Haili Congregational Church Events

Haili Congregational Church

Hilo Hawai'i

"Proclaiming Jesus Christ to Hawai'i and the World"

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Events

2023 Summer Vacation Bible School

July 2023

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We are pleased to announce that after a three-year hiatus due to Covid, we just finished a week session of Vacation Bible School from July 17th - 22nd. The theme was "Babylon - Daniel's Courage in Captivity". The children learned that no matter the circumstances, when life changes, when we need help, when we are afraid, when we are lonely and when we are thankful, "God is with us!" The children loved the lessons, learning the memory verses, and doing crafts. Of course, the songs are always a hit as they learned that if they stand firm and trust in their one true god, that through it all, God is with us. Many of the children were new and learned how important God is in our lives. We also had high school students that came to volunteer to assist our volleyball girls with recreation.

This year we averaged 31 children and 24 staff a night. Most of the staff were new and Lyndell Lindsey, VBS Director was thankful for the excellent job they did. Special thanks to our kitchen staff who prepared and served healthy meals for the children and staff each night. It was a wonderful time of getting to know the children and ministering to their hearts.

Our Mission this year is going to World Vision - "Operation Kid to Kid. The emphasis was to collect money to be able to put Bibles in children's hands around the world in their own language. Every night we upped our goal. On Saturday it was to acquire 100 Bibles. At the end of our closing program, we collected a total of $1561.45 of which we will be able to acquire 130 Bibles. God is so great and once again he has been very faithful in allowing us to surpass our goal.

We would like to thank everyone for their monetary and food donations that helped to fund this event for the children. Once again, Thank you for your prayers. Without your support we wouldn't be able to share God's love with these children. Once again, a special Mahalo goes to the staff for all their hard work. In the end God will say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant".

By Lyndell Lindsey - VBS Director

Students from Kuhio Chapel in Hilo, Hi.

July 24th, 2022

Kūhiō Chapel Bible Release Time:

Four students, Shania Young Toledo, Sheldon Young Toledo, Connor Delos Santos and Psalms Oshiro graduated from the sixth grade this past June, and entering the seventh grade with the exception of Shania Young Toledo who is entering 9th grade when they return to school in August. All of these students have attended Bible Release Time from kindergarten through 6th grade.

Due to the COVID Pandemic the schools were shut down abruptly in March of 2020. The three boys were in the 3rd/4th grades, Shania was in the 6th grade. As a result, due to the closing of the schools as well as many other places we couldn’t have a graduation service for Shania who was in the sixth grade.

The leaders of Bible Release Time, Cynthia and Gary Akimseu, Meli Oshiro and myself got together and planned a graduation ceremony. The students’ graduation took place on July 24th, 2022, at Haili Congregational Church. Each student received a bible in a bible case and their kihei which they wore to the graduation. On each student’s kihei a symbol of the theme of what they learned each year were stamped on it. The kihei with its symbols will remind them of the lessons they learned while attending Bible Release. At their graduation the students sang a song and recited the scripture John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

Submitted by Ku’ulei Hughes Okada - Kuhio Release Tine Instructor

Submitted by Lorna Bufil:

Kuhio Chapel Release Time is the only after school Bible Release program in our state.

The instructors are Ku’ulei Highes Okada, Haili Church Delegates Cynthia & Meli Akimseu.

The children attend Keaukaha Elementary School, which is in walking distance to Kuhio Chapel.

The children are also served snacks, learn scripture readings and Gary Akinseu provides also assists and plays guitar music.

We thank the State Sunday School Association for their continuous support through the years.

In His Service,

Lorna Bufil

ictured with instructors

Ku’ulei Hughes Okada and Gary Akimseu.

Haili Church Holds Service of Rededication

On Sunday, February 27, 2022, Haili Congregational Church in Hilo, Hawai‘i, celebrated a soft reopening of in-person worship services with a limit of 50 people and COVID-19 protocols.

Leadership of the transitioning church, which is seeking a new pastor, decided to have a special blessing done by Papa Makua Wendell Davis to rededicate Haili Congregational Church. The Papa Makua blessed and consecrated the church, praying that the living waters Jesus talked about would flow from this church, throughout the community and into the world.

Haili's Hope Kahu, Moderator, Trustee President, and Diaconate Head participated in the ceremony which included generations from youth to our eldest living kupuna, 92-year-old Mary Desha Namahoe, who is the granddaughter of the late Reverend Stephen Langhern Desha Sr. and daughter of Stephen Langhern Desha Jr., both of whom pastored Haili Congregational Church.

The church door was adorned with a 15-strand ti-leaf lei made by member Sweetie Osorio, which she described as “made by many hands” as the ti leaves were gathered by church members from Haili Church and Kuhio Chapel.

Haili Sunday Morning Service

January 30, 2022

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Haili Cristmas Eve 2021

Virtual Service. Aloha

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At the Haili Congregational Church's Unity Service held on Sunday, December 29th, 2019 we rededicated our historical motto sign "Ua La'a No Iehova" (Dedicated to God).