum!) with information about the event. Money raised from this event benefits Family Promise and ministries of Emmanuel. For more information on the Chocolate Extravaganza, visit their website HERE.   (Photos and information from the Emmanuel Summer Newsletter.)

Children in Charge at Epiphany

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July Pacific Peace Forum: Crises & Opportunities for Peace

The following photos and excerpts are from an article in the ECWO July Newsletter:

ECWO at Camp Mokuleʻia

By Shana Ikeda

On Saturday, June 27, 2015, members of St. Nicholas, St. Timothy's, St. John's and St. Stephen's, joined together for The Episcopal Church of West Oahu's (ECWO) annual Day at Camp Mokule'ia. 

 

Camp was a day filled with fun! We played Ladder Ball, Washers, Bocce Ball and basketball.  Camp participants swam in the ocean, kayaked and saw green sea turtles. For lunch we made our own sandwiches and feasted on delicious chili prepared by Deacon Steve Costa. We relaxed under the shade of the Ironwood trees, painted pictures of the scenery that surrounded us with Tammy Bruce of Mai Tai's and Monet, and learned to make lauhala crosses with rosettes from Kala Holden. For dinner, we grilled burgers and hot dogs, followed up by a camp staple...S'mores. 

 

To close camp we joined the Ahe group at Hui Pu for Eucharist lead by Fr. Paul Klitzke, assisted by Annalise Castro and JaR Pasalo. We were able to interact with the youth at Hui Pu and share the experience of camp with them.  Mahalo nui loa to Bob and Luella Windisch, Bob and Kala Holden, Deacon Steve, Kevin and Brandi Shin and the Bruce family for all their efforts in making the day at camp a success!

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Na Himeni Sing Nights at St. Stephen's

 

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Wahiawa recently started up Na Himeni Sing Nights, and the program is flourishing. The gatherings take place every third Sunday of the month at St. Stephen's, beginning at 6:00 PM. All are invited to to take part in an evening of stories, music and singing, including a few select "Na Himeni" (Hawaiian Hymns). 

 

On Sunday, July 19, Na Himeni featured Kahu Andy "Umi" Sexton (pictured above), a well-known musician and member of the international band Simplicity. Sexton also ministers to incarcerated Native Hawaiians in Halawa and Waiawa Correctional Facilities, and has run worship and feeding ministries with the houseless. His musical talents were the highlight of the evening which was attended by members from St. Timothy's, The Cathedral of St.Andrew, St. John the Baptist and the host church, St. Stephen's. (Photos contributed by Kaleo Patterson.)

 

Boat Harbor Project: Caring for Our Community

 Every Wednesday, a group of volunteers come out to the Waianae Boat Harbor to provide a meal and supplies to the houseless and those in need.  But the weekly Boat Harbor luncheon is just one of the locations that the churches of ECWO have come to minister at. During 2014, the churches have joined forces with other organizations to address hunger and poverty in our neediest communities that include, along with the Waianae Boat Harbor and coastal areas, the Blaisdell Park in Pearl City, Haleiwa Park and Kalaeloa in Kapolei. 

 Pictured above, members from St. John the Baptist, Monsanto, and Lady of Keeau hosted the lunch on July 22, at the Boat Harbor.  Below, UH Peace Students and the St. Stephen's Crew serve at First Bridge Wahiawa on July 15.  For more information on the Boat Harbor project and how you can help, visit the ECWO website HERE.  (Photos contributed by Kaleo Patterson.)

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Hale Kula Blessing

 

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The following are excerpts and photos from the ECWO August Newsletter:

 

St. Nicholas Open House

 On July 29, St. Nicholas Episcopal Church, desiring to maintain and expand our presence in Kapolei, had an open house to showcase the Sunday evening service. About 50 people from St. Nicholas, the ECWO churches and from the Kapolei community attended the service. Pictured above, Fr. Matthew Lukens did an "instructed service", stopping occasionally to explain what he was doing and how it related to being Episcopal. A special booklet for the worship service was prepared and designed by Luella Windisch (above right), Dot Shigemura and Father Lukens. This special service was planned and designed over the course of several weeks involving numerous members of the St. Nick's ohana.  

 

A Cup of Cold Water Enters Second Year of Service

By Paula Baldwin, ACCW In-Reach Coordinator

 

A Cup of Cold Water (ACCW) is well into our second year of serving the neediest on Maui.  In the month of June we served 674 people, distributed 501 bottles of cold water, 5,520 snack foods, 1,581 hygiene items, and 22 Bibles or Day by Day.

