View from the Pew
A look inside Hawaii's houses of worshipBy Mary Adamski
Saturday, October 13, 2001
Youthful preacher Tom Choi showed film clips from "The Wizard of Oz" and "Chariots of Fire" to make his point that we should seek the kingdom of God within ourselves. Methodist church prays
to a new beatInstead of lights on to read hymnals, they were dimmed theater-style to focus eyes on the big screen.
Never mind that old "sit still, eyes front" behavior code; a couple of mothers brought their toddlers into the aisles to swing and sway to the music.
Pianist Andria Fennig curled head and shoulders into the beat as saxophone, drums, electric bass and guitar cranked up. Rosanna Perch segued from Negro spiritual to blues style as "But for Your Grace" went to "Amazing Grace" and back again.
So another Sunday of hand-waving, high-volume worship at the popular Pentecostal palace, right?
Wrong.
This was Kailua United Methodist Church unveiling its new "contemporary Christian experience," dubbed Crosswinds.
More than 200 people filled the airy church Sunday as the congregation joined a trend among mainline churches, borrowing the entertaining style of new "nondenominational" congregations to attract straying people back to church.
"You look really ... still," song leader Karen Kennedy told the crowd. "We're here to worship the Lord. It's OK to dance in your pew!"
Most folks loosened up to sing along to the new, lively "Shout to the Lord." A few raised outstretched arms. Clapping to the rhythm ... well, the self-consciousness should wear off with practice. And that goes for the praise singers, strong in voice but shy in motion as they stepped out of the anonymity of a choir to a line of microphones onstage.
The song leader's comment about a "really still" crowd hit the mark for a couple of dozen members at the back of the church. Most were of the generation that still dresses up to come to church. For the clapping, waving, swaying, they were wide-eyed spectators.
"I hear 'Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.' But where's God?" said Emma Himeno, widow of a former minister, in a critique of the music. But she hastened to say she supports this alternative to traditional services. "All the technology that goes into it is impressive."
Retiree Donald Corbin said he attended to support Pastor Choi and the young people enthusiastic about their production. But he's not likely to repeat the experience, he said. "I think they should switch times. Let the kids come early; I'm retired, and I should get to sleep late!"
The plan was to finish with "a rocking song," said Kennedy. But it was the morning that the U.S. attack on Afghanistan began, and the producers chose to fall back to a staple from the old hymnal. Safe to say there was no separation in generations, and no one remained aloof as we sang, "Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me."
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Mary Adamski covers religion for the Star-Bulletin.
Email her at madamski@starbulletin.com.
