wfn.org | UCC - Tsunami scare fails to halt Hawaii church's rededication

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Tsunami scare fails to halt Hawaii church's rededication

> Written by Diane Weible
> March 15, 2010

Punctuated by disaster warning sirens the morning of Feb. 27, 2010, 
the blowing of the conch shell at Kalahikiola Congregational UCC 
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."

The Oct. 15, 2006, 6.7 magnitude earthquake destroyed part of the 
building, rendering the 150-year old sanctuary unsafe for use.

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

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

In his sermon based on 1 Chronicles 28, the Rev. 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," he said.
Dancers perform a traditional Hula at the rededication ceremony for 
the restored Kalahikiola UCC.
Photo Kuulei Funn

Gathered in the new, 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, 
originally built in Oct. 1855 by missionary Elias Bond.

During the worship celebration, church leaders recalled how former 
Hawaii Conference Foundation Executive Director John Derby visited 
the church immediately after the earthquake and pledged support to 
the rebuilding process.

The United Church Insurance Board (IB) was also a very present help 
as as the church considered its options. "The historic nature of the 
Kalahikiola Church presented numerous challenges to reconstruction, 
but I'm delighted at the result!" said Cathy Green, IB President and 
CEO. "Our first concern after hearing of the damage was whether the 
church had earthquake coverage since it's an option in our program. 
Fortunately, the church had chosen earthquake protection."

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. Because the church had 
earthquake coverage, the contribution from the IB, along with 
community support and help from other churches, allowed the 
rebuilding effort to happen.

"We had never been faced with such a humongous task except when they 
first built this church in 1855," Baybrook said in his sermon.

"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 [Baybrook] brought us through this process in ways we 
didn't know we needed," said Hester. "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.

The 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."

The Hawaii Conference United Church of Christ, represents 130 
churches and 20,000 members on six islands with historic ties that go 
back to the first missionaries who came to Hawaii In 1820.

The Rev. Diane Weible is Associate Conference Minister for the UCC in Hawaii.