Aloha mai kakou!
Jerry and I returned from our Danube Riverboat Cruise fatigued but filled with the wonderment of the ancient cities, their rich cultures and resilient people despite decades of their turbulent past. We loved being pampered on the riverboat with great service by the crew members. Mahalo for gifting us the time to take the long awaited vacation that was planned before the pandemic.
Thank you again for working hard to make the Queen Liliuokalani Concert and the Sunday worship service a celebration and acknowledgment of our Hawaiian culture and church history.
Me ka mahalo nui,
Kahu Nani Hill
Search, Pray, Believe.
We found her!
Introducing Rev. Dr. Gwendolyn Kehaunani Hill
Dear Friends of Hokuloa, It is with great joy and thanksgiving that I introduce Rev. Dr. Gwendolyn Kehaunani Hill, also known as Kahu Nani, as Hokuloa’s new, on island Pastor.
Kahu Nani is originally from the island of Kaua`i, born and raised in Hanapepe, on the west side of the island. After a distinguished career in education with the Kamehameha Schools Early Education Program on Kaua`i, she decided to pursue a calling into the ministry. She graduated from Yale Divinity School with a Masters in Divinity and a Doctorate in Ministry from Chicago Theological Seminary. She returned to Kaua`i and became ordained with the United Church of Christ. She served two local churches. She retired from the ministry five years ago and with her husband, Jerry, moved to Phoenix, Arizona to be closer to their daughter, son and their granddaughter.
As the Holy Spirit moves in mysterious and awesome ways, she was brought into contact with the Hokuloa Search Committee. After much prayerful discernment and conversation, the Search Committee and Kahu Nani agreed to begin a new ministry at Hokuloa. Kahu Nani will focus on the areas of service that the congregation agreed as being most important when they adopted the Hooked on Hokuloa proposal in December including nurturing and strengthening the Hokuloa `ohana, building on Hokuloa’s historical Hawaiian roots, welcoming all people into our doors, no matter where they are on life’s journey, creating vibrant worship services, and strengthening our keiki program. If you live in Hawai’i and have not been to Hokuloa in a while, we invite you to come and meet Kahu Nani and listen to her Sunday message at 9:00 AM or stop by the church on Thursdays between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM when there is an Open House for visitors.
She also has regular office hours. Check the church’s website www.hokuloaucc.com or contact the church (808) 883-8295.
For those off island, please join us for Sunday worship service at 9:00 AM HST via zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3493317110.
E komo mai Kahu Nani!
Karen Anderson, Hokuloa Council Moderator
MESSAGE FROM KAHU NANI TO THE HOKULOA `OHANA
Aloha mai kaikou! The peace of Christ be with you. I enter this ministry at Hokuloa United Church of Christ, me ka ha`a ha`a (with humility). I am returning to the ministry at a time when the vitality of churches after the pandemic has been profoundly affected. Churches have had to adapt to on-going change while continuing to be vibrant in new ways. It is a challenging time to be a church, especially a small church.
As I have come to know Hokuloa, I am amazed at how quickly the church bridged the major gap of technology to rapidly move into online worship and ministry gatherings. I look forward to an active ministry of creativity and possibilities as the spirit moves us. The season of Pentecost is when the Holy Spirit plunged into the disciples’ lives, as Jesus promised, and transformed their ministries. Let us be transformed and make Ke Akua’s presence at Hokuloa, known to the community and the world.