 

Although volunteers have many interesting encounters and hear stories filled with struggle and hardship, there are those instances that fill their hearts.  On a recent run, a gentleman was seen struggling to walk down a hill to town. One of the run volunteers offered to walk down the hill with him and the van slowly followed. It turns out the gentleman is a Vietnam vet, has suffered strokes, and had fallen the day before trying to walk down the same hill. With cold water, a friend by his side walking and listening, caring and listening, helping and listening, this trip was successful. Two days later this same run volunteer reports:

 

"I was back there again and found our Vietnam vet gentleman. He recognized me and said, "You're the Water Man." The look in his eyes and the vice like gripe when we shook hands are something I'll never ever forget. He was thrilled with the 'donated' walker."

 

ACCW also serves many keiki, supplying them with reading books, crayons and coloring books, shoes, clothes and on one special day, bubbles donated by a volunteer. ACCW is also serving special friends including a pup tied up to a fellow sleeping in his car (pictured at left). A run volunteer set two cans of dog food next to him.

 

Jesus calls us to travel lightly. Jesus calls us to faith. Jesus calls us to risky living. Jesus calls us to life. Jesus calls us to live fairly. Jesus calls us to justice... Eggs and Ashes

 

For more information about ACCW, visit their webpage HERE, or their Facebook page HERE. A Cup of Cold Water is a Community Care Van Outreach of the Episcopal Churches on Maui and Community Friends.  

 

Painting Party!

The members of St. Columba's in Paauilo, held a painting party at the Vicarage. With so many volunteers showing up, they had painted every wall in the house in two hours!  Many thanks go to Junior Warden Denise Ray (pictured at far left) for organizing everything.  (Photos from the St. James Facebook page.)

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St. Judeʻs Hosts Newcomers Dinner

On Friday, July 24, the Bishopʻs Committee at St. Judeʻs in Ocean View, hosted a "Newcomers Dinner" to welcome new people to their church. With attendance growing steadily, Bishopʻs Committee members felt they should be doing a better job of welcoming new people. 

Over the past 4 years,  St. Judeʻs has made a concerted effort to reach out to the community through various ministries that include a food pantry, offering up hot showers and lunches for those in need, 24/7 free wifi that is greatly appreciated, a place for a medical van and vision van to park and provide free services. They also make available their facility for meetings, hula and exercise classes and also host two Marshallese worship services. As a result, attendance has grown and they hope to continue to grow and welcome all that come through St. Judeʻs doors. Pictured above, Bishopʻs Committee member Beverly Nelson, serves up dessert, and members enjoy a delicious meal and fellowship. (Photos from the St. Jude Newsletter.)

The 27th Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church:

General Convention July 3 Sermon

"Now I've got one word for you," the Rt. Rev. Michael Curry of North Carolina, Presiding Bishop-Elect, told the 78th General Convention of The Episcopal Church. in his sermon on July 3. "If you don't remember anything else I say this morning, it's the first word in the Great Commission: GO!"

 

In his energetic and effusive style, Presiding Bishop Elect Michael Curry shouted out his message to all in attendance. He graciously acknowwledged and thanked Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, hoping to get "a little bit of cool from her."  Following his sermon, she read a letter of congratulations fro President Barack Obama.

 

To view his sermon online, click HERE. 

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The following article is from the CGNK website:

 

Center for Global Nonkilling in Honolulu

 

As we approach close to a decade since the founding meeting of the Center of Global Nonkilling (CGNK) held in Honolulu in September 2007, the Center convened a special Futures planning meeting that took place at the Mu Ryang Sa Buddhist Temple of Honolulu, the same location of the First Global Nonkilling Leadership Forum. The organic gathering was focused on the broad question of the vision of CGNK for next decade and its long-term functioning and sustainability.

 

A number of ideas for programs, developing organizational capabilities, funding and the restructuring of the Governing Council were generated and commitments for immediate action made, including projects such as web redevelopment to allow for crowdfunding and more interactive news, a killing-free schools project, the establishment of a UNESCO Chair for Nonkilling Studies and outreach action to several international forums.

 

Participants included Honorary Sponsor Prof. Neelakanta Radhakrishnan (India), CGNK Governing Council members Glenn D. Paige (Hawaii), Bill Bhaneja (Canada), Ha'aheo Guanson (Hawaii), Anoop Swarup (India/Australia), Chaiwat Satha-Anand (Thailand), and Maorong Jiang (China/USA), CGNK Director Joám Evans Pim (Galiza), former CGNV Secretary Glenda Paige, UN Representative Tom Fee, NKRC associate Pradeep Dhakal and CGNK audiovisuals advisor Rich Panter.  (Photo contributed by Kaleo Patterson.)