Hokuloa UCC strives To Be Like Jesus on the Big Island.
Your faithful stewardship helps Hokuloa UCC carry out its mission and meet financial obligations. Your time, talents, and treasure allow us to Be the Church.
The first 376 pounds of food from Hokuloa's food drive were delivered to the Food Basket in early December. Food and money continue to be donated and the food drive has been extended through December 27th so that those attending Christmas services and the last Holiday Concert can give non-perishable food or cash donations. The need is great and the stock of food available is low.
Recovery Groups
Hokuloa UCC has a long history of making our church and grounds available for use by recovery groups. AA meetings are held at Hokuloa twice a week. We greatly appreciate the time and materials that the West Hawaii Central Office volunteers provided to help us renovate the landscape planting around the monkeypod tree.
Mission Focus
One of the missions we support is the Care Portal on-island. Anne Dressel reports that the total for requests received by Care Portal is $30,853.00. Of this amount, the Hokuloa Diaconate donated $2,764.00. In addition, the Hokuloa Response Team donated an additional $1,230.00. Thus, our little church by the sea has contributed over 12% of the total requests.
Though we are little, we are big in our ministry outreach!
Thank you and mahalo for all your efforts. If you would like to join our response team to pray or give please contact Ann Marie Murphy or Anne Dressel.
Mission Focus
FOOD & MEALS
Canned goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, home cooked meals are dropped off weekly in the freezers and refrigerators at the HIV/Aids food bank in Kona. Donations of food and money are used to create healthy meals. This commitment was started over 15 years ago by Pastor Emeritus John Hoover.
The Annual Advent Food Drive collects nonperishable food and donations for Hawaii Island's Food Bank, The Food Basket.
EMAIL PRAYER SUPPORT GROUP
Join the online Prayer Support Group (PSG). Receive periodic emails. PRAY. Bring the requests to God in prayer.
Contact Marjorie Mrasek, the PSG Leader,
nanabanana049@gmail.com, 808-345-1989
or the Church Office to participate
Church Maintenance
The seven windows in the chapel need to be replaced. Age, moisture and termites have taken a toll on the windows. Replacements need to be in accordance with the historical nature of the building. Bids for windows are being solicited. It is anticipated that installation will be the most costly part of the replacement process. Mike O'Toole is taking the lead in this project. Additional funds are still needed.
Recently working on the church walls were Cole Salera, David Murphy, David Mandelkern, and David Hendersen.
Your name doesn't need to be David to improve the buildings and grounds. Grab a lopper and trim back the kiawe. Or pull weeds next to the picnic table.
Sharing Our Church.
We share our hospitality with hundreds of island visitors each year. Our chapel and grounds are available for wedding ceremonies.
On Sunday afternoons we welcome the Waikoloa Chuukese Church. Several people with ties to Chuuk (formerly Truk), part of the Federated States of Micronesia, now live in Waikoloa Village and in Hawaii. Rev. Randy Romer has several families in his lively vibrant congregation. Services are held in the Chuukese language at 1pm on Sundays.
On Sunday evenings we welcome the Marshallese Assembly of God. Pastor Hemiko Jelke leads services at 6pm.
Hawaii UCC Conference Minister, David Popham reflects on a meeting of UCC denominations from the Micronesian Islands in an edition of the Coconut Wireless. This provides some context for our relationship with the Chuukese and Marshallese congregations that worship at Hokuloa.
Maintaining Historical Ocean Front Property
Wow - The church steeple is now visible as you turn off the highway on to Puako Beach Drive and the view of Puako Bay has been opened up (September 2019).
In the 1800s King Kamehameha III granted a parcel of royal land for a church and school in Puako. In fall 2016 the State of Hawai`i DLNR and the UCC Hawai`i Conference Foundation executed a lease reuniting Hokuloa Church with the historical Puako School grounds (now shoreline area east of the church). Hokuloa Church along with the UCC Hawai`i Conference Foundation have accepted responsibility for the care and maintenance of the land as part of our heritage. A Land Blessing was held on January 15, 2017.
Preserving and caring for the land will include replacing invasive plant species with native Hawaiian and endemic plants, providing public access to the ocean and putting in a trail along the shoreline.
Mike O'Toole, Land Project Manager/Member of Hokuloa, worked with the Land Committee to open an access to the ocean and remove underbrush fire hazards. Native plantings and grass are being added. Next will be working with interested parties to lay out the historic trail. Community grants and in-kind services are welcome. Watch for opportunities to work on on-going projects. Mahalo
Matthew 22:37-39 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. “This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Matthew 22:37–39)