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By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Rev. Kekapa Lee gets a hug last night from
Rev. James Merseberg.

Papa Makua

The Rev. Kekapa Lee is
appointed the new spiritual
leader of two statewide
religious organizations

Head of denomination to preach here
On Religion

By Mary Adamski
Star-Bulletin

THE new spiritual leader of two statewide organizations with 48 churches was told by a national figure that "our ministry must always extend beyond our household ... to provide nurturing and justice even to those who have no house."

The Rev. Kekapa Lee was installed last night as Papa Makua of the Association of Hawaiian Evangelical Churches and the State Council of Hawaiian Congregational Churches in ceremonies at Kawaiahao Church.

"We exist not just for ourselves but for the larger neighborhood," said the Rev. John H. Thomas, national president of the United Church of Christ.

By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Kekapa Lee was charged with being the "homemaker"
of a household that extends beyond the church.

Thomas charged Lee to be the "homemaker" of a household that extends beyond the church, "a household of sharing, healing, reconciling, liberating." He said the church needs to seek justice, righteousness and peace beyond its boundaries, and for people beyond its membership.

A crowd of 150 people included members of Hawaiian churches from all the islands as well as national leaders of the denomination here for a three-day conference.

Lee has been pastor of Waiola Church in Lahaina, Maui, for several years. He is also associate minister of the Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Christ and serves on the national executive council of the church.

The winner of a 1998 Hoku award for his religious music album "Aloha Kekahi I Kekahi," Lee stepped out of his position in the front pew to join the Aha Papa Himeni Choir during the service.

The Rev. James Merseberg, retiring Papa Makua, presented Lee with a wooden outrigger canoe paddle symbolic of leadership and working together.

Merseberg prayed that Lee and the organizations he will advise may have divine guidance "to make Hawaii a place of health, healing, justice, caring, inclusiveness, peace, reconciliation and bringing together ... which pleases God."

The United Church of Christ, a union of the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches, is Hawaii's largest Protestant denomination.

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Church of Christ head
to preach at Central Union

Star-Bulletin staff

The national president of the United Church of Christ and the denomination's other top leaders gathered in Honolulu this week for the church's annual consultation of conference leaders.

The Rev. John H. Thomas, 49, who was elected to the top office in October, will preach at the 8:30 a.m. service tomorrow at Central Union Church. He will lead the Adult Education and Spiritual Nurture sessions following services.

Thomas has worked on ecumenical concerns for many years. He was co-chairman of the committee that achieved a historic affirmation of full communion by members of four major Protestant denominations in America. The "Formula of Agreement" was approved in 1997 by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Reformed Church in America and the United Church of Christ.

Thomas is on the U.S. board of directors for the World Council of Churches. He spoke at the three-day consultation sessions of conference ministers that ended yesterday at the Prince Kuhio Hotel.